Issue:

 

We are receiving Fatal Error messages (16034, 16040, 16041) while using Accelerated Reader. Students are continually receiving a 16034 message and/or black screens at the end of a quiz, or the message, “The test could not be saved because the data is locked by another user”. Students may also receive an Illegal Operation message at the end of a quiz, where the Details button shows “ARSTU32 caused an invalid page fault in module CB32_104.dll”.

 

Reason:

 

These messages are an indication of database corruption in the following network environments:

 

• On Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows 95/98 peer-to-peer, and AppleShare networks with Windows 95 workstations, a problematic VREDIR.VXD or VNETSUP.VXD file is not allowing the data to transfer and be written correctly to your database.

 

• When you run Renaissance Learning software on a Novell NetWare network, this corruption is usually caused by file caching. Beginning with the release of the latest network services of Virtual Loadable Modules (VLMs), and continuing with the NetWare Client 32 for Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 systems, Novell added a variety of configuration options for balancing network performance and transmission integrity. Setting these parameters in favor of performance (speed) rather than data integrity may result in file corruption in database programs running across a network. Note: If you are using Novell NetWare® Client 32 version 3.2, also refer to article #1684627.

 

Resolution:

 

Attention Accelerated Reader 6.x users:

 

Please refer to article #2393256 for new information on the latest update.

 

** Accelerated Reader 5.x users:

 

1)     Update your Windows Accelerated Reader program to version 5.14.

The Accelerated Reader 5.14 program will check the VREDIR.VXD and VNETSUP.VXD files every time the Accelerated Reader Student or Management programs are opened.  If an old version - VREDIR.VXD 4.00.1111 or VNETSUP.VXD 4.00.950 - is found, it will replace the files automatically and require the computer to be restarted before the program can be accessed from that workstation. NOTE:  If you have your Accelerated Reader data located on a Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 file server, you need to be sure Opportunistic Locking is turned off and RFCB Caching is set to zero at the server. Click HERE to download the OPLOCK.REG file and double-click on the file at your server. You will receive a message that the registry has been edited; be sure to restart the server for the changes to take effect.

 

The Accelerated Reader 5.14 program will also check for the correct Novell NetWare Client Advanced Settings every time the Accelerated Reader Student or Management programs are opened.  If incorrect settings are found, the program will make the necessary changes and require the computer to be restarted before the program can be accessed from that workstation. The 5.14 program will also check the client version and alert you to an older or incompatible version of the NetWare client.

 

2)     Once you have updated to version 5.14, you may click HERE to download an updated CB32_104.DLL file. You must copy this new file into the Accelerated Reader version 5.14 program directory on each of your Windows computers, located by default at C:\accreadr. (If you did not perform local workstation installs of the program, copy this file to the program folder location on the network.) Click [Yes] to replace the existing file. If you do not receive an alert to confirm the file replacement, you have not copied the file to the correct location. This updated file changes the way in which records are written to the database, placing more emphasis on data integrity. This may remedy problems with data loss and data corruption in certain network environments.

 

Things you need to know:

 

• You can only use the autoupdater for the Accelerated Reader 5.14 version if you are currently running Accelerated Reader 5.12 or 5.13.

 

• This will update your database.  You will not be able to use version 5.12 (or earlier) of Accelerated Reader once you have upgraded.

 

• This upgrade is intended for Windows workstations in the network environments described above.

 

• You must upgrade each workstation to version 5.14 before copying the updated CB32_104.DLL file into the program directory.

 

• If you reinstall Accelerated Reader on any workstation, you must copy the updated CB32_104.DLL file back into the program directory.

 

• This upgrade is not necessary if either of the following are true:

You do not have any Windows workstations.

You have all stand-alone computers.

 

• To avoid the extra steps of copying in the updated CB32_104.DLL on every computer, you may want to consider upgrading to the latest version of Accelerated Reader. Changes in how students’ quiz records are written to the database were incorporated into the Accelerated Reader 6 program beginning with version 6.2. Click HERE for more information on upgrading.

 

Steps to upgrade:

 

1)     Have everyone exit the Accelerated Reader program and make a backup of your existing data location.

 

2)     Select one workstation that you typically use for administration, and run Accelerated Reader Data Doctor.  Once Data Doctor completes successfully, continue with step 3.

 

3)     Click HERE to download the Accelerated Reader 5.14 patch for your Windows workstations.** Save the file to your workstation’s desktop.

 

4)     Once you have the AR514.exe downloaded to your workstation, double-click on it to execute the file.  This should create an UpdateW folder on your workstation’s desktop.

