Can I get a little help here? Heres the situation.

I had Verizon come and change us to Fios today. Seems like a mistake.

One of my desktops and my laptop are running fine. Problem is, my other desktop now cannot see the internet or the other local pcs--as if the wire is not connected. So I moved the pc to where one of the other working pcs is located. It didnt work there either, which implies its not the connection.

But the troublesome PC is the one with all the AC files. And do to a backup error, there is a gap since the last backup.

I'd like to take a CD rom and copy the files and move them to the other PC. Can someone tell me what files I need to grab please.

Also, any ideas as to why I cant see any other networked pc, or the internet, even though the network icon at the bottome o the screen says that i am connected, woujld be really appreciated.

I just tried connecting my laptop to the ethernet cable normally used for the computer which isnt working. the laptop went to the internet just fine and saw the other networked computer. What could cause this??

Suggest using Amazing Backup (on your disconnected desktop) to create an ".enc" file on that PCs desktop, and burn it on a CD or use a jump drive to move it to the new "main computer". Make sure you choose under Advanced Settings to either include your Imported Items (makes creating the ".enc" file take longer), or copy the Imported items separately.

The PC that you move this ".enc" file to will need to have the full AC install, not just the client install, of course.

Then use the "Backup Restore Utility" in the new main computer's AC folder to restore your data.

If you move the Imported Items folder separately, be sure to copy this folder into the new main computers AC folder also.

Could it be the ethernet port on the offending PC? Can you see that it is enabled and receiving/sending data, and has a router assigned IP address that is similar to the other networked computers, when you open Network Connections and look under Properties for that network adapter?

If the port is active, I suggest running through the "set up a new connection or network" wizard again on the disconnected PC.

Thank you, thank you. I'll start working on this tomarrow.

Wayne,

John is spot on for both. I would recommend getting to your office maybe two hours early. Reason being, I would try to get the computer connected first, before moving everything. Also, as John points out, make sure you do a backup and a restore. Don't try to just move SQL databases. That is asking for trouble. It can be done as the tools allow you to detach the databases, but it is much simpler to do what John said.

I guess the set up new connection wizard may work, but it has never helped me much. I would do that last.

Again, check for the green light on the back on the card.

The most likely culprit is the IP address or default gateway, etc. These would be where John said, in the network adapter under properties and then click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) My guess is there should be IPs and subnets and gateways present as you likely do not have a DHCP server.

Now, that actually brings up something to think about. I know little about the bundled fiber optic service which Verizon offers, other than it seems blazing fast. Of course, your issue is local connection and not Internet, although you probably can't connect there either. Now, if we step back and think what changed today, maybe they did something with the router or put in a new one. Again, I know nothing about FiOS. But, the router may have DHCP enabled or they may have changed the one you have. Now if you were already using static IPs, which I would think you would, I don't see how it could change them. But, if somehow that NIC got changed to DHCP, it could have been given an IP address which is incompatible with your network.

To make it easier, go to one of the good computers, bring up your Run command from your Start menu, and type in "CMD" without the quotes. This will bring up a command prompt. In the good computer, type in: ipconfig /all. The all will give you local and network information. Probably not needed, but can't hurt. Then write down the exact addresses, which should look something like:

There should be a space between ipconfig and the /all.

192.168.0.18
255.255.255.0
192.161.0.1

24.92.226.72
24.92.226.73

When, you do the same thing on the "bad" PC, you want to see:

192.168.0.23
255.255.255.0
192.168.0.1

24.92.226.72
24.92.226.73

************
Your PC IP will be something like that; it may be 192.168.16.x
or 192.168.1.x The last octet will just be the address of the machine. It may not be 18 or 23. Just examples.

The subnet mask 255.255.255.0 is pretty much universal for a standard workgroup

The default gateway shouldn't affect connectivity except to your router, and should be the private IP address of the router. But, all of them should be the same. In fact, the only things that should be different would be the IP address, e.g. 192.168.0.x with x being different on each machine.

Another thing that wouldn't make sense but you should check is make sure the computer has the same workgroup name. It MUST have the same workgroup name.

So, right-click on My Computer, choose properties, and then Computer Name, and look at the box near the bottom. They will probably say either MSHome or Workgroup by default. So, the "bad" computer wouldn't connect if its workgroup name were different than the others.

FINALLY!! This should be looked at first. ALWAYS, ALWAYS check your firewall. It is the culprit probably 30% of the time. Especially Suites like McAfee or Norton. To be sure, I would make sure Windows Firewall is turned off. Don't just turn off McAfee or Norton. Turn them off and completely exit out of them. Then check.

Another strange thing is that the little icon in your system tray shows you are connected. When you hover over it, what does it say exactly? Local connection? What speed? Now, again, this wouldn't make sense, but we are dealing with computers here. By any change, do you have a network CARD and an onboard Ethernet port. Could you have the wrong one enabled. That wouldn't make sense, because you would have a red X next to it. But, if you have two, make sure the cable is plugged into the right one.

