At 12:03 PM 04-11-02 +0000, you wrote:

>I use the FirebirdSS-1.0.0.796-0.64IO with kernel 2.4.18 and ext3
>filesystem. I have no other problems with files larger than 2 GB.
>The firebird database itself is about 3 GB, so i have to use the
>64-bit i/o version.

You don't *have* to use the 64-bit i/o version unless there is some (??)
reason why you can't split the database into two or more files.

>The problem only occurs with external tables
>larger than 2 GB.
>Is the database access to the gdb-files also affected by this
>bug?

A good question. I don't have an answer to it. I had enough doubts about
it myself on RH 7.2 (can't check the kernel version at the moment) to make
me want to abandon 64IO and wait for a well-tested fix.

>Can the system become instabil if i go on using the 64 bit
>i/o version. It seems that concerning the gdb file, everything
>works fine.

It's one of these "in your best judgment" thingies. I guess it will be
influenced by how many times you have seen this: "It worked just fine
until yesterday and suddenly weird things started to happen. Now I can't
back it up and nobody can connect to it. Does anyone have a magic wand?"

...not that I wish to spook you, of course...

>B.t.w. if i switch back to the 32 bit i/o firebird version, so i
>have to backup/resotre the gdb file or can i use the same gdb
>file with both versions?

Probably not - but I would do it anyway, on the basis that, when doing
something a bit radical, you can never have too many backups. Hey, even a
brand-new drive costs less than half a day of your time! And you can
always do something right-brain while eyeballing the backup: watch the
grass grow, manicure your fingernails, read snowflake patterns, practise
yodelling....<g>

heLen