Home Forums Discussions Problems New networking problem

I truly must be cursed or something, as I've posted before about problems getting my laptop to connect to my main database computer. After tech support helped me and got things fixed, it was working just fine, until I went on vacation...now I'm back and I have a new problem: the laptop can "see" the main computer, but when I try to connect, it asks me for a user name and password, something it didn't ask before. I put in my main computer log on information but no luck. Curiously, my other computer with XP is able to connect to the main one without any problems. Both the main and the laptop have Vista home. I was with tech support trying to get this fixed by doing things like changing file/folder permissions, sharing, etc, with no luck. It seems more of a Vista networking problem than an AC problem, any ideas where I caqn find some answers? Thanks!
Dr. B

I would think this would be asking for the SQL password, which I am sure you don't have. I don't know of a remedy to the problem but hopefully someone else will have an answer.

I assume you are not using a domain - has your computer ever asked for username and password? Can you access any files on the main computer or is the user name and password only occurring when you use AC?

Good point Steven!

The main database is in the computer named "Office-PC", which I can continue to use and access any file without any problems, also the front desk XP computer can access it easily through the network. Both computers have their own log-ons with user names and passwords, which work without any difficulty. The laptop has been able to access both without having to enter a password until now, but now when I try to access Office-PC it wants a user name and password, and it won't accept anything I put in there. It can access the XP computer without problems.
One more weird thing I'm noticing, when I first turn on the Office-PC computer and open AC, it works for a little while, then it loses its SQL connection and I have to shut down the computer, re-start it and then it works fine for the rest of the day. I hope this helps clarify the problem.
Dr. B

Try using the user name and password from one of your other computers - what people don't know is that you can use the same log on information on 10 different computers to logon to a main pc when using peer to peer. Makes you unable to log which computer is accessing information, but some people just log on with all their computers using the same login information for ease of use.

Dr. B, I will truly try to help you with this troubleshooting and will type some between the lines. I can't guarantee and answer, but I can tell you what it is not. It is not a sharing issue. You can change permissions until the cows come home, and it will make no difference. It is not a SQL permissions issue. No one who has little SQL knowledge knows any passwords. But, it is an authentication issue. Your main computer does not trust your laptop for whatever reason and is asking for some ID.

You are not cursed. What you are though, and please don't take offense, is someone with software that is not conducive to networking and you are allowing your business to rely on it. You finally get it right but after a vacation the network has time to de-network so to speak.

The first thing to do is try UNC connection. Go to start and run and type in \\computername and see if you can connect to the main computer. If so, then you should be able to access the database. Try mapping Amazing Charts to the laptop in which case you would have to restart the laptop each time to reconnect, but not always. Also, make a new user with Admin rights with no password and see if it still asks for a password. Finally, please make sure that all three are using the same workgroup name. If two are "workgroup" and your laptop is "MSHOME" that would be your problem.

I think you are making it more difficult by using Vista as the main computer and then trying to connect two different versions. Why not make XP your server and then connect the two Vistas. But, you are going to have to bite the bullet some time. This would be the time. WIN7 is out. Buy ALL WIN7 Pro and start fresh. Then make sure all the networking is for business and not home. I strongly encourgage you to go out tomorrow and purchase all WIN7 and not the starter and not the home version. Get the versions made for businesses and networking. I hate to sound demeaning but you are using Vista Home for a business environment.

Can you access XP with your notebook? Can you access XP with the main computer? If so, there you go. XP is your main computer. And, I hope it is XP Pro.

I truly must be cursed or something, as I've posted before about problems getting my laptop to connect to my main database computer. After tech support helped me and got things fixed, it was working just fine, until I went on vacation...now I'm back and I have a new problem: the laptop can "see" the main computer, but when I try to connect, it asks me for a user name and password, something it didn't ask before. I put in my main computer log on information but no luck. Curiously, my other computer with XP is able to connect to the main one without any problems. Both the main and the laptop have Vista home. I was with tech support trying to get this fixed by doing things like changing file/folder permissions, sharing, etc, with no luck. It seems more of a Vista networking problem than an AC problem, any ideas where I caq find some answers? Thanks!

The main database is in the computer named "Office-PC", which I can continue to use and access any file without any problems,

Steve wasn't asking if you could access files and folders on your main computer from the main computer. I believe he was asking if yould access files from the laptop. You can't, however, because you can't even access that computer. This happens all the time on peer to peers where you see all the computers on the networks but can access some and not all computers. I think changing the user and giving no password may help.

also the front desk XP computer can access it easily through the network. Both computers have their own log-ons with user names and passwords, which work without any difficulty. The laptop has been able to access both without having to enter a password until now, but now when I try to access Office-PC it wants a user name and password, and it won't accept anything I put in there. It can access the XP computer without problems.
One more weird thing I'm noticing, when I first turn on the Office-PC computer and open AC, it works for a little while, then it loses its SQL connection and I have to shut down the computer, re-start it and then it works fine for the rest of the day. I hope this helps clarify the problem.
Dr. B


No, it doesn't help at all. It is just more evidence that you are running a powerful SQL database on a made for home computer. And, I would use the Amazing Utilities to reconnect.

