MAC Server keeps dying on me!

[GoldenWonder]

Hmm,I was quite enjoying my foray into the world of Macs but this damn xserve is becoming a nuisance!

 

Every week or so it dies, becomes unresponsive and the message that the Startup Disk is full shows on the console. Rebooting it works fine, but at that point I always get an errors trying to get to the Server Preferences:

 

"An error occurred while trying to get the server's status.

Authentication succeeded, but an error occurred while trying to

get the state of the server. Try connecting again." EDIT - it says this even if I enter the wrong password!

 

I can access Workgroup Manager as normal.This has happened before so I basically restarted all of my OD/AD settings (which meant recreating the User preferences etc) but I don't want to be doing this every week!

 

As I'm a mac virgin and short of time, has anyone got any pointers as to what might be going on with this thing?

[mbrunt]

Hi Golden,

 

I had the exact same issue as you, so much so that I ended up with a clone of the osx server on a firewire drive, and would restore from this. I didnt manage to suss out the problem but in the end was lucky enough to get time to reinstall the server, and so far, nothing bad has happened.

 

Good luck.

[GoldenWonder]

I guess wiping the thing completely and starting from scratch will be my best option, thats a half term job! Not impressed so far with xserve, I've got windows servers that haven't been rebooted in months (and then only due to power cuts etc) and this has been down about 10 times in 2 weeks!

[GoldenWonder]

Hmm forget reinstall, the damn thing won't even boot! Root password is no longer recognised and I can't boot from the install DVD. Time for a call to apple support I guess!

[nicklec]

I guess wiping the thing completely and starting from scratch will be my best option, thats a half term job! Not impressed so far with xserve, I've got windows servers that haven't been rebooted in months (and then only due to power cuts etc) and this has been down about 10 times in 2 weeks!

 

Your uptodate on security updates then?

[GoldenWonder]

I haven't had the thing running long enough to update it! I've got it back up now and reset the root password. Now I cannot set any other user as an administrator! When I check the option (logged in as root) 'Allow user to administer this computer' it simply unchecks itself! No error or a clue as to why.

[HodgeHi]

I would reboot off the Install DVD and use the disk utility on the menu bar across the top. To boot off CD/DVD hold down the c button while starting up the server. Once in Disk util click on the HDD holding your OS in the left bar and then click verify disk. Also try verify /repair permissions.

 

Was this a brand new Install or an upgrade?

 

My Xserve has been up the same time as my Windows Servers. Once settled they are pretty reliable. Keep with it.

 

Also if it's an OD/AD integration make a backup of the OD settings and also export the OS X Groups from WGM. You should then be able to re-import these once re-built.

[GoldenWonder]

This was a brand new install from about 2 months ago, it has only been 'live' for a month. It has started hanging due to the startup disk message and now the permissions and access rights are all over the place. Even my ropey old Windows 2000 and Ubuntu servers can struggle on for a year without crashing!

[HodgeHi]

What disk space is available to the server?

[GoldenWonder]

Its got a 160Gb drive,of which 15GB is used - users don't store on it,its really only used for preferences and also OD/AD authentication

[HodgeHi]

I would suggest looking at the disk util as i mentioned before. May have a dodgy disk or perhaps some issues with permissions. Unless you have already tried that. Failing that a possible re-install of the OS may be needed. Unless someone else can think of something.

[Robbocop]

Did your Apple reseller not offer to help you with your server problems?

[GoldenWonder]

Well I seem to have it working again after a reinstall. And recreating all of the preferences! Didn't think of asking the Apple reseller as I seem to spend a horrendous amount of time dealing with support personnel and getting nowhere!

[DMcCoy]

You need to ssh in when it is full (or before) to find out what is using all the space up. Oh and you can always backup OD to a file after you have the settings in it, then it's easier to restore from that small file if you copy it somewhere safe. Saves recreating all the prefs at least.

[rolfea]

I found logs with constantly failing services which looped and restarted themselves filled my hard drive and stopped things responding. I couldn't boot any applications, remote into the server and users couldn't log on.

 

I had to watch the server for a day or so to determine it was a log. In the end I found the looping service and got rid of it.

[HarveyDavies]

Hi Golden Wonder - sounds very frustrating! If you're worried about any of the above courses of action causing any data loss then we would be happy to offer you a month's free offsite backup (no obligation, no cost, etc) just so you're covered for every eventuality.... )

[GoldenWonder]

You need to ssh in when it is full (or before) to find out what is using all the space up. Oh and you can always backup OD to a file after you have the settings in it, then it's easier to restore from that small file if you copy it somewhere safe. Saves recreating all the prefs at least.

 

That sounds handy, backing up the preferences on their own. How do i do that? I don't seem to haven stumbled across that yet.