MAC FMSA 11 on Mac OS X 10.6 Server - problem with Web Server Deployment/Apache

[Ethan Knight]

We have a Mac Mini OS X 10.6 that I'm trying to run Filemaker Server Advanced 11 and have been having one heck of a time trying to get the Web Server Deployed. I'm able to "Skip this step and select a server later" and access the database through Remote Filemaker once VPN'd into the server, but in trying to complete the Web Server Deployment it sees that Apache is running, but we're unable to actually get FMSA to complete the process. It keeps retuning "Web Server Test Failed. Return Code = -1"

Things we've tried with Filemaker customer support (after paying $45) ...

1. Of course I've also tried to manually input the local IP address into the error reporting box to no avail. Same error.

2. So we reverted back to the default httpd.config file in Apache2 itself and no help.

3. Simply of course, turning off the web and turning it on again in Server Admin within OS X Server didn't of course yield any fruit. Also turning Apache off and starting it again in Terminal to the same results.

4. I've tried to search for the OSX Server Apache 2 file completely to replace what's installed in the /etc of my Mac Mini but can't find anything that might help.

5. Testing the ports to see if there was a conflict.

Basically, in looking it appears that port 80 isn't 'listening' on Apache.

6. Turning off the IPV6 in System Preferences... no help

7. Turning off VPN for L2TP ... no help

8. Also tried just simply going to http://localhost and 127.0.0.1 just to find the Apache home page locally and shows "Safari can't connect to the server" error page.

Ideas? I'll happily try just about anything at this point.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Welcome to FM Forums.

once VPN'd into the server

What are you doing here? What does the VPN have to do with this process? Are you talking about configuring the Server via the Console or trying to connect to a hosted file?

Steven

[Ethan Knight]

Steven,

thanks for the quick reply. I've been VPNing into the server in order to actually access the filemaker file via Remote. In this case I'm opening FM Pro on my laptop, and once VPN'd in, will Access Remote Folder as if I was on the LAN at the office.

At this point there's no other way that I know of to gain access to the file.

Thank you for any and all help with this!

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Open Port 5003 on the firewall and forward the packets to the FMS machine. No VPN needed.

Steven

[Ethan Knight]

Thanks again Steven. I'll try that on Monday though I'm still interested in making the Web Server work so I can do IWP. Any ideas for the Apache?

[Ethan Knight]

Port forwarding to 5003 didn't work ... And Firewalls are currently off.

Any suggestions?

[lance123]

Hi Ethan,

I had similar problems. Mine started further back trying to uninstall FMSA 9. But, I still ran into the problems as you describe.

What I did.

Used Snow Leopard Cash Cleaner to deep clean cache's

Run FMSA 9 Uninstall again

Make sure apache is still serving files ok

Install FMSA 11 (found I had the apache config problems you describe)

Uninstall FMSA 11

Install FMSA 11 again

I may have gone through the FMSA 11 install / uninstall cycle twice but the bottom line is that I was able to get a httpd config file that had the appropriate Filemaker additional components. ( I also rebuilt privileges a couple of times, but I don't think this was the problem.)

Hope this helps, it had me stumped for a couple of days.

All the best,

Lance

Edited May 25, 2010 by Guest

[abonet]

Hi,

I have the same problem. The Mac OS X server is updated and maybe this is the problem. When the server disk is formated and 10.6 installed then FMSA 11 web server deploy works perfect. In updated server from 10.5 to 10.6 doesn't work.

I don't know exactly if this is a real solution, only a posibility, because I have differents installations and servers to observe and test.

What do you think about that. I don't like it because a clean install of 10.6 server it's not a real good solution from my point of view.

Best regards.

Hi Ethan,

I had similar problems. Mine started further back trying to uninstall FMSA 9. But, I still ran into the problems as you describe.

What I did.

Used Snow Leopard Cash Cleaner to deep clean cache's

Run FMSA 9 Uninstall again

Make sure apache is still serving files ok

Install FMSA 11 (found I had the apache config problems you describe)

Uninstall FMSA 11

Install FMSA 11 again

I may have gone through the FMSA 11 install / uninstall cycle twice but the bottom line is that I was able to get a httpd config file that had the appropriate Filemaker additional components. ( I also rebuilt privileges a couple of times, but I don't think this was the problem.)

