Tas Books 1 version 8

[engine007]

Hi, I have just bought a new laptop running Windows 7. My previous laptop ran Vista. I use Tas Books 1 for my accounts but I cannot install version 8 onto this machine. When I try to intall version 8, a message says that I need Vista SP1, but this will not install onto Windows 7.
I have Tas Books 1 version 7 installed without any problem, and also downloaded the free version of Tas Books Basic, and this installed without problem. The problem with version 7 is that it will not restore my backup data from my old laptop as it was created using Tas version 8, so can anyone advise how to get Tas Books 1 version 8 onto this laptop running Windows 7 please?

 

[Tom McClelland]

THis strikes me as a question that TAS themselves will almost certainly have the answer to.

 

[David Griffiths]

THis strikes me as a question that TAS themselves will almost certainly have the answer to.

If you pay for support?

 

[engine007]

Yes, I am sure that Tas will have the answer to this issue, but they will not help me as I do not pay for their support. They wanted a fee to cover support, and the cost of that was more than I paid them for the software in the first place!

 

[Tom McClelland]

Sorry, I was thinking about this issue with my 12Pay hat on. I just can't imagine refusing to help someone with a question like that, particularly when the question sounds like a bug in the Tas installation routine, which shouldn't be making any Vista-based assumptions when you try to install it on W7.

 

[David Richards]

Hi, I have just bought a new laptop running Windows 7. My previous laptop ran Vista. I use Tas Books 1 for my accounts but I cannot install version 8 onto this machine. When I try to intall version 8, a message says that I need Vista SP1, but this will not install onto Windows 7.
I have Tas Books 1 version 7 installed without any problem, and also downloaded the free version of Tas Books Basic, and this installed without problem. The problem with version 7 is that it will not restore my backup data from my old laptop as it was created using Tas version 8, so can anyone advise how to get Tas Books 1 version 8 onto this laptop running Windows 7 please?

Hi there.

Firstly, here's the explanation:
TAS BOOKS 1 v8 was released almost two years ago—well before Windows 7—and was designed to work on Windows XP and Windows Vista. Like many other software houses, we use Installshield to install our programs. The specific problem you have is because Installshield 2008 does not appear to recognise Windows 7 and it misreporting it as Windows Vista. The database used in TAS BOOKS 1 v8 is called Pervasive Summit v10.12 - this database requires Service Pack 1 as a minimum requirement when installed on Windows Vista and it simply won't install if SP1 isn't there. (Incidentally, the reason that TAS BOOKS 1 v7 installs OK is because it uses an older version of that database—one which doesn't require SP1 when installed on Vista.)

So what's happening is that Installshield asks Windows what version it is and misinterprets it as being Windows Vista. It knows that it needs SP1 to work properly on Vista, so it can't continue. But of course, there's no such thing as an SP1 for Windows 7 yet, so it can't install.

And now the solution:
You'll need to install TAS BOOKS 1 in Windows 7's 'compatibility mode'—which is how Windows 7 deals with programs designed for earlier versions of Windows. See http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Make-older-programs-run-in-this-version-of-Windows for details of how to do this.

If that doesn't solve the problem for you, then there's a second option. Most editions of Windows 7 also have 'XP mode', so programs run as if they were on 'virtual' Windows XP computer—see http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/features/windows-xp-mode.aspx for details.

I hope that resolves your problem.

 

[Tom McClelland]

Good support. (Well spotted!)

 

[engine007]

Hi and thanks for your interest in my problem.
I have managed to solve this problem now, and for the benefit of anyone else, this is how I did it, and it is simple.
I found 'windows compatibilty mode' in W7. I had never heard of this before. Follow the wizard in this through 'control panel', then something like 'programs that worked on other systems'. I then browsed to vista SP1 as this was what was preventing the install and followed from there. I now have TAS v8 running properly under Windows 7!
Once again, thanks for your interest, and i hope this helps anyone else with the same problem with Tas Books.
I actually think that Tas Books is an excellent accounting program, but I do not like having to pay for their support, and therefor I have to try to resolve any problems myself.

 

[Tom McClelland]

Hi and thanks for your interest in my problem.
I have managed to solve this problem now, and for the benefit of anyone else, this is how I did it, and it is simple.
I found 'windows compatibilty mode' in W7. I had never heard of this before. Follow the wizard in this through 'control panel', then something like 'programs that worked on other systems'. I then browsed to vista SP1 as this was what was preventing the install and followed from there. I now have TAS v8 running properly under Windows 7!
Once again, thanks for your interest, and i hope this helps anyone else with the same problem with Tas Books.
I actually think that Tas Books is an excellent accounting program, but I do not like having to pay for their support, and therefor I have to try to resolve any problems myself.

I think you'll find that David Richards, who posted this very solution above in this thread is a Tas employee. So, if I'm correct, they've given you very fine support.

 

[David Richards]

I think you'll find that David Richards, who posted this very solution above in this thread is a Tas employee.

Yes that's correct. I'm actually the Product Manager for TAS. (So although not a support technician, I try to help when I can!)

 

[engine007]

My Tas Books 1 program has stopped working again.
I have tried the compatibilty mode with no success.
When I try to open the program. the flash screen appears briefly and then a message states 'unable to access the file C:\TASBOO~1\Data1\MTAVER.B'
Anyone able to help please?

 

[claire21]

this all sounds familar except i get to the stage 'restore from alternative backup file'.
I go to my pendrive and click it to open the TB1 backup, then it tells me 'destination directory doesnt exist'
anybody any ideas?

 

[nigela]

I have been using a very old version of tas books basic (v3) - which I am totally happy with. My computer runs on windows xp and is about 10 years old. I am looking to update my computer but would like to continue to run my old Tas books package on anew computer using either windows 7 or 8. Do you know if I can do this by using the windows xp compatable mode mentioned above?

 

[claire21]

Sorry, have to be honest. I don't know :|
I've had so many problems with Tas I actually hate the thing!!

 

[talkinpeace]

My Tas is Tas Books 2 multicompany and its fine on Windows 7