Hi,

> >> >> I have modified the command which they have given me... to
> >> >> "C:\Program Files\Firebird\bin\gfix" -v -f -user "SYSDBA" -password
> >> >> "masterkey" c:\develop2\contacts\contacts.gdb
> >> >>
> >> >> and get the error message
> >> >> "bad parameters on attach or create database
> >> >> -secondary server attachments cannot validate databases"
> >> >
> >> >Do what it tells you - secondary attachments -> you're trying to
> >> >validate a database from an additional connection. Disconnect
> >> >all clients/applications/tools and then try again.
> >>
> >> hmmm... is that what it was telling me? ):->
> >
> >Yes :)
>
> Surely there should be a full stop, as in
> -secondary server attachments. Cannot validate databases
>
> I thought that it meant
> "The secondary server attachments are not able to validate the database"
> which made no sense at all to me...

Only the first connection can validate - and only when there aren't
any others connected.

> >> OK, closed the one other user, but I am still getting exactly the same
> >> error message.
> >
> >Really, there must be other attachments to that database. Also make
> >sure you're connecting with the database owner username or SYSDBA.
> >
> >If you can't get to disconnect any left-over clients, perhaps you can
> >shutdown the Firebird service and re-start it.
>
> I shut down the server, to clear everything out, and GFIX has now been
> working for some time.
>
> I just hope that this is what I should be doing - remember, the
> original problem was that I could not back up the database.

It kind depends on the gfix output - does the db still have errors? Even
if it doesn't - a backup/restore cycle should be the thing you'd be doing.
Make sure to test the restore before overwriting (if at all) the current
db files!!

>
>
> I would love to understand about how the database can function when
> apparently faulty - I would guess that the database would slow down a
> lot when working with a faulty structure. I would also guess that one
> or more records could be lost. Is that correct?

That could be the case, yes.

> Loss of data is not important to me, I just want to understand what is
> happening.

Did you save the gfix output? It should give you more info about what
was wrong and what was happening/repaired/etc...


With regards,

Martijn Tonies
InterBase Workbench - the developer tool for InterBase & Firebird
Firebird Workbench - the developer tool for Firebird
Upscene Productions
http://www.upscene.com

"This is an object-oriented system.
If we change anything, the users object."