--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "Dipesh"

> 1) Stop the database. (killing firebird server)

Ouch. Too bad if anyone is doing anything hey? I mean at least
shutdown the service nicely with net stop or whatever, but if you use
step 3 properly you can skip the first two steps.

> 2) Start the database.

OK, why do that now?

> 3) gfix shut (forcefully shutting the database)

I would have done that first, and if it succeeded there is no need to
kill the service and possibly cause issues with other Firebird
applications.

> 4) Copying the database as repair_myDB.fdb

Well if you are going to take a file copy of it, you might as well do
it while the service isn't running. SYSDBA and the owner may still be
connected.

> 5) gfix validate (Validate the copied database)
> 6) gfix mend (Mend the validated database i step5)
> 7) gfix validate (Validate the mended database again)
> 8) gbak validated database from step 7 into my backup location.
> This step creates a backup file but the process gbak in windows is
> running forever and not returning. When i manually run the same
> command i.e. gbak it works perfectly fine and creates a file which is
> larger than the file created by the hanging process.

Have you tried the -g option to skip the garbage collection? If you
are just restoring it straight away, you might as well save yourself
the effort.

> 9) gbak restore from the backup file created in step 8
> 10) gfix validate (validate the restored database file)
> 11) stop the database server.
>
> 12) Rename the main database file i..e myDB.fdb to myDB_timestamp.fdb
> 13) Rename my restored file to the same file as it was in step1 i.e.
> myDB.fdb
>
> 13) Restart the database.
>

Adam