Again, make sure they are all on the same workgroup. This is found by right clicking on My Computer, Properties and choosing name and looking at the workgroup name and clicking on change if necessary. For WIN7, right click My Computer, Properties and Change Settings. These will all require reboots at least in XP. The workgroup name can be anything only they have to be identical.

Another thing that can be helpful, which is a variation of the above post, is insuring that all your computers have the same username and password.

Go to Control Panel, Homegroup, then Homegroup troubleshooter.

Also, if you have McAfee or Norton ANYTHING, remove and give to chartiy. Or better yet, an enemy.

Thanks Bert, are you really up at 2 AM reading these boards and answering these questions? You are one dedicated soul :-)

I'm having a URI and laringytis so I haven't done much, but I did try the UNC trick but it didn't work, it still wants a password and user name. As for using the XP as my main database computer, how do I move the database from one computer to another?

If you are really sure that Windows 7 professional will help my problems, then I'll give it a try, although I'm not happy at the expense of upgrading 3 computers. On the main AC webpage, they should REALLY make this a very prominent point, as it gives the impression that it does give the impression that it would work fine with Windows without specifying something like )"DO NOT USE HOME EDITIONS!!!!". Fortunately, I have a micro practice so I'm able to still work out of to computers. I'll contact you later, when I feel better, to see about what do I go from here.

Thanks,
DR. B

Dr. B.

I will be glad to help you move your database anytime. Just to be clear, I am sure that AC will work find on WIN7 Home Edition as it would most likely work all the way back to 2000 and even Millenium, yuk!

It's just the non professional versions of these OS tend not to work well in a networked environment. And, then there is P2P vs Client/Server. The best example of the top of my head besides numbers of computers is that XP Home will NOT work on a domain.

My feel is (and there are many on here that would disagree) with the overall computer system as well as backups is don't look at it as will it work with AC, but I (meaning everyone) want to set up a solid network for my office and then run software on it whether is it Medisoft or AC.

Thanks, Bert, I truly appreciate your help. I went ahead and purchased one copy of Windows 7 professional to install on the Office-PC computer (with the database), unfortunately I run this tiny practice on a shoe string and can't afford to buy 3 copies of software at this time, so I'm hoping that installing the one on the main computer will help the problem. Since I'm trying to upgrade from Vista Home Ultimate to Win 7 professional, it won't let me do a simple upgrade but I have to do a clean install, thus it will wipe out all my files. I'm in the process of backing up everything I will need and later this week, or most likely in the weekend, will try to install it and hope and pray for the best. Would you be available for support then? If so, how do I contact you?

Thanks
Dr. B

Dr. B.

I think you are doing the right thing. Just be sure to make a list of all the things you will need to add back. You will need to gather up your CDs for applications, drivers that may go with sound cards and video cards, printers, etc.

Unfortunately, Vista Home Premium does not have the Backup and Restore feature, not that I would recommend just restoring to WIN7 which would not work very well. But, it would be a good way to make an image of your PC. As far as your data, you can back it up several times with the AC backup. I would strongly recommend backing up the ENTIRE computer using some type of imaging program. I think the best out there is Acronis. You should even be able to download the trial version. By backing up an image to an external drive or Windows XP that you have connected, you can "mount an image" and actually see your entire computer in the image. This will insure that everything is backed up properly. Again, this will just insure that no matter how you backed up your individual files, you will have a complete clone or copy of your computer.

If you are going to have to do a complete install (which is best anyway), you may as well move the databases CORRECTLY to XP as the first step to see if everything would have networked anyway. While Microsoft will likely tell you that you can get by with 1GB of RAM, I would DEFINITELY make sure you have 2GBs. As you probably have heard over and over, RAM is dirt cheap. If you can do four, then I would do four, although you will only be able to use about 3.4GBs.

Microsoft does have a Windows Easy Transfer method of transferring a lot of user preferences and settings. I went online and found it can work between XP and WIN7, so it can probably work with Vista Home Premium.

I really wish Microsoft would quite making all of these versions. Just make one.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/easy-transfer.aspx

I would be glad to help. My PM and email is in my profile. Email is the best way to reach me. badams AT riverviewpediatrics DOT org

I am usually around in the afternoon to evenings.