QuickBooks Error When on Linux File Server

[TimeCode]

Hey Y'all,

I've got a client with a Cent OS 5 file server and it works great except for QuickBooks files. I inherited this issue from a previous tech that supposedly had it working before but it stopped about a year ago and he got out of the IT game.

Here are the details that I know off the top of my head.

1. Quickbooks version is Pro 09
2. Error code is -6190 -82 and I've searched for the answer but nothing has worked yet.
3. 1 person can log in but others can't. I don't mean 1 at a time but only 1 account can log into the QuickBooks file. Period.
4. If someone else wants to log in, they have to log out of their PC and log in using the user account that is allowed.
5. It works fine when hosted on a Windows PC but it seizes up when on the server
6. I deleted the .TLG file and that just changed which person was allowed to use it.
7. I've also copied in a working version of the .TLG file and it happens again.
8. I have checked the file permissions and I thought that was it but now everyone has all privileges and still no dice.

Sorry if this is a QuickBooks issue and belongs in the "Software Applications" forum, I just thought that with the issue being on a Linux Server, I should probably ask the Linux gurus.

 

[seedubya]

Tim, I know little about either Quickbooks or Linux so I'm unlikely to be of any help. I'm inclined to think that it's a QB issue, though. I've never seen a linux server limit the number of people that may access anything at anytime. QB and similar programs do that all the time, however, as a way of managing licensing. Have you spoke to QB support?

 

[purple_minion]

While I can't comment too much about either, though I have heard good things about CentOS and plan on giving it a try here something. Is that file you delete something like a lock file? Perhaps it has to do with user permissions if it is always the same user. Perhaps check and see it is has to do with user permissions or file permissions. Might be best to find a CentOS or Quickbooks Forum.

http://www.qbgarage.com/kb/questions/69/What+does+error+code+-6190,+-82+mean?
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Industry_Specific/Financial/QuickBooks/Q_22831158.html
http://knowledgebase.quickbooks.ca/...oduct=22&buid=QB&cat=Network and Connectivity

Also a linux setup guide. http://anon.intuit-canada.speedera....www.intuit.ca/QBES/pdfs/LinuxInstallGuide.pdf

good luck

 

[TimeCode]

http://www.qbgarage.com/kb/questions/69/What+does+error+code+-6190,+-82+mean?
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Industry_Specific/Financial/QuickBooks/Q_22831158.html
http://knowledgebase.quickbooks.ca/...oduct=22&buid=QB&cat=Network and Connectivity

Also a linux setup guide. http://anon.intuit-canada.speedera....www.intuit.ca/QBES/pdfs/LinuxInstallGuide.pdf

good luck

PM,

I already tried your first and third links and they didn't solve it. And they don't have Enterprise version. If they did, Intuit would support having a Linux file server. Sadly, the other 2 links don't help either.

Thanks for the effort.

 

[TimeCode]

If I understand this correctly, it's only an issue when on a linux server? If it is hosted and shared out on a windows PC, it's fine, and more than one user can connect at the same time?

You are exactly correct. Right now I have them working off the owner's PC and have that copying back to the server at the end of each day so the server can back everything up... Not exactly an optimal working condition.

Does the quickbooks file have multiple different logins?

Yes it does. 1 and 3 are the users that need access.

What are the file permissions of the quickbooks file and the parent directory on the linux server? I bet it's because it's housed in a shared directory using samba that has only permissions for a certain user account.

I thought the same thing so I made both necessary users members of the Admin group and gave Admin full access to the parent folder and data file... Did I miss any necessary files? Sorry, I was thinking while I was typing... Could this be part of "least privileges"? Like if they are a member of another group that is denied, they would be denied for that?

 

[TimeCode]

I suppose since it's a mixed environment, they are using samba for the workgroup/file server?

I'm going Monday morning. If it is, how would this change anything? What should I do?

 

[e2346437]

Quickbooks requires the server hosting it's data file to have the Quickbooks Database Manager installed. This component is on the CD and is installed when you install the software and tell it that you are hosting Quickbooks data files. You can also install it on your file server separately.

Of course, the Quickbooks Database Manager is only Windows compatible.

Eric

 

[TimeCode]

Quickbooks requires the server hosting it's data file to have the Quickbooks Database Manager installed. This component is on the CD and is installed when you install the software and tell it that you are hosting Quickbooks data files. You can also install it on your file server separately.

Of course, the Quickbooks Database Manager is only Windows compatible.

Yes, and to get a Linux-compatible version you need to setp up to the Enterprise version which is $3000.00. That just isn't worth it. I could sell them a Windows SBS 2003 server for less than $3000.00.

 

[TimeCode]

Good question. I'm on my way there shortly. I'll see if that will work.

 

[TimeCode]

Ok, here is something odd and what I did to circumvent it. Not perfect or pretty but I got it working...

On the server, the Quickbooks data file and the .TLG file were becoming Read-Only even though I would go into Windows and unclick it. I had also set the files' permissions in the server to be Read and Write. These seemed to make no difference.

