Problem running Night Utils & DBM on one machine

[andrew_ashby]

I've started to have intermittant problems running NUs on the PC I've run them on for 3 years. The problem is with the reindex (see below). Users's then can't access attachments so I have to run reindex via DBM. Yesterday I ran DBM OK  but today I had a similar error (see below).

Support say it's because I don't have sufficent rights - but this wouldn't explain why it's intermittant or why it's only started in the past month or so.

Could it be something like a network card, switch port or patch cable failing ?

Thanks in anticipation & Merry Christmas.

DB Maintenance

Error Text:
An error occurred during the Stand-alone process.
Err:[0]  Source:[]  Description:[]

Process:
G:\WINTAM\DBMAINT.EXE 7.4.0.1
ASTamSvr Version: 7.6.0.0

Source: SortingIndexLoader::write_bytes via TamTable: ScanTable
Number: (Decimal) (Hex) 2147762181 80044005
Desc:    Could not write 1048576 bytes in "G:\TAM\TFDESC._00": Error 5: Access is denied.

Night Utilities

12/21/2011  18:00:41  DBMAINT began
12/21/2011  18:01:17  DBMAINT failed.  Err:[0]  Source:[]  Description:[
12/21/2011  18:01:17  DBMAINT failed! Error Processing Table
12/21/2011  18:01:17  [G:\TAM\ATTACH.DBF]
12/21/2011  18:01:17  DBMAINT failed! Err:[-2147205115]
12/21/2011  18:01:17  Source:[SequentialOutputBlockCache::write_blocks via
12/21/2011  18:01:17  TamTable: ScanTable] Description:[Could not write 1048576
12/21/2011  18:01:17  bytes for blocks 16386 through 18433 in
12/21/2011  18:01:17  "G:\TAM\ATTACH_F.NDX": Error 5: Access is denied.
12/21/2011  18:01:17  ]

[Mark]

Hi Andrew,

Is it possible that there are open files?

[GeorgeW]

Not sure if this will be any help, but there is a similar error in the knowledgebase that said lack of disk space was causing this error.

[Mark]

Not sure if this will be any help, but there is a similar error in the knowledgebase that said lack of disk space was causing this error.

That would make sense.

[Jeff Zylstra]

Could be any of those things. The "Error 5: Access is denied." message certainly sounds like permissions, but why it is intermittent is another question altogether.  A good disk cleanup and defrag with a check of both available hard disk and ram availability and maybe even rebuilding of the profile might be in order. 

The open files issue might be a cause for concern too.  I run a script to close files for all users but the Night Utilities user and the administrator.  If you'd like, I can find it and post it.

[Jan Regnier]

LONGGG time ago when we were backing up to tapes.....errors like this indicated lack of space on the tape.....it never SAID that is was a lack of space in plain words...but the "error speak" meant that.   I would look at the space issue as the 1st culprit......

Is there any correlation between the days the issues are happening and the items being backed up?  (Like the days errors occur addl items are being backed up that aren't being backed up on the days no error is occurring?)

[Lance Bateman]

Also - I've found the "error handling" in Applied's software to be woefully inadequate.  I wouldn't assume the error message is actually what is going on.  But I have found reindex doesn't work well when combined with certain other night utilties, so we run the reindex first thing the next morning instead of trying to include in NU.  If it's intermittent, that might be the problem?

[Alice Mooney]

I've seen access denied if the backup was running at the same time NU was running, and the file trying to be reindexed is in use by the backup software, so access denied. Is it always attach.dbf or sometimes others?
just another possible scenario.

[andrew_ashby]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

1) We always run an unlock before running NU - I had always assumed that thic closed open files

2) The hard drive on the server is getting tight for space - but this wouldn't explain whay we get the problem on one of the two PCs we run NU on and not on the other

3) Backup is never running at the same time as NU

4) I think the problem has always been with attach.dbf but will investigate

[Mark]

Is the problem only on one pc? Did you check for free space on that pc?

[Lance Bateman]

Two additional thoughts:
1. The NU uses the resources of the station where run. As mentioned, check those resources (space).
2. Doing an unlock helps, but assuming you have some coming in remote - with CITRIX or TS, you can end up with a "ghost" session still showing there, even though they think they are logged off, if a session was dropped prior to logoff for some reason.

[Jeff Zylstra]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

1) We always run an unlock before running NU - I had always assumed that thic closed open files

2) The hard drive on the server is getting tight for space - but this wouldn't explain whay we get the problem on one of the two PCs we run NU on and not on the other

3) Backup is never running at the same time as NU

4) I think the problem has always been with attach.dbf but will investigate

Could be wrong, but the "unlock" in TAM only deletes the lock files.  If other files are still in use of are "locked", it doesn't deal with those files.  I instituted the use of the unlock script because my brother is famous for leaving his computer logged in to TAM overnight.  You may have a station that didn't log out of TAM, or may have had a crashed session, leaving some files open. 

[Andrew Carrick]

Jeff you're right. If you right-click My Computer on the server running TAM, and choose Manage - Shared Folders - Open Files, you will be able to see the files and can close them there. Often have to do this before running various Utilities.

[Jeff Zylstra]

Jeff you're right. If you right-click My Computer on the server running TAM, and choose Manage - Shared Folders - Open Files, you will be able to see the files and can close them there. Often have to do this before running various Utilities.

I always have back up issues with user profiles, so I run the script right before night utilities since it also helps with that as well.

[Mark]

I always have back up issues with user profiles, so I run the script right before night utilities since it also helps with that as well.

You don't use this? http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=6676