Ran out of space on the Sims drive, now it wont start!

[Ambient]

Hi everyone

 

I got a call this morning to say that Sims wasn't working. After trying it on my computer, this was true. I got the error saying "Reason 0".

 

Anyway, after going onto the server, it seems that the Sims Drive was totally out of space (the partition is 85GB!) I've cleared off a few things and made 8GB of space...but the SQL Server Service Manager wont start.

 

When i try and start the SQl server service manually (in the system tray), i first get an error saying "cannot find the specified path), then it says "An error 3 - (The System cannot find the specified.) occured while performing this service operation on the MSSQL Server Service"

 

Any ideas?

 

I arent great with Sims, and our LEA helpdesk guy (who normall responds really quickly), isn't responding to e mails yet.

 

Thanks

 

Aaron

[vikpaw]

tried a reboot, you might need to do that to ensure it sees the space now...?

[Ambient]

Tried that, with no joy.

 

I've just discovered something else too. i've checked the SQLAgent$Sims info...and the .exe file it needs to be able to start is missing...as is the full folder!!! No wonder it says it can't find the path!

 

I dont think i even have a backup. This could be an issue.

 

I'm wondering how this could have been deleted now.

[danrhodes]

This is the fix for reason 0, not sure why your files arent there though?

 

1 - Launch SQL Server Management Studio

2 - Take a backup.

3 - Paste the following into the query windows and then click execute

 

use sims

go

exec sims.db_p_install

exec sims.db_p_grant

 

It does take a while, but will resolve the reason 0 error.

 

D

[FN-GM]

Delete some of the backups it creates when doing an update. I think they are in the setups directory.

[danrhodes]

Backups if you do them through Sims.net are stored in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Backup as default.

 

If you use the Management Studio you will have specified a default location.

 

But more to the point why do you not have a backup, as you mentioned in your post??

[Ambient]

I feel like an idiot.

 

After getting a call from our LEA Helpdesk, it seems that this service I’m on about shouldn't even be started anyway....because this is the "old version" of Sims.

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short...it all works now. had I tried Sims after the first re-boot of the server...I’d have known this...but, because I was basing my opinion on weather the system was working or not on this system tray icon on the server (which of course stayed red after the re-boot)...I didn’t.

 

I feel like an idiot lol

 

Thanks the replies to this thread anyway...I’ll keep the thread alive in case anyone in future has this same issue.

 

Thanks again

 

Aaron

[Ambient]

Delete some of the backups it creates when doing an update. I think they are in the setups directory.

 

Just done this...and now i have 22GB of space

[FN-GM]

Just done this...and now i have 22GB of space

 

They are all zipped up. I get shut from time to time. I think this are there for when you run solus.

[danrhodes]

Good as long as its sorted now :-)

[matt40k]

They are all zipped up. I get shut from time to time. I think this are there for when you run solus.

 

They don't get zipped any more. SOLUS will do a backup before each upgrade. Also people can do it via SysMan, or FMS (if you use it). Generally the timetabler does a backup before transferring it across. Have a look at tidybackup, set it as a scheduled task, it'll delete the old backups and can compressed the uncompressed backups (big disc space savings).

[Ric_]

Good as long as its sorted now :-)

 

I bet you're taking a backup now too

[FN-GM]

They don't get zipped any more. SOLUS will do a backup before each upgrade. Also people can do it via SysMan, or FMS (if you use it). Generally the timetabler does a backup before transferring it across. Have a look at tidybackup, set it as a scheduled task, it'll delete the old backups and can compressed the uncompressed backups (big disc space savings).

 

whats tidybackup? Is it something Captia provide? where do i find it please?

 

Thanks

[danrhodes]

I take a backup every night using Backup exec to NAS in a different building.

[Ambient]

I take a backup every night using Backup exec to NAS in a different building.

 

May i ask exactly what you backup in relation to Sims?

[danrhodes]

The database, the setup files, the whole lot really, i'm uber carefull as we have had many schools burnt to a crisp before, you can never be too carefull!

 

Edit: Spelling

[Ambient]

The database, the setup files, the whole let really, i'm uber carefull as we have had many schools burnt to a crisp before, you can never be too carefull!

 

Ok, cool

 

How much (per backup) does this take up per night (if it was a "full backup" of course)

 

I've got a Sonicwall CDP here...but its only 1TB. I'd like to use it to back up Sims, but i dont want to use up a large chunk of space with it.

Edited March 1, 2010 by aaronjwilkinson

[danrhodes]

Ok, cool

 

How much (per backup) does this take up per night (if it was a "full backup" of course)

 

I've for a Sonicwall CDP here...but its only 1TB. I'd like to use it to back up Sims, but i dont want to use up a large chunk of space with it.

 

It's not as much as you would think, with everything in it works out at about 45GB per night, I run it as overwrite so it never really uses any more than 50GB of space on the NAS which is a very small amount for the peace of mind it provides.

 

To the same NAS I also run a full backup of everything on a Friday, that takes about 54hrs to complete, half that time is the verify, but its very large were talking many TB's, but again it is good for peace of mind as then we have it on both tape rotation and on NAS in another building, also the tapes are in a seperate building too in a fire proof safe, bad odds if all 3 burn down i'd say. Makes small recoveries easier too as you dont have to grab the tape, just inventory the B2D file and grab it from there within minutes.

 

D

[superfletch]

It's not as much as you would think, with everything in it works out at about 45GB per night, I run it as overwrite so it never really uses any more than 50GB of space on the NAS which is a very small amount for the peace of mind it provides.

 

To the same NAS I also run a full backup of everything on a Friday, that takes about 54hrs to complete, half that time is the verify, but its very large were talking many TB's, but again it is good for peace of mind as then we have it on both tape rotation and on NAS in another building, also the tapes are in a seperate building too in a fire proof safe, bad odds if all 3 burn down i'd say. Makes small recoveries easier too as you dont have to grab the tape, just inventory the B2D file and grab it from there within minutes.

 

D

 

50 Gb!!!

 

How big are the DB's / DocStorage?

[vikpaw]

whats tidybackup? Is it something Captia provide? where do i find it please?

 

Thanks

 

tidy backups was part of system manager module i believe, but think it's gone now.

you can tidy your own, or i recall someone wrote a really useful app that would do it for you.

 

as for the old sql showing up as dead, we have that little icon too, every time i reboot i double click it, and change the server in focus to the new one, so the icon goes green, as although i know, i sometimes forget, and if the IT / Net Managers saw that, they'd panic. (i think we're talking about the same icon - sql server service manager right?)

 

in summary though, after tidying old files a reboot fixed it.

[vikpaw]

Since it's been asked :

 

db files = 2.5ish GB unzipped.

Sims share = 9GB (full of old copies of older folder but does me no harm so there for posterity)

docstorage = 2GB

 

That's all we need really.

[danrhodes]

Yeah sounds about right, we have alot of other info like pictures and docs about kids on there as well as many previous backups etc.

[matt40k]

whats tidybackup? Is it something Captia provide? where do i find it please?

 

Thanks

 

 

To save my voice:

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/43573-sims-tidy-backups-sql-2008-autumn-release.html

 

For the bots\people aren't reg'd\not logged on:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tidybackups/

Edited May 11, 2010 by ZeroHour