W2K is hogging my dbfs and killing my mdxs

[OldHorse]

I am "IT" for a small manufacturer. We are still running DBIII/IV code I started writing for a stand-alone box back in '90, now running on over NW411 network. This code is is used for all of our order processing.

Anyway, everything runs hunky-dory on win98/95. But an addition of a newer W2k-pro machine is the cause of a major problem.

When this particular machine has the same server-residing dbf open as other non-2k machine do, it does not see new records appended by any other box.

More startling, when the 2k machine closes that file any records that were appended by others end up dissapearing alltogether and the index (mdx) files get trashed. When browsing the 2k-corrupted file with an index on a premature EOF is encountered after the last record prior to the next (supposed) appended record.

This is so wierd. I have sat here on a W95 box watching as a W98 appends records that the W2k in the next cube cannot (or refuses) to see. And I have seen those records dissapear from the browse window when the 2k machine closes the file.... a network file.

Any clues/hints/tips much appreciated. TIA.

 

[tviman]

I doubt seriously that it's your db apps. I'm more inclined to think that it's a conflict between your Netware network and W2K. Unless you've changed it, W2K by default wants to take over the network and act as the network server. This happened in my small office of 6 PCs - all Win982E - when I added a W2K machine. My dedicated server (W98) still operated fine, and so did the W2K machine - except it was seeing things a little differently than the W98 machine!!! Caused me to drink more than normal...

Ended up having to make W2K machine the dedicated server. Not a big problem but it shut me down for a few days while I transferred the files and made all the rest of the changes in the other machines. PITA big time!!!

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[dbMark]

The DOS world and the Windows world do not communicate well, and it's only getting worse with each new version of Windows. For sure IP and IPX do not get along well together. Some posts also mention caching issues as a possibility. Here are posts from others who have experienced similar issues. Maybe some of the ideas explored with them can prove helpful in your case.

This forum:
thread290-118797
thread290-473076
FoxPro Forum:
thread182-544460
thread182-551914

 

[cfneumann]

Create shortcuts for your DBIII/IV applications. Within the shortcut, make sure "run in separate memory space" is checked. Also, look for stray NTVDM's in the task manager's processes and local share is true in the BDE.

Christopher F. Neumann
[dBASE Charter Member]
Blue Star Visual dBASE graduate
ICCP TCP/IP Network Analyst
Data Communications Engineer

http://cfneumann.us

 

[OldHorse]

Thanks all for the responses.

dbMark:
I've read through the other threads. My NW411s9 server is strictly IPX to the clients (We are, however, using MPR on the server to get to the 'net, but the clients don't see an IP). The NW clients were installed as set to use IPX only. Actually, the only way to get IP on a NW4x server is to run NWIP, which is a kludge

cfneumann: I don't see a setting in any of the shortcut tabs for "run in separate memory space". Also, setting LOCAL SHARE=ON in config.db had no effect, perhaps because of the other setting(?).

You know how you can see the every-5-second file update "flicker" when you are looking at records via a browse window? Even _that_ is not happening under Win2K.

SIDEBAR: How was Bluestar's training? I've been trying to get my cheezy company to fly for the course for over a year.

 

[cfneumann]

'I don't see a setting in any of the shortcut tabs for "run in separate memory space".'

create a shortcut for the application and then you should have that oiption in the shortcut.


"Also, setting LOCAL SHARE=ON in config.db had no effect, perhaps because of the other setting(?)."

How about the BDE?


Bluestar's training was excellent, very informative.

Christopher F. Neumann
[dBASE Charter Member]
Blue Star Visual dBASE graduate
ICCP TCP/IP Network Analyst
Data Communications Engineer

http://cfneumann.us

 

[OldHorse]

>>create a shortcut for the application

I've done that for all users. It's just a call to fire up "F:\apps\dbaseIV\dbase.exe asimain". The 'app', as it were, is not in EXE form, just a slew of prg/dbo.

>> and then you should have that oiption in the shortcut

Nope. Not in any of the tabs; memory, program,screen,etc.,etc..

>>How about the BDE?
Not using BDE.