Month: January 2014

How to Re-Establish a local account in Windows 8.

Did you end up with a Microsoft live account after updating to 8.1? Here is how to re-establish a local account.
image 1

I personally installed the Microsoft Windows 8.1 update to five different personal computers since October 17, 2013. (Five days ago at this writing.) For the most part, the upgrade was smooth for all the computers, as long as you had the time to wait for the download. In general, I am happy with the upgrade and I continue to recommend it to anyone running the original Windows 8.

However, there is one caveat that I discovered during installation that everyone should be aware of before they undertake the process:

After you install Windows 8.1, you will be asked to sign in to a Microsoft Live account. There will be no apparent way to move past that screen if your intention is to only have a local account. Here is the trick: Click the Create New Account link and then at the bottom of that next screen you will see a link that will let you cancel the process. You will then login using your local account.

Now what

Many users got caught by this poorly implemented log in process and ended up creating and / or using a Microsoft account to log in to their new Windows 8.1 operating system. Since that time, I have had several questions from readers asking if there was a way to reverse the process. There is and it is fairly straightforward.

First, go to the Start Screen and type “users” to get search results. Click the first item in the search results and you will get a screen similar to Figure A.

Figure A

Users

Click the Add an account box to reach the screen shown in Figure B.

Figure B

h5>How will you sign in?

Of course, Microsoft wants you to create a new account with them, but you can click the link at the bottom of the screen that says: Sign in without a Microsoft account. You can just ignore the “not recommended” advice.

Clicking that link will take you to the Add a user screen shown in Figure C. Click the Local account button.

Figure C
Add a user

After you click the Local account button you will see Figure D where you can enter your local account credentials.

Figure D

Local account

Click the next button and then the Finish button and you will have created a new Local account that you can log into instead of your Microsoft account.

ERROR: “CANNOT INSERT DUPLICATE KEY ROW IN OBJECT ‘SYS.SYSCOMMITTAB’ WITH UNIQUE INDEX ‘SI_XDES_ID’… ERROR 2601″ WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BACKUP, COPY, REPAIR, CREATE A REMOTE, OR SYNCHRONIZE AN ACT! DATABASE

This is an error associated with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2. You can resolve this issue by applying Cumulative Update 8 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2, then running the batch file provided in this article to fix the issue in your database(s). Please follow the exact steps below:Step 1: If necessary, apply SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2If you are not already running Service Pack 2 you will need to apply this update on the Act! server and all remote database machines with Act! and SQL Server 2008 R2 installed. 

  1. Download the update from the Microsoft download site: Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Service Pack 2
    • Choose your version from the list (x64 for 64-bit, x86 for 32-bit, and IA64 for Itanium-based servers)
  2. Follow the download instructions from the site to install the Service Pack on all machines with Act! and SQL Server 2008 R2, starting with the database server.
  3. When the Service Pack has been applied to all machines, proceed to Step 2 below.

Step 2: Apply Cumulative Update 8 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2

You will need to apply this update on the Act! server and all remote database machines with Act! and SQL Server 2008 R2 installed.

  1. Download CU8 from the Microsoft download site: Cumulative update package 8 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2
  2. Follow the download instructions from the site to install the hotfix on all machines with Act! and SQL Server 2008 R2, starting with the database server.
  3. When the hotfix has been applied to all machines, proceed to Step 3 below.

Step 3: Run the batch file on all databases

Run the batch file for your version of SQL Server found in the File Attachments section of this article to resolve the issue in the databases.

If you are using SQL Server 2008 R2 Express, use SQL2008R2_Express_BackupFix.bat
If you are using SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard, use SQL2008R2_Standard_BackupFix.bat

Click HERE for instructions to determine your version of SQL Server.

Important Note for Remote Database Users:
If you are experiencing this error during remote database synchronization, you will need to run the batch file on all remote databases and the main database. No users should attempt to sync until all databases have successfully run the batch file.

To download and run the file:

  1. Ensure you are signed in to Windows as an Administrator User.
  2. Ensure that the SQL Server (ACT7) service is running on your machine. Click HERE for instructions to verify if the service is running.
  3. Right-click on the appropriate batch file for your version of SQL Server from the File Attachments section below, and choose the Save option. Save it to your computer’s Desktop.
  4. Close Act!
  5. Locate the file you downloaded on your Desktop. Right-click on it and select “Run As Administrator”.
  6. When prompted, you will type in the name of the database in which you are experiencing the error. If you do not know the name of your database, then open Act! in look in the upper left corner of the screen – the name of your database will be after the Ac! product name.
  7. After you type in the name of your database, press ENTER on your keyboard to run the fixImportant: Run the .bat file multiple times, until 0 rows affected is displayed. Wait approximately 30 seconds before running the file again.
  8. Reopen Act! and test the function you were receiving the error with.

If you receive an error when running the batch file, please see the Related Information below.


Related Information

Note: The information below only applies if you receive an error when applying the batch file mentioned above. If you have not received an error when applying the batch file, then this information does not apply.

If you receive an error when running the batch file, you may be able to resolve using the following steps:

Option 1: Disable User Account Control (UAC) in Windows

  1. For instructions on how to disable UAC, follow the steps in the article below that applies to your computer’s operating system:
    How to Disable User Account Control (UAC) in Windows Vista®
    Answer ID: 20220
    How to Change or Disable User Account Control (UAC) in Windows® 7 & Windows Server® 2008
    Answer ID: 25665
  2. Double-click on the .bat file to run it.

