[sims] Sims - Incompatable database

[Spyro]

I work in a primary school and SIMS is used by some of the administrative staff but all of a sudden on one of the staff laptops, SIMS suddenly won't open.

I get the Error Message 'incompatible database' after she tries to log in. After playing around with it for ages, I think what happened is when the old IT Tech used Solus to do the summer update for SIMS this laptop wasn't updated. So I think it just needs the update and it should all work but Solus now permenantly says 'the machine cannot be contacted' so I can't update it that way. Our servers running windows server 2008r2 and our laptops are all win 7 but I know very little about Networking so im not sure how I could say do a manual install of the sims update on one client or how to get the laptop to connect with the Solus deploy agent?

Any one have any idea's how to fix? I can get any info you may need..

Miles

[creese]

99% that the workstation needs and update. Check the versions.

 

There is a problem with Summer update and it has been pulled.

[jonnykewell1]

If you go into the sims mapped drive on the machine, then find the setups folder. Run simsinst.exe to perform a manual install.

[MrMat]

Easiest fix to get you back up and running (obviously don't use this as perm solution, resolve the underlying issue as well, this is just get the machine back in use)

 

Go to: C:\program files\SIMS on the broken machine and rename the SIMS .net folder to something like SIMS.net old

 

Then find a machine that did upgrade correctly. On the working machine go to C:\program files\SIMS and copy the SIMS .net folder.

 

Paste the working SIMS .net folder into the SIMS directory on the b0rked machine.

 

Will then be back up and running.

Edited July 4, 2014 by MrMat

[MrMat]

If you go into the sims mapped drive on the machine, then find the setups folder. Run simsinst.exe to perform a manual install.

 

This doesn't work if they're using S3. The Setups folder no longer gets updated!

[Spyro]

I can not find the set ups folder, the only one I can see is archived setups and there isn't a simsinst.exe file in that either :S although it's the same mapped drive for sims for all the other laptops..

[Spyro]

I will try this temp solution and see if I can get it going that way, bare with me..

 

 

Annoyingly the staff member just left for the weekend and took the laptop with her, I will carry on on Monday morning and let you know if the temp fix works

 

Cheers guys

Edited July 4, 2014 by Spyro

[MrMat]

I will try this temp solution and see if I can get it going that way, bare with me..

 

 

Annoyingly the staff member just left for the weekend and took the laptop with her, I will carry on on Monday morning and let you know if the temp fix works

 

Cheers guys

 

It will

 

Good luck!

[splattthecat]

If you are using SOLUS3 check the SOLUS3 agent is installed and online on the client and re-deploy the last SIMS upgrade to that client machine.

It's also worth checking C:\Windows\SIMS.ini for the SIMSSetupsDirectory= setting. If this is pointing to a Setups folder with obsolete files in this can cause SIMS to be downgraded to an earlier version if SIMSLoad is called when starting SIMS and the SOLUS3 Agent Service isn't running.

[MrMat]

It's also worth checking C:\Windows\SIMS.ini for the SIMSSetupsDirectory= setting. If this is pointing to a Setups folder with obsolete files in this can cause SIMS to be downgraded to an earlier version if SIMSLoad is called when starting SIMS and the SOLUS3 Agent Service isn't running.

 

I believe the SOLUS3 agent actually disables SIMSLOAD so this shouldn't make any difference. This will only have an effect if the S3 Agent isn't actually installed on the machine in which case the machine wouldn't have been upgraded anyway.

 

All of our Primary Schools still have SIMSload.exe within their SIMS shortcuts and all are pointing to obsolete Setups folders without issue.

Edited July 4, 2014 by MrMat