File system error number: 20 in file:

[jyingling@semcowindows.com]

We keep getting "File system error number: 20 in file: F:\Peachtre\Status.dat and Options.dat" while opening PeachTree Complete Accounting 2000. If we get the error, PeachTree just closes, but the crazy thing is, is that we don't get the errors all the time, it just seems to be randomly. We have tried to call our local help desk for PeachTree, put they are working out of their houses and don't have any idea on any problems we run into, we end up knowing more than them. This is getting very frustrating for us. I was hopping you would have some answers. Thanks.

[Robert Walraven]

By any chance are you running with your data on a Win 2k server?

[Jacky Tse]

It seems to be caused by an unstable network.

What is the configuration of your network?

[jyingling@semcowindows.com]

It is on a NT4 Terminial Server. I already tried reinstalling PeachTree, but that doesn't seem to help???

[Unregistered]

Hope the followings can help...

When Peachtree starts, it looks for some common files like STATUS.dat. Even if you're not opening a company, just run Peachtree and it will check these files according to the default path you set.

Since you're installing your Peachtree to a network, very likely those common files are in the server folder "F:\Peachtre\".

If the network is not stable, or somehow the user can't read these files while startup Peachtree, the error you see will come up telling you that something wrong with files STATUS.dat, etc. However, the files are ok.

A workaround is to set the default data path to local first, you can reinstall Peachtree with the program and data path all set to local such as "c:\peachw". Then, of course each time the default data path will be local and when you open a company, you need to change to F:\Peachtre.

One side effect of this workaround is the tailor-made forms disappear ( if you have ) since Peachtree will search the default path for forms.

Anyway, try and see if it really the case. Please let me know if it works for you.

[Jacky Tse]

Sorry, the below post

"Hope the followings can help...
When Peachtree starts, it..."

from me.

[Robert Walraven]

Your windows server may be configured with an autodisconnect timeout. If that is the case, then mapped drives from the client to the server will get disconnected after a period of time, typically 15 to 30 minutes. When that occurs, you will see a red X on the drive in Windows Explorer. What happens then is that the Btrieve engine won't be able to communicate with its components on the server and you get an error 20.

The problem can be corrected by setting the autodisconnect parameter in the registry to -1, meaning don't disconnect. For detailed information on this problem and how to get around it see the Microsoft knowledge base article Q138365. (You can do a Google search for "Q138365" to find the article.)

[jyingling@semcowindows.com]

Now when I try to run PeachTree through the Terminial Server, I get a "File system error number: 35 in file: F:\Peachtre\Status.dat" Then Peachtree closes and says: "Contact Peachtree Technical Support" I did try to re-map the mapped drive. I did also try to install Peachtree as local, but then we don't get the Tax Table update that everyone else has.

[Jacky Tse]

Another question, does it happen just when you start up Peachtree? Or, also at other times?

How about other applications? What is the network hardware you're using? Are they reliable? You know, Peachtree is quite sensitive to network hardware.

[jyingling]

We are only getting the File system error number: 20 in file: status.dat and options.dat. It only happens during startup, because when we get the errors, it closes Peachtree. The crazy thing is, is that it only happens about half of the time. I can try, then it doesn't work, and I can retry an hour later, then it works. We are running Peachtree on a Terminal Server (Windows NT 4.0), and logging on from a PC that doesn't have Peachtree to the Terminal Server, then opening and using Peachtree that way. It worked fine for about 3 months, then we started having problems??????