An URGENT call for help...

[DLM]

Hello,

Excuse me for a rather detailed explanation of my DB problem but please understand that this is, literally, my whole work at risk here.

Any workable solution, whether given as a free advice or at a professional fee will be IMMENSELY appreciated,

I checked the recovery service at Filemaker.com and they charge $500 per file which is fine if my DB is indeed recovered but they state it takes 3-6 weeks which I'm unable to wait as we use this DB on our day-to-day work so as you can imagine I need to have it fixed asap, that means within 12 hours if possible.

So here I go:

I have an iMac with Mac OS 9.2.2 which I use as a general server for storing documents (Word, Excel, pdf, etc) that we all share at the office via Ethernet. We'll call it "Big Mama".

Big Mama also has FM Server 5.5v1 running with about 20 databases, most of them related (i.e., with a defined relationship) to the main DB titled "Main System".

I have been running under this set-up for at least 10 years without any major issues.

I was coping some documents via Ethernet from my computer to Big Mama and at the same time doing a replace on the "Main System" DB, I have FM Pro 5.5v1.

Suddenly the DB closed on my computer and so I decided to stop the copying of the documents and reboot Big Mama.

After it rebooted, FM Server started to make the consistency check as usual on all DBs like when the computer is shut down improperly or the like, however, when it got to the "Main system" DB it said:

===========================

"File “Telegroup System” could not be opened: database may be damaged; try opening in FileMaker Pro."

===========================

So I quit FM Server and copied all DBs to my computer (an iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo running on OS 10.6.5), I opened all DBs with FM Pro and all are fine with the exception of the "Main System" DB which, when opened, throws this message:

===========================

"The access privileges in this file have been damaged or possibly tampered with. Please contact FileMake Technical Support if the problem cannot be resolved."

===========================

FM_error_message.tiff.e331bfaae8c99b96dc2dc70bad60e7e8

So, from FM Pro I selected "Recover…" from the file menu and selected the corrupted DB, it performed the recovery process with this final result:

===================================

Recovery is complete. During recovery:

15013K bytes were salvaged.

0 whole records were skipped.

3 field values were skipped.

171 lost field definitions were rebuilt.

If you have further problems with this file, call FileMaker Technical Support."

====================================

FM_recovery_result.tiff.530f3a5e1b600fb3df1d62d128c5a0c3

And a "Main System Recovered" file is created.

When I open it it does request me for my password as usual and it accepts it, however:

a) The DB's main layout is completely blank

There are no fields,

c) There are no additional layouts (and there were at least 15)

d) No scripts (and there were at least 30)

e) it shows 10,918 records (all blank with no fields) and in reality there should be around 16,000.

f) Most menu options (i.e., File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, etc) are greyed-out

Another point worth mentioning is that it states "15013K bytes were salvaged" but the real size of the file should be around 60MB.

I tried opening the recovered file with TextEdit (a simple text program that comes with the Mac OS) and I can see some of the data of the fields is there… In between chunks of rubbish text but I can see the data is there.

I have a back-up of the original file but it's 3 months old so plenty of data has changed since then (yes, I know, I should back up more often, I will, but I do need help with this now) so I wonder if the back-up file could be used for the structure and field names and the corrupted one to extract the field contents and import them into the 3 month old one?

Also, in case it is needed, I saved this text files from the FM Server folder at Big Mama:

- Server Last Event Log

- Server Event Log

- Server Excess Event Log

I found this potentially useful lines on the "Server Last Event Log" file:

=================================

12/28/10 20:20:01 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” read error on block 19851. (-39)

12/28/10 20:21:20 FileMaker Server Error Closing file “Main System” due to serious error. (10198)

12/28/10 20:21:20 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” could not be opened: database may be damaged; try opening in FileMaker Pro.

=================================

And these ones on the "Server Event Log" file:

=================================

12/28/10 20:24:13 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” could not be opened: database version incompatible; try opening in FileMaker Pro.

=================================

HELP!

Best,

[DLM]

Hello,

Excuse me for a rather detailed explanation of my DB problem but please understand that this is, literally, my whole work at risk here.

Any workable solution, whether given as a free advice or at a professional fee will be IMMENSELY appreciated,

I checked the recovery service at Filemaker.com and they charge $500 per file which is fine if my DB is indeed recovered but they state it takes 3-6 weeks which I'm unable to wait as we use this DB on our day-to-day work so as you can imagine I need to have it fixed asap, that means within 12 hours if possible.

So here I go:

I have an iMac with Mac OS 9.2.2 which I use as a general server for storing documents (Word, Excel, pdf, etc) that we all share at the office via Ethernet. We'll call it "Big Mama".

Big Mama also has FM Server 5.5v1 running with about 20 databases, most of them related (i.e., with a defined relationship) to the main DB titled "Main System".

I have been running under this set-up for at least 10 years without any major issues.

I was coping some documents via Ethernet from my computer to Big Mama and at the same time doing a replace on the "Main System" DB, I have FM Pro 5.5v1.

Suddenly the DB closed on my computer and so I decided to stop the copying of the documents and reboot Big Mama.

After it rebooted, FM Server started to make the consistency check as usual on all DBs like when the computer is shut down improperly or the like, however, when it got to the "Main system" DB it said:

===========================

"File “Telegroup System” could not be opened: database may be damaged; try opening in FileMaker Pro."

===========================

So I quit FM Server and copied all DBs to my computer (an iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo running on OS 10.6.5), I opened all DBs with FM Pro and all are fine with the exception of the "Main System" DB which, when opened, throws this message:

===========================

"The access privileges in this file have been damaged or possibly tampered with. Please contact FileMake Technical Support if the problem cannot be resolved."

