mac Admin Console won't launch in FMServer 11

[ls3]

This is FileMaker server 11.0.5.51 running on a new Mac Mini 10.8.4

The whole machine was migrated from a Time Machine backup of the previous FileMaker server running under 10.6.8

 

The problem-

Filemaker Server starts and runs fine for database hosting, but the Admin Console won't launch.

 

I cannot launch it on the server machine, nor on any other machines on the LAN by pointing a web browser to the IP address and port 16000

 

 

I have-

Run all FileMaker and MacOS updates available to me.

Installed Java 1.7.0_25 (from Oracle) and enabled Java content in the browser.

Tried Chrome as well as Safari.

Downloaded and run the fms11patch with the fix.sh script from FileMaker and then cleared the java caches as directed.

 

It seems that a lot of others are also having these problems with both Mac and Windows. It seems to be Java related, but I can't find any solutions.

 

Any suggestions?

 

thanks!

Larry Dieterich

 

[GisMo]

Hey Larry,

 

This seems to be a common problem and related to Java and OSX/Mac Mini. Do you have a windows PC handy? As this is a workaround and Java will launch java console right away.

 

read these links:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4670680?start=0&tstart=0

 

http://blog.macminicolo.net/post/33839671756/build-a-dummy-dongle-for-a-headless-mac-mini

 

Also(I haven't tried this but it may fix it):

http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11058/~/software-update%3A-filemaker-server-11.0v5-and-filemaker-server-11.0v5-advanced

[ls3]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

This is a preliminary report of success working on a cloned machine- this is not the real deal yet.

 

Here is what has worked so far-

Copying the directory /Library/FileMaker Server to a safe location

Running the uninstall from the FMS11 installer

Deleting the leftover directory /Library/FileMaker Server

 

Reinstalling FMS11 from the latest version of the full installer of 11.0v5. Not the updater to that version.

Allowing the installer to install Java 6 from Apple (even though Java 7 is already installed from Oracle)

I was puzzled because it specified Java 6, when I already had Java 7 installed.

This seems to explain it.

from FileMaker-

"When Java 7 is installed on your machine, FileMaker Server 11 and FileMaker Server 11 Advanced will use Java 7 for the Admin Console and will use Java 6 for the Admin Server, and Custom Web Publishing"

http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11569/related/1

 

Enabling Java content in the browser (from the Java Preferences)

Reducing the security level in the Java Preferences to "Medium"

 

The FMS11 install places file alias on the desktop for Launching the Admin Console, which downloads a .jnlp file.

Double clicking on this fie opened a Security Warning dialog that asks me to accept the risk.

Voila!

I have a virgin install of FMS11 that works. I can import the databases and it's all good. I need to reconfigure the Admin setting and schedules, notifications etc.

I tried replacing the contents of the new directory /Library/FileMaker Server with that from the old directory /Library/FileMaker Server and it broke the Admin console, although port 16000 is still open.

 

I still have more work to do to get the real FMServer fully back in action (remember all my troubleshooting so far is on a clone machine).

When I finally get it working, I will report back here to clarify and refine what it took to get this fixed.

[ls3]

OK, so I have this working now and I want to report back what it took to make it work. 

 

This is an installation of FMServer 11 on MacOS 10.8.4.

 

 

On both the FileMaker Server 11 host computer and on my laptop, which will be used for remote administration of the FileMaker 11 server-

 

 - I installed Java 7 latest version from Oracle, and enabled Java in the browser. I also adjusted the Java 7 security settings to the lowest possible setting.

 

 - I enabled Java in my web browser.

 

 

 

On the Database host computer-

 

 - I copied the directory /Library/FileMaker Server to a safe location. It turned out that the uninstaller doesn't remove this directory, but I wanted to be sure I didn't lose the database.

 - I ran the uninstall from the FMS11 installer.

 - I removed the leftover directory /Library/FileMaker Server

 - I installed FMS11 from the latest version of the full installer of 11.0v5.

 

 - I allowed the installer to install Java 6 from Apple (even though Java 7 is already installed from Oracle).

  - from FileMaker- "When Java 7 is installed on your machine, FileMaker Server 11 and FileMaker Server 11 Advanced will use Java 7 for the Admin Console and will use Java 6 for the Admin Server, and Custom Web Publishing"

The FMS11 installer placed webpage alias on the desktop for Launching the Admin Console, which took me to a console start page. On that webpage, there's a link to "start admin console". Clicking on that link downloaded a .jnlp file to the downloads folder. The file was named "admin_console_webstart.jnlp"  Double clicking on this jnlp file launched Java and opened a Security Warning dialog that asks me to accept the risk. It then downloaded a java applet named for the server that allows me to administer the server.

[xochi]

See my hints here:       Upgrading from 10.6 to 10.8 while keeping FMSA 11v5 installed