Replacing files on remote Server - Start/Stop required? (revised)

[MorFologist]

I am on a PC with FM admin connecting to a remote Windows server.

I want to be able to close files, copy them off locally to work on, then replace.

I believe I read that even if you close the file via Admin, you should ALSO stop the service before doing anything with the files. Is that a must?

But CAN I just close then replace files* without stopping the service?

PPS

I decided to close, stop and replace contents of "live" directory. I left a note for IT to start in AM.

It turns out stopping the service hung on "stopping", and although help app was running, the service was hung and inaccessible remotely.

Also, IT dept was NOT stopping starting service when putting up the new test files (tossing out the old). Especially given these replaced files are all named the same, can this cause FMS to become confused?

So,

should the process include stop/start service of service,

*Or,

if you initiate a backup,

close live files,

copy then work on the backup files locally,

toss out closed files,

replace with newly revised files,

and reopen,

is that enough?

This was the FM5 way of doing it, but I can't find where I read one ought to stop/start as well for FM8.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Guest
cut irrelevant data, updated

[Steven H. Blackwell]

I would not say that it is an absolute requirement to stop the service, but it is a good safety measure.

Steven