One more "techy" one. While at the step where you check for workgroup name, click on Hardware | Device manager. Then right click on your network card. There may be an Advanced tab and under that a Link Speed/Duplex Mode. The best setting is Auto Negotiation. Probably not necessary, but it can and will affect networking.

Again, though, to be clear. John's advice is correct. Just adding a few things.

Please post back and let us know how you did. Good luck.

Boy oh Boy I have no business in this thread BUT...
This sounds like a problem we get every now and then. The network computers loose the PATHWAY and need to be reset. Can be one or several. In our office it involves getting on the server as the administrator and then opening AC and opening Administrative functions. Then you open Amazing Utilities. The third button down is "restore pathways". Click on it. It fixes itself.
I hope this is what you have going on with yours.

Bert, I'm going to have to digest your email. But no, I dont (didnt) have a static IP address. So the little network icon at the bottom of the screen? It says connected, but there is no ip address there or network name like there is on my laptop. The verizon guy was saying that "it says its connected, but it isnt showing an ip address."

I overslept this AM, so I" supposed to be there now, but I just got up.

One last thing that I have run into recently. You might try restarting the router. I had one computer that was not connecting and after going through all of the above, I restarted the router and voila! we had connection. Actually, this has happened twice and I am beginning to question my comcast router, but that's another story.

The router gives out addresses to the computers (DHCP) and if it gets confused, the computer is left in limbo. My computers have said limited or no connectivity.

Easy thing to do, simply either turn off and on, or replug the router.

Great idea to restart the router. Rebooting anything is always a good idea. Ironically, I did not have Internet at home today, so I rebooted the modem, the router and the computer. I was on the AC message board in no time.

I am not sure he has DHCP. One way to tell would be to go to a good computer and bring up a command prompt and type:

->ipconfig /release (let it show all zeros)
->ipconfig /renew wait to see if it brings up your IPs)

If you reboot the bad machine and it is DHCP, it should obtain an IP address from the router.

You could always do the /release and /renew on the bad computer.

None of these things are difficult to change or are irreversible.

Finally, if none of these things work, you may have to get slightly technical with:

DNS flush or TCP/IP stack.

Things keep coming to me. Possibly need a new driver for your NIC.

Another troubleshooting step is to eliminate everything. Take the computer and connect it directly to the router and see if it works. Are you using a switch. Is it connect properly there. Reboot it as well.

Wayne, if you need some help later and my suggestions along with John's and Wendell's haven't helped, I would be glad to remote in and take a look around. Of course, it would be hard to remote into that computer, but the others would be helpful.

If it is DHCP, you will get a new IP, if not, you will not. Then, you would have to put it in mannually again.

the verizon tech tried the release/renew thing yesterday. It didnt work.

This is also above my pay grade, but....
we had a similar problem and found that our switch (which we use instead of a router) was bad. Bought a new switch and the problem was solved. Your issue of "my other desktop now cannot see the internet or the other local pcs" was the same one we had. Ours also occurred after some change (not in service provider, but something else that I forget) which proved to be incidental and through us off for awhile.
If you are lucky, restarting the router will do the job; I am guessing you have already done this multiple times.

Well, I've finally got the .enc file. Its pretty big with the imported items--13G. So I went out and got a Passport portable hd 320G and transferrred the file to it. I've also uninstalled/reinstalled AC at the receptionist desk pc. So now I just need to transfer this file and run the backup restore utility. That will get us up and running, anyway.

Ive run out of gas. Guess I need to go downstairs and get some of that nasty Starbucks coffee.

Oh, anywhere in particular I should put the enc file on the other pc?

Ok, looking at the preferred pc.

I clicked on the little network icon on the screen, and checke properties (digesting berts email from earlier). it said:


find an ip address automatically--no
use this ip address
ip 10.10.10.104
subbase 255.255.255.0
default: 10.10.10.1

use this dns
preferred: 192.168.1.1

I think this was set when I couldnt get the pc to see the Quest diagnostic pc for our lab downloads. We were getting duplicate IP addresses so one pc would not see the network. Maybe I'll be brave and set this to "find an ip address automatically"

See my last post. I was brave, and Voila! Or , for me WAAHAA! (Morris Day & the Time).

Now, I'm going to set the AC Backup to backup the database (w/o the imported items) every night. I'll still use my other programs to make a backup of the imported items folder, so that I can have that already backed up separately in case something like this happens again. I assume you can separately restore the separate imported items folder relatively easy??

Oh, I forgot to say. I should have paid more attention to that quote this AM. This was the final solution.

But, at least I now have a 300GB portable hard drive!

Congratulations! Solving the problem yourself is sweet.

That's great Wayne. Glad it's fixed. Let us know if it goes south again.

Gotta give credit where credit is due.

It probably won't. I remembered when we did it. We kept having problems with our connection to the Quest computer for lab downloads. It would work fine for a motnth, then we couldn't see it on the network. Turns out we were getting these intermitant IP conflicts every few months. The solution was to have this PC use a fixed address so the router would never have conficting addresses. So when I clicked "get an address automatically" it was just fine. Course, the old problem could come back, but we'd just pick an address that this router recognizes.

