Home Forums Discussions Problems Problem opening AC in client computer

Hello. I've already left a message with AC support but since they haven't even gotten back to me about another problem I have, I don't know if I'll get a reply for this one.

One of our client computers just got this error message when we try to open AC. I opened Amazing Utilities to reset the path, but it says the path is already correct.



From Amazing Utilities, when I try "check AC", I get errors about SQL problem - screenshots attached.

Anyone know what's going on?

easy fix. open control panel, programs and features and do a repair install on AC.
Of course make sure your computer is working on the network first.

I just tried that and restarted the computer. Still has the same error message.

fully Remove AC, restart the system, check and see if you can get to the AC share \\server\amazing charts. If that does not come up then fix that first. If it does then load AC up and try and connect. Also make sure you have your antivirus excluding you AC . Check you firewall also to make sure its not blocking it.

Ping me direct if you want. mstoumba@hotmail.com

Hi,

Your post says that the problem is on a client computer,.

But the error message says that it has been installed as the server ("main computer").

The screenshots show the AC utility trying to find database files that don't exist on the client computer.

***

If this is the case, I'd uninstall AC completely from the client computer, using Revo Uninstaller.

Then I'd reinstall it as a station, not a server.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

I was able to uninstall AC but when I try to install again, got an error.

So then I tried to do a system restore to a few days ago when AC was working fine on this client computer. After system restore, it still has the same problem.

Meanwhile, still haven't heard from AC support.

I'm able to access the \\server\Amazing Charts folder this whole time. I also tried uninstalling AVG and turning off Windows Firewall. Still same problem at AC startup.

In amazing utilities, when I click repair connections and browse to the server AC folder and save, I get an error that codes.mdf cannot be found on C:\program files\Ac... it sounds like the computer is just not connecting to the network? But I'm able to access the network files fine..

When you run Amazing Utilities on the problem client and click on 'Reset Path' what database does it say you are connected to? Looks like from above post that it is looking for it on C: drive of the client computer, not the server. If you have another client that connects fine check what database it is connecting to using the Amazing Utilities then copy it down and use that address on the problem client, run Reste Path on the problem client say yes to reset path then manually type in the 'good' address you got from the working client.

Hi,

Again, the problem is that AC has been installed as a server ("main computer") on what was a client computer.

That's what the error messages that you posted are saying.

It wasn't successfully installed as a server, so it won't work.

It has no SQL running to function as a server and probably lacks other files mentioned in other error messages.

It isn't trying to connect to the real server on the network. It's trying to connect to a failed server installation on itself.

You can try the windows restore, and then completely remove the failed server install with Revo uninstaller.

Otherwise, you have to delete all the AC and SQL folders and delete all the AC registry entries with regedit.

Then you can install AC as a client, not a server, and connect to the real server.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Listen to Carl!
He is telling you the answer!

Wouldn't you get the 'this isn't a certified computer' when you try to run AC setup as a server on the client computer? Think just redirecting the client path to look for the database on the server should work.

Hi Koby,

Serene's screen capture of AC error message shows that her formerly client computer is now "set up as the main computer."

The error message also says that she needs to "make sure that SQL Server is running and available on this computer."

So AC has been installed as a server, not a client.

Serene's attachments show that AC is looking for SQL Express Server 2005, so she may be running an older version of AC without the later certification features.

***

The fix is uninstall AC as a server (which failed, judging by other error messages) and reinstall it as a client.

Removing a failed install can sometimes be done by Windows, is often better done by programs like Revo, and may even require deleting files and registry entries by hand.

It sounds as if Serene's failed server install is refusing to clean up through Windows. Unfortunately, failed installs can leave files and registry entries that prevent later installation. This is why most anti-virus companies offer utilities to yank their programs out by the roots when Windows fails remove programs.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Good info, guess she opted to not install SQL during setup thought it installed automatically if you choose 'server'

Hi Carl

Yes I did uninstall AC successfully. But I had a problem when I tried to install it again. I got an error during the install and the install was "rolled back." So now on a computer supposedly without AC, I tried a system restore to a point last week when this computer's AC was working normally. After system restore, AC was back on the computer but it still has the same error when I try to open it.

I will try to uninstall again with Revo.

This computer has had AC for several years, so I don't know why all of a sudden it's trying to run as the main computer.

Koby, the path is correctly pointed to the server computer \\server\Amazing Charts. But when I click save it's giving me that error message about the C:\Program Files.. that's what confused me.

Edit: after the unsuccessful AC client install, I tried to install as a main computer. It would not let me - I had to put in a license key. BTW this is AC version 10.0.2.

Hi Serene,

A system restore is unlikely to fix this kind of problem.

If someone mistakenly tried to fix things by running an AC install, chose main computer, gave up, and left an incomplete or corrupted install, then lots of settings and files are wrong and will prevent a clean uninstall or reinstall. It's a client, not a server.

There are other explanations for the situation, but that's what I see routinely in offices with everything from printers to anti-virus to EMR programs. No one means to pound a square peg into a round hole, but it's terribly easy to do with a keyboard and good intentions. Most recently I met a server where a 64-bit printer package had somehow been installed on a 32-bit server.

The Windows system restore tries to restore registry entries (and possibly some files, depending on programs and settings) that may have worked earlier, but will no longer work with the files left behind by a failed install (which may claim to uninstall, but invariably leaves lots of settings and files that programs like Revo offer to remove).

(In contrast, restoring an image backup of the partition would have put things back to where they were.)

***

If AC seems to be back on the computer after the system restore and still failing . . .

