v7.04.0000-DynaZip issues

[retsof 0]

I have some continuing dynazip errors in current release 7.04 with CRC errors on bad zip files. (backing up and restoring from hard drive, so there is plenty of work space) with a very large (500K records) database. To try to get around it, lately I have tried using compression=none and that doesn't always help. The backup seems to run correctly, but I have had problems with restores.

 

In the meantime, I am trying to back off to find a good version. There could have been a gurgle or burp in there somewhere that got carried forward. When that happens, from experience it seems to be too late to fix. Even the database validation would not complete, even if reindexed previously. It had index problems when validating.

 

P.S. One of the corrupted files must have caused an indication that the project was in use by someone else. Rebooting the computer didn't help, but deleting all project database files before the next restore did eliminate that problem. A restore of an older database seems to be working without these kinds of problems so far.

 

All I can recommend at this point is frequent backups so that one does not lose too much data if there is an unrecoverable database problem. (uhhh....assuming that the restore works)

Edited November 10, 2009 by Jim Byram

[retsof 0]

I was trying to back up the database BEFORE optimizing and validating, but it could need to be optimized for a restore to work, since it didn't restore again after a bad validation (compression=none, but still had bad dynazip problems preventing loading of several files). I lost another day of updating since the data was nonrecoverable. I am trying to merge some duplicates and near duplicates to cut down the size of the database.

 

A restore from a previously optimized version restored correctly.

Edited November 8, 2009 by retsof

[Michael Hannah 0]

I was trying to back up the database BEFORE optimizing and validating..., but it could need to be optimized for a restore to work, since it didn't restore again after a bad validation ... A restore from a previously optimized version restored correctly.

Don't know if this is related to your dynazip errors, but I always do the three Maintenance steps of Optimize / Validate / Optimize before doing a backup. And remember that if you get an error during Validate you are not done. You should do an Optimize followed by another Validate as a pair until you get no Validate errors. I have been told the reason for this is that fixing some Validate errors can then expose others that need to be fixed by a subsequent Validate. And when you finally get no Validate errors, do the final Optimize. Only then would I recommend doing your backup. And I always do the backup and restore using the local hard drive. Following this procedure I have never had a restore problem.

[retsof 0]

Have you changed the compression parameters from normal to none or most to get anything different? It may not matter much unless your database is large, as this one is. A validation itself runs about 6-7 hours on one core of an AMD 3.2GHz Athlon X2 computer. Optimize is 20-30 minutes each. I am merging many duplicate records from some assorted GEDCOM imports, but it is very time consuming.

 

It seems counterintuitive to not run a backup before a long maintenance run, but it seems that is what I must do. Backups only work on clean databases. That does seem to make sense, since Dynazip seems delicate.

 

Optimize/Validation/Optimize is in progress from a recent restore of the recently optimized database. Validation fixed a few errors and is clean. It seems to be running better today. Yes, the validation kicks up the size of the database, and optimization pulls it down again to where it was the first time.

 

If the validation has a problem, I had also not thought of running an optimize before running another validation.

 

I found a new problem that seems to interfere. The notification screen for the automatic Microsoft update usually seems to be around when Foxpro stops working. (Vista Ultimate) I changed the setting to let me decide when to download something from Microsoft. Perhaps I get get through a good run again.

Edited November 9, 2009 by retsof

[Jim Byram 0]

If the validation has a problem, I had also not thought of running an optimize before running another validation.

I'm not aware of any current issues with Validate File Integrity. It is always being refined and updated when new data table issues that need to be checked are discovered.

 

Although this practice was recommended a considerable time ago, you should not have any need to run VFI more than once although it is always a good idea to follow VFI with Optimize. Optimizing results in compaction of the data tables and reindexing after the VFI run.

 

I've been trying to get DynaZip replaced for some time. It is an orphan product that is long out of date.