Win 7 shutdowns break my file

[aharown07]

A solution I developed a few yrs ago recently migrated to FMP10 and to the Windows 7 OS.

Users use the solution as a runtime app.

Since moving to Win 7, we've been having a problem we didn't before. Users have always periodically shut the OS down--either by sudden power loss, absent mindedness or whatever--while the solution was still running. In the past, the file has usually been OK.

But since going to FM10 and Win 7, the solution has corrupted files whenever

1- the machine is powered off (in this case, I can accept file damage as pretty much normal)

2- windows is rebooted while the app is still up

So I'm trying to figure out why.

This is not a server situation. Just client only, one user at a time.

Are there certain kinds of functions etc. that might make the file more vulnerable to corruption in these cases?

Each time it has happened, the file has been so badly clobbered we had to go back to a backup.

(Thinking it might be virus protection affecting the file, I put the solution's main file on the don't scan list.... no noticeable result)

[Lee Smith]

Actually, the corruption stems from the lackadaisical approach you describe in how you have been handling your files.

Do a search in Google for FileMaker Corruption and you will find a lot of information about how to protect your data.

Good Luck

Lee

[aharown07]

Actually, the corruption stems from the lackadaisical approach you describe in how you have been handling your files.

Do a search in Google for FileMaker Corruption and you will find a lot of information about how to protect your data.

Good Luck

Lee

How I've been handling my files? Not sure what you mean. As for users, yes, they should properly exit the program before shutting down Windows. But I can't be there to hold their hand every moment.

But none of this explains why the DB is suddenly so fragile when the same technology-challenged folks were using it before (on XP and FMP9) without difficulty, despite doing goofy things to the PC.

Already did a fair amount of google searching. Most of what I'm finding so far is about recovery rather than causes and prevention.

[aharown07]

Did find this, though, in a discussion somewhere...

"A common cause of data corruption is backing up live files using third-party backup software (or even, manual duplication of a file). The best strategy is to use FMS's own backup scheduler, which is secure against this. In all other procedures, make sure the files are off-line before backing up."

This is a possibility, since we've got some backup stuff running. Worth looking into, anyway.

[Kris M]

It is possible that the files have been damaged before by your users and now that your on a newer FMP version (with better internal error checking) the damage is shown.

You can't blame FMP for issues caused by people.