"This file is damaged."

[HazMatt]

Hosting ~35 databases on Windows NT via FileMaker Server 5. Paused backups are scheduled at 11:45 AM and 5:00 PM. Files get copied onto a separate network volume. I checked the backup log and no irregularites could be found.

When I copy my backup files to a laptop for temporary use at an on-site trip, I open the files and set them all to Single User status via linked scripts. I've been doing this successfully for a year or so. But today, when the script gets to a particular file, the Set Multi-User[Off] script function fails and the following error message is generated:

This file is damaged. Click Continue to continue using this file, or click Quit to exit FileMaker. Consult the FileMaker manual for information on Recovery.

I get the same error when I manually go to File > Sharing... and select Single User. The curious thing is that if I change the setting from Multi-User (the normal hosted setting) to Multi-User (Hidden), it does not crash.

I have no idea why this is happening to this file, but that's in the past. I don't keep a virgin copy of my databases (never have, kinda hard to start now), so what should I do?

[Lee Smith]

Hi Matt,

I'm probably going to show my ignorance here, and this may be comparing apples and oranges (no pun intended), but on the Mac, we have to turn off File Share in a served environment.

HTH

Lee

[Reed]

Do you have older backups that don't show this problem? If so, you could start using those files, export data from your damaged files to text, then import the current data to your undamaged files.

[HazMatt]

This doesn't have anything to do with File Sharing on the Mac. The "Sharing" setting is a preference set in each database file.

I do have access to older backups... if the problem persists (how could it not?), I suppose I'll try that option. Any ideas on how this sort of thing happens? I've seen it before... :

BTW, Reed you look much too young to have 421 posts under your belt! :

[Lee Smith]

There is also a system File Sharing (which is the one I was referring to) that if on will really mess things up.

Lee says as he slowly sinks into the do do.

:confused:

[Reed]

Having any kind of OS-based file sharing server turned on while also hosting FMP databases has been linked to corruption. Obviously if someone accesses your live DB via file sharing while FMP Server is serving it, there could be corruption, but some swear that even if the volume containing your DB is not shared but another volume is shared on the same machine, then corruption could still occur.

On my system, I don't have any sharing on the server, I remotely back up using scp on OS X with the cron utility.

BTW, my son is 9 months old, so he only has 25 posts.... he's still trying to get the hang of the three button mouse :

[Partha]

Faced a similar problem when my backup folder was not set to give full priviledges to the FileMaker user.

Pls check that ur backup folder is OWNED by FileMaker both as a group and a user.

Also, do ensure that the folders are NOT more than 1 folder deep in the "fmserver" folder

[HazMatt]

Yeah, now I remember that issue about circumventing FileMaker Server via peer to peer file sharing... but I don't think that's the problem with me.

The FMServer machine has 2 hard drives, one with Windows 98 (Drive C) and the other with Windows XP (Drive D). I right-clicked the drives and selected Sharing and Security, and indeed both are being shared. But the share names are C$ and D$. The PC guy here probably set them up as this for some reason. I will ask him about it.

Anyway, I see no reason to keep sharing the drives because I have a scheduled task in Windows pause FileMaker Server, copy the files to a NAS, then everything gets backed up from that again to another server. Nobody should ever need to access the server directly.

All hosted FM files are actually here:

C:FMCurrent

Here is the path to the shortcut to the above folder:

D:Program FilesFileMakerFileMaker Server 5Shortcut to FMCurrent