Windows Server 2003 randomly loses ability to read Access Databases

[Larry Marburger]

We have a new server running Windows Server 2003 Web Edition that acts
as our main web server. It's serving up somewhere between 400 and 500
ASP / ASP.NET sites through IIS without a problem. However, it seems
like at least once every other day it will just lose its ability to open
or read Access databases. We can tell when this happens because any
site that uses an Access database just hangs forever.

I'm not sure what other information I can provide you since we're kind
of perplexed by this strange occurrence. If anyone could provide some
insight as to what might be the cause of this, I would greatly
appreciate it.


- Larry

 

[GVaught]

Sometimes this problem is due to incorrectly written ASP/ASP.net code that
opens the database connection, but does not close it when it needs to be
closed. I would have the programmer's check their code and ensure they
issued not only a close statement, but setting the connection to nothing
when done. ASP.NET is a little different in coding, as it only needs to
close the connection and you don't issue the 'nothing' statement.

Under IIS: Also make sure that you have HTTP Keep-alive checked. Ensure a
setting has been made under Application Settings. This will aide in keeping
one site from 'bringing down' another site that might be running under you
web server. Check Execute permissions; use script only when everything
operates ASP script only. No cgi-bin type files where 'Executable' is
needed. Scripts and Executables will run slower than Script only.
Application Protection I usually keep at Medium.

Having said all the above, Access can get 'cranky' depending on how many
concurrent hits it gets. I would consider upgrading to SQL Server in the
near future. Ensure that the database that is used is not being opened by
users from their own machines using Access in addition to users from the
web. All access to the database should be conducted from the web.