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lock ups

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    lock ups

    We are currently running into a problem with A5 locking up or even worse giving us the "Blue Screen of Death". The program is currently running in a network environement with 10 users. Generally there are an average of about seven users on simultaneously. The network is comprised of all standalone systems, no actual server although the data files are located on one central machine. What I'm wondering is if anyone knows of incompatability between A5 and certain processors or motherboard combos. The program seems to run perfectly on certain machines and others it locks up almost immediately. I've tried increasing the files to 150, etc. All machines have at least 128 Mgs of SD Ram. Most are AMD processors with problems occurring on some of them and not others. I have not network optimized each machine yet as I have seen people say they have problems after doing this. I would also like to know if there is a proper way to do all machines, do they need to be optimized daily, etc. and what is the best way to do this if it actually helps? Appreciate all feedback. Thanks!!
    Scott Naples

    #2
    RE: lock ups

    Scott,

    1) I recommend network optimizing immediately. All workstations, other than the one which is acting as the central file server.

    2) Until the problems are pinpointed better, encourage your folks not to multi-task other large apps while running Alpha Five. Alpha is resource intensive, and your pc's may be running out of resources, and then getting in trouble when they have to store virtual memory blocks on disk.

    3) Do not do any development work on the actual database while others are logged in.

    4) Most get better results if the pc which is acting as the file server is not used for other purposes. If you crash windows on that pc, while running a different app, for example, you may trash your database.

    5) Implement a reliable backup system, and make sure it's being done.

    -- tom

    Comment


      #3
      RE: lock ups

      Tom,
      Thanks for the reply. Currently any Apps developement I do for the system, I always copy all of the data files to my own system work on what I need to, test it & then if it works, I transfer or recreate it on the main system. As far as multitasking I do believe the majority of my people probably have MS Word running concurrently. Sounds as if that might be one of the problems. Is it possible to install enough memory to bypass that problem and allow them to keep Word open or at least running minimized? Also I've seen some problems when people network optimize each workstation. Is there a certain procedure to follow when doing this to minimize any problems?
      As always thanks for the reply and the help.
      Scott Naples

      Comment


        #4
        RE: lock ups

        We have eight users on a Solaris Server running Windows NT emulation. All work stations are running NT work station. We have Pentium II and IIIs (Intel) and one AMD as well as three Celerons. All the pc's are diferent Mhz and all work fine, Then we tried to connect a Celeron 555. The runtime works fine until the application is accessed. The app starts to load and then -- Blue screen, Memory dump refering to an IRQ error. We cannot run the datafile (application ) at all on this unit. All other software amd memory amounts have been discounted. I believe it is either a bad memory chip on another black mark on the dismal Celeron chip. Does this match up to your single failing unit?

        Comment


          #5
          RE: lock ups

          Eva,
          Not quite I'm afraid. Today I Network Optimized the systems I had the most problems with. This seemed to help some. I had one system that still locked up once, a significant improvement. I had a new problem with one of them. All others are running A5v4.5 and on this machine I have A5v5. I'm sort of testing it on one system to see how I like it. Now if the machine accesses the data files on the server by my telling it where to access from it works fine. If I try to access the data files through the shadowed directory I get a warning that states it "cannot open or create the .muf (multi-user file). Never had this happen before. All stations are using full network versions of the software. We did not have good luck with the Runtime version. I also informed my staff that on the machine with the data files to update the indexes first thing every morning and to pack the database twice a week. Any suggestions as to why it cannot create or open the multi-user file? It works fine as long as you leave it open once you run network optimization. If you close the program and try to open it through the shadow directory, that's when the problem occurs. Open to all suggestions. Thanks for the reply.
          Scott Naples

          Comment


            #6
            RE: lock ups

            This sounds like a bad network card or cable.

            Comment


              #7
              RE: lock ups

              Scott, are multiple instances of Alpha Five running on the machine that can't create the MUF file?

              Also, remember: the indexing and packing routines require exclusive access to the tables. Will not accomnplish anything if run while any other user is logged into the database.

              -- tom

              Comment


                #8
                RE: lock ups

                Tom,
                I network optimized several of the systems that were acting the worst to see how this would work. It seemed to help some, but I have a new problem with one system that is running A5v5. All others are using A5v4.5. The system with A5v5 after optimization, if the program is closed and then restarted, it says it can't open or create the .muf file. Any idea why A5v5 would do this? The other versions do not have this problem. I do not understand why it wouldn't be able to create the multi-user file. Let me know if you have any idea. By the way the only work around, (so far) is to re optimize after each time the program is closed. Thanks!!
                Scott Naples

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: lock ups

                  Scott

                  You can not mix and match A5V4.5 and A5V5 on the same networked application. You can have both on the same computer, but if the application is being opened in v4.5 on some computers, then it must be opened in v4.5 on all computers. Version 5 is forwards compatable, that is anything created in v4.5 should open fine in v5, but not backwards compatible. Once a form etc is opened in v5, it can not be opened in v4.5.

                  Your only option would be to install v4.5 on all computers, and then newtwork optimize every terminal (not the server). This shopuld clean up any problems that are not hardware related. Future optimization is only needed if any forms, reports etc are changed on the server.

                  Jerry

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