Option 2: Change Location of .Bat File

  1. Copy the batch file you downloaded from this article.
  2. Open Windows® Explorer and browse to one of the following directories, depending on your operating system and SQL Server installation:SQL Server (64-bit version) installed on a 64-bit operating system:
    C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\BinnSQL Server (32-bit version) installed on a 64-bit operating system:
    C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn 

    SQL Server (32-bit version) installed on a 32-bit operating system:
    C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn

  3. Paste the batch file in the “Binn” folder.
  4. Double-click the batch file to run it from this location. When prompted, you will type in the name of the database in which you are experiencing the error. If you do not know the name of your database, then open Act! in look in the upper left corner of the screen – the name of your database will be after the Act! product name.

Option 3: Service SQL Server Browser Not Running

  1. Open Windows Services
  2. Locate SQL Server Browser
  3. Right click service; select Start
  4. Attempt to run bat file

Option 4 – Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack
If the above steps still do not allow you to run the batch without error, then you may be able to resolve this by downloading the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Command Line Utilities package, which is listed on the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack web page. Run the batch file again after downloading this utility pack.

In addition, please see the following Knowledgebase article for more information:

Title: Error: “Msg 18456, level 14, state 1, server Server\Act7, line1…Login Failed for user domain\username” While Running a .bat File
Answer ID: 33620

ERROR “UNHANDLED EXCEPTION HAS OCCURRED IN YOUR APPLICATION. IF YOU CLICK CONTINUE, THE APPLICATION WILL IGNORE THIS ERROR AND ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE. IF YOU CLICK QUIT…” WHEN CLICKING ON DATABASE LIST IN ACT! DIAGNOSTICS

Symptom:
Error “Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click Continue, the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click Quit, the application will close immediately.” when clicking on Database List in ACT! Diagnostics

Products:
Product: Sage ACT!
Version: 2011, 2012

Cause:
This issue can be caused by one or more databases improperly connected to Microsoft® SQL Server®.

Solution:
There are two possible solutions for this issue:

Use ResetSQL.bat file

  1. Close ACT! Diagnostics.
  2. Download and save the ResetSQL.bat file in the File Attachments section at this bottom to your Windows® Desktop.
  3. Double-click the saved file from your Desktop to run it.
  4. Answer No to the Question “Do you want to turn off Password Policy?” and Yes to the question “Do you want to Reset SQL?
  5. After running the file, open ACT! Diagnostics and attempt to access the database list.

Invalid Database Connection
This issue may also be cause by invalid connections to SQL Server by one or more databases. Please see the following Knowledgebase article for more information and suggested solutions:

Error: “Cannot Access Specified Database…” and the Database is Listed as SUSPECT or RECOVERY in the ACT! Diagnostics Utility
Answer ID: 19641

ERROR: “THE DATABASE COULD NOT BE ACCESSED. IN ORDER TO ACCESS THIS DATABASE, CHECK YOUR NETWORK CONNECTION AND VERIFY THAT YOUR DATABASE SERVER IS AVAILABLE. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO DISABLE ANY FIREWALL SOFTWARE…”

You attempt to open your database and receive the following error message: The database … could not be accessed. In order to access this database, check your network connection and verify that your database server is available. It may be necessary to disable any firewall software on your computer or the server.

There is more than one possible cause for this issue. Some of the causes relate to a shared database hosted on a main server, some relate to a local database on your machine, and some to both scenarios. Please explore the solutions that apply to your database scenario.

This error has been known to occur if:

In some cases, particularly when accessing the network using Windows XP Home edition, you can resolve this issue by creating a new Windows user, on the computer hosting the shared database, with the same user name and password as the Windows user of the remote (XP Home) computer. This step can provide the remote user with permissions needed to access the shared database.

Please refer to your Windows documentation or contact Microsoft® for information on creating a new Windows user.


Share Database Option Disabled
This error will result when attempting to access a shared database if the Share Database option is not enabled. Follow the steps below to verify that this database is enabled for sharing:

  1. From the computer hosting the shared database, launch Act! and open the database.
  2. Click the Tools menu, point to Database Maintenance, and then ensure that the Share Database option is enabled.If the Share Database option is not checked, click this option to share the database. The following Act! dialog box appears:
  3. Click OK to complete the process, and attempt to open the database again from the remote workstation.

Note: If the Share Database option is already enabled, disable and then re-enable the option and test accessing the database from the remote workstation.


Permissions for Folders of the Shared Database
Ensure that users Permissions are set to Full Control for the folders containing the shared database files are stored. 
Please refer to your Windows documentation for detailed information.


Compatibility Mode is Enabled
To attempt to resolve this issue, you need to check the compatibility mode of the Act! icon.

  1. Right click on the Act! Icon and select Properties.
  2. Select the Compatibility tab.
  3. Make sure the box for Compatibility mode is not checked, and if so, clear the check for Run this program in compatibility mode for:
    image 2
  4. Click on Apply and then OK.
  5. Launch Act! to test accessing the database.

Recently Changed Computer Name

  • Shared Database: If you are sharing your Act! database and have recently changed the computer name hosting the database, you will need to create a new .PAD file or change the existing .PAD file host name to the new computer name. 

Change the .PAD file host name

  1. Launch Windows Explorer (or open My Computer).
  2. Browse to the locate the .PAD associated with your database.
  3. Right-click the .PAD file in this directory, and then click Open With from the shortcut menu.
  4. Open the file with Notepad. Notepad launches with the .PAD file information.
  5. Select the information between the quotes at host=<location>.
  6. Remove the current location and type the new name of the computer.
  7. Once you have changed the name, click the File menu, and select Save.
  8. Close Notepad.

