Mac OS 10.1 and cache clearing issues

[charrois]

We have been running FileMaker Server 5.5 on a Mac OS 10.1 server for the past month. I ran into a problem with FileMaker Server Config file remembering its preferences, particularly after running a FileMaker 5.5 client locally on the server. FileMaker admitted this was a known problem which they are working on. In the mean time, we editted the preference file to hard code our preferences into the system.

I now have another concern about the ability of FileMaker server to clear the cache before shutting down on Mac OS 10.1. I think, and would like to have someone confirm that there are issues.

Recently I was making some layout changes while the databases were still being served through the OS 10.1 server. After my changes were made, I had to shut down the server to do some password changes. Upon restarting the server, my layouts were only half there. I believe the cache is not being written back to the hard disk when the server is asked to shut down??

Also I have had issues with corruption of some of the databases once I have started working on them in a single user environment after shutting down the server and pulling them off. No corruption seems to be happening while the files are being hosted through the server. I have my cache set very large at 40 mb. The databases are running nice and fast through the network. I just worry everytime I shut down the server. I am going to put in a shut down script to clear the cache to hard disk.

Has anyone else run into issues while running FileMaker Server 5.5 on Mac OS 10.1?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

>Recently I was making some layout changes while the databases were still being served through the OS 10.1 server.

Not from a copy of FileMaker Pro running on the same machine I hope>

Also, how often do you instruct the cache to flush itself? Under Prefernces?

Old Advance Man

[Arin]

I've run into some of the same issues, with prefs not saving, or reverting to defaults, but nothing that was causeing any problems until a few days ago. (we're running 10.1 and Server 5.5 on a G4) I had a remote host that was accessing the server over the internet loose the connection, and after that several of my databases couldn't be reopened on the server. I have to use 'recover' to get several of them to work again. Since doing that everything "Seems" to be working fine, but performance has been awful. It can now take over 3 mins to do a find that took under ten seconds before.

Any Ideas ?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arin:

I've run into some of the same issues, with prefs not saving, or reverting to defaults, but nothing that was causeing any problems until a few days ago. (we're running 10.1 and Server 5.5 on a G4) I had a remote host that was accessing the server over the internet loose the connection, and after that several of my databases couldn't be reopened on the server. I have to use 'recover' to get several of them to work again. Since doing that everything "Seems" to be working fine, but performance has been awful. It can now take over 3 mins to do a find that took under ten seconds before.

Any Ideas ?

---

Recovered databases should not continue to be used. The purpose of the Recover command is to fix the file sufficiently to be able to extract the data and import it into a clean clone of the files. Structure will eb sacrificed during the recovery process to fulfill this objective.

Now, this still doesn't explain what caused the original problem. Please see my earlier post.

HTH

Old Advance Man

[Arin]

Yeah, it turns out the use of an earlier backup solved the problem...

in my case I believe the network error may have caused the original crash.

-Arin

[Arin]

Okay so I know this is getting a little off topic, but I need some advice, and the expertise seems to be here.

So I just learned a BIG lesson in always having UP TO DATE clones of every file "just in case" but since I didn't for this particulat file, and there are quite a few calculations and scripts that I'd prefer not to have to rebuild (if at all possible) is it stupid to try create a clone of the recovered file, and then export the records and import them back into the clone? Am I really gaining anything anyway?

-Arin

[Anatoli]

Believe me or not, I did the recover procedure at maximum once a year. And I was always using the new recovered file straight after recover finished.

Unless your file is dramatically damaged, you should be OK with using that file.

[Moon]

I have experienced the same problems described in this thread, including preferences not sticking, files that would FM Sever would not open, as well as failures with scripted backups that I have metioned elsewhere in the Forums. For these reasons, and particularly for the unreliablity of backing up essential data, I have reformatted our FileMaker server to OS 9, updated to its latest iteration, 9.2.2, and am no operating trouble free, as advertised.

How disappointing that one of the premier OS X software releases should be so probematic. I don't know if the problemw reside in the OS X version of FileMaker Server or in OS X itself, but I will let the FileMaker and Apple engineers work that out. Since reintitializing a disk and reinstalling an OS is pretty simple, I am not inclined to lady canine too loudly, but I am sorry that FileMaker, which I have always respected for its durable products, could let so many failures appear in this release.

One drawback of using OS X that I now do not contend with, irrespective of FileMaker, is that I can once again do true remote administration on the server from my desk using Apple Network Assistant. That, and having reliable backups, makes my life much easier as an administrator. I will continue to watch and listen to these forums in hopes of seeing these OS X related problems get resolved, but I am going to let others blaze the OS X trail and remain myself in Classic so I can get other work done.