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What is the Process For Removing MAX Database Corruption?

Primary Software: Utility Software>>Measurement & Automation Explorer
Primary Software Version: 4.3
Primary Software Fixed Version: 4.3
Secondary Software: N/A

Problem:
What is the process for removing MAX database corruption?

Solution:
MAX Database corruptions are rare, but may be caused when a system reboots without being properly shut down due to a power loss or a system crash.  One sign that your database may be corrupt is if you click on the plus sign for a folder in MAX and if instead of expanding the plus sign disappears.  If this error occurs after installing a newer version of MAX, verify that you have already performed a reboot of your PC before proceeding.

MAX maintains a backup copy of the database file, which can be used to recover from a database corruption.  To revert to the uncorrupted backup, please log in as an Administrator or another user with Administrator privileges in order to complete the following steps (If you have a firewall such as F-Secure installed, make sure it's disabled during this procedure!):
  1. Exit all NI applications.

  2. Launch the command window:
    1. Select Run... from the Windows Start menu.
    2. Type "cmd", and click OK.
    3. Type "net stop mxssvr" and press Enter to stop the MAX database service. If you are prompted to stop other services, stop them.
    4. Type "exit" and press Enter to close the command window.

  3. Find the Last folder:
    • On Windows XP and Windows 2000:
      1. Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\MAX\Data Dictionaries\Last
      2. The folder named Application Data is a hidden folder.  You can view hidden folders by selecing Tools » Folder Options..., click the View tab, and selecting Show hidden files and folders.
    • On Windows Vista: 
      1. Navigate to C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\MAX\Data Dictionaries\Last
      2. If this folder cannot be seen, go to the C: drive and then in the menu bar, choose Organize » Folder and Search Options, click the View tab.
      3. Select the Show hidden files and folders option.
      4. Deselect the Hide protected Operating System files option.

  4. Create a backup copy of the Last folder, and store it in another location.

  5. Find the Data folder:
    • On Windows XP and Windows 2000:
      1. Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\MAX\Data\
      2. The folder named Application Data is a hidden folder.  You can view hidden folders by selecing Tools » Folder Options..., click the View tab, and selecting Show hidden files and folders.
    • On Windows Vista: 
      1. Navigate to C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\MAX\Data
      2. If this folder cannot be seen, go to the C: drive and then in the menu bar, choose Organize » Folder and Search Options, click the View tab.
      3. Select the Show hidden files and folders option.
      4. Deselect the Hide protected Operating System files option.

  6. Create a backup copy of the Data folder, and store it in another location.

  7. Open the original Data folder and find the file named config3.mxs.bak.  Check this file's creation/modification time by right-clicking on the file and choosing Properties.  The General tab will list the time it was created and the time it was last modified. 
    If that file is dated such that it would contain your recent changes, continue with the following steps.  If the file is old, or you are not sure of the status of MAX at the time of that file's creation, or if the config3.mxs.bak file is the same size as the config3.mxs file, simply delete the entire Data folder and skip to step 10.

    Note: Deleting the Data folder in its entirety will remove all configuration settings.  The next time MAX is launched, you will have to configure all of your hardware again.

  8. Still in the MAX\Data folder, delete the file named config3.mxs or save it with a different name.  Do the same for any of these files if they exist in the Data folder: config3.mxc, config3.mxd, config3.mx5, and storage.mxc.

  9. Rename config3.mxs.bak to config3.mxs.

  10. Reboot your computer.

  11. Start MAX.  MAX should launch with the configuration information that was stored as a backup if you did not completely delete the Data folder.

  12. If reverting to the back-up version of your MAX database resolves this error for you, please send your original corrupt Last and Data folders along with a MAX Support Report to NI Technical Support. You can create this report in MAX by choosing File » Create Report in the menu.
Please contact National Instruments Technical Support if you have additional questions.
www.ni.com/ask

Related Links:
Why Do I Get a Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) Database Connection Error?


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Report Date: 12/11/2007
Last Updated: 02/13/2008
Document ID: 4GA9TOQA

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