Create new .PAD file

  1. From your Act! program, click the File menu, and then click Open Database. An Open dialog box appears.
  2. Change the Files of type to Act! Database (*.ADF).
  3. Navigate to (if necessary) the folder in which your database is located, click the .ADF file for this database, and then click Open. The following Act! dialog box appears:Image 3
  4. Click OK to continue. The following Act! message appears:
    Image 4
  5. Click OK to open the database. The .PAD file has been recreated.
  • Local Database: If this database resides on one machine and you are the only user of the database, you will need to need to change the .PAD file host name to the new computer name. 

Change the .PAD file host name

  1. Launch Windows Explorer (or open My Computer).
  2. Browse to the locate the .PAD associated with your database.
  3. Right-click the .PAD file in this directory, and then click Open With from the shortcut menu.
  4. Open the file with Notepad. Notepad launches with the .PAD file information.
  5. Select the information between the quotes at host=<location>.
  6. Remove the current location and type the new name of the computer.
  7. Once you have changed the name, click the File menu, and select Save.
  8. Close Notepad.

Damaged .PAD File
This error may occur if the .PAD file for this database is damaged. To resolve this issue, you can open your database using the .ADF file instead. Prior to opening your database with the .ADF file, you must detach the database from the SQL Server and delete your current .PAD file. Follow the steps below:

  1. Close Act!
  2. Click the Windows Start button:
    • XP: Click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
    • Vista/Windows 7: Use the Search field.
  3. Enter the command actdiag, and then click OK. The Act! Diagnostics utility launches:image 6
  4. Click Databases from the navigation bar (or toolbar in Sage ACT! 2011), then select Database List. A list of your databases will appear.

    Note: If the STATUS of your database is listed as SUSPECT, refer to the following Knowledge Base Answer for information on resolving this issue:

    Title: Error” “Cannot Access Specified Database…” and the Database is Listed as SUSPECT in the Act! Diagnostics Utility
    Answer ID: 17715

    If the database STATUS is listed as ONLINE, continue with the steps below:

  5. Click the gray rectangle on the left side of the DATABASE name that you wish to Detach. The entire row displaying the database information becomes highlighted.
  6. Note the path in the DATABASE FILE LOCATION column.
  7. Right-click the rectangle on the left side of the DATABASE name, and then click Detach Database from the shortcut menu. The following Detach Database dialog box appears.
    Image 8
  8. Click Yes. The following Detach Database message appears.
    Image 9
  9. Click OK. Your database is detached from the Act! SQL Instance.
  10. Launch Act!. Act! launches with the following message:

    Note: If the database in question was not the last opened database, you may receive a different message or the Log on screen may appear for a different database. If you are presented with the Log on screen for a different database, click Cancel, and then click the Open Database button.

  11. Click OK. An Open dialog box appears.
    Image 11
  12. Click the Files of type drop-down arrow and change the file type to Act! Database (*.ADF).
    Your .ADF file appears in the Open window. If you don’t see your ADF file, browse to the path in Step 6.
  13. Double-click your .ADF file. The database begins to open and the following message may appear:
    Image 12
  14. Click OK to open your database.

Different Act! Versions
This error can result if you upgrade or update your Act! application to the current version but Act! has not been upgraded or updated on the Computer hosting the shared database. (or vise versa)

To determine your version of Act!, click the Help menu, and then click About Act!. The Version is displayed near the upper-right corner. Please ensure that the Version number of your Act! application is the same as the Version number in the Act! application installed on the computer hosting the shared database.

If you have upgraded or updated Act! on the host computer (Server) and have not yet restarted this computer, you may be able to resolve this issue by restarting this host computer. The database must be opened from the host computer after upgrading or updating the Act! software. Opening your shared database to upgrade or update the database. Only then can this database be opened from the upgraded or updated application on a remote computer. Please refer to the following Knowledge Base Answer:

Title: How to Upgrade Act! By Sage 2007 From a Previous Version
Answer ID: 19154


SQL Server Browser and SQL Server (ACT7) Service
This issue can result if the SQL Server Browser and/or SQL Server (ACT7) service is disabled or simply not started.

Follow the steps below to enable or start the SQL Server Browser and/or SQL Server (ACT7) Service.

  1. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
  2. Type services.msc into the Open field, and then click OK. The Services panel appears.
    image 13
  3. Locate the SQL Server Browser and SQL Server (ACT7) services:
    • If the Status for either is Started, then right-click on each service and select Restart. If they are not started, then continue to the next step.
    • If the Startup Type displays Disabled, follow the steps below to change the Startup Type to Automatic:
      1. Right-click the SQL Server Browser service from the Name column, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The SQL Server Browser Properties (Local Computer) dialog box appears:
        image 14
      2. Click the Startup type field, and then click Automatic from the drop-down list.
      3. Click Apply, and then click OK.
    • If the Status does NOT display Started for this service, right-click the SQL Server Browser service, and then click Start from the shortcut menu. The following Service Control progress indicator may appear as the service is started on the Local Computer:
      image 15
    • If the Status displays Started for this service, right-click the SQL Server Browser service, and then click Restart from the shortcut menu.
  4. When complete, the Status column will display Started, and the Startup Type will display Automatic for the SQL Server Browser service.
  5. Repeat steps 3 through 4 for the SQL Server (ACT7) service if set to Disabled and/or not Started.

