Cannot map a network drive

[ERUMC]

Hi, I'm a newbie to PC+ forum.

My setup: 5 XP Pro machines networked through a hard-wired Linksys router. All machines access the internet through a residential gateway. This same computer/residential gateway also has the PC+v10 software installed locally on it. I have installed the latest maintenance release as well. All users have administrative rights.

We've been using PC+ for several years, but only the Membership and Contributions Modules on the residental gateway computer. Now we want to begin using the Accounting module. Each module is maintained by a different person so we need to establish access to PC+ from a second computer that resides on the same network, within the same workgroup. As I understand it, we should be able to map a network drive to the computer on which PC+ resides. I have attempted that many times, using PC+ own instructions. However, once I've mapped the drive and attempt to work from the second computer, I experience lock-ups, delayed write failures, and errors. These errors on the mapped machine actually affect the residential gateway machine by causing it to also lock up. I'm desperate, any help is greatly appreciated.

[NeilZ]

Hi, I'm a newbie to PC+ forum.

My setup: 5 XP Pro machines networked through a hard-wired Linksys router. All machines access the internet through a residential gateway. This same computer/residential gateway also has the PC+v10 software installed locally on it. I have installed the latest maintenance release as well. All users have administrative rights.

We've been using PC+ for several years, but only the Membership and Contributions Modules on the residental gateway computer. Now we want to begin using the Accounting module. Each module is maintained by a different person so we need to establish access to PC+ from a second computer that resides on the same network, within the same workgroup. As I understand it, we should be able to map a network drive to the computer on which PC+ resides. I have attempted that many times, using PC+ own instructions. However, once I've mapped the drive and attempt to work from the second computer, I experience lock-ups, delayed write failures, and errors. These errors on the mapped machine actually affect the residential gateway machine by causing it to also lock up. I'm desperate, any help is greatly appreciated.

The problem may be because of the 'gateway' computer. That computer has to not only share its files across the network for powerchurch, but it also has to run all internet traffic through that machine.

As far as I can tell, the only reason I see using a connection through the gateway computer, and not through the router is because you're using a dial-up connection, is that right ??

If you have cable or DSL, you should run it through the Linksys router, and not through the 'gateway' computer, that would relieve that computer from that workload.

Some additional ideas, on the server/gateway, make sure that the Powerchurch directory is shared with full rights to all network users to change files.

As you can see, additional information is needed to assist.

[ERUMC]

Thanks Neil for your quick response. My actual configuration looks like this:

DSL modem connected to a Linksys router, connected to another Linksys router (each router has only 5 hardwire connections and we needed to provide for the 5 computers, a network printer and a wireless modem that services a 6th computer that is wireless). I cannot tell you at this time whether the two computers that need to use PC+ are on the same router or separate routers.

My use of "residential gateway" may have been misleading, I'm not sure what the right term is. Based on my configuration, as I understand it no single computer is the hub or main connection to the internet.

I followed the PC+ directions for mapping a network drive, which included sharing the PC directory with full rights. Additionally, I tried networking PC+ with all firewalls and intrusion prevention turned off.

My bottom line is that I need to establish a connection between two or more computers to share PC+.

I know just enough about computers to be dangerous! Many thanks for your help.

[NeilZ]

Thanks Neil for your quick response. My actual configuration looks like this:

DSL modem connected to a Linksys router, connected to another Linksys router (each router has only 5 hardwire connections and we needed to provide for the 5 computers, a network printer and a wireless modem that services a 6th computer that is wireless). I cannot tell you at this time whether the two computers that need to use PC+ are on the same router or separate routers.

My use of "residential gateway" may have been misleading, I'm not sure what the right term is. Based on my configuration, as I understand it no single computer is the hub or main connection to the internet.

I followed the PC+ directions for mapping a network drive, which included sharing the PC directory with full rights. Additionally, I tried networking PC+ with all firewalls and intrusion prevention turned off.

My bottom line is that I need to establish a connection between two or more computers to share PC+.

I know just enough about computers to be dangerous! Many thanks for your help.

OK ... using two routers on one network may be causing a problem if you are connecting the second router through its WAN port. This will cause everything hooked up to the second router to have a different network IP segment address. For instance, everything on the first router will have addresses of 192.168.1.x, whereas everything on the second will have 192.168.2.x.

