Unable to open eDirectory: -618 Error

  • Document ID:7006928
  • Creation Date:27-Sep-2010
  • Modified Date:07-Jun-2017
    • Micro Focus Products:
      eDirectory

Environment

Novell eDirectory for NetWare 6.5
Novell eDirectory for Linux

Situation

  • -618 FFFFFD96 INCONSISTENT DATABASEonly when accompanied by the following errors opening the DIB with DSTrace/NDSTrace set with the +INIT +RECMAN flags:
    • SMI Error Code = failed, 49234 (0xc052) or
    • SMI Error Code = failed, 49208 (0xc038)
  • FERR_BAD_RFL_SERIAL_NUM 0xC038
  • FERR_BAD_RFL_PACKET 0xC052
  • Corrupt roll forward log (RFL)
  • Roll forward log is considerably larger than 8Mb:
    • NetWare:  sys:\_netware\nds.rfl\*
    • Linux:  /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data/dib/nds.rfl/*

Resolution

  1. Ensure there is a backup of the entire DIB directory and its subdirectories
    • NetWare:  sys:\_netware
    • Linux:  /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data/dib

  2. Restart directory services with the -igrfl switch to reset the roll forward log (this procedure only works with eDirectory 8.8SP3 and later)
    • NetWare:  load ds -igrfl
    • Linux:  /etc/init.d/ndsd start -igrfl
Note that the default size of the roll forward log is 8Mb and it should reset to this size.

If the problem remains, contact Novell Technical Services.  It may be possible to rebuild the underlying FLAIM database using the original backed-up copy taken in Step 1, above.

Do not delete the roll forward log, or any other DIB files, under any circumstances.

Additional Information

IMPORTANT:  Resetting the roll forward log can potentially lose transactions and this procedure should only be used as a last resort when all other attempts at addressing -618 (with underlying 0xC038 or 0xC052) errors have been tried and failed.  Always ensure the DIB files are copied to a safe location before doing anything.  If in doubt, contact Novell Technical Services.

NOTE:  If running eDirectory on Linux systemd distributions such as SLES 12 or RHEL 7, refer to TID 7018431 for additional information.

NOTE:  On a NetWare server, BASH.NLM can be used to start a bash shell to list, copy and ftp files in sys:\_netware whilst DS is locked.  Ensure that sys:\bin\unixenv.ncf has been executed.

For further details regarding bash, refer to the documentation at https://www.novell.com/documentation/nw65/os_util_nw/data/bsu2c1t.html