Backup Central

Here's a weird one. I run an NMC console on a Win XP VM (NW 7.6.2). Been
running fine for years. I have 4 NW servers (1 Network Edition, 3
Workgroup Editions). This morning, when I connect to the Network Edition,
I get an error of "Can't decode result", and then it says the server is
unavailable. Even odder - I get the same result with one of the Workgroup
servers (same error message, same server is unavailable). One of the other
Workgroup servers shows that "Can't decode result" message, .. but still
connects. I can see clients, groups, devices, monitor - everything. The
last Workgroup server? No error messages at all, everything is normal.

Strange, huh?

I cleared Java cache, temp files, the classic Windows solution of "reboot
- that fixes stuff". Nothing.

All the NW servers are running normally, based on the group completion
emails I am getting. I just can't access them using NMC anymore. Nothing's
changed on that VM that I can see - no programs installed, updated, or
removed. Correct version of Java (6.0.26). I get the same error from
another workstation, if I point my browser at that VM and try to run the
NMC that way.

Which tells me that it *must* be the NMC Console Server install on the XP
machine that has gone psychotic and anti-social, although I haven't found
a reason why it should suddenly stop working.

I'm going to try completely removing the Console and Console Server and
re-installing.

Anyone ever seen anything similar?

--
Michael Leone
Network Administrator, ISM
Philadelphia Housing Authority
2500 Jackson St
Philadelphia, PA 19145
Tel: 215-684-4180
Cell: 215-252-0143
<mailto:michael.leone < at > pha.phila.gov>


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Hi Michael,

Greetings from another Philadelphian.

The problem you describe is indeed strange. I work in a primarily Linux shop. On Linux, if I found that sort of issue, I would start sniffing packets going into and out of your NMC console server, so I suggest you do the same. Also, check your firewall and verify that no new rules were added or changed there recently.

On 01 19, 2012, at 10:15 AM, Michael Leone wrote:

Here's a weird one. I run an NMC console on a Win XP VM (NW 7.6.2). Been
running fine for years. I have 4 NW servers (1 Network Edition, 3
Workgroup Editions). This morning, when I connect to the Network Edition,
I get an error of "Can't decode result", and then it says the server is
unavailable. Even odder - I get the same result with one of the Workgroup
servers (same error message, same server is unavailable). One of the other
Workgroup servers shows that "Can't decode result" message, .. but still
connects. I can see clients, groups, devices, monitor - everything. The
last Workgroup server? No error messages at all, everything is normal.

Strange, huh?

I cleared Java cache, temp files, the classic Windows solution of "reboot
- that fixes stuff". Nothing.

All the NW servers are running normally, based on the group completion
emails I am getting. I just can't access them using NMC anymore. Nothing's
changed on that VM that I can see - no programs installed, updated, or
removed. Correct version of Java (6.0.26). I get the same error from
another workstation, if I point my browser at that VM and try to run the
NMC that way.

Which tells me that it *must* be the NMC Console Server install on the XP
machine that has gone psychotic and anti-social, although I haven't found
a reason why it should suddenly stop working.

I'm going to try completely removing the Console and Console Server and
re-installing.

Anyone ever seen anything similar?


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Hi Michael,

Greetings from another Philadelphian.

Yo! (the traditional Philadelphia greeting, for those who don't know)

The problem you describe is indeed strange. I work in a primarily
Linux shop. On Linux, if I found that sort of issue, I would start
sniffing packets going into and out of your NMC console server, so I
suggest you do the same. Also, check your firewall and verify that
no new rules were added or changed there recently.

Well, since then I have uninstalled the NMC Console server ... but can't
re-install it, since Windows is telling me that the DEP (Data Execution
Protection) needs to close the installer ... altho the actual install
process doesn't close. I don't let it finish, since who knows how screwed
up *that* would make things.

This machine has also not been able to install various .NET updates lately
as well. I have an idea that the whole OS is rotting from the inside out.
Since I only keep this VM around as an all purpose console machine
(Networker, antivirus, Citrix, etc) so that I need only connect to one
machine when I need to manage something remotely, I think it's time to
probably put it out of my misery, and rebuild it as a modern OS. That
should clear things up (I hope).


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