If you connect the second router by connecting to an open ethernet connector, everything will be on the same network. Some advice, make sure that all the computers are on the first router, or buy an inexpensive ethernet SWITCH that will not create a separate IP address segment.

Now, here are the instructions that will lead you through the steps for setup of a networked drive:

http://www.powerchurch.com/support/answ ... icle_id=33

Hope this helps.

[ERUMC]

I check on the routers, here's more clarification:

DSL modem connected to a Linksys router, it only has 4 ports so it is connected to the second Linksys Workgroup hub. All of the computers are together on the hub.

All computers seem to function perfectly well with the exception of networking PC+. I tried mapping it again and got the following error message immediately:

Program: PC
Line: 161
Error: 1103
Message: Invalid seek offset

It was followed by a Windows - Delayed write failed error. It mentioned the file PCInfo1.DBF. Any further thoughts?

[NeilZ]

I check on the routers, here's more clarification:

DSL modem connected to a Linksys router, it only has 4 ports so it is connected to the second Linksys Workgroup hub. All of the computers are together on the hub.

All computers seem to function perfectly well with the exception of networking PC+. I tried mapping it again and got the following error message immediately:

Program: PC
Line: 161
Error: 1103
Message: Invalid seek offset

It was followed by a Windows - Delayed write failed error. It mentioned the file PCInfo1.DBF. Any further thoughts?

First off, check to make sure that everything is setup as shown in the article I referenced above. Make sure that the Powerchurch directory has full read/write permissions as set in that article.

[ERUMC]

Neil,

Yes, I've followed the directions exactly. I don't have to share the c:\ drive, do I? Thanks for being so patient.

Karen

[NeilZ]

Neil,

Yes, I've followed the directions exactly. I don't have to share the c:\ drive, do I? Thanks for being so patient.

Karen

Not the entire C: drive, just the Powerchurch directory, and it has to be setup to allow users to change the files.

[ERUMC]

Neil,

I talked with PC+ tech support and they informed me that I should share: \\server\powerchurch and NOT \\server\powerchurch\pcplus10. So I tried that and still got errors. In light of the hours of work I've got on this, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and go with plan B. Plan B consists of this: install PC+ locally on 2 computers; back up the membership module on the one computer, and restore the membership data on the second computer so contributions module has updated data. Tech support says this would work, and I won't lose any more sleep. Thank you so much for your help. Blessings.

[NeilZ]

Neil,

I talked with PC+ tech support and they informed me that I should share: \\server\powerchurch and NOT \\server\powerchurch\pcplus10. So I tried that and still got errors. In light of the hours of work I've got on this, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead and go with plan B. Plan B consists of this: install PC+ locally on 2 computers; back up the membership module on the one computer, and restore the membership data on the second computer so contributions module has updated data. Tech support says this would work, and I won't lose any more sleep. Thank you so much for your help. Blessings.

Just a quick question, was this happening on every computer, or only on one of the networked computers ??

I'm really puzzled as to why this is happening on an all XP network. The usual suspects are Windows or a third-party firewall not allowing the packets or connection through, an anti-virus program that was checking all the data flowing through the connections, or that one or both of the machines do not have enough memory (RAM).

While XP runs (barely) on 512MB, 1 GB RAM is much better.

[ERUMC]

I did try it on a third machine and had the same errors happen immediately. When I told PC+ tech support of the errors they said its a network error; but they are also familiar with this error happening so does that mean it could be software based? All our machines have more than the minimum requirements necessary for PC. Interestingly, the networked PC+ program originally worked, with just a couple of crashes now and again, it has slowly gotten worse. I'm pretty sure its not our anti-virus, but I cannot say that about our network setup. I think the next plan (while implementing plan B) is to get a switch or router that can handle all our ethernet connections but that will take a little time. Ideally, I want PC+ networked because that will eliminate any errors in overwriting information. And one more clarification from you if you don't mind: how should I have our anti-virus (Norton 2009) configured to allow PC+ to network?

[NeilZ]

I did try it on a third machine and had the same errors happen immediately. When I told PC+ tech support of the errors they said its a network error; but they are also familiar with this error happening so does that mean it could be software based? All our machines have more than the minimum requirements necessary for PC. Interestingly, the networked PC+ program originally worked, with just a couple of crashes now and again, it has slowly gotten worse. I'm pretty sure its not our anti-virus, but I cannot say that about our network setup. I think the next plan (while implementing plan B) is to get a switch or router that can handle all our ethernet connections but that will take a little time. Ideally, I want PC+ networked because that will eliminate any errors in overwriting information. And one more clarification from you if you don't mind: how should I have our anti-virus (Norton 2009) configured to allow PC+ to network?