If the SQL Server (ACT7) service cannot be started using the above steps, then the service may be damaged. If this is the case you may need to uninstall and reinstall the service. Please see the following Knowledgebase articles for instructions to remove the service and then recreate it:

How to Manually Remove the ACT7 Instance of SQL
Answer ID: 23401

How to Manually Create the Microsoft® SQL Server® 2005 (Express Edition) ACT7 Instance
Answer ID: 19386


Protocols for ACT7; TCP/IP is Disabled
The TCP/IP option is disabled in the SQL Server Configuration Manager. Use the following steps:

  1. Click the Windows Start button, point to All Programs (or Programs), point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and then click the SQL Server Configuration Manager option. The SQL Server Configuration Manager panel launches.Note: If you have Microsoft SQL Server 2008 installed you will look for All Programs, then Microsoft SQL Server 2008, point to Configuration Tools, and then click theSQL Server Configuration Manager option.
  2. Expand SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration, and then click Protocols for ACT7 in the left pane.
  3. In the right pane ensure that the TCP/IP option in the Protocol Name column is Enabled in the Status column. If not right-click TCP/IP, and then click Enable from the shortcut menu.
  4. If you did have to make a change and enable these protocols, the SQL Service service will need to be restarted. To do this, click SQL Server 2005 Services on the left, then right-click SQL Server (ACT7) on the right, and select Restart.
  5. Close SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration panel.

Firewall or Anti-virus Blocking
If the SQL Server Browser and/or SQL Server (ACT7) services are started, and opening your database with the .ADF file fails to resolve your issue, refer to the following Knowledgebase Answer for information on adding Act! and SQL as exceptions to your firewall. If you have other firewall software, you will need to temporarily disable it to troubleshoot this issue.

Title: Using your Anti-Virus/Firewall Software with Act! by Sage
Answer ID: 25125

In addition, this issue can be caused by conflicting firewall or antivirus programs running at the same time on the same machine. Check to see if other firewall or anti-virus programs are running in addition to the Windows Firewall. If so, then they may be conflicting with the Windows Firewall. In this case, you can try disabling the Windows Firewall to resolve the issue.


Windows Server 2008: Windows Firewall incorrectly configured to allow access to SQL Server
If the machine hosting the database is using Windows Server 2008, then this issue may be caused by the Windows Firewall not being configured to allow access to the ACT7 instance of SQL Server on that machine. Please see  Microsoft Support article 968872 for a solution to this issue.
Note: The Microsoft article does not apply to Windows Small Business Server 2008.


Data Execution Prevention (DEP) Settings
This can result from the DEP (Data Execution Prevention) being set improperly. Use the following steps to review and change these settings:

  1. Right-click My Computer, and then click the Properties options from the shortcut menu. The System Properties dialog box appears. For Windows Vista, after clicking Properties, you must click Advanced System Settings to get to the System Properties screen.
    image 17
  2. Under the Advanced tab click the Settings button from the Performance section. The Performance Options dialog box appears.
    image 18
  3. Ensure the Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only option is enabled. If you would prefer to use the Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select option, please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base Document:
    A detailed description of the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, and Windows Server 2003
  4. Click ApplyOK, and then click Apply and OK to close the System Properties dialog box.
  5. Launch Act!.

Damaged Preferences File
This issue may be caused by damage to an Act! Preferences file. Follow the steps below to resolve this issue:
Warning: If your are using Internet Mail, Outlook Express, Eudora or Local Act! Folders for E-mail, renaming this preferences file may result in a loss of e-mail messages. If you are using Outlook for E-mail or are just beginning your use of Act! E-mail, you will not experience this issue.
If your are using Internet Mail, Outlook Express, Eudora or Local Act! Folders for E-mail, please create a backup of your Act! E-mail database. You can then restore this backup after renaming the preferences file, opening and then closing your Act! database. Refer to the following Knowledge Base document for detailed information on backing up and restoring your ACT E-mail database:

Title: How to Back Up and Restore Your Act! E-mail Database
Answer ID: 19212

  1. Close Act!.
  2. Launch Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
  3. Navigate to the location of your preferences file. By default, this file is located at: 
    • For Act! by Sage 2005 through 2010:
    • XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(User Name)\ Application Data\ACT\Act for Windows ##\
    • Vista/Windows 7: C:\Users\(User Name)\App Data\Roaming\Act\Act for Windows ##\
    • For Sage ACT! 2011:
    • XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(User Name)\ Application Data\ACT\Act Data
    • Vista/Windows 7: C:\Users\(User Name)\App Data\Roaming\Act\Act Data\
  4. Right-click the preferencesBak.XML file and then click Rename from the shortcut menu. Rename this file to preferencesBak.xml.old.
  5. Navigate to the following folder.C:\Documents and Settings\(User Name)\ Application Data\ACT\Act for Windows 9\Preferences
  6. Right-click the USPreferences206.XML file and then click Rename from the shortcut menu. Rename this file to USPreferences206.old.Caution: There is also a file in this directory named Preferences206.XML – Do Not rename the Preferences206.XML file.

    This file will be rebuilt when you launch Act!.

  7. Close Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
  8. Launch Act!. The Act! Getting Started Wizard launches.
  9. Proceed through this wizard to reconfigure your Word Processor and Fax preferences (but do NOT reconfigure E-mail if you backed up your e-mail messages) until you can open your database.
  10. Close Act! and restore your E-Mail (if necessary).

Compressed Files
Compressed files have been noted as a potential cause for this issue, especially if the database itself is compressed. Please use the following steps to attempt resolution:

  1. Open a Windows Explorer window.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
  3. On the View tab, check Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color.
  4. Verify that Show hidden files and folders is checked.
  5. Click OK.
  6. On the Windows taskbar, click Start > Search > For Files or Folders.
  7. Click All files and folders.
  8. Click More advanced options.
  9. Check Search hidden files and folders.
  10. Click Search.
  11. Right-click each compressed file that is found (filename will be blue in color), click Properties, click Advanced, and then uncheck Compress contents to save disk space.

