Handling damaged files

Symptoms

"A Damaged file has been found..... ((the rest of this message to be completed)) 
Group format Error:
OS File : BOOKING.TEXTS
Group# : 00000932
Record length incorrect or frame linkage error.

Cause

Rare but nasty problem on server 99% caused by power failure, killing NEOSYS or server hardware or operating system failure.

• Did somebody kill NEOSYS processes to reboot the server or any other reason?
• Was there a power cut?
• Any expected or unexpected reboots in the server log? (see Event Viewer > System Log)
• Enough disk free space especially on servers not dedicated to neosys?

Solution

Depends on the cause and usually often requires aggressive interrogation to discover the cause.

Recovery

It is URGENT to stop using NEOSYS and fix the damaged file because it will cause NEOSYS to crash everytime it happens to update that part of the file. NEOSYS crashing while updating often produces unrecoverable inconsistencies in the database that can only be fixed by programmers sitting for hours trying to edit the database .... or by restoring from a backup causing loss of work

Fixing damaged files that have no process for recreating them

Some damaged files can be rebuilt using NEOSYS utilities especially index files with filenames starting with !. Other damaged files can be “fixed” to prevent NEOSYS crashes as follows but some records will most probably be lost. Depending on the file loss of a few records may not be too bad compared to restoring a database but the client should be informed and make the decision. Depending on the file it is usually best to lose the records. We can make a list of files that one can afford to lose records and those files that can be rebuilt programmatically from other files. Booking order texts they can lose records but inform them and especially the numbers mentioned in FIXFILE

FIXFILE will not run if there are neosys services still running so before doing the FIXFILE command, shut down services from the Support menu or with the Global command:

F5

FIXFILE filename

(Select option 1 to update the file)

In case you get any Overwrite messages – type YES, as these are the actual files being updated.

Alternative is restore from a previous backup in this case losing a days work. Nasty, and even worse, it will be impossible to reproduce the days work and especially the exact purchase order, booking order, invoices, receipt and payment numbers.

Fixing damaged file that have a process to recreate them

ADS file can be recreated with F5 CREATEADS

ANALYSIS file can be recreated with F5 CREATEANALYSIS

Fixing damaged index files (names starting with !)

Whilst backing up or using NEOSYS the following error message might appear:

"A Damaged file has been found.....
Group format Error:
OS File : !ADS
Group# : 00000932
Record length incorrect or frame linkage error.

1. Ensure that no-one is using NEOSYS
2. Log into NEOSYS on the server
3. Press F5 to get a TCL command box
4. Type REINDEXADS and press enter.
5. Wait until it finishes and you get back to the command box
6. Type OFF in the command box and you will quit NEOSYS.

Other reindex commands are:

• REINDEXACCOUNTS recreates !ACCOUNTS and !BATCHES
• REINDEXADDRESSES
• REINDEXADS
• REINDEXBOOKINGS recreates !BOOKING.ORDERS
• REINDEXBRANDS
• REINDEXCLIENTS
• REINDEXINVS recreates !INVOICES
• REINDEXJOBS
• REINDEXMATERIALS
• REINDEXPLANS
• REINDEXPRODINVS recreates !PRODUCTION.INVOICES
• REINDEXPRODORDERS recreates !PRODUCTION.ORDERS
• REINDEXRATECARDS
• REINDEXSCHEDULES
• REINDEXSUPPLIERS
• REINDEXTIMESHEETS
• REINDEXVEHICLES

REINDEXMEDIA does all the following

• REINDEXPLANS
• REINDEXSCHEDULES
• REINDEXADS
• REINDEXMATERIALS
• REINDEXBOOKINGS

REINDEXFILES does all the following

• REINDEXCLIENTS
• REINDEXBRANDS
• REINDEXSUPPLIERS
• REINDEXVEHICLES
• REINDEXRATECARDS

REINDEXPRODUCTION does all the following

• REINDEXJOBS
• REINDEXPRODORDERS
• REINDEXPRODINVS
• REINDEXTIMESHEETS

REINDEXALL does all the following

• REINDEXMEDIA
• REINDEXPRODUCTION
• REINDEXFILES
• REINDEXINVS
• REINDEXACCOUNTS
• REINDEXADDRESSES