Hi,
For some time I try to find the solution of following problem:

We have client-server application written in PowerBuilder which uses ASA8 as database. We have DSN profile let's say XX. When application starts, dbeng8 starts and when finishes, database shuts down. So far everything ok.

But we have also web interface, written in ASP.NET. It runs on IIS 5.1. This web application uses the same DSN profile, but when it tries to connect do database (not running), there is an error. I made log file with messages and have two lines there:
I. 04/03 16:12:43. Starting database "XX" (C:\XX\XX.db) at Mon Apr 03 2006 16:12
E. 04/03 16:12:43. Error: Database cannot be started -- I/O error

Why the powerbuilder application can start database, and ASP.NET can't?
If I use normal application, database starts and then I can connect from ASP.NET as long as database is up.
But there are sometimes exceptions, and sometimes it seems that database starts on demand form ASP.NET...

I don't understand all of this...
Can you help me?

Ok I found solution, so this may be useful for smb having the same problem.

You must add NTFS "modify" rights to the directory in which database file resides for the user ASPNET.

In WinXP Prof. you can do it this way: in "Folder options" deselect option Simple File Sharing. Then you right-click the folder in which your db file exists, choose properties->security (or sth similar, I have Polish version), if there is no "ASP.NET machine account" user on the list, click Add... , type "ASPNET" (no dot), click OK, select ASP.NET user on the list and select "Modify" permission (this will tick also four other rights automatically). Then apply, and you are done.
dbeng should now start whenever you connect to your database from ASP application.

If your database resides on FAT partition, this has no influence - dbeng always starts. This is why I observed that strange behavior - on one machine database started, on another it didn't.