Default disk locations

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Default disk locations

Linux

The following table shows the default component locations of a Firebird installation on Linux. Some of the locations may be different on other Unix-like systems.

Table 2. Firebird 2 component locations on Linux

ComponentFile NameDefault Location
Installation directory
(referred to hereafter as <InstallDir>)
/opt/firebird
Release Notes and other documentationvarious files<InstallDir>/doc
Firebird serverfbserver (SS) or fb_inet_server (CS)<InstallDir>/bin
Command-line toolsisql, gbak, nbackup, gsec, gfix, gstat, etc.<InstallDir>/bin
Sample databaseemployee.fdb<InstallDir>/examples/empbuild
UDF librariesib_udf.so, fbudf.so<InstallDir>/UDF
Additional server-side librarieslibicu*.so, libib_util.so<InstallDir>/lib
Client librarieslibfbclient.so.2.m.n# (network client)
libfbembed.so.2.m.n (local client with embedded engine, Classic only).
The usual symlinks (*.so.2,*.so) are created. Legacy libgds.* symlinks are also installed.
/usr/lib[64]

(actually, the real stuff is in <InstallDir>/lib, but you should use the links in /usr/lib[64])

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Windows

In the table below, <ProgramDir> refers to the Windows programs folder. This is usually C:\Program Files but may also be a different path, e.g. D:\Programmi. Likewise, <SystemDir> refers to the Windows system directory. Be sure to read the notes below the table, especially if you're running Firebird on a 64-bit Windows system.

Table 3. Firebird 2 component locations on Windows

ComponentFile NameDefault Location
Installation directory
(referred to hereafter as <InstallDir>)
<ProgramDir>\Firebird\Firebird_2_0
Release Notes and other documentationVarious files<InstallDir>\doc
Firebird serverfbserver.exe (SS) or fb_inet_server.exe (CS)<InstallDir>\bin
Command-line toolsisql.exe, gbak.exe, nbackup.exe, gsec.exe, gfix.exe, gstat.exe, etc.<InstallDir>\bin
Sample databaseemployee.fdb<InstallDir>\examples\empbuild
User-defined function (UDF) librariesib_udf.dll, fbudf.dll<InstallDir>\UDF
Additional server-side librariesicu*.dll, ib_util.dll
<InstallDir>\bin
Client librariesfbclient.dll
(with an optional gds32.dll, to support legacy apps)
<InstallDir>\bin
(with an optional copy in <SystemDir> – see note below table)

The Windows system directory

The exact path to the Windows System directory depends on your Windows version. Typical locations on 32-bit systems are:

  • for Windows 95/98/ME: C:\Windows\System
  • for Windows NT/2000: C:\WINNT\System32
  • for Windows XP: C:\Windows\System32

For 64-bit systems, read the next note.

Important notice for 64-bit Windows users

On 64-bit Windows systems, the "Program Files" directory is reserved for 64-bit programs. If you try to install a 32-bit application into that folder, it will be auto-redirected to a directory which – in English versions – is called “Program Files (x86)”. In other language versions the name may be different.

In the same vein, the System32 directory is reserved for 64-bit libraries. 32-bit libraries go into SysWOW64. That's right: 64-bit libraries are in System32, 32-bit libraries in SysWOW64.

If you're not aware of this, you may have a hard time locating your 32-bit Firebird components on a 64-bit Windows system.

(Incidentally, WOW stands for Windows on Windows. Now you can also work out what LOL means.)

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