 

5)     Copy the UpdateW folder from your desktop to the Accreadr folder that exists inside your Accelerated Reader data location on your server. Click [Yes to All] to overwrite existing files if you are prompted.

 

6)     Making sure everyone is still out of the Accelerated Reader program, open the Accelerated Reader Management application.

 

7)     You will receive a message  “This program will update Accelerated Reader to version 5.14. This update will require all computers connecting to this data location with Accelerated Reader to be updated. This update will check to make sure the correct version of system files and settings exist before running”. Click [OK].

 

8)     You will receive a message “Accelerated Reader 5.14 has been installed. Please restart your system. You must run Accelerated Reader Management to upgrade your data location. Once you have upgraded your data location at one workstation you can then run your Accelerated Reader Management or Student application.” Click [OK] and restart the computer.

 

9)     Copy the updated CB32_104.DLL into the Accelerated Reader program directory, clicking [Yes] to replace the existing file.

 

10) Open the Accelerated Reader Management application a second time.

 

11) Verify that your splash screen says version 5.14 and then press any key or click your mouse.

 

12) You will receive a message “Your database was created in an older version of Accelerated Reader.  It will now be updated to be compatible with the 5.14 version.  Previous versions of Accelerated Reader will no longer be able to access this data location.  Do you wish to continue?” Click [Yes].

 

13) Continue logging into your program.

 

14) At this time, you can allow the remaining workstations to open the Accelerated Reader Student or Accelerated Reader Management application.**  The remaining workstations will need to follow steps 7 through 11.***  Once a workstation has been restarted, you may resume using the program on that computer.

 

You may encounter one of the following messages when starting up the 5.14 program. These messages indicate either the specific workstation with the error had an older version of either the VREDIR.VXD or VNETSUP.VXD files, Novell Client Advanced Settings which are incompatible with Accelerated Reader, or it is running an older version of the Novell Client software.

 

“Accelerated Reader updated VREDIR.VXD and VNETSUP.VXD system files on this workstation.  Your system must be restarted for the changes to take affect. Do you want to restart the computer now?” [Yes] [No]

If an incompatible version of these files - VREDIR.VXD 4.00.1111 or VNETSUP.VXD 4.00.950 - is found, the program will replace the files automatically and require the computer to be restarted.

 

OR

 

 “Accelerated Reader updated Novell network settings for compatibility. Your system must be restarted for the changes to take effect. Do you want to restart the computer now?”

If you have other applications open, you can click [No] and restart later, otherwise, click [Yes].  You will not be able to access the Accelerated Reader program on the specific workstation after receiving this message until the workstation is restarted.

 

OR

 

“It appears Windows was not restarted after making system changes.  Do you want to restart the computer now?”  [Yes] [No]

You must restart the computer before accessing Accelerated Reader.

 

OR

 

“It is recommended that you update to a more recent version of the Novell network client on this workstation.” [OK]

You will be allowed to access Accelerated Reader but you should follow the recommendation and update to Novell Client version 3.30 or higher as soon as possible. Novell software downloads are available at http://www.novell.com/download and for more information, see http://www.novell.com/documentation/lg/noclienu/index.html.

 

OR

 

“An incompatible Novell Client version was detected on this workstation. It is recommended that you update to a more recent version of the network client to minimize the risk of data corruption. Accelerated Reader will not run until the update is installed.” [OK]

If you are running Novell Client version 3.2 on a workstation, you will not be able to access Accelerated Reader until you update the client software to a newer version.

 

**If you run Accelerated Reader across a mixed network, with both Macintosh and Windows workstations, you will need to update your Macintosh computers to the Accelerated Reader 5.13 version. You will find the Accelerated Reader 5.13 patch for the Macintosh version at http://support.renlearn.com/techkb/issue513mac.asp.

 

***If you have upgraded to Accelerated Reader 5.14 already and would like to add additional Windows workstations, you will need to follow the steps below for each additional workstation.

 

1)     Install Accelerated Reader 5.12 to the local drive of the new workstation using the CD-ROM.

 

2)     Open the Accelerated Reader Management application from that workstation, select to “Register this product using a previous installation”, and select your existing data location on your server – you should receive a class version error.

 

3)     Close out of the program after setting the data location and navigate to your Accelerated Reader data location through My Computer or Windows Explorer.

 

4)     Open the AccReadr folder in the data location.

 

5)     Open the UpdateW folder in the AccReadr folder.

 

6)     Double-click on the AR514p1.exe file located in the UpdateW folder.  This manually runs the 5.14 installation.

 

7)     Follow steps 7 through 11 above.

 

8)     Choose to “Register this product using a previous installation” once again and select your existing data location on your server.