===========================

So, from FM Pro I selected "Recover…" from the file menu and selected the corrupted DB, it performed the recovery process with this final result:

===================================

Recovery is complete. During recovery:

15013K bytes were salvaged.

0 whole records were skipped.

3 field values were skipped.

171 lost field definitions were rebuilt.

If you have further problems with this file, call FileMaker Technical Support."

====================================

And a "Main System Recovered" file is created.

When I open it it does request me for my password as usual and it accepts it, however:

a) The DB's main layout is completely blank

There are no fields,

c) There are no additional layouts (and there were at least 15)

d) No scripts (and there were at least 30)

e) it shows 10,918 records (all blank with no fields) and in reality there should be around 16,000.

f) Most menu options (i.e., File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, etc) are greyed-out

Another point worth mentioning is that it states "15013K bytes were salvaged" but the real size of the file should be around 60MB.

I tried opening the recovered file with TextEdit (a simple text program that comes with the Mac OS) and I can see some of the data of the fields is there… In between chunks of rubbish text but I can see the data is there.

I have a back-up of the original file but it's 3 months old so plenty of data has changed since then (yes, I know, I should back up more often, I will, but I do need help with this now) so I wonder if the back-up file could be used for the structure and field names and the corrupted one to extract the field contents and import them into the 3 month old one?

Also, in case it is needed, I saved this text files from the FM Server folder at Big Mama:

- Server Last Event Log

- Server Event Log

- Server Excess Event Log

I found this potentially useful lines on the "Server Last Event Log" file:

=================================

12/28/10 20:20:01 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” read error on block 19851. (-39)

12/28/10 20:21:20 FileMaker Server Error Closing file “Main System” due to serious error. (10198)

12/28/10 20:21:20 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” could not be opened: database may be damaged; try opening in FileMaker Pro.

=================================

And these ones on the "Server Event Log" file:

=================================

12/28/10 20:24:13 FileMaker Server Error File “Main System” could not be opened: database version incompatible; try opening in FileMaker Pro.

=================================

HELP!

Best,

[Ocean West]

I checked the recovery service at Filemaker.com and they charge $500 per file which is fine if my DB is indeed recovered but they state it takes 3-6 weeks which I'm unable to wait as we use this DB on our day-to-day work so as you can imagine I need to have it fixed asap, that means within 12 hours if possible.

FileMaker Inc no longer support that version of FileMaker and that "service" hasn't been available for several years.

[Ocean West]

curious - have you tried and converted it to FM11 and then try the recovery tools?

[Ibrahim Bittar]

Hi Danny

I've sent you a private email but I will reply here too so there are more chances you see a reply immediately.

Do you have a backup?, please say yes...

As far as I remember, the Main File holds just customer information, not transactions. Those are in the related files.

If you created new customers yesterday you just have to take the backup file and recreate them. Their transactions and phone numbers will appear immediately because there were not deleted. Just be careful to recreate the customers in the same order.

If you need direct help please download this TeamViewer client into the iMac and send me the ID so I can see directly what's going on.

http://www.eikonsys.com/downloads/TeamViewerQS.zip

My friend, take this as a message from heaven: upgrade now .

Cheers Super Danny.

Ibrahim Bittar

[DLM]

Generally, the more you fiddle around with a damaged file, the less is the chance to get it repaired (by what means soever).

- Leave the original file untouched, make a Finder copy to a different volume

- zip the copy on the different volume

- send the zip to me to have it checked. If zip > 50 MB, upload it to a server where I can download it

- zip the backup and send it as well

From what you describe it means a lot of manual work to get the data out, in other words - it will become expensive.

I could say more after I've checked the file(s).

See http://www.fmdiff.com/repairs.html

Winfried

Hello Winfried and thank you for your prompt reply. Yes, I'll send them to you right now. Best,

[DLM]

FileMaker Inc no longer support that version of FileMaker and that "service" hasn't been available for several years.

OK Stephen.

[DLM]

You say:

'I was coping some documents via Ethernet from my computer to Big Mama and at the same time doing a replace on the "Main System" DB, I have FM Pro 5.5v1.'

- what kind were "some documents"?

Copying FileMaker files while in use (no matter on which side) is asking for trouble. FM temporarily stores parts of the data or structure in a local cash. Copying a file without first properly closing FM may omit a part of the file, which is then lost in the copy forever.

You say:

'Suddenly the DB closed on my computer and so I decided to stop the copying of the documents and reboot Big Mama.'

NEVER just reboot a machine with FM or FM server running (see above for the consequences).

Send me the files for an initial check.

Winfried

Hello Winfried -- I was copying via Ethernet some pdf docs from my computer to the computer running FM Server (I have done this for years without a problem), I wasn't copying FM files.

[Wim Decorte]

Sorry for your troubles! Do you have any backups to go back to?

Contact Winfried Huslik at www.fmdiff.com. Not sure if he can work with .fp5 files but he's probably your only choice aside from FMI.

Lessons learned:

- do not use the FMS machine for anything else

- design and test a good backup strategy

[DLM]

Sorry for your troubles! Do you have any backups to go back to?

Contact Winfried Huslik at www.fmdiff.com. Not sure if he can work with .fp5 files but he's probably your only choice aside from FMI.

Lessons learned:

- do not use the FMS machine for anything else

- design and test a good backup strategy

Hi Wim -- Yes, I have already contacted him. Yes, those are exactly the lessons. Thanks for your time. Best,

[bcooney]

DLM, I've merged your double-post.

[DLM]

DLM, I've merged your double-post.

Appreciated bcooney. Best!