Hope this helps, it had me stumped for a couple of days.

All the best,

Lance

[Wim Decorte]

Any suggestions?

You need to forget about FMSA for now, you mentioned that your apache doesn't even respond to a normal request so something is wrong with Apache. Once you solve that you can then configure FMSA.

A total wipe of the system is probably a good idea right now and the fastest way forward.

[IdealData]

Wim is probably right here, but you can actually test this before taking the step of wiping your server.

Download VirtualBox and create a new virtual machine using your OS X Server disk. Then you can try install FMSA in the virtual machine- if it works then you know the way forward.

Personally I think you may have a DNS issue here - OS X Server is totally dependent on correct DNS setup.

[Roy Gabrielsen]

Wim is probably right here, but you can actually test this before taking the step of wiping your server.

Download VirtualBox and create a new virtual machine using your OS X Server disk. Then you can try install FMSA in the virtual machine- if it works then you know the way forward.

Personally I think you may have a DNS issue here - OS X Server is totally dependent on correct DNS setup.

Asking my ISP to set correct PTR record for my server, solved a lot of problems - also this kind.

[sb97111]

Resurrecting a dead topic, but wanted to post my solution for posterity:

This turned out to be a problem due to installing, uninstalling and reinstalling FMS: the configuration file for Apache was modified earlier, but when Filemaker was uninstalled the Apache config was still pointing to some Filemaker files. It would start, find the configuration file that was pointing to nowhere (since those files are created when FMS is configuring the Web Publishing service), and hang- this also exhibited itself for me by all the log files in Server Admin disappearing while the service was on, and reappearing when the service was turned off. I tracked down the lines in the apache config , commented them out and restarted Apache- then I could connect. And then I was also able to configure FMS for Web Publishing. So it was a shared problem.

I haven't tested, but does the FMS Uninstaller clean up the Apache config file?

[R2D2]

Hi !

I'm also facing problems when depolying IWP to FMSA 10. I just got a new Mac Mini with OS X Lion 10.7.2 in it. I made a clean install of FMSA 10.0.2 to the new machine. The IWP doesn't start but gives always an error. Otherwise the server is working.

Is there any other solutions than upgrading FMSA to ver 11 or downgrading OS X to Snow Leopard ?

Thank you for your help !

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Is there any other solutions than upgrading FMSA to ver 11 or downgrading OS X to Snow Leopard ?

Yes. Upgrade to FileMaker Server 11, the latest v-rev included. I don't recall whether Server 10 is even supported for OS Lion. Probably not.

See http://thefmkb.com/9965

Steven

[R2D2]

Thank you, Steven ! Unfortunately my budget is a bit tight, so I propably have to downgrade to Snow Leopard. :idot:

[BobHarlow]

Similar problem. Installed FMS10.2 from downloaded installer on a new mac mini w/ Snow Leopard Server but Apache wasn't turned on yet, and Web Server Deployment failed.

Turned on Apache, tested, found good. Tried Web Server Deployment again, failed again. FM files are being served just fine. Apache is serving just fine.

What's the current best procedure for correcting this? Something to do with the Apache config file? Do I really need to uninstall and reinstall FMS10.2? If so, what's the sequence?

Note: this is a replacement server for the current one. It temporarily has the same host name (bobs-cabin.com) as the live server until testing is complete and we switch the DNS over and retire the old one. Is that an issue?

Thanks in Advance,

Bob Harlow

[BobHarlow]

Actually, what worked was:

1) uninstall FMS10. Turn on Apache using Server Preferences, web pane

2) Restart the Server

3) Install FMS10

At that point WebServer Deployment worked.

At least for the most part.

New Problem: installed a newer version of php prior to Installing FMS10, so in the install process I chose not to overwrite the newer php. Upon completing Web Server Deployment, FMS10 acts as if it sees it, but in fact php is disabled.

http:localhost/test.php gives the result "Off". Apache is running, FMS10 is running, php is off.

How to turn php on? In Snow Leopard Server.