Networker User Client will no longer open

[tracycm]

I am currently running Networker Client 6.2 build 109 on a W2k machine. My problem is that while using the previous client version Networker User stopped opening. It has worked fine for a year. The only changes that were made were to the directives but that was all. When I try to open User it kicks off a process that will continue to increase memory usage but it never opens. I have let it run up to 180 Meg before I stopped it. Backups still run fine. I upgraded to the newest version hoping that would fix the problem but it did not.
I also have a similar problem on my NT SP6 Legato Backup Server. The difference is that it takes several minutes but it will eventually open.

Has anyone heard of this problem occuring before?

 

[wallace88]

When the NetWorker User GUI starts up, it will try to contact the NetWorker server and then try to retrieve the client file index information.

You problem could be three things:

1) Client file index is corrupted. On the backup server
run nsrck -L6 <client_name>

2) It does not know what the bacup server is. On the
clent, try running winworkr -s <server_name>

3) Network problems. On the client, try running
winworkr -s <i.p. address of server>

 

[tracycm]

I have done what you suggested but the problem still exists. Can you think of anything else that I can try.

Thanks
CMT

 

[wallace88]

Try the other user GUI: winadmin -s <server_name>

Try command line recover command to see if you can recover a file. On the NetWorker server, does it show that: <client> done browsing?

It could be a res corruption. First, stop NetWorker and then make a backup copy of the /nsr/res/nsrdb directory. Then restart NetWorker and try deleteing and recreating the client. See if the problem reoccurs.

 

[sunt]

I also has similar problem but on:
6.1.2
nwadmin instead of networker user gui

the problem is it taked a couple of minutes to come up the gui after I double click on the icon. After the gui come up it started to connect to the server. So i don't know whether the client already tried to connect to the server after I double click or not. I can see that the client start the connection after the gui come up.
please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[wallace88]

The question is to determine whether there is NetWorker corruption. The simplist way is to perform the following:

1. On the backup server, stop NetWorker
2. rename nsr\index to nsr\index.old
3. restart NetWorker

Does problem occur? Not, then it is likely index corruption. If it still occurs, then:

4. On the backup server, stop NetWorker
5. rename nsr\mm to nsr\mm.old
6. restart NetWorker

Does problem occur? Not, then it is likely media database corruption. If it still occurs, then:

4. On the backup server, stop NetWorker
5. delete nsr\index (remember, you still have the orginal
index from step 2
6. delete nsr\mm (remember, you still have the orginal
medi db from step 5
7. rename nsr\res to nsr\res.old
7. restart NetWorker
8. On the server, run nwadmin, and create the client
in question. Create a file device using a temp
directory on the server and label it with the default
pool.
9. go back to the client, and try nwadmin and NetWorker
user gui.

Does problem still occur? If yes, then you have res corruption.

If after restarting NetWorker with a fresh res, index, and mm directory, then it is not NetWorker corruption.

I would then look at and verify network configuration. Make sure that all systems have the same network config. e.g. 100 bit Full duplex. Do not use Auto Detect.

Remember to stop NetWorker, and rename all the original directories back to the oritinal names. (from steps 2, 5, 7)

 

[sunt]

Thanks a lot.
one more question, what if the backup server is using a 10/100 hub instead of a 100/full switch? Should I still change to full or just use 100/half?

 

[wallace88]

10/100 hub? depending on your network config, it shouldn't matter whether you're using a hub or switch. A switch is more efficient and increases network bandwidth, but if the only thing between your NetWorker server and client is the switch/hub, then it wouldn't make a differece.

I know a lot of NetWorker users had problems when the network settings are mixed; i.e some are half duplex, some full duplex. I suggest that all your backup systems are hard set to Full Duplex.

try testing for networker corruption as suggested previously. At least you can quickly rule out thts possibility. But be careful not to delete the NetWorker directories.

 

[sunt]

Thanks! I really appreciate this.

 

[tracycm]

It doesn't look like it is a corruption problem. All of the checks were good. What is odd is that it was no more than a few minutes between the time when I closed the user gui and tried to reopen it. I know for a fact that no changes were made to the NIC and network. I have double checked those configs just to make sure. I also tested the 'very slow to open' user gui on the server itself and nothing changed. Could this be an app. problem? What do you think about doing a complete uninstall along with a regedit? I have tried a complete uninstall already but without the regedit.

Thank you for all of your help.

 

[wallace88]

You had a res, mm and index directories replaced, and the problem still occurred? (!)

Well, it could be an application problem, but you're saying it happens on two different versions, so I doubt it.

Just out of curiosity, go into control panels...add/remove programs, and see how many times NetWorker shows up.

Are scheduled backups working as expected on the client?

Check the network as described in tech bulletin 299, just to be on the safe side.

 

[sunt]

tracycm,
Is there any foreground application running while you are starting the gui?
May be you can check the virutal memory you set in the performance option.
My server has quite a lot imaging application running in the foreground, I have asked the users to increase the virtual memory (paging file size), they have not yet feed back. May be you can give it a shot first.