Tech Forum

We've been running fine when this week our computer started getting the following error after running almost any financial report:

"There was an error while reading the database" with a sad face next to it. I thought for a moment that is was actually a mirror since I'm sure that's what my face looked like! We're running Windows 7 with MLS 3.5.1_21247

I tried a fresh install of MLS, but we could not log in as there were no users listed at all when we clicked on the magnifying glass. I gather that uninstalling doesn't actually uninstall everything, namely the Programdata/LDS Church folder. I was able to restore the users using a trick I found in another thread:

https://tech.lds.org/wiki/Lost_user_names_(MLS)

But what is the procedure for fixing the database errors? Should I try importing a backup? Should I uninstall MLS again and manually delete the Programdata/LDS Church folder? Should I request a "Unit refresh data"? What is the best way to proceed?

Contact LUS.

Yes, tried that but alas, the MLS folks are closed on Sunday. I'll call them later this morning.

What was your answer to this? So far LUS has been unable to provide me with a solution. Something is horribly, horribly wrong with MLS - am I going to have to reimage the machine from scratch? Reinstalling MLS - even using the clean install - does not solve the problem.

Is there at least a log file somewhere that will tell me what the specific point of failure is?

aclawson wrote:What was your answer to this? So far LUS has been unable to provide me with a solution.

The usual solution for a database error is for the developers take a copy of your database, fix it, and then push it back to you. In the meantime (sometimes a few days), you do not do anything in MLS.

If reinstalling MLS did not work, and you have a true database problem, wiping the machine and reinstalling the OS will not fix it, either.

aclawson wrote:Something is horribly, horribly wrong with MLS - am I going to have to reimage the machine from scratch?

From your other post it sounds like the problem with your MLS is really a problem created by a hard drive problem.

Quite plausibly. Newer system though (only a couple of months), very unusual - though not unheard of - for a drive to fail like that. And certainly not application specific like this.

Hmmmm.

We are running Windows 7. Got a database error. The uninstall would not work from programs and features. I tried to find the uninstall string in the registry but no luck.
Fix: Backed up c:\program data\LDS church and also the most recent backups from c:\data-backup. Installed IOBIT uninstaller.
https://www.iobit.com/en/advanceduninstaller.php
Ejected the USB drive as iobit looks for any remnant files and tries to delete them. I chose the option to do a restore point and let it uninstall all remnant files. Looked in programs and features to see that it was gone. I then installed the new version without issues, Added the ward and stake info and created and admin account. Logged in and then did a restore from backup. I am the Stake Tech specialist so I did not have a local login for MLS from the backup so fortunately the Bishop was still around to login and complete the restore. The restore does not pull back in the admin account you created initially.
The Church told the clerk that I would have to install Window 10 to get it to work. That would have probably worked but would have been a ton more work. This method took less than an hour with backing everything up. I probably could have just backed up the last backup and saved a bunch of time but did not want to take any chances.

Check the age of the machine. According to the Replacement Cycle, They're supposed to be replaced every 5 years.

As Microsoft is no longer creating security patches for Windows 7 (unless you pay for them), I'd highly advise going to Windows 10. But I'll bet the age of the machine means it's time for replacement.

Agreed. Windows 7 is still working fine but I am sure it is time for a replacement and I will check.