SMF2 RC1.2 - Database is locked

[Schimi]

It seems i have a huge problem with my forum and I have absolutly no clue what to do. I can't code, so any help would be much appriciated. I run the forum search here, but couldn't find a simular problem. If there is one - please give me the link 

My Forum:
http://www.wormholesurfers.com/smf/index.php
SMF 2 RC 1.2
SQlite Database
Core Theme
Mods: I inserted some mods, all manual, but the last change i made is month old and the forum run good till yesterday.
~ 9k posts from ~100 users.
If you need more details just let me know.

My problem:
Yesterday afternoon it started. For three hours there were databse failures. Within the forum (there was the header, menu bar, the theme, etc.) showed up a box saying something like:
Databse error!
in /subs line XXXX
When I reloaded the page the files and the lines changed to /post and others, or to the error:
Database diskimage is malformed!
can't remember the file
But after these three hours all went back to normal. People could access, view posts and post themselves. So i didn't do anything about it.

Now it seems to be even worse:
I have the first mail about this from 9 hours ago and the problem is still there. When you go to the forum it takes a long time to load and when it is finished there is only a blank page saying:
database is locked
database is locked
Beside that two lines the page is total blank, no header or anything.


I don't know what to do and i would be very happy about any hints 
If i should describe something else, just let me know.

[kat]

The first logical step is to contact your host and shout at him...

[Antechinus]

Contact your host asap. Sounds like your server is packing up.

[Schimi]

Thx for the fast answers! 

What should i ask/tell them?

This link leads to their serverstatus blog. Can this be the problem? And if yes, what should i do?
http://www.dreamhoststatus.com/2010/04/22/easy-one-click-installs-going-down-thursday/#comments

(Again, i'm sorry to say that i'm such a noob. I just got webspace from a friend and managed to install SMF there and run it. All the other things are about my knowledge  )

[kat]

You could always send them a link to this topic, Schimi. That explains it, pretty well.

[Schimi]

Ok, the dreamhost support says that they restarted the db instance, but the forum is still not working. They did send me back here.

Anyone an idea what this message could cause or how to fix it?

[kat]

SMF can't block your database...


Just to check, try this:


http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=18096.0

[Schimi]

Repair_settings says that the mysql informations aren't correct, though i use sqlite 

My plan now is to make a new install of the forum and then insert the old DB.

[kat]

Sounds like a plan!

[Schimi]

Well, I don't think the problem is solved, but i'll mark it anyway to give those with simular problems a hint on what to do.

What i did is:

1. I renamed the folder where my SMF is in from /smf to /smftrash
2. I created a new folder with the name /smf
3. In this folder I made a new install of the same SMF version I used to have
4. I downloaded the old database from /smftrash and uploaded it to /smf
5. I renamed the newly installed database in /smf to something else and gave the old database its name


I don't know why my "locked" databse is working again on this new install and the original proble isn't solved as well.
But I have my forum back running and didn't loose a single post or user.
What I lost are all the changes I made to the forum myself, but they can easily be integrated again by just taking the files from the /smftrash.

[kat]

That's definitely weird, that.


Nothing SMF does could "Lock" the database.


Very odd.