ATX 2014 can't connect to server

[jklcpa]

 

  Jack from Ohio 

• Posted Today, 12:22 PM
• Deleted Today, 01:02 PM by author
• From topic title="Go to this topic">ATX 2014 can't to...

•  

 

You should ask for a refund...

 

 

Please stop the snarking, and if not, I'll lock the topic because it seems that the actual topic question has been discussed and exhausted.  Thanks.

Edited December 14, 2014 by jklcpa
ETA quote (later deleted by author along with his 13 other posts in the thread) to show why my request was made.

[Jack from Ohio]

Please stop the snarking, and if not, I'll lock the topic because it seems that the actual topic question has been discussed and exhausted.  Thanks.

I will make no more posts regarding installation or program operation issues with ATX2014.  Everyone should call Tech Support or ask Pacun.

 

I have been scolded.

[Pacun]

don't be so sensitive, we appreciate your inputs but other people also have other ideas. That's the beauty of this forum. WE APPRECIATE everybody's input.

[FreedomTaxed]

Thanks, Pacun. I'm sure you understand that we suffered from "penny wise, pound foolish" when it came to the computers and server.

 

After letting ATV2014 run empty and idle on all the PCs over the weekend, I'm seeing the CCTS error message on all the PCs now. Of course, our PCs go into sleep mode, so I can easily posit that that's part of the 'problem'; I click OK on the message after waking the PC up, and it doesn't appear again... until it goes to sleep and wakes up again. I can increase the time-until-sleep in the Windows power settings so this doesn't bother me.

 

I'd like to remind everyone here that I enjoy speaking here about ATX and that we're all friends; all brothers-in-arms against the yearly storm that crosses our desks and countertops. I keep telling our tax preparers that THEY are the skilled labor, and I'm only here to make sure the B.S. of the job is minimized so they have all the time they need to conquer the serious problems that arise in tax preparation. This forum is my B.S. shovel and I value it highly.

[jklcpa]

I'd like to remind everyone here that I enjoy speaking here about ATX and that we're all friends; all brothers-in-arms against the yearly storm that crosses our desks and countertops. I keep telling our tax preparers that THEY are the skilled labor, and I'm only here to make sure the B.S. of the job is minimized so they have all the time they need to conquer the serious problems that arise in tax preparation. This forum is my B.S. shovel and I value it highly.

 

Thanks for that ^. 

[Jack from Ohio]

don't be so sensitive, we appreciate your inputs but other people also have other ideas. That's the beauty of this forum. WE APPRECIATE everybody's input.

Really???

[PurpleTaxLady]

This was an ongoing issue all last tax season. 50 times a day this little message pops up. Click retry a few time and yes it does do whatever it does and goes away. When you're really busy and can't work because this little message pops up all the time causes problems and lost time. Tech support said the machine doesn't meet standard requirements. I Installed the new software for this year, didn't open the program or roll over yet and up it pops, REALLY? The base standard on the machine is 5.2 and I downloaded ATX's program that you run and it tells you if your machine meets minimum or recommended requirements. With their own program all aspects of the test not only meets their recommened requirements but several actually surpasses what they recommend so it is a software issue. Software people if they don't know what the issue is or how to resolve it, they pass it off as hardware! FYI, for the program, the file is Sfs.SystemAnalysisTool.exe you can find ithe link under the blog > software news. I also might add that I was told by ATX that this was their biggest complaint last year! REALLY! go figure.

[Jack from Ohio]

This was an ongoing issue all last tax season. 50 times a day this little message pops up. Click retry a few time and yes it does do whatever it does and goes away. When you're really busy and can't work because this little message pops up all the time causes problems and lost time. Tech support said the machine doesn't meet standard requirements. I Installed the new software for this year, didn't open the program or roll over yet and up it pops, REALLY? The base standard on the machine is 5.2 and I downloaded ATX's program that you run and it tells you if your machine meets minimum or recommended requirements. With their own program all aspects of the test not only meets their recommened requirements but several actually surpasses what they recommend so it is a software issue. Software people if they don't know what the issue is or how to resolve it, they pass it off as hardware! FYI, for the program, the file is Sfs.SystemAnalysisTool.exe you can find ithe link under the blog > software news.

The "hardware is not adequate" actually means...  "It is a design problem and we don't want to talk about it."  I have been challenged and derided about this statement, but I can state this from a position of actual experience and knowledge.

[jklcpa]

Hi PurpleTaxLady, and welcome to the group.  I think Jack is correct about it being a design flaw in the program that CCHSFS can't or won't fix, and there are other problems at CCHSFS also, one being lack of adequately trained technical support staff.   I think his statements from another topic summarize this very well:

 

 

1. Problems installing 2014 at the firm.  I have not called tech support yet.  Monday morning will be my day to see if there are any qualified and empowered technicians on duty. 
2. Corporate reluctance to take ownership of the 2012 debacle and admitting how it hurt ATX users' 2013 return.
3. A general lack of understanding of customer service.