Download the free Revo uninstaller:

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/revo_uninstaller.html

Tell Revo to uninstall AC and anything that looks like AC. It will first run the AC uninstaller, just like Windows. Give it some time and minimize or move windows around to see if there's some stupid pop-up window hiding underneath that says are you sure you want to uninstall AC?

When that part finishes, choose the Revo advanced option and tell it to get rid of all the leftover files and registry entries that it sees. It will grind away for a while and show one window after another, asking you to mark the files, folders, and registry entries that you want to remove. Some of them may require a restart before they can be removed.

Alternatively, the AC uninstall may say that it can't run, in which case you choose the forced-MSI uninstall on Revo's options.

Almost worst case, you delete all the AC files and folders by hand and delete all the AC entries in the registry with regedit.

Worst case, reinstall Windows, run the endless Windows updates, install printers, install AC as a client.

For practice and to see how Revo works, you can download a utility like CCleaner or Wise Disk Cleaner, install it, and run Revo to uninstall it.

Again, this is a client computer, not a server/main computer. The whole problem started with a failed install of AC as a server that quit or failed before getting the SQL Server installed.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

It's me again.. sorry yall must be getting sick of me.

I used Revo Uninstaller and removed all AC and did the advanced scan and deleted all the files.

Now when I try to opening the AC installer.exe, it won't open. The file is "AmazingChartsV10.0.2 Build 108.exe" and I'm sure this is the one I used in 2018 to upgrade to 10.0.2. After the install shield gets loaded nothing else pops up.

This same file did work 2 days ago when I tried to re-install AC w/o having used Revo first (when I got the error halfway through the install.)

I have the email from AC support that has a link to this .exe but the link doesn't work now.

you did right click and run it as administrator and did shut off your antivirus? although wonder if a piece of previous installer is hanging around somewhere?

I'm on the phone with AC support right now. It's nothing that I could have fixed myself. He's stuck also-still trying to figure it out.

Thank you so much for everyone's help!!

Koby yes a piece of the previous installer was still in computer! I saw support delete it from C:\programdata.

AC got installed successfully. However, it still cannot open. The error says something else now. They are researching it now... hopefully it can get resolved today.

Also interesting: I saw he had to delete more AC folders on regedit (before the installation) so even Revo did not get rid of everything even though I did an advanced scan.

if it wasn't a client computer in your office network with the built in connections to the server it probably would have been easier just to reformat the hard drive, reload windows, reconnect to the server and then install AC. Sometimes just feels good to do the wipe clean and start over on a computer that has been in service for a while.

For troubleshooting, you can at least see if the installer will install on a clean computer. Revo is good for a program you uninstall and want to clean up. For this type of program, I would stick with the Windows Program and Features. Whatever installed it (Windows), I would use to uninstall it. Anyway, water under the bridge. Hopefully, they can fix it. If not, there is one person who can....Is it Windows 10? Do you have System Restore on. That would be your best bet. Not as good as a checkpoint on a VM, but....damned good if it works.

That's almost what checkpoints on VMs are for. Set the checkpoint, name it new install, screw up the entire thing, revert to the checkpoint, start over, rinse, repeat....

Don't get me wrong. I don't run all my clients on a VM, lol.

Support could not fix it. They told me I should upgrade to Win 10 since Win 7 is not supported for troubleshooting anymore. But I'm going to switch out that workstation with another extra one for now (part time person had left recently and we're not replacing them). I think we may buy new computers rather than upgrade? The workstations are pretty told.

Hi Serene,

These two threads

https://acusersforum.com/ub/ubbthreads.php/topics/74303/windows-7#Post74303

https://acusersforum.com/ub/ubbthreads.php/topics/74463/re-windows-10-upgrade#Post74463

discussed the issue in some detail.

Basically, most of our workstations are old. They have plenty of processing power, and usually the only part that is likely to fail with time is the hard drive. I purchased new solid-state drives, Samsung 500 GB, around $80 each. I plug the new drive into the work station, clone onto the new drive, then physically swap them. Then upgrade to Windows 10, which is still free, if upgrading from Windows 7 Pro.

Our office has done this, about a dozen computers, no problems. I did this for a nonprofit counseling center I am involved with, about ten computers for them, again no problems at all. And I know numerous posters on this board have done this.

Basically, I am cheap……

Gene

I thought nothing could get better than Win 7. Until Win 10. And, now Microsoft does it right. Constantly updating with new features and fixes. Downside is some updates don't play nice.

Yeah, Gene is right. Purchase some SSDs, clone them. If you have a decent processor and 8 GBs of RAM, you are all set.

Cool I think I'll do that! The workstations haven't had any problems (that I couldn't fix) until this time so I think they are still good. They are not even slow.

Question about the server though, which is Win server 2012 R2. Should I upgrade this OS too? I didn't set it up myself - will probably need to hire someone to do it if we have to, which is fine. We had a recent power outage and the remote web access is now not working so I'll need a professional to fix that anyway.

Hi Serene,

Server 2012r2 end of life 10/10/2023.

I would fix what is broken and bet that I would be getting new hardware before end of life date.

Gene

Thank you Gene! And thanks so much everyone for your help.

Update: I put in a new SSD and upgraded to Win 10 as DocGene suggested. It wasn't without some hiccups but now that I've done 1 computer I feel more confident to do it again.

So in Win 10 I open up AC and it just starts working. That was the answer!

Question for Bert: will VIPER work in Win 10?

Great job!

With all of life's craziness and stress, doesn't it feel good when something like this works?

Gene

Haha yes! Finally something going right. THANK YOU for the suggestion. Much better than installing all of our programs on a new computer and doing that again and again to all our workstations.