I created a batch file on each PC that needed QB access and sent it to the mapped drive, removed the Read-Only attribute and then called the Quickbooks data file. Now, by clicking on the batch file, it works for everyone.

Stupid that it would keep re-enabling the Read-Only attribute but at least I found a way around it.

 

[purple_minion]

Good work Tim! It may have been doing that because of the changing of the file contents. One user changes the file, it's reuploaded, or saved to the server using their account, that may have done it.

Sounds like a possible samba issue then correct? I would think that samba is meant to be used by multiple users so it shouldn't do that, but what do I know. Perhaps it's a quickbooks issue locking the file, but shouldn't it be able to be used by more then one user simultaneously? Perhaps there is a way to view file ownership/permissions that are samba specific, much like doing an ls -l lists owner/group and permissions, at least to rule it out. Also perhaps I missed it but anything in the logs like dmesg etc? Your method seems like a hack but sometimes that's what it takes, I'm just curious to the underlying cause.

 

[TimeCode]

Perhaps there is a way to view file ownership/permissions that are samba specific, much like doing an ls -l lists owner/group and permissions, at least to rule it out. Also perhaps I missed it but anything in the logs like dmesg etc? Your method seems like a hack but sometimes that's what it takes, I'm just curious to the underlying cause.

You're right, it is a hack. I don't like work-arounds but sometimes there is no other way and since I'm not a Linux guru, I had to hack it. The client is happy that it is working and they understand that I am not into Linux so they are willing to take what they can get.

As for the dmesg logs... I have no idea where I would even find those.

 

[purple_minion]

You're right, it is a hack. I don't like work-arounds but sometimes there is no other way and since I'm not a Linux guru, I had to hack it. The client is happy that it is working and they understand that I am not into Linux so they are willing to take what they can get.

As for the dmesg logs... I have no idea where I would even find those.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmesg
Simply type "dmesg" and the tail end of the system logs show up in a terminal. Also a lot of programs save logs under the /var/log directory. Most distributions I've seen save all the system messages under /var/log/messages.

I wasn't trying to be hard on you, just simply curious as to the cause of the issue. I love to get to the bottom of things, but I also understand diminishing returns especially in a business.

 

[e2346437]

Quickbooks Database Manager -- Did you try and install that on all of the windows clients to see if that worked?

Also, our of sheer curiosity, do they have just a small workgroup or do they have a PDC, and if they do, is it a linux PDC or windows?

If you install the Quickbooks Database manager on the client, the client won't be able to get the data from the server. At least, that's what their support site says.

QBDM runs as a service and "watches" the file system for quickbooks files. If a new one is created or an old one is found, it marks it read-only and creates two additional files (probably multi-user files) in the same directory.

Any machine can be the Quickbooks server as long as it is running windows and has a file share.

Eric

 

[TimeCode]

Quickbooks Database Manager -- Did you try and install that on all of the windows clients to see if that worked?

Also, our of sheer curiosity, do they have just a small workgroup or do they have a PDC, and if they do, is it a linux PDC or windows?

No I did not install it. It was one of those "If this, then that" instances where I had a minor epiphany.

Yes, the Linux server is the PDC.

QBDM runs as a service and "watches" the file system for quickbooks files. If a new one is created or an old one is found, it marks it read-only and creates two additional files (probably multi-user files) in the same directory.

Any machine can be the Quickbooks server as long as it is running windows and has a file share.

Eric

That may explain why it "Suddenly" quit working. Someone may have installed the QBDM. Let me guess, one of the files that it creates is a .TLG file.

 

[purple_minion]

Well as soon as things pickup a tad more, I am going to purchase the pro 2009 version, I will mess with it when that happens, and see what could have been the issue. I love being able to make direct MSFT replacements with linux that do a much better job, so this is right up my alley .

Interesting, you replace microsoft with linux alternatives? Did I read that right? While most of it being in a business environment would probably be over my head I'm interested in hearing more.

 

[oztrailrider]

Sure, primary domain controllers, file servers, backup servers, mail and SQL servers, webservers, etc etc etc

I have a customer that I could easily migrate over to Linux for their server (simple workgroup setup) however they are running MYOB Enterprise on the server and access it via TS. So far I haven't been able to find a way around it.

 

[e2346437]

That may explain why it "Suddenly" quit working. Someone may have installed the QBDM. Let me guess, one of the files that it creates is a .TLG file.

Yes, a .TLG file.

Eric

 

[TimeCode]

Yes, a .TLG file.

Eric

Well that makes a lot of sense then. The .TLG file was the one that the QB FAQs told me to delete (I didn't but I did rename it) so that other users could access the file. Maybe I should go back to them and uninstall the QBDM. It may work correctly then.

I would rather see it work properly than monkey with the .bat file hack.

 

[TimeCode]

Well as soon as things pickup a tad more, I am going to purchase the pro 2009 version, I will mess with it when that happens, and see what could have been the issue. I love being able to make direct MSFT replacements with linux that do a much better job, so this is right up my alley .

I'm glad that there are people in the world like you. I however don't have the time to really learn the Linux side of things so I just stick with MSFT servers. They are easy and there is no vendor (read IT Support) lock-in.