Windows server search service large gthr file
My Windows Server 2003 primary domain controller was down to about 1mb free space. 30gb drive.
Tracked down to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data
Had been getting error 3013 in event viewer going back a while but hadn't researched it yet. Example
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Windows Search Service
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID: 3013
Date: 1/23/2009
Time: 12:57:46 AM
User: N/A
Computer: PDC1
Description:
The entry <E:\PARTSCDS\WHIRLPOOL\DAT
Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog
Details:
A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x8007001f)
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Then I notice for the last few days error 3031's
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Windows Search Service
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID: 3031
Date: 1/23/2009
Time: 12:57:54 AM
User: N/A
Computer: PDC1
Description:
A document ID cannot be allocated.
Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog
Details:
The content index server cannot update or access information because of a database error. Stop and restart the search service. If the problem persists, reset and recrawl the content index. In some cases it may be necessary to delete and recreate the content index. (0x8004117f)
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Don't know if the errors are related or not.
So I stopped and restarted the Search Service as suggested in the error. 1st try would not start up. 2nd try it started and voila!, the large .gthr file dissappeared and smaller ones appeared.
So what happend and do I need to check anything else? I'm just afraid this is going to happen again. While disk space low, dhcp errors in the log too.
I also use this server as SQL 2005 server and file server, in addition to the regular stuff, dhcp, dns etc.
Tracked down to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Search\Data
Had been getting error 3013 in event viewer going back a while but hadn't researched it yet. Example
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Windows Search Service
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID: 3013
Date: 1/23/2009
Time: 12:57:46 AM
User: N/A
Computer: PDC1
Description:
The entry <E:\PARTSCDS\WHIRLPOOL\DAT
Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog
Details:
A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x8007001f)
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Then I notice for the last few days error 3031's
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Windows Search Service
Event Category: Gatherer
Event ID: 3031
Date: 1/23/2009
Time: 12:57:54 AM
User: N/A
Computer: PDC1
Description:
A document ID cannot be allocated.
Context: Application, SystemIndex Catalog
Details:
The content index server cannot update or access information because of a database error. Stop and restart the search service. If the problem persists, reset and recrawl the content index. In some cases it may be necessary to delete and recreate the content index. (0x8004117f)
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Don't know if the errors are related or not.
So I stopped and restarted the Search Service as suggested in the error. 1st try would not start up. 2nd try it started and voila!, the large .gthr file dissappeared and smaller ones appeared.
So what happend and do I need to check anything else? I'm just afraid this is going to happen again. While disk space low, dhcp errors in the log too.
I also use this server as SQL 2005 server and file server, in addition to the regular stuff, dhcp, dns etc.
SOLUTION
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Disabling Indexing impacts the Search-ability of the server. Personally, it's highly overrated. I turn it off as a general rule, but I don't have 500 users searching for their documents either.
Here is a good blurb on it:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Working-With-Windows-Server-2003-Indexing-Service.html
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Making-Windows-Server-2003-Indexing-Service-Useful.html
You can tweak exactly what is indexed, but still, you're going to eat up space.
With reference to SQL - did you also set the logs to be on the same partition as the DBs?
Here is a good blurb on it:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Working-With-Windows-Server-2003-Indexing-Service.html
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Making-Windows-Server-2003-Indexing-Service-Useful.html
You can tweak exactly what is indexed, but still, you're going to eat up space.
With reference to SQL - did you also set the logs to be on the same partition as the DBs?
ASKER
I checked in SQL Management Studio, server properties, database settings. Both database and logs point to my SQL partition SO I think that is good.
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ASKER
I also have another partition for file server and to install programs. I'm trying to keep mainly just the OS on C.
The pagefile is set static so it will not grow any more.
So on the 30gb c: partition, I'm averaging about 10.5gb free space, which I thought would be ok, until this indexing issue happened. Of course, I assume if I had more free space, it would have just eaten that up too.
What are the ramifications of turning off the indexing service? ( is that just disabling the search service from starting)
What are the benefits of having the indexing service running? Being a file server too, I assumed it would make finding files faster, of course does that just apply to searching from the server console or does that help a workstation searching a share as well?
Green, aren't I. Thanks for your help.