This article describes how to recover a Macintosh Manager database when it becomes unusable.

Before performing any of the steps, you should try restoring the Multi-user Items folder with a backup copy, if available. If a backup is not available, or the backup copy does not work correctly, then follow the instructions numbered below.

Important : Before going through these steps, follow the steps in article 34504: " At Ease for Workgroups 5.0: Finder Access. "

To manually reconstruct the Users, Workgroups, and Computers databases, delete the .idx files. These files are rebuilt when the Macintosh Manager Admin application program is opened again. The .data files store the Users, Groups, information and so forth. You will not lose any data by deleting the .idx files. Before following the steps below, try deleting any of the following files that you suspect may be unusable:

• Macintosh Manager: Multi-User Items: Users: Users DB.idx
• Macintosh Manager: Multi-User Items: Groups: Groups DB.idx
• Macintosh Manager: Multi-User Items: Computers: Computers DB.idx

To recover a Macintosh Manager database that has become unusable:

1. Make sure no one is logged in to Macintosh Manager, including the Macintosh Manager Admin application. Workstations can sit at the Login screen without harm.

2. On the Macintosh Manager Server, if running AppleShare IP, open the Macintosh Manager shared folder and drag the Multi-User Items folder to the Desktop. For Mac OS X Server, create a new folder on the HFS+ Volume and move the Multi-User Items folder into it.

3. Open the Macintosh Manager Admin application on your Administration Workstation. It opens without your Users, Workgroups, and Computers. When it opens, you are presented with the default settings for these Tabs.

4. Once Macintosh Manager Admin opens, quit Macintosh Manager Admin.

5. On the Server, there is now another Multi-User Items folder in the Macintosh Manager shared folder. You should have two Multi-User Folders at this point, one here and the older one on the Desktop if using AppleShare IP. For Mac OS X Server, the older one is in the new folder created in Step 2.

6. Open the older Multi-User Items folder.

7. Locate the Users folder and drag it to the new Multi-User Items folder in the Macintosh Manager shared folder. Click Yes if asked to replace items with the same name. If you see an alert box with a message that the item could not be replaced because it is in use, check to see if anyone is logged in to Macintosh Manager or Macintosh Manager Admin. If not, drag the folder you are replacing to another location on the volume (be sure not to move it into a folder we are using for this process).

8. Open the Macintosh Manager Admin application on your Administration Workstation. It should open with a complete list of your Users. If an alert box with a error message appears that says the Macintosh Manager Admin application cannot be opened, there is an issue with the User list, and it must be recreated. If the Macintosh Manager Admin application opens and the User list is alright, then quit Macintosh Manager Admin.

9. On the Server, locate the Groups folder in the older Multi-User Items folder from Step 2. Drag that folder to the new Multi-User Items folder in the Macintosh Manager shared folder. Click Yes if asked to replace items with the same name.

10. Open the Macintosh Manager Admin application on your Administration Workstation. It should open with a complete list of your Workgroups. If an alert box with an error message appears that says Macintosh Manager Admin cannot be opened, there is a fault with the Workgroup list, and it must be recreated. If the Macintosh Manager Admin application opens and the Workgroup list is alright, then there is a decision to make in Step 11.

11. If you are not very concerned with your Computers list then you can continue to configure Macintosh Manager at this point, without restoring your Computers list. If you choose this path, then skip to Step 14. If you wish to restore the Computers list, then proceed with Step 12.

12. If you want to restore your Computers list, then quit Macintosh Manager Admin and drag the Computers folder from the old Multi-User Items to the new one. Click Yes if asked to replace items with the same name.

13. Open Macintosh Manager Admin and check the Computers tab. You should see your Computers list. If an alert box with an error message appears that says Macintosh Manager Admin cannot be opened, there is a fault with the Computers list, and it must be recreated.

14. After performing these steps, be sure to check the properties in Macintosh Manager Admin in the Global Tab. If you did not copy the Computers list over then you should also check the options under the Computers Tab as well. The Application Preferences (from the Configure Menu) are not remembered through this process and may also need to be set up. It is highly recommended that you review your settings after performing these steps to ensure the setup is as you want for your users.

After checking and resetting these settings, you can quit Macintosh Manager Admin.