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VTECS DIRECT 5.1 FAQs:

Installation Questions

1. What are the system requirements to install DIRECT?

2. How do I install VTECS DIRECT 5 in a server configuration?

3. Why can't I complete the installation process?

4. During installation, a System Administrator Password is requested; what is the password?

5. How can I reinstall VTECS DIRECT after uninstalling the application and MSDE (Microsoft SQL Desktop Engine)?

General Questions

1. Where do I find supporting information on using VTECS DIRECT?

Problem-solving Questions

1. What do I need to enter in the Server name dialog box when I start DIRECT?

2. Why do I keep seeing the Server name dialog box at program startup?

3. I cannot connect to the database. Is it running/installed?

Q:  What are the system requirements to install VTECS DIRECT?

A:   VTECS DIRECT™ 5.1 operates on computers running Intel or compatible Pentium IV, or greater processors. The processor must be running at a minimum of 1.2 GHz.

VTECS DIRECT 5 runs stand-alone or on a local area network.

Supported operating systems (OS):
Windows XP
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 Server

Memory (RAM) requirements:
Windows 2000 - 256 MB minimum, 1 GB recommended
Windows XP - 512 MB minimum, 1 GB recommended

VTECS DIRECT™ 5.1 requires a monitor with a minimum of SVGA resolution; 800x600 resolution or higher, a Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device, and Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.

NOTE - WINDOWS VISTA - The VTECS DIRECT database will stop functioning if a Windows Vista upgrade is performed!
VTECS DIRECT client software runs under Windows Vista but Microsoft SQL Server does NOT (the database that stores Connect information)! You can install Microsoft SQL Server on server machine (Windows 2000 or XP) and install the client portion of VTECS DIRECT on a Windows Vista machine.

Q:  How do I install VTECS DIRECT in a server configuration?

A:  In short, here is how you install VTECS DIRECT in a server configuration. This assumes you will be using the MSDE SQL server supplied on the VTECS DIRECT program CD as the database server and not an enterprise version of MS SQL server.

Install VTECS DIRECT in typical fashion on the Windows computer designated as the "server". Then install the DIRECT software in custom mode and do a "Client Only" install on all of the client machines that will be connecting to the "server".

Run DIRECT on the server and create at least one Term and several Users.

Now launch DIRECT on one of the client machines. The software will attempt to connect to a database on the local machine but after about 60 seconds will fail and display a dialog box asking for the location of the database server. Use the following info:

Server Name: "server" (actual network name of your server) Database: VTECS_DATA

User: vtecs

Password: C0nn3ct (capital "C", zero and a three)

This should attach the client to the "server". Log in as one of the users you previously created and you are set.

Q: Why can't I complete the installation process?

Users on Windows 2000 or Windows XP must be logged in as Administrators. If, during installation of the SQL server, the progress bar progresses about half way and then backs off, giving an error, you are probably not logged in, in Administrator mode.

The installation of VTECS DIRECT requires the modification of the Windows registry and configuration of services for the database server. These modifications to Windows require Administrative access to the system.

Q:  How can I reinstall VTECS DIRECT after uninstalling the application and MSDE (Microsoft SQL Desktop Engine)?

A:  Never uninstall MSDE on Windows XP. However, if it has been already been uninstalled, refer to this bulletin: Support bulletin VTECS20060816.txt

Q: Where do I find supporting information on using VTECS DIRECT 5?

A: Software updates, current Release Notes, and other helpful information is available here on the VTECS website on the DIRECT Support page.  The VTECS DIRECT 5 program CD contains the Release Notes and instructions for importing VTECS occupations into DIRECT.

Q: What do I need to enter in the Server name dialog box when I start DIRECT 5?

A: Here is the information to enter for server, database, user and password:

(local)
DIRECT
vtecs
C0nn3ct (be sure that you enter a capital letter C the number 0 then nn3ct)

Also, refer to the VTECS DIRECT 5 Release Notes available on the DIRECT Support page.

Q: Why do I keep seeing the Server name dialog box at program startup?

A: The Server Name dialog box appears at program startup when the software cannot connect to the database server. Usually this means that the database server is not running. You can use the SQL Server Manager icon in the taskbar to start and stop the SQL server.

If the database server regularly does not start at system boot up, use the SQL Server Manager icon in the taskbar to set the Auto-Start option.

If the database is not installed on the same machine as the client that is unable to connect to the database, then the server name property is incorrect. Please verify that the server name is the name of the computer running the VTECS DIRECT 5 database.

Q: I cannot connect to the database. Is it running/installed?

Press Alt-Ctrl-Delete and see if you can find the entry "sqlservr.exe" in the list under the Processes tab. If so, that means the database is running. If it is not in the list, it needs to be started. Run the following program and hit the green arrow to start the database.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\sqlmangr.exe

You can also check the "Add Remove Programs" from the Windows Control Panel, to see if "Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine" is installed. If it is not, then rerun the install from the VTECS DIRECT program CD.

Q.  During installation, a System Administrator Password is requested; what is the password?

VTECS DIRECT does not require a password during installation. If a System Administrator password is requested, download this file, MSDE_Auth_Mode.exe, run it on your computer to change to "Mixed" mode then restart installation.

Basically SQL can be installed in two login modes, Windows and Mixed.  VTECS DIRECT 5 requires Mixed.  This program allows a user to change the preinstalled SQL server login mode so the software can be installed.  Do not run the MSDE Auth Mode program on a server.