Server 9 Install issue, Error 956

[LR Steve]

We have been trying to install FMS 9 since mid-July. After repeated attempts and endless hours of troubleshooting, we still have not been able to successfully deploy FMS 9. We have had to re-install FMS 8v4 after every failed attempt.

I can get everything working as advertised except for the web publishing component. Any attempt to utilize web publishing using PHP or XSLT is met with an error:

956- "Maximum number of database sessions exceeded".

Configuration Two Win 2003 machines (FMS on master. Web publishing modules on web server.)

Preexisting: FMS 8v4 and PHP 5.2.3 deployed via the 'Zend Core for Windows' package

FMS 9 install: We are trying to enable PHP and XSLT, but using our preexisting PHP software instead of the FileMaker install of PHP. We do not use XSLT but are enabling as a troubleshooting reference.

We have conducted our install attempts with attention to all of the issues discussed in this forum and in the FM articles, including: Complete uninstalls of FMS 8 with any needed manual removals of remnant files, directories, and settings. Rebooting after the uninstalls. A check of all required open ports to confirm availability. Review of IIS configuration to confirm correct settings.

Error 956 appears to be a catchall error that can generate not only when sessions are exceeded, but anytime any of the web publishing or FM server components are not reachable or not recognized as available.

At this point we are just about out of ideas on what to try next. For those of you familiar with IIS, there are hints in some resources I have read, indicating other potential interference from IIS settings. The Zend PHP package requires IIS 6 to run in "IIS 5 isolation mode." which has worked fine in our FMS 8 configuration. It appears, however, that FMS 9 might expect IIS 6 to be in its default "worker process isolation" or "Application pool" behavior. These are settings that can be specified from IIS ADMIN.... So next time, we'll play with that stuff, and also run a registry cleaner app after the FMS 8 uninstall.

Any other ideas or suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I have posted this on FM TechNet, but not much life over there lately.

Edited October 8, 2007 by Guest

[spragueg]

I too have this problem installing FMSA 9 in a two machine configuration. I am attempting to use the existing php install as well. I am using two xserves running 10.4.x Server. Each time I try to hit the page with a CWP call I get the same error 956. Did you ever find a solution?

[LR Steve]

Nope. Have not found a solution. Despite repeated attempts as well as calls to FM tech support, I still have not sucessfully installed Server 9.

Every time I call FM tech support, I get new suggestions from them. The latest is to uninstall and re-install IIS web services. Have not tried that yet. I wait two or three weeks between each attempt, because there is so much involved in trying to follow their upgrade procedures... and then having to re-install and re-configure Server 8 after the Server 9 install fails.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Guest

[PBainbridge]

Well at least I'm not alone! And I suppose I should be grateful that I have only been attempting this since the end of last week.

See my post in the FMSA forum for more. Please let us know if you make any progress with this. As I have the servers either side of a firewall FM Tech have just called me back to suggest I try bypassing the firewall to eliminate that from the equation, although the logs don't appear to show anything untoward, so I will keep you posted.