    Note: Look for files in the following directories:

    • {install drive}:\Program Files\ACT\ACT for Windows
    • {install drive}:\Programs Files\Microsoft SQL Server
    • Database (*.adf, *.alf files) and Database Files Folder
    • C:\Windows\system32. Look for any compressed files that begin with sql.
  12. Reboot the system.

Note: Alternately, you can uncompress the entire hard drive. This may take a substantial amount of time depending on the hard drive size. To complete this process, right-click on the C: (or root) drive, click Properties, click Advanced, and then uncheck Compress contents to save disk space. (Be sure to select to apply changes to Folder, Subfolder and Files)


Damaged Act! Database
If the issue persists after ensuring that the SQL Server Browser and/or SQL Server (ACT7) services are started and firewall software is disabled, it is likely that your database is damaged.

If you have a current backup, you may restore the backup to resolve this issue. If you do not have a current backup that can be restored, refer to the following Knowledge Base document for information on repairing and rebuilding your Act! database:

Title: Using the Act! Diagnostics Utility (ACTDiag) to Repair and Rebuild Your Act! Database
Answer ID: 26854


Multiple Shares Created for the Database
This issue may occur if there are multiple shares created for the database. To check for multiple shares, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Windows Start button and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
  2. Type compmgmt.msc in the Open field and click OK. The Computer Management Console launches.image 19
  3. Expand the Shared Folders and then Shares in the left pane.
  4. In the right pane, ensure there is only listing for your database’s Supplemental Files folder. If there are multiple shares listed for your database’s Supplemental Files folder (for example: TestDB-database files1), right-click the extra share name and select Stop Sharing. Repeat this step until only one share exists for your database’s Supplemental Files folder.

Problem on the Client Machine Resolving the Name of the Computer Hosting the Database
This error can occur if the client machine cannot properly resolve the name of the computer hosting the database. This can be fixed by editing the .PAD file to indicate the IP address of the computer hosting the database rather than the network name. Follow the steps below to replace the computer name with the IP address on the .PAD file.

  1. Locate the .PAD file being used to open the database.
  2. Right-click the .PAD file, point to Open With, then select Choose Program. The Open With dialogue box appears.
    image 20
  3. Select Notepad and then click OK. The Notepad window appears.
    image 21
  4. Look for the section stating “host=”. Within the quotation marks, replace the name of the computer hosting the database with it’s IP address. (Example: host=”192.168.0.1″)
  5. Click on the File menu at the top of the window, and click Save.
  6. Close Notepad.

HOW TO REBUILD THE ACT! PREFERENCES FILE

You suspect that you have a damaged preference file and would like to rebuild it.
Rebuilding the Act! Preferences can resolve a number of issues. Please be sure that you have a current backup or copy of your database before following the procedure below. There are two methods to rebuild your preferences file – using the Act! Diagnostics utility and manually rebuilding them. Please try the Act! Diagnostics method first. Before trying either method, ensure you have first followed the steps below to preserve your email settings and toolbar customizations and to backup your data:

STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE REBUILDING THE PREFERENCES FILE:

  • If you are using Internet Mail, Outlook® Express, Eudora® or Local Act! Folders for E-mail, rebuilding the Preferences file may result in your e-mail messages no longer being accessible in Act!. If you are using Outlook for E-mail or are just beginning your use of Act! E-mail, you will not experience this issue.Before rebuilding the Preferences file, you will need to create a backup of your Act! E-mail database. You can then restore this backup after renaming the preferences file and opening the Act! E-mail view. Refer to the following Knowledge Base Answer for detailed information on backing up and restoring your Act! E-mail database:
    Title: How to Back Up and Restore Your Act! E-mail Database
    Answer ID: 19212
    Before following the steps below, it is also recommended that you have a current backup of your Act! database(s). For information on creating a backup of your Act! database, refer to the following Knowledge Base Answer:
    Title: How to Back Up and Restore an Act! Database
    Answer ID: 19211
    If you are using ACT! by Sage 2010 (or later) and have custom Web Info tab links, rebuilding your Act! Preferences will remove any custom links created. You can retain these links by using the Web Info Saver tool, which will copy the links from the preferences file before deleting it, and paste them back once the preferences file has been recreated. For more information on retaining your Web Info custom links when deleting Act! preferences, please refer to the following Knowledgebase Answer:

How to Retain Custom Web Info Tab Links When Deleting Act! by Sage Preferences
Answer ID: 25479

  • If you have customized menus and/or toolbars in Act!, rebuilding your Act! Preferences will remove the customizations. You can preserve menu and/or toolbar customizations by making a copy of the file in which these are stored. Refer to the Preserving Custom Menus/Toolbars section below for information. If you have NOT customized your Act! menu(s) and/or toolbar(s), please skip this section.Click to Expand/Collapse the section below.
    Click to Expand/Collapse this section Preserving Custom Menus/Toolbars

After following the above steps to ensure that your email and customization settings can be recovered, follow the steps below to rebuild your Act! Preferences:

  1. Close Act!.
  2. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
  3. Type in one of the following commands depending on your version of Act!:
    • ACT! by Sage 2007 and later: actdiag
    • ACT! 2006: act8diag
    • ACT! 2005: act7diag
  4. Click on Databases > Database List on the left side. The Databases view appears.
  5. Click the Tools menu, and then click Delete Preferences. The following Act! dialog box appears:
  6. Click Yes to continue, and then close the Act! Diagnostics utility.
  7. Launch Act!. The following Act! dialog box appears:
  8. Click No. The Act! Getting Started Wizard (or the Act! Setup Assistant if using ACT! by Sage 2009) appears.
  9. Click Cancel, and then click the button near the upper-left corner. An Open dialog box appears.
  10. Navigate to (if necessary) and Open your database.
  11. Click the Tools option, and then click Preferences to ensure that your Word Processor, Fax and E-mail preferences are configured correctly.

