Another Admin Console Issue - MobileMe?

[Doktor Joy]

I have been trying to find a problem with the admin console on my server for some time. I have now managed to isolate the problem to the MobileMe system update mechanism.

The problem

• Admin Console launches, but reports that the database server is not running. It reports that WP is running. In fact, the database server IS running, as I can happily connect to it with clients and IWP clients also.
• Admin Console reports this problem whether launched on a G4, G5, Intel, 10.4 or 10.5 system.
• Further, command-line fmsadmin on the server ALSO reports the server is not started.
• So, it looks like the server-side java app that talks to the admin console and to fmsadmin, is broken somehow.

Using the admin console or fmsadmin to try to start the server fails (it's already running).

The Cause:

The server works fine, the admin console works fine, *until* I click on ".Mac" in System Preferences. I get the "Launch Software Update" dialogue to upgrade to MobileMe. Even if I do not install the Software Update, the very next time I reboot the server the Admin Console is broken, and remains that way.

I can reproduce this, 100% of the time. I have a backup image of the server hard disk just prior to clicking on .Mac in System Preferences. I have rolled back to it 3 times, clicked on .Mac and gone through the MobileMe dialogues, and every time, the server is broke afterwards. The server is broken whether I proceed with the MobileMe update, or whether I cancel it from within Software Update. So, whatever causes the problem happens when the Mac first spots that .Mac has changed to MobileMe and forces you to launch Software Update.

I have a list of about 300 files that are changed as a result of this. Unfortunately, the backup software won't let me export this list to here. Most of the changes seem to be localisation changes and new icons/names for MobileMe to replace .Mac. A number of logfiles are changed also (as you would expect) - but I doubt they are the cause of the problem.

So, something is breaking the server-side app that handles FMS admin (I believe it is called Catalina and is a Tomcat servlet), when I click on .Mac in System Preferences.

-- Right now, the server is running in rollback mode and is working fine. Why don't I just leave it that way? Well, it uses Apple's 'Backup' and .Mac to backup databases to iDisk

Server Info:

Mac Mini Core 2 Duo (64bit), 1GB/80GB

OS X 10.5.4

Java 6 NOT installed

FMSA v 9.0.325

Note - I have tried the v326 patch, that fixes nothing (and I wouldn't expect it to as it is client-side code only that is changed and I am sure this is a server-side issue).

(Edit)

I should add that I have used Software Update to install various other patches and they have proceeded without issues. So, it is not 'any' use of Software Update that causes this, it is the specific forced launch of Software Update prompted by trying to connect to MobileMe on a machine that still calls it '.Mac'

Edited July 25, 2008 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Would you please advise FMI UK of these findings?

Steven

[Doktor Joy]

Hi Steven,

I'm trying to isolate the individual file(s) that cause this. I'll let FMI know by the end of today either way.

Dok

Edited July 25, 2008 by Guest

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Thank you. This could potentially be rather important.

Steven

[Doktor Joy]

Right, FMI have a case number for this and are looking into it.

I've not been able to isolate any specific file(s) that is responsible yet.

Does anybody else have a 64bit Mac with 10.5.4 on it that they could try to reproduce this with? I only have the one machine here and while I can reproduce it on that every time, some corroboration from elsewhere would be useful.