Checking for corrupted database...

Crashing eM Client
1

When I try to start eM Client, I get the dreaded DB check:
“eM Client was not closed correctly the last time. To ensure your data is safe several checks need to be performed.”

It was not shut down uncleanly; (but at least once it was). This crashing thing has happened often, three times in two days. Once I think the DB check passed and it started. Once I think it revived after restarting the machine. This is the second day and it won’t start at all now.

The things spins on “Checking for corrupted database” and hangs there, spinning. Eventually I get this:

System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteException: unable to open database file
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLite3.Open(String strFilename, SQLiteConnectionFlags connectionFlags, SQLiteOpenFlagsEnum openFlags, Int32 maxPoolSize, Boolean usePool)
   at System.Data.SQLite.SQLiteConnection.Open()
   at DbRepair.DbTools.OpenConnection(String fileName)
   at DbRepair.Form1.CheckCorruption()
   at DbRepair.Form1.Check(Object state)

Nothing more. And the thing just keeps spinning. I’ve only left it going for a few hours, could this check succeed after running it all night? All week?

I’ve tried rebooting; repair install; turning off AV; killing emaiclient process; in various sequences. No change in behavior.

My DB is on a network share.

I’ve seen way too many posts in here end with unrecoverable databases. Email needs to be rock solid, no excuses.

I’ve taken the liberty to invite [email protected] to download my crash dump from Drop Box. Invitation comes from FRevi.

Any help recovering this database is much appreciated. If my database is unrecoverable, then tell me. But please do not tell me that I may create a new database as if that were a solution to an unrecoverable one. Thanks.

2

Hi, this is unfortunately a database issue, some of your data may have got corrupted if the system didn’t finish uninitializing the application, you can try to download this utility and let it run to check your database, http://www.emclient.com/tools/dbrepairrebuildall.exe and let the database check finish.

If the repair is unsuccessful, you’d have to remove or rename the current eM Client database in order to let the application create a new one.

Thank you,
Paul

3

That looks just like the thing “eM Client database check” that comes up when I try to open eM now.  Is it the exact same thing?

It never finishes, just gives that error message I put in my original post on this; when I click cancel, then it goes away.

4

Hi, please run the tool and let the utility finish to check your database folder, it can take a while, as the utility needs to make sure none of your database files are corrupted and if they are the application should try to repair them.

Unfortunately if the database repair tool finished with an error, it is not possible to restore your current database.

Thank you,
Paul

5

The results are the same. I assume, then, that the database check app I downloaded at your suggestion and ran is identical to the one that runs automatically when the DB is blown. It never stops spinning, but after a while the error message window comes up with the info I posted earlier in this thread. I guess this means my DB is unrecoverable, which is very unfortunate.

There are numerous email clients that are not this fragile. I’m no developer, but I’ve heard of things like rolling back transaction logs and other ways to make DBs fault tolerant. It seems like you’re not there yet.

Too bad. I would have liked to use your product, but I need to have confidence that it’s robust and well behaved.

No matter how good your support is, and it’s very good, that can’t make up for a weak product.

You should mark this support incident as failed - my DB is unrecoverable - definitely not solved.

1 Like
6

Hi mr. Palomar,

I’m sorry to read that your database seems to be corrupt.

I read that your database is on a network share. I’m quite sure it’s better to have the database on your local (internal) hard disk.

eM Client is not developed for it’s database to be used from 2 different computers. (I’m not sure if that’s the way you’re using eM Client, but it might be, given the fact that your database is on a network share).

7

Paul above said that if the utility crashes out (as well as the DB), then the DB is unrecoverable,  not just seemingly corrupt. Please don’t whitewash. If there’s more that can be done to get the data back than the utility that doesn’t work, I’ll even buy a license if you can recover it. I would have bought a license if the free version worked. I did buy a license to one of your competitors’ products.

Of course everything works better on a local machine. Everything works better on a test rig, too. Of course I was not trying to do multi-user, and was using only on one machine. Let’s be clear: my setup here is dead simple, clean, and well maintained.

I’m just mad because I lost data. Don’t start with me about backups - I assumed the thing would last three days. My bad, I didn’t heed the signs quickly enough.

It crashes daily, the DB blows and can’t be repaired, you’ve really got to run it locally, it only works if you run it on a single machine, our forum doesn’t work on Chrome, you have to rely on your backups, it [only] seems to be corrupt; the excuses just keep coming.

