Hi Kevin,

> Our commercial, medical application is D5 / BDE 5.1.1 running on
> Interbase 6.0.1 It is running at more than 20 sites. We are at wits
> end with Interbase 6.0.1's slow connect time on a particular client's
> Windows 2003 install. I have tried many suggestions to alleviate it
> to no avail.
>
> Also, I am aware of the prudence of ditching BDE. This is planned,
> just not in time for this client to be happy.
>
> Interestingly, when installing Firebird 1.0.3 on the same machine,
> the connect time (measured using BDE control panel applet) is
> negligible.
>
> ...So, unless some one has better advice,
>
> I want to uninstall Interbase and Install Firebird 1.0.3 on the
> server and update to the Firebird 1.0.3 GDS32.dll on the client
> machines.
>
> Will this work within reason? My definition of reasonable is that if
> the BDE/Interbase connection had problems before, having the same
> problems in Firebird are reasonable. If the this introduces other
> problems, than I'll need to consider what those may be.
>
> Of course I intend to
> Backup in Interbase
> Restore in Firebird
> Maintain dialect 1
> update gds32.dll
> anything else?

I've done something similar one year ago, and it really was
painless. Firebird 1.0.x works with the InterBase SQL Links
driver, though as you have pointed out, you have to stay
with dialect 1, but you can rely on *many* bugfixes went
into the Firebird release compared to InterBase 6.0.1.

What I've done.

1) Backup your database with InterBase
2) Backup your security database isc4.gdb (don't forget that)
with InterBase
3) Copy eventually used UDF libraries to a safe place
4) Deinstall InterBase completely. Double check that the
InterBase installation directory was deleted, that the
Registry entry was removed, AND that the InterBase gds32.dll
version removed as well.
5) Install Firebird
6) Restore you backed up security database with SYSDBA/masterkey
7) Stop the Firebird Server
8) Copy the restored security database over the default one
9) Copy the UDF libraries into the \udf subdirectory
10) Start the Firebird Server. You should have the old users now.
11) Restore every database with Firebird by using the "original"
database owner.
12) Deinstall the InterBase client on each client, again, double
check any non-deleted InterBase stuff.
13) Install the Firebird client on each client.


Well, these were the steps if I remember correctly.

Sure, be aware that the BDE is deprecated and there isn't a
Firebird SQL Link driver, so you really should think to move
to IBObjects or FIBPlus.


Best Regards,
Thomas Steinmaurer

The IB LogManager Product Family
Logging/Auditing Suite for InterBase and Firebird
http://www.iblogmanager.com