Ok, my other problem has got me. The PC wont open AC. Its that Miscellaneous Error. Rebooting doesnt work. This is the same pc that had the router problem (which is now fixed!). Ever since it "ran out of disk space" during a backup on Monday, it wont open it. 'Course, now I have 80 GB free disk space.

I'm thinking of fully deleting AC, then reinstalling and recovering from the backups. Has anyone recovered from the backup files before? Exactly how would I do that?

Now that folks are back from the conference, can anyone tell me how to recover from the backup files? Where do you put them, etc. etc.

You would simply reinstall AC, and go through all the steps to set up the practice. Some swear you need to set up a dummy patient. I don't see why. Can't hurt as it will be overwritten.

Then use the restore program (the red lifesaver) in the AC folder. Browse to your latest backup and let it restore. You are done.

It's best if you are able to make a backup first that is completely up to date. There are also instructions on the Wiki, but it is rather straightforward.

Wayne,

I need a little more information. Confused. Is this the same computer that wouldn't connect before but also was the "main computer" with the AC databases?

I thought it was fixed not by the router but by TCP/IP.

What is the "miscellaneous error?"

Why was a backup going to the main computer?

Until I have more information, I would do two things:

1. I would turn off every firewall that is between that computer or any other that is not seen.

2. I would turn off DHCP in the router and just use static IP addresses. DHCP has its advantages, and I would always use it with a server, but I wouldn't really trust it with a router. You will need the DNS addresses from your ISP.

Then make your private IP addresses 192.168.1.x. x should equal the IP address of your router, likely "1" or "254." Make the main computer 192.168.1.2. Then give the other PCs whatever, but in that subnet range, e.g. 192.168.1.x

Of course, the subnet mask will be 255.255.255.0 (which will be given automatically when you tab after the IP address. Then put the default gateway in the 3rd line, which again, is the IP address of the router. Once again:

Server:

192.168.1.2
255.255.255.0
192.168.1.2

DNS addresses of ISP (example)

24.92.192.11

If you have the ISP name and city, I can probably find the DNS numbers.

Ok Bert, let start from the middle. (yeah, i know).

As you recall, I had a problem with the main pc after getting verizon fios. You all gave me a suggestion that worked just fine, and all other pcs can see the main pc on the network and access AC just fine. What was happening was that a fixed address was being forced for the pc (this was afix for an issue w/ Quest). When I let it find an IP address automatically, everything worked fine and dandy. That was on a Friday. I was ecstatic. This IP address problem is apparently solved (unless it comes back).

Now, on Monday, I arrived to find that the AC Backup had failed. It claimed I was out of drive space. The backup routine says it will automatically save a backup to the pcs hard drive, and then save a 2nd one where you tell it to. I'm not sure how, but I had no hard drive space left. I went through and deleted some things, none especially large, and I suddendly had about 70 GB of space. Not sure what caused that. But the backup then worked fine.

Now, here is the rub. When I try to boot AC on the main PC, I get a "Miscellaneous Error". Now, I have seen this before, and even asked about it on the forum. Rebooting the problem PC, and sometimes also the main PC, made it go away. So, the pc on which ACs databases are installed on cannot open AC. However, other pcs on the network can open this database just fine. The front desk and Dr. Coghill's laptop can network into AC. But the main pc wont open it up. I tried resetting the path, but as soon as I click on the AC database, I get the error.

I wanted to try doing another backup, and then re-installing AC and restore from the backup. But I dont see anything about where to place the backup or restore from it.

Any suggestions here?

First thing, which is the last thing is you you can place the backup anywhere it can be accessed by the main PC. Ideally, I would back it up to the main PC just to make it easier. There should be a fresh backup file located in the BACKUP folder (Jon's caps, not mine) in the AC folder.

Then in the AC folder, there is a file "Backup Restore Utility" whose icon is a red life preserver. If you click on that, the rest is self-explanatory. I would still try to make a a backup of the whole folder prior just to be on the safe side before re-install.

As to why it can't access AC on the main PC:

1. What OS is it?
2. Turn off any firewall and antivirus suite on that computer.
3. Go into the folder and right-click on the AC icon and run as administrator.
4. Also, try to make sure you are an administrator on that computer.
5. If it is WIN7 or Vista, turn on UAC which will sometimes force you to be an administrator.
6. Right click on the AC folder on the main pc and see who has permissions to it. You could have permissions from other PCs, but not have permissions from that PC. Of course, once you are able to open the folder, it would indicate you have the right permissions. But, make sure you run the program by using the executable file from within the folder.
7. In Amazing Utilities, run all the diagnostic programs.

Let me know how this works.

In a peer to peer, I would never let the router assign IP addresses. I would make the main PC 192.168.1.2 and all the others x.3, x.4, etc. All should be static with a subnet of 255.255.255.0 with a default gateway of the router, which is probably 192.168.1.1 or 0.1 or 16.1, etc. If the default gateway is not a 192.168.1.x but is anything else in the 3rd octet such as 0 or 16, then the IP addresses on each NIC needs to be the same. But that should not affect the interoffice connectivity.

Open a command prompt and type in ipconfig /all