Tech Forum

Alan_Brown wrote:I didn't do anything else special with the MLS installation. I do have UAC turned off, but I would think that would have different effects if it were a factor.

Our stake purchased a new computer on our own. It came with Vista preinstalled and to save money we didn't want to pay the $99 fee to have XP installed. Then after installing MLS on the new computer I was greeted with the message, MLS will not work on this operating system.

I was also able to get MLS to run by setting it to run in Windows 2000 compatibility mode and As Administrator. However, the only thing that doesn't work is sending and receiving. We have a local internet connection and MLS is set to use the internet to send and receive. However, after the initial window pops up and it tries to connect, the entire MLS crashes. I haven't figured out how to get around this.

So in the meantime, I will be installing XP under a virtual machine just to run MLS

yalnifj wrote:Our stake purchased a new computer on our own. It came with Vista preinstalled and to save money we didn't want to pay the $99 fee to have XP installed. Then after installing MLS on the new computer I was greeted with the message, MLS will not work on this operating system.

I was also able to get MLS to run by setting it to run in Windows 2000 compatibility mode and As Administrator. However, the only thing that doesn't work is sending and receiving. We have a local internet connection and MLS is set to use the internet to send and receive. However, after the initial window pops up and it tries to connect, the entire MLS crashes. I haven't figured out how to get around this.

So in the meantime, I will be installing XP under a virtual machine just to run MLS

Why would your stake purchase a new computer? The Church supplies a computer for every unit through the FM Group according to policy. And if you do come up with the budget funds to buy a computer, why is $99 such a barrier? That would have allowed you to have the standard operating system for administrative computers.

And then, I would wonder why you wouldn't install Desktop 5.5. I would think your stake would have the installation disks back from the big transition to Desktop 5.5 that occurred in early 2007. That image includes Windows XP SP2 at no cost to the stake. Of course, the Desktop 5.5 image doesn't work with every computer, but it works with plenty of them.

I don't mean to seem unsympathetic, but when you go off on your own, contrary to Church policy in many ways, you're going to face the challenges that come from being on your own.

Alan_Brown wrote:Why would your stake purchase a new computer? The Church supplies a computer for every unit through the FM Group according to policy. And if you do come up with the budget funds to buy a computer, why is $99 such a barrier? That would have allowed you to have the standard operating system for administrative computers.

And then, I would wonder why you wouldn't install Desktop 5.5. I would think your stake would have the installation disks back from the big transition to Desktop 5.5 that occurred in early 2007. That image includes Windows XP SP2 at no cost to the stake. Of course, the Desktop 5.5 image doesn't work with every computer, but it works with plenty of them.

I don't mean to seem unsympathetic, but when you go off on your own, contrary to Church policy in many ways, you're going to face the challenges that come from being on your own.

I just want to agree with Alan. I have seen this in simple things as office supplies. The Stake Clerk along with the computer specialists or whatever that calling is called should handle all of the computer and MLS needs of each ward. The Stake Clerk should be fully aware of how equipment is supplied in the stake. I guess that was not the case here and now the church is paying extra for the mistake.

yalnifj wrote:Our stake purchased a new computer on our own.

Is this where my tithing money goes? I hope there is a very good reason your stake went outside the Church system to purchase a computer. Installing MLS on a computer not purchased through the normal channels just does not sound right. What happened to the computer the Church provides on which MLS is supposed to be installed?

I suggest reading the .pdf]Policy and Guidelines for Computers Used by Clerks for Church Record Keeping

I'd also suggest logging into mls.lds.org and reading the instructions there to insure that you set up your new computer properly.

Oh, yes. At last word, Vista is not supported. My recommendation is to return the computer and follow procedure. Otherwise having the wrong model is likely to get blamed for anything and everything that doesn't work right.

RussellHltn wrote:I suggest reading the .pdf]Policy and Guidelines for Computers Used by Clerks for Church Record Keeping

I'd also suggest logging into mls.lds.org and reading the instructions there to insure that you set up your new computer properly.

Oh, yes. At last word, Vista is not supported. My recommendation is to return the computer and follow procedure. Otherwise having the wrong model is likely to get blamed for anything and everything that doesn't work right.

To put aside that fact that all posts clearly state this Stake should not have purchased a computer and one that runs Vista to top it off. We do not know the circumstances of this Stake and they may have approval or a legitimate reason for this situation.
A solution may be to install XP on a Vista downgrade licence, why install XP on a virtual machine?
Being from a ‘Branch’ of 250+ and in a regional area, we often find ourselves in situations that are outside of normal protocol.
The new MLS computers supplied to our Branch must have come from deep within the bowels of Dell hardware supplies. Looking at the hardware spec’s, which are of 5+ years ago, they are the ‘oldest’ new computers I have ever seen.
Vista has been out for a very long time now, what specifically prevents MLS from running on this platform, after all this was ‘yalnifj’s’ question and it is a technical forum.
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Vince wrote:Vista has been out for a very long time now, what specifically prevents MLS from running on this platform, after all this was ‘yalnifj’s’ question and it is a technical forum.

This issue has already been addressed in the MLS 2.9 Vista Compatibilitythread.

Vince wrote:Vista has been out for a very long time now, what specifically prevents MLS from running on this platform

I think the primary reason is that MLS stores the data in C:\Program Files. I don't think that was ever part of Microsoft's security model. Certainly not since Windows NT. Under Vista, it's a big no-no even if you do have Admin rights.

There may be others issues, but that's a big one.

jdlessley wrote:This issue has already been addressed in the MLS 2.9 Vista Compatibilitythread.

Thanks, interesting read.

RussellHltn wrote:I think the primary reason is that MLS stores the data in C:\Program Files. I don't think that was ever part of Microsoft's security model. Certainly not since Windows NT. Under Vista, it's a big no-no even if you do have Admin rights.

There may be others issues, but that's a big one.

I feel there is other reasons other than storing data in the C:\Program files, as Micro$oft SQL default instance data path resides in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.INSTANCE\MSSQL\DATA.(as an example)
I think its to do with 'Folder Virtualization' in Windows Vista.