Computer froze

[tessa]

We just upgraded to Peachtree complete accounting 2005 on 2 networked (client-server) computers with XP Professionals on both. Once a week now towards the end of the day, while I am on the client computer with no one on the server, the server will froze up. If I can't shut peachtree down correctly, then we have to restore and redo a whole day worth of work. Any suggestion as to what we causes it and what we can do to avoid this?
Thanks in advance

[M GO BLUE]

Usually I wouldn't expect it to freeze up unless it was running a program, backup-maybe? Do you know if the server is running an automated process like backup, or something else? Are these the only computers on the network?

[TheWolf]

By freeze up what exactly do you mean? What are you doing when this occurs? Have you made sure you are on Service Pack 2? Do you have software that detects and removes spyware/malware?

[tessa]

M Go Blue, we're not running any automated process.. at least not to my knowledge. How do I find out for sure whether we are running those autmated process or not? Yes, we are the only two computers in the networked.


TheWolf, by freeze up I meant the computer won't do anything, and I have to restart it from the little restart button on the tower. I am usually posting customer payment on Receipt when this happens. How do I know for sure if the comps are on service pack 2? Yes, we have ad-aware 6.0 that I run once a week along with antivirus, disccleanup and defrag (one after another).

Further suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!!!

[LauraG]

BTW, AdAware 6.0 is no longer supported. Go and download the SE Personal edition plus Spybot Search & Destroy from here:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
as an added scan of your PC.

To find out if XP SP2 has been installed, right click on the My Computer Icon on the desktop and select Properties. On the General Tab you will see what version of the OS you are running.

I would go and talk to your Network Admin to see if they are running anything during the time that you freeze up. It is also possible that the network is just experiencing problems when this happens. They can test their network and/or check any logs for problems.

[M GO BLUE]

Does it ever freeze when you are not posting or printing? It could be memory related, such as the registry

[tessa]

Laura, thanks for the tips. There are only 3 people including me using these two computers, and it happpens I am the one that is most computer-literate. I don't run anything automatically on the server, and the reason I asked to find out how to find that out is I am barely using the server, so if the other 2 people accidentally setting some program to run, I wouldn't know. Is there a way to check that?

M Go Blue, no, it only happens when I am on the client saving on receipt. If it is the registry, is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening?

This week we didn't freeze at all :D hopefully it'll stay this way. I have found that if the server freezes, I should shut down peachtree completely at the client to avoid error messages and to avoid having to restore.

Thanks again!

[LauraG]

Tessa,

The way it worked at my old job is the only one that could run something on the server was the IT admin. We only store our data on the server. The software is on our local machines. I would talk to your IT admin to see what if anything they are doing to the server or the network during the times that you freeze up. It may due to something they are doing.

Let me share something...I was having major problems on and off for about 2 weeks a while ago. I kept losing my network connection and could not explain it. My PC would lock up or I would just lose my connection without any reason. One day I rushed to the server room and caught the network guy disconnecting my office from the network. Seems we had a virus on one of the PCs in my office and when they saw extra activity they disconnected us. If I had not caught them disconnecting me I never would have figured it out.

So go check with your network guys and have them check your connection as well as their server for problems.

[TheWolf]

Also, track if these lock ups seem to happen with the same customer id each time. I had a client with a customer ID of CASH, and he was posting too many transactions to that record and Peachtree kept locking up.