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 ASP scripts cause local IIS and PWS server lock up
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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:13:33  Show Profile  Reply with Quote

I have a peculiar problem. I have 3 local versions of my cart that are all failing, but thankfully the public version is still working fine.

My configuration
I'm running VP-ASP version 5.50 with Access database (split database) on local test servers. One server is Microsoft 2000 running PWS (Personal Web Server) while 2 others are Microsoft XP Pro running IIS.

Problem
Two of these servers have been running fine for months. Suddenly, they simultaneously started having the same failure without any change to the code on my part. Certain ASP files cause my server to freeze and fail to serve any other ASP files.


Edited by - greatphoto on July 09 2006 14:44:12

greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:15:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Certain basic ASP files are safe and do not cause an lockup:
shopgiftreglogin.asp
shopgiftregdisplayproducts.asp
shopaddtocart.asp
diag_dbtest.asp

While some others consistently lock it up every time:
shopdisplaycategories.asp
shopdisplayproducts.asp
(administrator login)

After a lockup, the only way to proceed is to reboot the server, or to stop and restart IIS.

The oddest thing about this is that it just suddenly started failing on multiple local servers while the same code continues to run fine on the public store hosted at a paid service.

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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:18:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Debug attempts

  • I restored a copy of my store from 6 months ago that ran fine back then. If fails in the same way.

  • I experimented with file permissions

  • I ran diag_dbtest.asp - it passed fine, but I don't think it works fully with split database

  • I performed a fresh IIS install on a Windows XP machine that did not previously have IIS - same failures

  • I enabled logging and script debug in IIS, but couldn't get any useful data out of it

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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:20:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote

  • I downloaded microsoft script debugger but couldn't figure out how to get it to debug ASP code, though its listed as being able to do that

  • I made a new test site that just contains the original v5.50 install files with the original demo database that came with v5.50. This worked fine! This implies that its not directly a problem with the VP-ASP cart, but somehow related to the way I'm using it. Perhaps a problem with the database or with changes I've made to ASP files. However, keep in mind that these same files are still running fine on the public server, and they were running fine locally on multiple servers until all the locals suddenly failed at the same time.

  • I researched possible IIS viruses that might have been set to trigger on July 4 (Independence day in the US), but found none.

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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:22:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
So, I'm baffled by these strange symptoms.

Please give feedback on any similar issues you've observed (and hopefully solved ). I'd also love to hear suggestions on how to go about debugging such a failure.

(BTW, sorry for the broken up post. Seems like this new forum doesn't like big posts...it just freezes)

Thanks in advance...
Nathan
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support
Administrator

4679 Posts

Posted - July 05 2006 :  23:34:48  Show Profile  Visit support's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Nathan,

It is possible that you have introduced a product or category into your database that may be referencing itself with a higher id.

For example, let's say you have imported a product with an id of 100 and that same product has a value of 100 in it's highercatalogid field, then you will experience a loop such as it seems you are currently experiencing which will in turn cause your site to lock up.

Similarly if you have a category with the same categoryid and highercategoryid you will experience this issue.

Another possibility along the same lines is that two products (or categories) are referencing one another as each's higherproductid (or highercategoryid). As these two reference each other as each other's higher id, you will experience a loop causing your site to lock.

You should cross check all product catalogid's and corresponding highercatalogid's to see if this issue applies to you.

Please let us know how you go with this.

Regards,

Michael
VPASP SUPPORT
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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 08 2006 :  22:50:40  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi Michael-

Thanks for the quick reply and the solid info. I didn't consider that circular references in the database could lock up the server, but it certainly makes sense.

The circumstances you describe do not apply in my case for these reasons:
1) This failure happened suddenly to multiple existing copies of the cart/database without any changes to products or categories.
2) The publicly hosted version is running along happily on the public site. Today, I downloaded the entire public site and database to test on my local server. Though I made an exact copy, it fails locally in the same way I described above.

Do you, or any of the other forum readers have any suggestions on how to debug ASP code lockup problems? Is there a way to step through the ASP code in a debugger? Can I insert breakpoints? As it stands, as soon as I attempt to load shopdisplaycategories.asp, it just starts clocking and never recovers.....no output is shown on the page....so I don't know if debug "got here" messages will even make it to the screen.

Thanks,
Nathan
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support
Administrator

4679 Posts

Posted - July 08 2006 :  23:20:57  Show Profile  Visit support's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi Nathan,

One alternative may be that your anti virus software may have been updated on your local machine.

if you are using Norton there are known issues with Norton/McAfee and the way Microsoft IIS deals with templates.

Please see the following as a possible fix:
http://www.vpasp.com/helpnotes/shoptocdetail.asp?id=593#798

Thanks,
Cam

Vp-ASP Support
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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 09 2006 :  07:44:32  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You nailed it Cam! More later....
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greatphoto
VP-CART Super User

USA
304 Posts

Posted - July 09 2006 :  14:43:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Guys-

Thanks so much for your support! I did not expect direct support on this customer-to-customer forum and I didn't view this as a VP-ASP problem, but you helped me anyway! You really saved the day week! I had racked my brain on this for 2 solid days. This is support I'm willing to pay for as you went beyond your duty in my view. I'll contact you separately about how to pay some points for this.

The Microsoft page describes my issue exactly. I had even observed the ldb (Access lock database) files that were not deletable. (I found how to delete them by disabling PWS, rebooting computer, deleting, and then restarting PWS, but it didn't help).

It was the anti-virus all along. Cam you are right that it must have been a dat file update that started it all...it explains all the machines failing at the same time after working fine. I am running McAfee on two machines that failed and Norton on the third. They all failed, but now work fine after disabling the script blocking.

During my debug attempts, I had even disabled anti-virus to no avail. Microsoft explains this as quoted here: "NOTE: This problem occurs even if Norton AntiVirus has been disabled."

Thanks again!
Nathan


P.S. I would still really like to hear from other VP-ASP customers regarding debug strategies.
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