can't connect to FMS9 admin console, Security Update 2007-007 problem?

[cwilcox]

I upgraded a FileMaker Server Advanced from 8 to 9 last week without difficulty. Today, I'm not able to access the admin console remotely or locally on the server. If I try to run the previously downloaded Java applet, it starts but doesn't do anything. Netstat and ipfw show that the connection is being made on port 16000. I'm experiencing no problem with Web Publishing (IWP & PHP), just the admin console.

After much digging I finally found an error message in a log file:

/Library/FileMaker Server/Admin/admin-master-tomcat/logs/catalina.2007-08-02.log

Yesterday I installed Apple Security Update 2007-007 and after rebooting the above catalina log shows errors. I tried rebooting again today with the same results. I've attached a text file containing everything logged after a reboot. The first 14 lines match the lines after the FileMaker Server 9 admin console was first run and then the rest is all wrong. Part of the log that looks the most informative says "java.io.IOException: No route to host"

I saw that Tomcat was one of the of the components updated by 2007-007 so my fear is that it included something that broke the FMS admin console. Has anyone encountered this problem and can anyone suggest a way to solve it?

FileMaker_Server_errors_in_catalina_log.txt

[jeffreym]

Hey, I've got what seems to be the same problem, but I don't think it is the security update, since I haven't done it yet on the server machine. I connected up to the admin console fine right after install, now a week later if I try from Safari I get a "cannot load the page because it cannot connect to the server localhost" error message. If I try to open the admin_console file, I get "unable to launch FMS9-databases.local" error, and the details are that it can't load the resource "http://localhost:16000/admin_console..."

Help :confused:

[jeffreym]

I assume you tried this, but a restart cured my problem (I had to wait until no one was in the office to do this, since I'm having another problem, namely that the machine is taking ~30 minutes to restart, I'll deal with that when I get to it -)

Jeff

[cwilcox]

Yes, there has been many a restart along the way but I don't think the problem you had was the same as mine. If you install Security Update 2007-007 and continue to have access to your admin console, I'd be interested to know that.

I am still without a solution but I'll report on what I've done so far. Re-applying Security Update 2007-007 didn't work. Re-applying Combo Update 10.4.10 didn't work. Reinstalling FMS9 didn't work. Uninstalling FMS9 then installing FMS9 didn't work. BTW, my original install was from fms_9.0v1_R1_full_ESD.dmg but when I did the uninstall/install I used fms_9.0v1_R2_full_ESD.dmg. I don't know what the difference is between R1 and R2 but it clearly didn't help.

I now have an open case with FileMaker technical support. All that came from that long phone call was the fact that there should be some more ports open. I only have 16000 and 16001 but there should be some others between 16004 and 16018. I sent them a catalina logfile, maybe they can make something of it.

[bobearl]

Hi there,

I also have an open case with Filemaker, and also have been unable to open ports 1608-1620 for FMS 9. Has anyone figured this puzzle out?

[jeffreym]

Well, not sure if this will help, but I am at 10.4.10, and it is still working. It works from on the local network and off (I have the airport set to forward 16000 and 16001). I assume this means my original problem was a glitch of some sort. I have had another issue, which is that a restart of the server machine (a Mini) almost always results in about a 1/2 hour wait. I get basically all the way through the boot (using verbose boot mode), and then nothing. Occasionally fine, truly weird. Started doing this after the upgrade to server 9. Maybe this was related to the original glitch. Have you tried installing FMS9 on a test machine, maybe with 10.4.9 running?

[swood]

Had similar problem yesterday with FMS9 admin console not loading. Had error about unable to load jnlp resource on port 16000. I quit everything, repaired disk permissions, cleared all system and user caches with Cocktail and rebooted. Loaded the FMS9 Start Page (prelaunch_single...) and it worked. I'm assuming that something was corrupted or out of sync in the caches, but can't say for sure.

[sdpetemc]

I have been having the same issue. I have an open case with FileMaker ($45). After an hour or two talking and on hold, they said to open up all ports from 16000 to 16018.

My network IT guys do not block any ports...

I have opened all the ports in the 'Sharing System Prefs' under add a port on the firewall tab.

Still doesn't work. I have to uninstall/reinstall the entire FMS 9 package anytime I want to access the admin client! YIKES! :)

[Thorsten]

This is an easy one to fix, the solution is in another thread:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/188713/

The java webstart app is using the system network settings, but for some reason is using a proxy for the localhost. If you disable the proxy setting in system preferences, then you can connect to the fm server using the admin console. Obviously this disables external http connections...

This only affects the mac osx version, must be something about the java version?

I tried following the advice in the other thread of installing the fms_9.01v1_R2 version, but this didn't help. Looks like its a trip to the sys prefs every time I need to connect to the FM server.

Come on FileMaker, fix this simple problem please...

[mdecheser]

It might be a year after this thread was alive, but this is still worth mentioning. Cocktail is a great tool but one should be VERY careful as to which caches it clears. I use it regularly when updating point versions of Mac OSX, but bear in mind that FM9 Server stores the admin console application in the Java cache on the server. The Java cache is one of the caches that Cocktail will clear for you. I made the mistake of overlooking this detail and ended up having to completely reinstall FMS9 on my server. Luckily it was shortly before (and not during) I put FMS9 into production on our Leopard server, so the damage was mitigated.

Cocktail gives you the option to overlook the Java cache ... just a matter of unchecking a checkbox.

I hope this is helpful!