[PurpleTaxLady]

Also one other point on the subject. Not everyone can run out and spend $1,000 to $1,5000 to upgrade a 3 year old computer just to accommmodate ATX software!! Just as one of the Geek Squad techs at Best Buy said, "this sin't something the processor would have anything to do with and what if you did spend the money to upgrade your machine and the issue remains? You've just spend a lot of money you didn't need to and still by using their own tool, the machine is at or above par!

[mcb39]

Also one other point on the subject. Not everyone can run out and spend $1,000 to $1,5000 to upgrade a 3 year old computer just to accommmodate ATX software!! Just as one of the Geek Squad techs at Best Buy said, "this sin't something the processor would have anything to do with and what if you did spend the money to upgrade your machine and the issue remains? You've just spend a lot of money you didn't need to and still by using their own tool, the machine is at or above par!

 

IMO, I cannot believe any average person would spend that much on a new computer, let alone an upgrade.  My desktop was new the summer before the 2012 so-called year from hell.  I think I paid about $600 for an i5, Win 7 Pro, 16 mg ram.  Both of my laptops are identical i5s with Win 7 Pro 64 bit and all three of these computers handle ATX beautifully.  I had extremely few problems in 2012 or any other year.  Again, IMO, most of the problems lie in systems that are networked and/or are low on Mhz processors.  All of mine are running at least 2.6 MHz with turbo boost.  I wouldn't trust a Geek Squad tech from Best Buy from here to the corner of my office.  We have more technical knowledge on this board than all of them put together.  Jack and Pacun have amazing knowledge; as do many others.  I am sure the main reason for my ability to stay out of trouble is the fact that I run all of my machines as stand alones.  I do feel badly for those who have to network. 

 

Will probably get rained on for this post, but Jack summed it up very well and Judy concurred.  Welcome to the world of ATX and technology.  We are always happy to have new tax preparers join the board that Eric so very kindly put together for us.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

Hardware:  I never keep current.  I like yo use several year old hardware.  If I use current, my comptuer would be faster than my customers, which can cause issues.  Hardware is so far ahead of what we can physically type and what the common graphics systems can display, there is little need to keep up.  Sure, if you are doing something special, you can buy special gear (think flight sim with a huge frame rate), but for general usage, anything within the last 5 years is fine.  I happen to be using a sub 200 laptop at present, hooked to a large monitor and USB keybard and mouse.  Plenty fast enough.

 

Not an ATX user, but I have one comment on network issues.  WIndows has settings which control how "network" connctions are refreshed.  We use a small network to pass backup files (instead of sneaker net).  At random times, one computer will not be seen by another.  Yes, ours will sleep/hibernate.  One gets turned on and off during the day.  Does not happen often enough for us to look into it, but it concievably be a clue as to the ATX issue.  Remember, "server" and 'network" absolutely may be something on the very same computer - it does not have to be on a different computer.

[FreedomTaxed]

I look at our $15000 equipment investment as a 5-yr plan. We have to get at least 4 years out of the deal; 5 is the target; so if we get 6 or more, it's a gift. Our previous installed base of computers was about 4-5 years old. Ultimately we're looking at an equipment cost of about $2 per client per year. Our ATX purchase price is about the same. So the hardware and software place a paltry cost upon each client. (I worry about preparer wages and bonuses instead.)

[Jack from Ohio]

I look at our $15000 equipment investment as a 5-yr plan. We have to get at least 4 years out of the deal; 5 is the target; so if we get 6 or more, it's a gift. Our previous installed base of computers was about 4-5 years old. Ultimately we're looking at an equipment cost of about $2 per client per year. Our ATX purchase price is about the same. So the hardware and software place a paltry cost upon each client. (I worry about preparer wages and bonuses instead.)

You need to seek out a different hardware supplier.  At the firm, we do ~3,000 returns per year for the past 10 years..  Over the most recent 5 year period, our computer hardware costs are approx. $.95 per client per year.  This includes replacing all workstations, the server and a total upgrade of wiring and infrastructure, all software including QB and Office.  None of our equipment is more than 3 years old. 

 

To try to use todays computer systems beyond 3 years will cost you in productivity.

 

Dedicated domain server, 10 workstations, wireless access for clients, 4 networked high volume networked printers and 2 wireless access points.  I think you are spending way too much.

[jklcpa]

I look at our $15000 equipment investment as a 5-yr plan. We have to get at least 4 years out of the deal; 5 is the target; so if we get 6 or more, it's a gift. Our previous installed base of computers was about 4-5 years old. Ultimately we're looking at an equipment cost of about $2 per client per year. Our ATX purchase price is about the same. So the hardware and software place a paltry cost upon each client. (I worry about preparer wages and bonuses instead.)

 

 

That ~ $2 per client per year seems to be based on your bottomed-out low of ~ 1400 clients. On a per client basis, that number will reduce down as you rebuild your client base.