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Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

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    Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

    Hello, all.

    Can someone please help. We run a very small system here in my company, and we utilize Alpha 5 Version 4 as our DBase. The way we have this set up is one computer (in a workgroup) holds the DBase files. All the other machines access the files through that machine. All the desktops have their own copy of A5, but use the DBF files on the segregated system. For no reason, as of yesterday, the whole thing crashes saying there's a problem with the A2Engine.dll file as well as the Kernel32.dll file. Here's the kick...there have been no changes to the structure of the Dbase. The only things that have been changing is the entry of records and the additions of invoices. That's it. There have been no hardware or software changes at all. And, no machine can access the DBase. Every machine here when trying to open the DBase, it crashes and closes. Can someone give any insight as to what may be causing this debacle or am I going to have to revert to using Microsoft Access????

    Thanks in advance,

    Brian

    Just to note, A5 has been running pretty flawlessly for a few years.

    #2
    RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

    Kernel32.dll is a Windows file. Wonder if you've been attacked with a virus?

    -- tom

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

      This is a distinct possibility. It's the most bizarre thing. On the main machine, I can get to the forms, tables, etc...but on some of the forms, if I try to view, design, or anything, the computer either A) locks up completely and I can't even Ctrl-Alt-Del to shut the app down...or the program just closes entirely. This happened yesterday too, and it was resolved by my restoring from the prior days backup (we lost a day, but no big deal) and it worked ok this morning. This afternoon (around the same time I might add from yesterday) my manager was entering invoices and all hell broke loose. ???? I'm completely baffled by this one.

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

        Brian:

        After about three weeks, with completely up-to-date virus definitions had a recurring bout with W32.Opaserv virus. One of many destructive things that it did was to foul kernel32.dll. Made it 'unrepairable'. Another thing it did was to write a 'run=' line in win.ini with one or all of...
        c:\windows\instit.bat -- c:\windows\marco!.scr - c:\windows\scrsvr.exe or c:\windows\braSil.pif. Keep watching that win.ini file - it seems to regenerate somehow.

        This may be a compete shot in the dark, but try this...
        'Start' 'Run' and type in SFC - hit O.K. This works in 98 and 98SE and it brings up the System File checker. Let it run and, even if it doesn't find something wrong with kernel32.dll, have the utility restore it from the installation disk. That may work. While I didn't experience your particular problem I had trouble with Alpha 5 and a number of other programs while the file was corrupted.

        Believe me, if a windows system file is buggered, switching to MS Access isn't going to be one bit better.

        Oh! Symantec [Norton Anti-Virus] has a removal tool, FixOpsrv.exe you can download. Be careful to run it only in 'Safe Mode'.

        Please let us know how you do.

        Ken

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

          I had a VIRUS just today to attack my MSVXD16.DLL file. It got deleted for it could NOT be repaired. Just updated my virus this morning and ran it too.

          Have not found all the items in the Run= or Load= Lately like the other Ken mentioned but have many times. Found one the other day called GAY that had it though. It was a duplicate of my WIN.INI file. Found it by accident looking for *.INI files and it came up on top. Seemed very odd.

          I just cannot get rid of the FALSE boot errors item the virus put in run= line causes. Must be in the boot file.

          Ken

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

            I had a VIRUS just today to attack my MSVXD16.DLL file. It got deleted for it could NOT be repaired. Just updated my virus this morning and ran it too.

            Have not found all the items in the Run= or Load= Lately like the other Ken mentioned but have many times. Found one the other day called GAY that had it though. It was a duplicate of my WIN.INI file. Found it by accident looking for *.INI files and it came up on top. Seemed very odd.

            I just cannot get rid of the FALSE boot errors item the virus put in run= line causes. Must be in the boot file.

            Ken

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

              Thanks, Ken...but, sadly enough, after checking for the virus and also doing a precautionary removal using the provided symantec tool, it did not work. The SFC didn't work either...it did find two files that were a little shaky, but it wasn't the Kernel32.dll. Also, as a precautionary, I reinstalled the Kernel32.dll and, alas, no luck. A5 still goes beserk when trying to access certain forms.
              I'm beginning to wonder if it's the main board or the OS itself. When I was in safe mode, the system locked. Yes...even in safe mode it locked. How wonderful.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll


                Brian,

                If it were me, I'd shut every computer down (power down, cold boot restart).

                I'd then verify that Alpha Five is running correctly by testing it on the Invoice application that shipped with it. If it won't run the invoice app it probably needs to be uninstalled and reinstalled.

                If Alpha Five is running fine, I'd verify that the field rules are not causing the problem by editing and entering dummy records in the tables and sets of your application using the default forms, instead of your saved custom forms. If you can't do this, it usually indicates that there's a problem in the data itself, or in the field rules.

                If the default forms work fine, then it's almost certainly a problem in your saved custom forms. You can restore them from a good backup by restoring the dictioanries for the tables and sets involved.

                I've learned that networked databases are dynamic, living, creatures of a sort. There are a myriad of things which might cause corruption and data loss. ie. operator error, faulty network cards, faulty network cabling, inadequate resources when multi-tasking large applications, conflicts with new printer drivers, bad memory chips, the list is long and getting longer, I'm afraid. Some of these are difficult to trackdown. It can really be a simple as a piece of furniture having been moved in such a way that the network cable has been pinched badly. I've learned to take assertions that 'nothing's changed except...' with a large grain of salt. In my experience change is never ending, and often unnoticed.

                Moving to Access is an option, but would do nothing to solve your problem if it's of the type I've mentioned.

                Maybe the troubleshooting sequence I've outlined will be of assistance in narrowing things down. We'll be pulling for you. Time to get your Sherlock Holmes hat out and do some serious digging.

                Good luck.

                -- tom

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Stinkin' A2Engine.dll

                  Thanks for the suggestions...I'm sure it's not a networked problem...mainly because the forms won't even load on the local machine (host). I'm also leaning toward the fact that something is wrong with my saved forms. I can access the pre-installed invoice form without a problem. I did restore from backup once, and it did work for a day...but that was it...I think that I may try creating new forms and see how it goes. Luckily, it's a very small dbase.

                  I'll let you all know how it goes.

                  Brian

                  Comment

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