Fair enough. The fact is that eM Client is a toy.

1 Like
8

I too am experiencing exactly the same problem and the database repair tool also fails to fix it,  I am able to open the databases and read the mails with a simple text editor, so your repair tool should be able to extract the emails and rebuild the data bases…  I have been evaluating your program for use in a local legal firm and until the failure (immediately after updating the program) I was firmly convinced that eM Client was the way to go…  Now, there is no way I can recommend your product.  A quick fix which would enable me to recover the lost data sure would be appreciated.  I am …  Martin Beebe  [email protected]

1 Like
9

I too like, Mr. Palomar am running on a network share with only one computer accessing the data, the network share is for data safety should the computer fail for any reason, a second backup computer would then assume the roll of primary computer.

10

Unfortunately if the repair tool is unable to recover your database for eM client to be able to load your data from the database, it is not possible to recover the data, you’d have to create a new database folder by renaming or removing your current database from the Roaming folder on your computer.

I’m very sorry this has caused a data loss, my best suggestion at this point would be using an IMAP account so all your items are synchronized with the server, thus if a computer or an application crash causes such issue, all your data are still safely located on the mail server.

In case you were using local data only, I can only recommend keeping a backup of your data as it is located on your computer only without any existing server backup.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience, please make sure to let me know if I can be up to any further help or assistance.

Paul

11

Here is some constructive criticism:

Unfortunately if the repair tool is unable to recover your database for eM client to be able to load your data from the database, it is not possible to recover the data
Show that you care about your customer. Don’t be so quick to shirk any responsibility, thus putting the blame on him/her. Show that your company will evaluate the loss  it’s caused. Then do that and post your findings and how you have already solved it, which should be your priority. Show some intent to provide a product that does not cause data loss.

…you’d have to create a new database folder by renaming or removing your current database from the Roaming folder on your computer.
Understand that the customer does not care about creating a new database. The customer wants her data back and will likely not create anything with your product any more if you can’t/won’t help (since your repair tool failed).

I’m very sorry this has caused a data loss,
Given the above and what follows, this is empty. If you are not sorry, better to not say so.

…thus if a computer or an application crash causes such issue, all your data are still safely located on the mail server.
Realize that the customer’s lost data is not addressed by this. Again, try to avoid placing blame on directly on him by implying what he should have done, because that would show that you understand that the customer knows what IMAP is and has good reason to not use it, or needs to offload data from the server for any number of good reasons.

In case you were using local data only, I can only recommend keeping a backup of your data as it is located on your computer only without any existing server backup.
Try not to insult the customer. Be careful not to imply that your product depends on the customer’s backup to function usefully.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience, please make sure to let me know if I can be up to any further help or assistance.
Again, be genuine with the apology or lose it. Don’t further insult the customer; you have not helped and clearly had no intention of helping.

Unfortunately, you have only hurt yourself and your company with your post. I can recommend to find a PR company that specializes in mitigating public-facing problems. There are really some that do.

I can be of no further help.

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12

Hi, please note that as a free license user you’re not entitled to a priority support, in case you’re in need of a first hand priority support you can purchase a PRO license of the application which entitles you to access our support system at http://support.emclient.com or at [email protected]

Thank you for understanding,
Paul

13

No support for free users versus support for paid users… when the database disappears and the backup along with it… it makes no difference if it’s free or paid, the database is not only corrupt, but absent.  In my case I am running a paid version of eM Client on this computer and was running the free version on the machine I was using for testing prior to recommending your product, which would have resulted in many new paid subscriptions.  The basic difference between the two machines is that the computer that suffered the “malfunction” had just freshly installed an update to eM Client, as a result I am not allowing the eM Client on this computer to update.  This whole experience has soured me towards eM Client even though I hold a paid license.  I’m sorry but I cannot recommend your product to any one.  As for me, I’m looking for another email client, one that I can use with confidence for myself and that I can confidently recommend to others…

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14

Hi Martin, unfortunately storing data on a network location is not supported, the database can not be accesses by multiple installations of eM Client and should always be located in local folder for each user using the computer. As I previously mentioned having the database being accessed by multiple computers, can result in an application error.

Thank you for understanding,
Paul

15

I strongly suspect that there is a bug in EM Client that somehow messes up the file-system in Windows 10, because whenever I use it I then get file-system errors, and have to run chkdsk c:/f to get rid of them.

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