Alternate Method: Manually Rebuilding Preferences
If deleting your Preferences through the Act! Diagnostics utility fails to resolve this issue, you may need to manually rebuild the preferences. Before proceeding with this process, please ensure you have followed the steps near the top of this article to preserve your emails and customization.

  1. Close Act! and all running MS Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel)
  2. Open your Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del)
  3. Under the Processes tab in the Task Manager, locate the following processes (if running), select them, and click End Process:
    • ActSage.exe
    • Act.Outlook.Service.exe
    • Act.Scheduler.exe
    • Sage.ACT.Integration.exe
  4. Close the Task Manager
  5. Follow Steps 1 – 6 of the procedure described above to delete your Preferences through the Act! Diagnostics utility.
  6. Click on your Windows Start button. For Windows 2000 and Windows XP, click Run on the start menu and type in the following command: %appdata%. For Windows Vista and Windows 7, type this command in the Search box in the lower left of the start menu.
  7. This will open the Application Data folder. In this folder open the ACT folder.
  8. In this folder you should see one or more folders with the following names:
    • ACT! by Sage 2010 and earlier: Act for Windows (version#), where “version#” is the current (or previous) version of Act! installed on this machine.
    • Sage ACT! 2011: ACT Data.
  9. Right-click on these folders, select Rename, and add the word “OLD” to the end of the filename. Ex: “Act for Windows 12OLD”
  10. Close Windows Explorer.
  11. Reboot your computer to ensure that the services you stopped in Step 3 properly restart.
  12. After you have logged back into your computer, open Act! and test.

Please note that this process will remove all custom preference settings in Act!. When you re-open the program, you will be taken through the setup wizard again. In addition, you will need to re-do any custom settings under the Tools/Preferences option. If you saved your Act! Email messages, custom web links, and custom toolbar settings, you will need to restore them.

HOW TO UPGRADE TO ACT! V16 FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION

You would like to know the process to upgrade your current version of Act! to Act! v16.
This article provides the necessary information to upgrade your software and database to Act! v16.

Important Notice:
When upgrading a database from a previous version of Act!, it is CRITICAL that you create back-ups of your e-mail and all of your contact database(s). Once you have installed and updated your database(s) you CANNOT revert back unless you have a back up. When you update your current database(s), they will be updated in place and written over. If this is a shared database Swiftpage recommends that the upgrade process for the database be initiated on the machine hosting the database.

For instructions on how to back up your Act! database, please see the following Knowledgebase article:

    Title: How to Back Up and Restore an ACT! Database
    Answer ID:

19211
Note: If you are currently using Act! 2005-2010, the installation of Act! v16 will automatically update the existing SQL ACT7 instance. You do not have to uninstall Microsoft SQL Server before installing Act! v16.

Act! 3.x, 4.x, 5.x (2000) or 6.x (2004):
If you are attempting to convert an ACT! 3.x, 4.x, 5.x (2000) or 6.x (2004) database to Act! v16, It is HIGHLY recommended that you perform maintenance on your database using the Act! Diagnostics tool for that version prior to conversion. For more information, please refer the following Knowledgebase article:

Title: How to Use The Sage ACT! Data Diagnostic Tool (ACTDIAG) to Scan and Repair a Database
Answer ID: 11984

If you have been using Act! 2005 or higher and also have an installed copy of Act! 2004 (6.0) or earlier where you were using Internet Mail with Act!, the Internet Mail will be converted again during the installation of Act! v16. This can cause issues with your new installation of Act!. It is strongly recommended that you rename your Email folder. It is suggested that you rename this folder to ACT6_Email. The default location is C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\My Documents\ACT\.

Special Note for Multi-User Databases:
 If you are sharing a database with other users, all users must upgrade to the same version of Act! to continue sharing the database. It is recommended that prior to updating, all users should log out of the database. Users that have not upgraded will be unable to log in to the database until they have upgraded.

Special Note for Remote Synchronization Users:
If you are synchronizing a database with other users, all users must upgrade to this version to continue synchronizing. It is strongly advised that all remote database users synchronize before the main database is converted. In addition, the remote users should not enter or change any data into their remote databases or attempt to synchronize until the after main database and all remotes are upgraded and converted to the new version.

Network and Internet sync services must be uninstalled and reinstalled using the Act! v16 disk or download files . For more information, please refer the following Knowledgebase articles:
Title: How to install And configure Act! Network Sync Service for Act! v16 Premium
Answer ID: 36101
Title: How to install And configure Act! Internet Synchronization Service for Act! v16 Premium
Answer ID: 36102

Note: If you are using Application synchronization (built-in sync service), this is upgraded along with the program and does not require the installation of a separate service.

Special Note for Handheld Link Users:
ACT! Link for Palm OS®, ACT! Link for Pocket PC and ACT! For Palm OS are no longer available with Act!. These services have been replaced with the release of Sage ACT! Connect, which meets a wider range of solutions for customers using mobile devices. For more information regarding Sage ACT! Connect, please see the following Knowledgebase article:
What is Sage ACT! Connect?
Answer ID: 26009
Suggestions for your Computer before Upgrading:
The following information is designed to help to speed up your installation of Act!:
Windows® System Requirements:
Please refer to the Act! v16 System Requirements to ensure you have the recommended hardware and software updates to install and run the software.How to determine what Windows update you have installed:

    Use the following steps:

Right-click your My Computer icon on the Windows Desktop, and then click Properties.

