MLS and Windows 8

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
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giffordrb
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MLS and Windows 8

#1

Post by giffordrb »

I spent a few minutes testing MLS with Windows 8 with the following results:
* The installer errors out but works in compatibility mode
* After installing MLS will not start - it checks the operating system and exits if it finds it is running on one it doesn't recognize. Compatibility mode doesn't get around this.
http://imgur.com/a/N2jmD

You know what I know now - we do have plans to make MLS run on Windows 8 but for now units should stay on Windows 7.
Ryan Gifford
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Mikerowaved
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Re: MLS and Windows 8

#2

Post by Mikerowaved »

Thanks for the report, Ryan. I had similar results trying to install MLS in a Win 8 VM and finally gave up after fussing with it for a few hours. Looks like Win 7 it is.
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jdlessley
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Re: MLS and Windows 8

#3

Post by jdlessley »

I got MLS installed using the compatibility mode. I then got it to open by setting the executable to run in compatibility mode. This is a separate operation from the install under compatibility mode. I event got it to run for a standard user. This required setting the executable to run using compatibility mode for all users and not just the administrator profile the program is installed under. I also set the executable to run for all other users under the administrator credentials.

My initial test install was using test data. The test ward and test stake installed just fine. Or I should say they installed just the same as they do for Windows XP.

Almost everything appeared to work fine. Functions that required Windows shell operations failed. File backup and file import were the two operations I tried that failed. I discovered this when trying to import a backup file. Nothing happens for shell operations. Nothing appears to happen when the restore from file link is clicked and nothing appears to happen in Task Manager. The backup a user is prompted to complete on exiting the program also failed. There was at least an error message for this operation. Even cancelling that backup request failed. As a result, MLS could not be closed except through the Task Manager.

I was going to try running MLS in VM. But I found I do not have access to VM in standard Windows 8. It is available in Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise. It can be hacked in standard Windows 8 but I haven't been able to get the hack to work yet.

Edit: I am running Windows 8 64 bit. I installed MLS in the Windows XP (Service Pack 3) compatibility mode. I set the MLS executable found in Program Files (x86) to run in the Windows XP (Service Pack 3) mode with all the privilege level for all users to be run as an administrator.
JD Lessley
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joeypb
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MLS on Windows 8?

#4

Post by joeypb »

I tried installing MLS on Windows 8, and it says it is incompatible with the UI. Is there a version i can use for Windows 8?
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aebrown
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Re: MLS on Windows 8?

#5

Post by aebrown »

joeypb wrote:I tried installing MLS on Windows 8, and it says it is incompatible with the UI. Is there a version i can use for Windows 8?
I merged your post into the existing topic for this issue. Here you'll find the best information that has been reported thus far.
dlslade
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Re: MLS and Windows 8

#6

Post by dlslade »

I am able to run MLS 3.6.2 under Windows 8.1 using Windows 7 compatibility mode. I first tried Windows XP mode, but as previous posts indicate, shell operations such as backup and restore would not work. Everything so far seems to work with Windows 7 mode.

I did use Windows XP mode for installation. Windows 7 mode may work there too.
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Mikerowaved
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Re: MLS on Windows 8?

#7

Post by Mikerowaved »

joeypb wrote:I tried installing MLS on Windows 8, and it says it is incompatible with the UI. Is there a version i can use for Windows 8?
This thread is discussing the experimental installation of MLS on a Windows 8/8.1 platform. This is for testing purposes only. As far as I know, the church is still ordering all new admin PC's with Windows 7 installed, so there should not be a necessity to run MLS on Windows 8 for any kind of live data or real work. Is this what you are trying to do?
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Mikerowaved
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Re: MLS and Windows 8

#8

Post by Mikerowaved »

dlslade wrote:I am able to run MLS 3.6.2 under Windows 8.1 using Windows 7 compatibility mode. I first tried Windows XP mode, but as previous posts indicate, shell operations such as backup and restore would not work. Everything so far seems to work with Windows 7 mode.

I did use Windows XP mode for installation. Windows 7 mode may work there too.
Very good. I can also verify a successful install of MLS 3.6.2 on Win 8 and Win 8.1 (both fully patched, running under VMWare Workstation 10) using Windows 7 compatibility mode, with admin checked, for both the install file and the resulting MLS shortcut. The install completed without errors and the test unit data came up also without errors. Several simulated S/R's were done, however, results from an actual S/R is still unpredictable, as we aren't using live data yet.

For those following the thread, MLS is set to abort if it detects it's running on an OS not found on it's internal "whitelist" of approved OS's. Compatibility mode simply gives it what it's looking for to successfully launch, but PLEASE don't take this as a work-around to install MLS on a Win 8 PC. Until we hear otherwise from CHQ, Windows XP and Windows 7 are the ONLY approved OS's for MLS, and MLS must NEVER be installed on any PC other than the one purchased by the church if actual ward or stake data is to be used.
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scgallafent
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Re: MLS and Windows 8

#9

Post by scgallafent »

Mikerowaved wrote:For those following the thread, MLS is set to abort if it detects it's running on an OS not found on it's internal "whitelist" of approved OS's. Compatibility mode simply gives it what it's looking for to successfully launch, but PLEASE don't take this as a work-around to install MLS on a Win 8 PC. Until we hear otherwise from CHQ, Windows XP and Windows 7 are the ONLY approved OS's for MLS, and MLS must NEVER be installed on any PC other than the one purchased by the church if actual ward or stake data is to be used.
What Mikerowaved said. There is some activity going on internally surrounding this topic (sorry, no details) and you'll hear more once everything is ironed out.
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