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CAN'T CONNECT TO THE SERVER


DEO

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This topic has been covered quite extensively in the past. I went through mostly all the post, but I cannot seem to find an answer.

I have a stand alone computer and this past week this error has come up EVERY time I attempted to start the program.

I have tried and re-tried with no success.

Does any one have a solution. I have some urgent filings coming up to take care of..

Thanks

 

Deo

 

 

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I had the same problem last year with the February update on my stand alone computer. 

 

Problem was malware preventing the software to connect. 

 

Try downloading this free software, run it and then try a reinstall from the web-site.

 

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

 

 

Regards,

 

Pikester

 

I like this. It sounds like computers are busy and that's why they cannot connect. It happens to me when I open ATX and the computer has not fully boot up.

 

I like your suggestion but Jack thinks it is a Programming issue on ATX.

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I switched to Drake for 2013 returns for two reasons. I took over a friend's practice and he had used Drake for about ten years prior to 2013. I was also frustrated by printing issues and other software issues, including crashing numerous times with ATX 2012.

 

I purchased the 2013 ATX Payroll Compliance Software and Drake for 2014. I also had the ATX 2014 software disk sent to try out, and as a result was able to download the 2013 program. I notice that the printing issues seem to have been solved.

 

However, as others have noted, I have rarely been able to open the 2013 program because of the server issue. I have to totally turn off the computer, reboot and open nothing else except the 2013 ATX program. Most of the time that will work, but not always. I have not loaded the 2014 software as yet.

 

Dennis

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I switched to Drake for 2013 returns for two reasons. I took over a friend's practice and he had used Drake for about ten years prior to 2013. I was also frustrated by printing issues and other software issues, including crashing numerous times with ATX 2012.

 

I purchased the 2013 ATX Payroll Compliance Software and Drake for 2014. I also had the ATX 2014 software disk sent to try out, and as a result was able to download the 2013 program. I notice that the printing issues seem to have been solved.

 

However, as others have noted, I have rarely been able to open the 2013 program because of the server issue. I have to totally turn off the computer, reboot and open nothing else except the 2013 ATX program. Most of the time that will work, but not always. I have not loaded the 2014 software as yet.

 

Dennis

Your installation is not configured properly, IF you are using WIN7 PRO.

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  • 2 years later...

An old thread, but is top of the list from a Google search.  I have had this problem intermittently for several years.  Running an earlier year first usually but not always prevented the error.  I tried all of the suggestions here, none worked.  Opening a prior year program sometimes would allow the current year to run but it wasn't consistent. 

I finally found a workaround.  Going into Services and starting all of the ATX servers listed allows the software to reliably start the first time I click on the link.

I don't know the actual cause of the problem but as a WAG it may be that the software needs access to the prior years whenever there is rollover data and this is causing the "cannot connect to server" errors.  The software does not automatically start the prior year servers and it is the prior years access that is actually triggering the error.  Not access to the current year's server service.

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36 minutes ago, Gene Horr said:

An old thread, but is top of the list from a Google search.  I have had this problem intermittently for several years.  Running an earlier year first usually but not always prevented the error.  I tried all of the suggestions here, none worked.  Opening a prior year program sometimes would allow the current year to run but it wasn't consistent. 

I finally found a workaround.  Going into Services and starting all of the ATX servers listed allows the software to reliably start the first time I click on the link.

I don't know the actual cause of the problem but as a WAG it may be that the software needs access to the prior years whenever there is rollover data and this is causing the "cannot connect to server" errors.  The software does not automatically start the prior year servers and it is the prior years access that is actually triggering the error.  Not access to the current year's server service.

This is a very old thread.

Your answer to the problem is NOT the case.  

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On 9/1/2017 at 11:48 AM, Gene Horr said:

Going into Services and starting all of the ATX servers

Well, yeah, if your server service isn't running, ATX won't start.

Also, I learned this, this year:

Make a copy of and then delete:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\CCH Small Firm Services\ATX 2016 Server\Sfs.ServerHost.exe.config

 

 

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ATX programs have always been a major resource hog. When the ATX program is installed, it sets up 4 different database servers on both standalone and networked systems.

IMHO the program starts and tries to access the servers before the servers have spun up which generates the error messages, which is just bad programming.

Earlier this year when I would get this message, I would wait a minute and it would always start up on the second try.

Since I have installed a SSD hard drive on my Win 7 Pro 64 bit system with 6 Gigs of Ram, this error has not happened.

By the way, since I have installed the SSD, my system is ready to go from a cold boot in less than 1 Minute.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

AbbyNormal,

As I have encountered this issue today, and have tried opening prior years with no problem, tried the ATX 2016 Admin Console suggestion (2016 doesn't even appear on the list but 2013-2015 does), I am about to try your suggestion of copying and deleting the file which you posted above.  So if I understand correctly, I search for the file in the directory you list, then delete it then merely paste the copied file to the same directory?  Sounds like the original file might be corrupted??

Thanks for your help, I am beyond frustrated for this to be occurring with the deadline approaching!!

 

 

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2016 Admin Console is in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\CCH Small Firm Services\ATX 2016 Admin Console\Sfs.ServerHost.AdminConsole.exe

You delete the file and let ATX create a new one. It's safe to just outright delete the file and not make a copy somewhere. The deleted file will be in your Recycle Bin.

 

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UPDATE on my recent "unable to connect to server" issue for ATX 2016.  Apparently, Norton released a security update within the last few days, which did not play nice with the 2016 software, so none of the fixes in the Knowledgebase or the forums works in this case. Eric (my original contact &  Scott ( to whom it was escalated to)  from ATX support had me up & running within a few minutes he accessed my computer.  Also,,  he  put in a safeguard so 2017 will also be accessible. KUDOS to ATX support!!

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