File not writeable, but Open in FileMaker Server

[janedoe]

Hi,

We have an ongoing issue with one of our clients as follows.

They are a running a solution built by us consisting of 53 files in the FileMaker Pro 7 file format.

They are running FileMaker Server 8.0v4, with FileMaker Pro 8.5v2 clients.

The FileMaker Server platform has the following specifications:

Hardware:

Intel Xeon CPU, E5320 @ 1.86GHz (Dual Quad Core), 4 GB RAM, 300GB Hard Disk Drive 10,000RPM

Software:

Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition, Service Pack 2 (dedicated FileMaker Server)

Configuration:

Database Cache: 200MB (maximum indicated is 800MB).

Flushing the Database Cache: Every 1 minute

The FileMaker Client platform is has the following specifications:

Hardware:

Intel Xeon CPU, E5320 @ 1.86GHz (Dual Quad Core), 4 GB RAM, 60GB Hard Disk Drive

Software:

Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition, Service Pack 2 (Terminal Server configuration)

The problem manifests itself in the following way:

- Users are no longer able to add data to a particular file

- They can still view data in this file, but are unable to edit existing records, or add new records

- The file is showing as “Open” in FileMaker Server Admin

- When closing the file in FileMaker Server Admin, the file remains ‘in use’ despite the status showing as “Closed”

- We know that the file is still ‘in use’ because a simple attempt to rename the file in Windows Explorer fails

- The only way to release the file is to attempt to stop the FileMaker Server Services, this generally fails, and then End Task in Task Manager must be used

The problem above occurs intermittently (sometimes once every two weeks, sometimes once every two days).

We have performed the following actions on this file:

- We have replaced the file with a copy that is held away from the client’s system

- We have exported the records from the existing file to merge format, and imported this file into the a Clone of the above file

- We have also on separate occasions performed a Recovery/Compress/and File Maintenance on the file

We have this solution in place for many clients other clients who are not getting this issue.

The two major differences with this client setup are:

They have a total solution size of 32GB (with one file at 30GB (this is not the file mentioned above))

They are running FileMaker Server Advanced, and interact using ODBC (only to one specific file (again not the file mentioned above))

We believe the actual issue may not be in the file mentioned above, but that this file is showing the symptoms of the actual problem. This file does closely work with the 30GB file.

Can you offer any suggestions given the above information?

Should you require any further information, please let us know.

Thank you,

jd.

[Vaughan]

Hi Di

It sounds like it's some kind of double-access thing happening, which then leaves the file read-only (or corrupted).

Check that the files on FMS aren't being accessed through file sharing, and subsequently being opened in FM Pro. This might mean disabling admin file share access.

Also could be that anti-virus, backup, file indexing or some other software is scanning the database folder and touching the files at the same time FM Server tries to write to them (which explains the randomness of the problem). If the software can't be disabled then exclude the whole database folder from it's scan list.

It could also be a terminal server thing. You know more about than than me.

Good luck.

Edited June 19, 2008 by Guest

[Vaughan]

"Database Cache: 200MB (maximum indicated is 800MB).

Flushing the Database Cache: Every 1 minute"

I just noticed the server database cache is set to 1 minute... that's pretty short to flush 200MB.

I dunno if it's related but it might be affecting general performance. There might be a lot happening at the disk level...

[Steven H. Blackwell]

- We know that the file is still ‘in use’ because a simple attempt to rename the file in Windows Explorer fails

That's an indication of a possibly incorrect setup.

On the Terminal Services box, do you have a volume license install of FileMaker Pro client?

At the OS level on the FileMaker Server, is the file set to read-only?

Vaughan's suggestions are good ones.

Steven

[janedoe]

hello,

thanks for the feedback.

we have changed the cache size to be 50MB now.

there is no anti-virus running locally, file sharing service is disabled, and the Hosted Databases directory is not being shared.

we are checking with the company's IT support to see if they are running any backups/anti-virus remotely, if they are we will get them to exclude the Hosted Databases directory.

the affected file is not set to read only, and writing to this file is fine, except when the issue mentioned earlier happens, then it goes into a read only state.

there is a VL version of FM Pro on the TS.

if you (or anyone) has any other suggestions it would be appreciated.

cheers,

jd.

Edited June 20, 2008 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

we have changed the cache size to be 50MB now.

What cache is this?

Steven

[janedoe]

The Database Cache setting in FileMaker Server Admin.

jd.

[janedoe]

Hi,

We have had confirmation from their IT Staff that no Virus Scanners are being run on the FileMaker Server at all.

There is also no backup of the Live Databases folder (besides the FileMaker Server Schedules).

Any other ideas, please?

Thanks,

jd.

[Vaughan]

My wife worked for a very large state government institution with data centres all around NSW (ie, a huge geographical spread). One particular site kept (almost) regularly dropping off the network.

To cut long story short, the problem was the cleaner plugging their vacuum into the power outlet next to the one the router was plugged into. The resulting voltage drop as the motor started was enough to cause the router to momentarily switch off and corrupt itself, but not every time.

I've heard stories about similar things happening to Intensive Care Unit life support machines. Frightening.

So if you're sure that the IT people are correct, it might be time to check the physical environment.

Is the box on a UPS with line filtering?

At some stage it's faster (and cheaper) to swap the box with another that's a known-good configuration. Then wait and see what happens.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

The Database Cache setting in FileMaker Server Admin.

Something is afoot here. The minimum setting is 64 MB. I'd recommend that you set this as high as it will go. I don't know what is set at 50MB, but I really doubt it is the amount of memory to be reserved as cache. That's why I asked.

Now, might it be that you've reserved 50 MB per Terminal Services session on the TS server? If so, 64 MB per session is a better number. There are a couple of FMI White Papers on this topic. If you can't find them, let me know.

Steven

[janedoe]

In FileMaker Server 8 we appear to be able to set the Database Cache size as low as 4MB.

We are not making changes to the TS at all at this stage.

They have recently purchased and implemented a new Server (which are the specifications provided in the initial post).

This problem occured both on the old Server, and is occuring on the new Server.

I'm not sure of their UPS configuration, and whether there may be other devices plugged into the same power point, so we'll contact their IT about these points.

Thanks for the feedback,

jd.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Guest