FIX: Forms, Menus, or Reports May Be Corrupted on Windows 2000 After Cycling Computer (308251)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 6.0, when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q308251

SYMPTOMS

A form, menu, or report is created or modified in Visual FoxPro 6.0 on a computer running Windows 2000. After the computer is improperly shut down and restarted, subsequent attempts to modify the file may fail.

This problem seems to occur no matter what method is used to create or modify the file, and regardless of the state of Visual FoxPro (open or closed) when the computer loses power. In fact, this problem has the potential to corrupt files that were opened since the last clean shutdown of Windows 2000.

NOTE: This problem occurs with Visual FoxPro 6.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3), SP4, and SP5. It does not occur with the original version of Visual FoxPro 6.0 (build 8167).

CAUSE

An optimization was introduced in Visual FoxPro 6.0 SP3 which was intended to increase the speed of saving forms, menus, and reports. Unfortunately, this optimization involves flagging these files in a way that causes them to not be committed to disk unless a clean shutdown of Windows 2000 occurs.

WORKAROUND

To avoid this problem, you can disable the Write Cache Enabled setting on the local hard drive(s) on the Windows 2000 computer. Note however that Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later is needed for this setting to persist. The RTM version of Windows 2000 does not persist this setting between restarts.

To adjust this setting, follow these steps:
  1. Open My Computer, right-click the local hard drive, and click Properties.
  2. Click the Hardware tab, select the local hard drive in the list of drives, and then click Properties.
  3. Click the Disk Properties tab and clear the Write Cache Enabled checkbox.
  4. Perform steps 1 through 3 for each hard drive on the local computer, and then restart the computer.
NOTE: Because this workaround has the potential to degrade performance on large IDE drives, it is recommended that you upgrade to Visual FoxPro 7.0 to resolve this issue.

STATUS

This problem was corrected in Microsoft Visual FoxPro version 7.0 for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Start Visual FoxPro 6.0 SP3 or later on a computer running Windows 2000.
  2. Create or modify a form (by selecting New from the File menu, using the CREATE FORM command, and so on).
  3. Add several controls to the form and then save it.
  4. Cycle the computer without properly shutting down; for instance, by using the reset or power switch.
  5. When computer restarts, open Visual FoxPro 6.0 SP3 or later and attempt to modify the form. The problem described in the "Symptoms" section may appear.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/15/2003
Keywords:kbBug kbfix kbvfp700fix KB308251
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