FM Server will not start

[Nanore]

Hello all,

Running OSX Server 10.5.4 with all of the latest updates. Just installed FIlemaker Server Advanced. Everything during installation seems to have gone normally.

When loading the server admin web page, it downloads a file, then that file launches Java, as it was designed to do. Java throws up a certificate warning, as expected.

After Java launches, we get the error "The Database Server is not available. To edit server deployment, please start the Database Server first".

Now, I've already googled that phrase and found an post on this site about that same error. The solution presented there did not work. I've tried removing and reinstalling FM Server, as well as reformatting and reinstalling the whole XSERVE and reinstalling FM server once again. Completely fresh and unadulterated installations of the whole OS and FM Server still give us the exact same error. (Filemaker Inc. Quality Control? )

Apparently, FM Server installation does not install a real application. Instead, it installs thousands of little pieces of junk and JAVA items scattered all over hard drive. It's a pity FM Server has gone, over the years, from being a real Mac application to this.

Any suggestions about how to get past that JAVA error? Thanks!

[Steven H. Blackwell]

You likely need to start the daemon from the Terminal. Do you know how to do that?

Steven

[Nanore]

Hi Steven,

I've tried to type in fmserverd at the terminal, and I get an error - [5607] CreatePIDFile: couldn't open the file for writring: /Library/Filemaker Server/Database Server/.fmserverd.pid

Any suggestions? These are brand new, fresh installs of the entire OS and FM Server. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[IdealData]

Is this a permissions thing?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

For the various daemons:

sudo launchctl start com.filemaker.fms

sudo launchctl stop com.filemaker.fms

Use of the sudo command requires authentication.

For the Admin Console:

fmsadmin START SERVER

fmsadmin STOP {options}

-f force disconnect of all clients

-m message sends message to clients

-t seconds wait time before disconnect

--grace-time a specified number of seconds (minimum 120) before clients are disconnected. Clients receive a message asking them to disconnect

Example: fmsadmin STOP --grace-time 180

For more information review the FileMaker Server Help PDF document that comes with the product.

[Nanore]

Thank you for the list of commands. I've tried them, and I still get the exact same error when launching the console.

Unfortunately, the help files do not mention what to do in case of this error.

Does anyone else have a brand new XSERVE (less than a week old), running the brand new OS (nothing else has been installed on it), and a brand new copy of FM Server Advanced and getting this same error? For $2500 you would think they might actually test their product. I'd hate to waste out precious one phone call on this.

Thanks!

[Steven H. Blackwell]

For $2500 you would think they might actually test their product.

Comments such as these are not likely to inspire people to try to help you find answers to your questions. FMI has an extensive SQA testing process. I and several other contributors to this Forum are part of that process. Lots of folks have Server 9 installed without issue.

We need to isolate the specific circumstances of your environment to see what might be causing your issue. I actually suspect--but I do not know for a fact--that there is something amiss about either the 10.5.4 OS version or possibly the July 31st Security patch. Did you install that patch?

Steven

[Nanore]

Hi Steven,

The first time we tried to install it was before doing any system updates - it was literally the first thing we put on it or did to it after the first formatting of the RAID system. So what ever was shipping with XSERVE as of last week is what we installed it onto. When that didn't work, we reformatted, reinstalled OSX, we then allowed it to update this second time around. Then we attempted to install FM Server the second time. Both times gave the same exact result. The statistics: This XSERVE has a hardware RAID card, three SASCSI drives, and 4GB ram.

[Ted S]

I'm going to jump in here because I had a similar problem when installing FM Server in a production environment for the first time.

I'll get right to the source of the problem. A few days earlier I had installed the same FM Server software using the same license key on a test box on the same domain. I did this to do a test run on the installation to make sure I knew what I was doing before I tackled the production server.

The problem is that the second installation -- the production installation -- recognized that the license key was already in use. Apparently FM Server did some sort of broadcast on the local network as part of the installation process and found the test server with the same license key. I simply uninstalled FM Server from the test box and all went well with the production installation.

I know you're on a Mac but maybe the same thing is happening to you. I discovered the error when I looked at recent entries in the Windows Event Viewer. There was nothing on any of the popup boxes that gave me the slightest hint what the problem was, I simply stumbled upon it in the event viewer while troubleshooting.

[Nanore]

Thanks Ted,

You know what, I think that was it! I ran tcpdump from the terminal while launching FM Server. Lo and behold, it does scan the network for other copies. Decided to launch it again, this time with ethernet unplugged, and it launched proper! It was probably my boss testing it out on his own machine when we received the installer disk earlier this week! Interesting to note, once the FM server has launched, it still runs once I reconnect ethernet to the XSREVE..doesn't seem to kill itself. I wonder if that was really the issue. Will find out tomorrow when boss is back.

[Nanore]

Thank you Ted and Steven for looking into this for me. Yes, that was the problem in fact. The boss had installed a copy onto his desk machine out of curiosity and forgot to remove it - he was curious what this software was all about. Now that we removed it there, it launches up on the XSERVE just fine. We can add that reason to the possible causes of that error now. Thanks again!

[Ted S]

You're welcome. Other than that installation problem and the fact that Single Sign On for the admin console doesn't work, I've been pretty happy with version 9. I bet you will be too.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

he fact that Single Sign On for the admin console doesn't work,

Just as an updated piece of information, you can still use the credentials and they will authenticate for the Console. They just won't do so without being entered again.

Steven