Hi all

Short version: Has anyone had a windows patch break their OI 16 bit application?

I'm a bit sketchy about this since it is at a client site and they want me to fix the problem by waving a magic wand and for free. I'm working freelance now but that doesn't mean I can afford to work for big corporate customers for nothing.

I have put their system on a PC hard disk (workstation) with Win2K workstation on it, because they didn't want to pay their outsourced IT department for maintaining a server.

It was all working fine when I left it but since April, something, nobody knows what, has broken it. I know it wasn't me because I haven't been there since setting it up.

What seems to happen is, Oinsight and the Oengine start up and start phase one of the application, it displays the main window, but when it comes to displaying the custom application's login screen, it doens't anymore. With a couple of fiddles, my customers get the application's tool bar to display but they can't use the system - they're not logged in.

When they exit they get an error "System Message | Password incorrect | Initialization aborted". This is not the password failed message from the application login - it says something like "password incorrect, try again" and only after displaying the login screen.

I think it is expecting an OI application password, but I'm sure there isn't one. We set up the application name and user for the OI app but there was no password.

The shortcut to start the OI app looks like

C:\path\OINSIGHT.EXE /AP=MYAPP /UN=MYAPP

Anything could have happened since I left. If it isn't some patch, I will try re-installing the system to fix anything that some customer's kid on holidays might have done to it.

Hope you are all well, and the Sprezz team might be pleased to know that I've taken up scuba diving, and seen about eight leafy seadragons (or maybe some of the same ones twice) and the cuttlefish at Whyalla, they are so cool. http://www.scrubblock.net/

I'd look at security privileges - try logging into the workstation as Administrator and see if the application works. WinXP has had a lot of security patches applied. Check that the security privileges for their default user contain uniform rights over all files.

Go Janet! If Steve's suggestion doesn't help come back (no we haven't seen this but it MIGHT be trying to access an IP address and be being blocked - newish behaviour which may be locked down now).

No scuba since March - bummer hey?

support@sprezzatura.com

The Sprezzatura Group Web Site

World Leaders in all things RevSoft

Hi All

I will get to check it all out on Tuesday. I've dealing with a part time public servant and in this case there is no rush.

No scuba since march? Where did I write that? I learned to scuba dive in March, no diving since end of May. Apparently a big sea makes for boat dives with lots of fish berley and very grumpy buddies. And for shore dives, they reckon you'd need to be good at Braille. If I could get back to Whyalla, there'd be somewhere good because of the shape of the bay and the prevailing wind being offshore.

Hi All

I went out to the client site yesterday and had a look, tried cranking up the system myself and noticed it was having trouble attaching volumes.

First I checked that the ini files were present and pointing at the correct directories, same for the short cuts.

So then I went and had a look at the directory containing the system, and lo and behold - the entire data folder with all the database application volumes was missing!

The client rep blamed their it section for making an "image" and not restoring everything. Then he conceded that someone might have tried to do a copy and moved the folder instead…

I have no clue who deleted the directory. I just restored it from another backup copy I had left on the hard drive.

This isn't the first time I've had a customer who has deleted a crucial part of their system. I wish you could make the files updateable but undeletable. Maybe one day I'll be able to port them to Linux/Unix.

Janet

You can do this using the network products.

support@sprezzatura.com

The Sprezzatura Group Web Site

World Leaders in all things RevSoft

Hi Sprezz

So they should have stayed on the network blowing $1500 a month (maybe more) on a system they're only keeping just in case they might need to look at some old data?

Or you're telling me in case I need to know for next time.

Or maybe I should make them buy veracity which monitors what files get changed and may even restore from backup as required.

So far, getting me in to fix it is their most economical option. Though I'm not "bus" proof.

Did I understand the question?

Janet

Janet,

Sprezz was simply trying to assist you with regards to this comment:

This isn't the first time I've had a customer who has deleted a crucial part of their system. I wish you could make the files updateable but undeletable. Maybe one day I'll be able to port them to Linux/Unix.

It stands to reason that it would cost well more than $1500 to port them to Linux/Unix than to buy the appropriate network product that provides your system the ability to be "updateable but undeletable".

Yes, I'm sure they were also suggesting this for "next time" as well.

dbakke@srpcs.com

SRP Computer Solutions, Inc.

Don is, of course, correct. The requirement (updateable but not deleteable) can be addressed using network products.

support@sprezzatura.com

The Sprezzatura Group Web Site

World Leaders in all things RevSoft

Well I guess they gave the update not delete option when they opted to go standalone not network. We did discuss risks of having the system on a PC hard disk that doesn't get backed up. And it was fairly easily fixed.

But I will try to remember if there is a next time.

Thanks all.

Janet

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