stobin
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FileServer crashes & network freezes
Our Fileserver (Workgroup 8550/200) has increased the rate at which it crashes, from once every month or two, to a couple of times - at least - a day. In addition there are frequent occasions when the workstations freeze when trying to access a particular volume from the fileserver - a Grade folder with all the students' folders and files contained in it.
The Fileserver runs
* Mac OS 7.6.1
* AppleShare 3.6.4
* AppleShare Admin 4.2.1
* AppleShare Fileserver 4.2.1
Has
* 32meg RAM
* 2Gig HD to which I've added an additional 4Gig external HD
The server services 25 Power Macs and about 25 LClls. All except one of the Power Macs run OS 7.6.1 The other PowerBook runs OS 8.1. The LClls run OS 7.1
We have a unix box which serves as a mail gateway and gives access to the internet. The Internet access is via a modem which is permanently connected.
I've had David Baker from Apple Australia come out earlier this year to look at this problem. At this time the problem centred around the workstations freezing rather than the fileserver crashing. He removed a hidden file somewhere and for some time thereafter the problem didn't exist. David suggested that if the problem ever occurred again to delete and recreate the user to whom it happened. This worked for some time and then became ineffective. However the situation now is that the Fileserver crashes on a daily basis!
As may be deduced from the above information, I'm a relatively inexperienced user so any information needs to be kept in as much layman's language as possible.
We will be delighted with any help that produces/contributes a solution to these problems.
Shane
The Fileserver runs
* Mac OS 7.6.1
* AppleShare 3.6.4
* AppleShare Admin 4.2.1
* AppleShare Fileserver 4.2.1
Has
* 32meg RAM
* 2Gig HD to which I've added an additional 4Gig external HD
The server services 25 Power Macs and about 25 LClls. All except one of the Power Macs run OS 7.6.1 The other PowerBook runs OS 8.1. The LClls run OS 7.1
We have a unix box which serves as a mail gateway and gives access to the internet. The Internet access is via a modem which is permanently connected.
I've had David Baker from Apple Australia come out earlier this year to look at this problem. At this time the problem centred around the workstations freezing rather than the fileserver crashing. He removed a hidden file somewhere and for some time thereafter the problem didn't exist. David suggested that if the problem ever occurred again to delete and recreate the user to whom it happened. This worked for some time and then became ineffective. However the situation now is that the Fileserver crashes on a daily basis!
As may be deduced from the above information, I'm a relatively inexperienced user so any information needs to be kept in as much layman's language as possible.
We will be delighted with any help that produces/contributes a solution to these problems.
Shane
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In answer to the Hub's comment, we are not running 'At Ease'.
In response to paulcaneykelen's suggestion, I'll let you know when I've given it a go. It sounds like a sensible suggestion. As all our children are finishing shool the day after tomorrow, I'm not sure that I'll be able to properly evaluate this until we come back in February. Then again you never know.
Many thanks for the advice. I'll be in touch.
Shane
In response to paulcaneykelen's suggestion, I'll let you know when I've given it a go. It sounds like a sensible suggestion. As all our children are finishing shool the day after tomorrow, I'm not sure that I'll be able to properly evaluate this until we come back in February. Then again you never know.
Many thanks for the advice. I'll be in touch.
Shane
If you remove the entire prefs folder you will run into some problems with the server software. Be sure not to trash them. Moving them temporarily to the desktop will make them unavailable to the system at startup. It is a good experiment, but have the serial numbers handy.
key elements of information you do not provide relate to networking. if i were coming into this problem "fresh" i would put up etherpeek and study what sort of noise you might have on the network that might be a contributing factor. sometimes a mac will go "rogue," in a network sense, and what you are describing fits the scenario. you specify OS version but you do not tell us networking particulars. everybody on same flavor OT? since you're talking LCII's, i rather doubt it. what hubs, routers, etc? have you added/removed any software that pushes anomaly packets (i.e. webstar, some raid controllers, etc., etc.)? to my way of thinking, you are in a cold networking issue here, as distinct from a machine issue, i.e., it ain't the server's fault. mac will talk all languages as long as it has the same translator(s) but it has to be within reason. time for a hardware upgrade, mate...
If so, what version?