Usually, Norton is not a problem, there are other brands that I would suspect, but not this one. Now, if you're using Norton Internet Security, I would definitely make sure that the firewall is setup to allow all local network activity.

I'd also make sure that your router and switch have a max speed of 100 mbps at least, and that all desktop computer network adapters are set to use the highest speed.

[Zorak]

When I told PC+ tech support of the errors they said its a network error; but they are also familiar with this error happening so does that mean it could be software based?

The "Invalid Seek Offset" error is unfortunately common. While it is not a PowerChurch Plus problem, it happens when running the 15+MB executable file and lots of data connections across a network connection.

While most frequently, this error occurs on weak wireless connections that constantly drop and reconnect, it also happens when Norton (or other AV software) is installed on both the workstation and the server or host machine, with both set to "scan network resources".

When you have two AV installations "fighting" for access to the same file to be scanned for a few thousand different threats, PowerChurch Plus can't get access to the file in a timely fashion and errors.

To resolve this, first set an "exclusion" or "exception" for the following file types: CDX, DBF, and FPT. Also set an exclusion for the PCPLUS10.exe file. Also, turn off network scanning. If every computer on your network has its own antivirus software running, then they can protect themselves. You don't need every computer scanning every other computer's files.

In the specific case of the "Invalid Seek Offset" error, the executable that is running on the local machine (across the network) has lost access to itself. This puts the program into a death-loop that you have to shut down from the Task Manager (CTRL-ALT-DEL).

We have been seeing this error for three or four years, but in the last year or so, it has become very common. Nothing has changed in PowerChurch Plus, so what has changed in the user environments... More people networked in on wireless connections. More "Internet Security Suite" software, than scans for viruses, spyware, adware, acts as a firewall, etc. The speed an efficiency of these programs are dreadful. Norton is currently causing the most problems for us. In most cases, people leave the Windows Firewall and Windows Defender programs running as well...

While this is an unstable and annoying environment to be working in on a day to day basis, it becomes really dangerous if this type of thing happens in the middle of an important system process, such as an Accounts Payable posting. At that point we have the AP open items, AP open items detail, AP paid items, AP paid items detail, FA unposted transactions, and FA unposted transactions detail tables open. A crash of this sort at just the right time could corrupt all of these tables in the database beyond recognition in the blink of an eye.

For others experiencing this kind of problem, get it resolved before doing anything else across the network in PowerChurch Plus.

It is not uncommon for us to hear from a user that has been just clicking through this error for months...

[NeilZ]

While most frequently, this error occurs on weak wireless connections that constantly drop and reconnect, it also happens when Norton (or other AV software) is installed on both the workstation and the server or host machine, with both set to "scan network resources".

When you have two AV installations "fighting" for access to the same file to be scanned for a few thousand different threats, PowerChurch Plus can't get access to the file in a timely fashion and errors.

To resolve this, first set an "exclusion" or "exception" for the following file types: CDX, DBF, and FPT. Also set an exclusion for the PCPLUS10.exe file. Also, turn off network scanning. If every computer on your network has its own antivirus software running, then they can protect themselves. You don't need every computer scanning every other computer's files.

\More "Internet Security Suite" software, than scans for viruses, spyware, adware, acts as a firewall, etc. The speed an efficiency of these programs are dreadful. Norton is currently causing the most problems for us. In most cases, people leave the Windows Firewall and Windows Defender programs running as well....

I have Norton's I.S. on the computers at the current church (and the last one) I was at. I believe we didn't have a problem because I made sure Norton had automatically added Powerchurch as one of the 'safe' programs; which I didn't think Norton was a problem.

At home, on my test system, using AVG, I have it setup to allow network activity and no scan on the 'safe' network, which is the IP range of the home network. However, AVG when its installed does pick up Powerchurch as a 'safe' program.

That said, I'd update the Networking knowledgebase article to add a Firewall/Antivirus step to verify that only one firewall is active on the computer, and that scanning networked files is not needed.

[ERUMC]

I will look into the AV settings and get back to you. Thanks for your input.