–or–

    1. Launch the Windows Control Panel.
    2. Double-click the System option.
    The

System Properties

     dialog box appears.

Windows XP/Windows Server® 2003

Windows Vista®/Windows 7/Windows Server 2008/Windows 8

Windows Installer 4.5:
Act!. It has been included and will automatically be installed during the Act! v16 installation if not present. Installing this prior to the installation of Act! v16 will decrease the overall installation time. Please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledgebase document if you would like to install before installing Act!:
Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0:
It is recommended that you update your copy of the .NET Framework to version 4.0 before installing. This update is required to install Act!. It has been included and will automatically be installed during the Act! v16 installation if not present. Installing this prior to the installation of Act! v16 will decrease the overall installation time. Please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledgebase document if you would like to install before installing Act!:
Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (Standalone Installer)
Software-Based Firewall Users:
If you use a software-based firewall, you must temporarily disable it to install Act!. (This does not apply to hardware-based firewalls.) Once you have installed Act!, you can enable the firewall software and use it with Act!. Swiftpage recommends the following process:

  1. Disconnect from the Internet (disconnect the cable leading to your computer).
  2. Disable the firewall software, following the software vendor’s instructions.
  3. Install Act!.
  4. Enable the firewall software, following the software vendor’s instructions.
  5. Re-connect to the Internet (reconnect the cable leading to your computer).

Installation Information:
It is recommended to uninstall the previous version of ACT! 2005 or higher through the Add\Remove Programs (Windows XP, Server 2003) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista, Windows 7, Server 2008, Windows 8) function in your Windows Control Panel before installing Act! v16. There is no need to remove Act! 6.0 (2004) or earlier versions as they can co-exist with Act! v16 on the same computer.

Please refer to the appropriate Knowledgebase article:
Title: How to install Act! v16 Pro
Answer ID: 36103

Title: How to install Act! v16 Premium
Answer ID: 36104

Title: How to install Act! v16 Premium (access via web)
Answer ID: 36105

Upgrading Your Database:

Once you have installed Act! you must upgrade your databases. Each database will upgrade automatically upon opening. Use the following steps:

Important: You can only convert databases that locally reside on the machine on which you are converting them. Do not attempt to convert databases over a network.

ACT! USERNAME OR PASSWORD RECOVERY

You need to have your username or password recovered for your Act! database.

If you know your Act! database password, but are unsure of your username, proceed to How to Determine the Database Username.

If you know your Act! database username, but are unsure of your password, proceed to Username and Password Recovery.

If you are unsure of both your username and password, proceed to Username and Password Recovery.

How to Determine the Database Username:

There are two known methods for determining possible User names. You can use the Act! Diagnostics utility (if your user name is the same as your My Record contact field) to determine the last username used to attempt to login to this database.  Follow the steps below:

Using the Act! Diagnostics Utility to Determine Username:

  1. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
  2. Type actdiag (ACT! 2007 and later), act8diag (ACT! 2006), or act7diag (ACT! 2005) into the Open field, and then click OK. The Act! Diagnostics utility launches.
  3. Click the Databases button near the lower-left corner. The Databases view appears:Note for Sage ACT! 2011 and later users: The “Database” and “Server” options have been relocated to the top toolbar. The following steps are the same regardless of what version of Act! you have installed.
  • Click the Audit Logs option in the left navigation bar. If the initial event type Contact – Combine Contact displays no data, click the Even Types drop-down list, and then click an event type that has been performed in your Act! database to populate the USER list.
  • Scroll down (if necessary) until you find a Username (other than Act! System) that you can use to login to your Act! database.
  • Note: The audit logs will display the Contact Name of the user, not the actual login username. By default, the login username is the same as the contact name of the user, but it may be different as the login name can be edited from within the software.

Note: When logging into your database, the username is not case sensitive.

Username and Password Recovery
If you are still unable to login to your database, you have a two options available to you.

Option 1: Act! Support Single User Database Password Recovery
Users with only one active database user and an active Act! Support plans can contact Support during regular business hours (M-F 8:30 AM-8:30 PM) at (877)716-6296.

Option 2: Act! Database Services

Database Services has the tools necessary to reset your password from both single-user and multi-user databases. Database Services is the only option for those customers without an active Act! Support Plan.

*Note: Username and/or Login Disclosure is a fee based service.

In order to recover a username or password, you will first need to download and complete the Login Disclosure form (Swiftpage_Act_Login_Disclosure.pdf) in the File Attachments sections at the bottom of this article. Follow the instructions on the form to complete and submit it.

Service Limitations

  • If you have an older version of ACT! 6.x and below, to receive Login Disclosure Service, you must be either upgrading to a newer support version of Act! or have a valid service contract.
  • We cannot guarantee the amount of time spent on the Login Disclosure Service.
  • If we determine that the database does not need Login Disclosure, or that the database is damaged, we will call you to obtain your approval before continuing any work.
  • If you decline the Login Disclosure Service before we reveal the Administrative Login (User Name and/or Password) to you, then you will not be charged unless you chose Priority Service, in which case you will be charged only a $50 non-refundable fee if work has begun.
  • •The service fee will not be levied until Login information is obtained and/or the disclosure is completed.

ERROR: “RESOLUTION OF THE DEPENDENCY FAILED” OR “EXCEPTION HAS BEEN THROWN BY THE TARGET OF AN INVOCATION.” WHEN LAUNCHING ACT!

Symptom:
I am attempting to launch Act! when I receive one of the following Errors: “Resolution of the dependency failed.” Or “Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.”

