Installing SIMS/NOVA T on a laptop

I need some help with the installation of SIMS on a laptop.

This laptop needs NOVA-T4/6 installed on it so that it can be used as practice for the timetable next year but will not be connecting to the network. I'm not sure if you need to install the whole SIMS infrastructure or can just install NOVA T on it's own!! If it can be then please let me know.

I have installed an instance of MSDE called SIMS and run SIMSINST.exefrom the sims drive on the server with the setup pointing to Laptop01\SIMS as the SQL instance for SIMS and SIMS as the database name and i'm just ticking the box that says This computer will be used as a SIMS workstation, no others.

After the install and reboot it does the normal updates and then asks me to locate the connect.ini file on the server but if i do this then SIMS can't be opened when not connected to the network and can's see this file so i choose I cannot access a SIMS connect.ini file Server name [local] and Database name SIMS. This then goes away and thinks for a bit but comes back with the message: SQL Server does not exist or access denied : System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException. When looking at the SQL Server service manager in the sys tray it's blank/empty even though the MSSQL$SIMS Instance service says it has started.

What am i doing wrong and is this the only way to install NOVA T?

Inside your sims/setups folder you will find a file called novasatellitesetup.exe. Run this follow the wizard and bobs your uncle, unless you don't have an uncle in which case he is mine.

I did that but couldn't find the licence file at first then i actually looked and found it so i don't think this is relevant anymore. Thanks for your help though.

You need to run workstation setup as well for T6 to work properly.

I don't think it was needed to run fully, just so that the new timetable could be designed then transfered to the network. so the novasatelitesetup.exe was good enough

lol we call your tool for every occasion "The persuadertron" here