ArcGIS 10.4 crashes when opening a 10.3 MXD

AlexRodriguez · ‎06-30-2016

Just installed ArcGIS desktop on 2 machines. We upgraded from v10.3 to v10.4.

On my machine I am having no problems (so far). On the other machine we are having problems opening the MXD's we were using in v10.3. Some MXD's open without problems. Other MXD's won't open at all. The only error message we get says "windows is going to shut down ArcMAP"

I did find something in the Event Viewer on that problem machines. There it lists 2 files; ArcMap.exe and sdemssqlsrvr.dll

One more thing, the MXD's that won't open on machine 2 open without problems on machine 1.

So far that's all the information I have. I've been online looking for someone else that has had the same problem. Nothing so far.

I'm guessing there has to be something in those MXD's that is causing the problem but how do I figure out what that is?

RebeccaStrauch__GISP · ‎06-30-2016

it kind of sounds like there is an old broken link in the file that you just can't see. On the machine that works, try opening the mxd, then open a blank/new mxd. Do a copy/paste of all the data in the old mxd to the new mxd. Save it and see if that helps.

you may also want to see if the connection files are the same on the two machines. I'm not at my computer, but it is something like, c:/users/<username>/AppData/<local or roaming, can't remember>/ArcGIS/ArcCatalog/... Same location as the normal.mxt I believe.

also, try logging on as a different user on machine 2 and see if having a differeput OS user profile makes a difference.

Just a few troubleshooting things to try.

AlexRodriguez · ‎07-05-2016

Figured it out. ESRI has already address this problem. As it turns out, Microsoft is no longer supporting SQL 2008 so beginning at ArcGIS 10.4 you get all sorts of craziness from a 2008 version of your data. I'm told Microsoft is not willing to help in making it better so there just is no support. See this KB article: Problem: After upgrading to ArcGIS 10.4 for Server, existing services that use data in geodatabases ...

RichardDaniels · ‎08-24-2016

Even if that is the case, it appears one of your machines could use the SQL 2008 R2 data and one could not. You should load Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client on the machine with the problem and see if that helps.

Rich

AaronAbilez · ‎07-07-2016

We are at ArcMap,Portal and Server 10.4.1, and Microsoft SQL 2012 r2 sp3. I have tried all the above suggestions, and same results. (CRASH). When trying to connect to Sql server from previous version of mxd's. Any other suggestions besides reverting back to 10.3.1, which we have done once when we upgraded to 10.4, when we encountered the problem the first time. Thanks for any advice.

AlexRodriguez · ‎07-07-2016

Sorry, I have not other suggestions. Here's what we're doing:

1) Backup data from SDE on the 10.3 server

2) Restore that backed up data to the new 10.4 server

- ensure it all works and such

3) Install desktop 10.3 on the machines needing access to the MXD files

4) Update your MXD files by pointing your map layers to the data on the 10.4 server

- right click on the MXD in ArcCatalog >> SetDataSource(s)

- this is much quicker than updating links one layer at a time - process an entire MXD at once.

5) Once you're happy you have updated all your MXDs - install Desktop 10.4 on those machines and hope for the best.

We are at step 4 now.

Good luck!

BillFox · ‎07-07-2016

did you upgrade the sql server client to sql server 2012 Native Client too?

AlexRodriguez · ‎08-03-2016

Sorry Bill, I don't know how to answer your question. I'm not clear on what you mean when you say "sql server client to sql server 2012 Native Client".

Where SDE is installed (along with Server) we have SQL Server 2012 installed. That is where our ArcGIS 10.4 Server and data is.

We have our 10.3 data on a SQL Server 2008 machine.

We have our 10.4 data on a SQL Server 2012 machine.

We used a ARcGIS deskotp machine with ArcGIS 10.3 installed to updated the paths to all data layers from the 10.3 server to now point to the same layers on the 10.4 server.

Now that all those MXDs are updated - we upgraded ArcGIS on the desktop machines to ArcGIS 10.4 and all the MXDs are accessible and are having no problems.

At some point in the not too distant future we will get rid of the 2008 server completely.

BillFox · ‎08-03-2016

Hi Alex,

The native client item just references your windows desktop where ArcGIS Desktop is installed:

Verify in your Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features list which Microsoft SQL Server Native Client version you are using.

Examples:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client

or

Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client

As far as I can tell this SQL Server 2008/08 R2 issue requires at least SQL Server 2012 or 2014 as our database.

And, requires the corresponding latest Microsoft SQL Server Native Client such as 2012 or 2014 depending on which SQL Server database version is in use.

I think that latest native client gotcha applies to our desktops, ArcSDE/SQL Server site as well as our Portal for ArcGIS site.

Some migration path examples/flow charts from ESRI support would be helpful with this issue but I know not everyone has the same setup.

For example, a draft could look like this:

Exhibit 'A' - So, you say you would like to migrate from ArcGIS 10.3.1-ish to 10.4.1 and you do not want to break anything.

Review what you have:

Your ArcGIS License Manager is 10.3.1

Your desktops are ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3.1 (and using Windows 7/8/10)

Your ArcSDE (ArcGIS for Server) is 10.2.2 (and you have an ArcSDE Application service running for 3-tier connections)

Your ArcGIS for Server site is 10.3.1 (and is federated with your Portal for ArcGIS)

Your Portal for ArcGIS is 10.3.1 (and has a second SQL 2008 R2 geodatabase as its hosting container)

Your Web Adaptor to ArcGIS for Server is 10.3.1

Your Web Adaptor to Portal for ArcGIS is 10.3.1

Your SQL Server is on the same server as your geodatabase and is 2008 R2

Your Windows Server Operating systems are at 2008 R2

Step 1

Install the latest SQL Server Native Client software on all user and server machines.

Step 2

Get all your users & applications to stop using that ArcSDE Application Server and use only 2-tier direct connections to the geodatabase with that new native client software.

Step 3

Stop that ArcSDE Application Server and remove it from the server and verify everything still works.

Step 4

Update your ArcGIS License Manager from 10.3.1 to 10.4.1 (can probably be done even before step 1 since it runs on its own windows server)

Step 5

Update your geodatabase from 10.2.2 to 10.3.1

Step 6

Update your SQL Server from 2008 R2 to 2014 (because 10.3.1 system requirements page does not list 2016 as supported and you would like to verify everything still works now that you have removed the ArcSDE Application Server and not introduced any 10.4.1 desktop or server items yet besides the license manager)

Step 7

Update ArcGIS for Server site from 10.3.1 to 10.4.1

Step 8

Update Portal for ArcGIS from 10.3.1 to 10.4.1

Step 9

Remove the old 10.3.1 Web Adaptors and install new 10.4.1 Web Adaptors

Step 10

Update the ArcGIS for Desktops from 10.3.1 to 10.4.1 (being sure that latest release SQL Server Native Client is already installed)

Step 11

Update the geodatabase from 10.3.1 to 10.4.1

Step 12

Verify everything is still working

Step 13

(Intentionally left empty due to hotels not having a thirteenth floor - same should apply to these procedures)

Step 14

Update SQL Server from 2014 to 2016

Step 15

Verify everything is still working

Any corrections/suggestions to the above would be greatly appreciated.

-Bill

Portal for ArcGIS ArcGIS for Server

AaronAbilez · ‎07-07-2016

Yes. sql server native client 2012 64bit

EthanGomberg · ‎08-03-2016

We are experiencing the same problem.

ArcMap crashes for a user after we upgraded to 10.4.1. We had previously upgraded to SQL Server 2014 before our GIS upgrade. This user has this problem on multiple machines, wherever he logs in.

Have you had any kind of resolution?