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 1. Firebird 2.5 component locations on Linux
ComponentFile nameDefault location
Installation directory

(referred to hereafter as <InstallDir>)
/opt/firebird
(may vary per distribution)
Configuration filesfirebird.conf, aliases.conf, etc.<InstallDir>
Release Notes and other documentationVarious files<InstallDir>/doc
Firebird serverfbserver (SS), fb_smp_server (SC) 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.2.5.n (network client)

libfbembed.so.2.5.n (local client with embedded engine, Classic/Superclassic 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 2. Firebird 2.5 component locations on Windows
ComponentFile nameDefault location
Installation directory

((referred to hereafter as <InstallDir>)
<ProgramDir>\Firebird\Firebird_2_5
Configuration filefirebird.conf, aliases.conf, etc.<InstallDir>
Release Notes and other documentationVarious files<InstallDir>\doc
Firebird serverfbserver.exe (SS) or fb_inet_server.exe (CS/SC)<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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