Product:
Product Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Act! Premium

Cause:
This error can occur if you have Windows User Account Control (UAC) turned on, damaged preferences, a conflict with an add-on or if you upgraded to Act v16 from a previous version and the shortcut failed to update.

Solution:

Note: If you are using Sage ACT! 2012, this issue can been resolved by applying the latest cumulative hot fix for Sage ACT! 2012 SP1. Please see the following Knowledgebase article for more information and download instructions for this hot fix:

How To Download and Apply the Latest Hot Fix for Sage ACT! 2012 SP1
Answer ID: 28810

If the applying the hot fix does not resolve the issue, please try the alternate solutions listed below, one at a time and in the order listed.

Run As Administrator:

  1. Right-click the Act! icon on your desktop and choose Properties
  2. Click the Compatibility tab
  3. Under Privilege Level, check the box next to Run this program as an administrator
  4. Click Apply, then click OK
  5. Attempt to open Act! again to test

Note: If running the program as an administrator does not work, it may be necessary to disable UAC. For information on disabling UAC, refer to the following Knowledgebase article:

How to Change or Disable User Account Control (UAC) in Windows® 7 & Windows Server® 2008
Answer ID: 25665

Damaged Preference File
This issue may be caused by a damaged preferences file. Follow the steps below to delete this file.

  1. Close Act!
  2. Click your Windows Start button, either click Run or go to the Search box on your Start Menu, and type %appdata%.
  3. Open the ACT! folder, then either ACT! Data or ACT! for Windows (version#), depending on your version of Act!.
  4. Open the Preferences folder.
  5. Locate the file CustomMacros.ser and delete it.
  6. Locate the file CustomCommands.ser and delete it.
  7. Reopen Act!

If the above steps did not resolve your issue, please refer to the following knowledgebase answer for more help:

How To Rebuild the Act! Preferences File
Answer ID: 14770

Delete the DependentDlls.xml File
If the above suggestions do not resolve the issue, then deleting the following file and allowing it to be rebuilt have resolved this issue in some cases. Please use the following steps:

  1. Close Act!
  2. Click on Windows Start button.
  3. Windows XP®: Select RUN.
  4. Windows Vista/Windows 7: Use Search field.
  5. Type in the command %appdata% and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. Browse to the following location:
  7. Windows XP: ACT\ACT for Windows {version #}
  8. Windows Vista/Windows 7: ACT\ACT for Windows {version #}

Locations for Sage ACT! 2011 & Sage ACT! 2012 Installations:

    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\{User_Name}\Application Data\ACT\ACT Data
    • Windows Vista/Windows 7: C:\Users\{User_Name}\AppData\Roaming\ACT\ACT Data
  1. Right-click the DependentDlls.xml file, and then click Delete from the shortcut menu.
  2. Click Yes to confirm the deletion and then exit Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
  3. Open Act! and test

Add-on Conflict
To determine if there is a conflict with add-ons:

  1. Close Act!
  2. Browse to the Act! installation location
        Default locations:
    • 32-bit Operating System: C:/Program Files/ACT/Act for Windows
    • 64-bit Operating System: C:/Program Files (x86)/ACT/Act for Windows
  3. Rename folder Plugins (ex: add ‘-old’ to end of name)
  4. Attempt to open Act!

If you are able to successfully open the database, close Act!, rename the Plugins folder to original name. Open the Plugins folder and rename individual plugin files and test opening Act! to determine which plugin is at fault.

Damaged or Missing Tahoma Font:
This error has been reported to occur if the Tahoma font is either corrupt on your computer or missing from the Windows® Font folder (C:\Windows\Fonts).

You can attempt to resolve this issue by replacing the missing Tahoma fonts.

Please use the following steps:

  1. Go the bottom of this article and click on the tahoma.ttf file under File Attachments, and choose Save. Save to Desktop. Repeat this step also for the tahomabd.ttf file.
  2. Launch Windows® Explorer and navigate to the C:\Windows\Fonts directory.
  3. Copy or drag and drop both Tahoma font files from the Windows Desktop into the Fonts directory. There will be a quick dialog box that appears as each font is installed.
  4. Attempt to launch Sage ACT!.

Missing Microsoft .Net 3.0 Registry Key

  1. Close Act!
  2. Click on Windows Start button.
  3. Windows XP®: Select RUN.
  4. Windows Vista/Windows 7: Use Search field.
  5. Type in regedit and click OK.
  6. Locate the following registry key:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.0\Setup\Windows Presentation Foundation

If the key is not present, follow these steps to add it:

  1. Backup the windows registry per the instructions in the following Knowledgebase article:
    How to Back Up the Windows Registry
    Answer ID: 11568
  2. Download the file 25865.reg from the bottom of this document.
  3. Double-click on 25865.reg
  4. Click Yes when prompted to the registry editor confirmation.
  5. Launch Act!.

Recreate Act! shortcut

  1. Find the Act! shortcut on your desktop, right-click it, and choose Delete
  2. When prompted with the confirmation, click Yes
  3. Click Start > Computer
  4. Browse to the following location based on your operating system:32-bit: C:\Program Files\ACT\ACT for Windows
    64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\ACT\ACT for Windows
  5. In the ACT for Windows folder, look for Act!.exe
  6. Right-click Act!.exe and choose Send to > Desktop (create shortcut)
  7. Go back to the desktop and attempt to launch Act! again to test
    If you would like to discuss the content of this article with other Act! users, please visit the Act! Online Community. The Act! Online Community is moderated by Swiftpage and provides the opportunity to give and receive feedback from other Act! users. To find posts on a specific topic, you can use the Community’s built-in search feature.