How to share ACT! with Parallels & WindowsXP

[PeDaSp]

If you are trying to share an ACT! database over a simple Windows XP network using Parallels and you get the following message:

"ERROR: The database XXX could not be accessed. In order to access this database, check your network connection and verify that your database server is available. It may be necessary to disable any firewall software on your computer or the server".

...then you need to turn of the Windows XP firewall on either the server, the client, or both.

Start > Control Panels > Network and Internet Connections > Windows Firewall.

This seems to be a requirement, even if ACT! is listed as an exception for the firewall. Only the ACT! .exe file will be listed as an exception, and for ACT! to work correctly, other files have to be excepted.

I have yet to speak with ACT! to clarify this, as obviously you don't want to leave your firewall off permanently. Make sure you have your internet router firewall on of course.

When you install ACT! you are instructed to turn all firewalls off. I did not do this and perhaps this has something to do with the issue arising.

[bradgarland]

We're using Act! 2007 for our corporate environment and I'm having a helluva time trying to get it to work with Parallels. It will not sync the changes I make. Says it doesn't get a response from the 'sync server'.

Tried the disabling firewall suggestion on my end but to no avail. Any help would be great!

[constant]

.
Well now, PeDaSp posted a solution here in the how to forum.

However, bradgarland has posted a problem.

I guess I'll have to read the forum description to find out whether this is a forum for solutions or problems.
.

[extensivegroup]

Does anyone know if the above solution works okay with any of the most recent updates to Parallels? Curious as I'm going to try and sell this as a solution to someone that has a PC only to host an ACT! database.

THanks in advance!

[PeDaSp]

I would stick with just the PC for ACT!. PC's are dirt cheap. Parallels plus a copy of Windows XP/Vista is not cheap.

[budjames]

Where is that ACT! sync solution posted? I have the same problem in that I cannot sync ACT! 2008 Premium with my corporate server ACT! database.

Thanks.

Bud James

[Xenos]

Hello all,

Please try using Bridged Ethernet to make ACT! working in Parallels Desktop.

In Shared Network mode the VM shares the Mac's IP address and in Bridged Ethernet mode the VM running Windows has a separate IP address. Sometimes third-party software refuses to deal with an invisible machine behind the Mac's IP address for security reasons.

Best regards,
Xenos

[skilcoyne]

For anyone looking to use ACT! in Parallels:

If you are having trouble getting your Mac to work with the database, be sure to restart your Mac. In general, it was helpful for me to do a few restarts when getting this installed and working.

If you are planning on creating reports you will need to have a printer installed. In my experience, it did not matter that I only wanted to view the reports in PDF. I had to install a printer (in this case I used Cute.PDF) and only then would the software allow me to create an ACT! report.

Similarly, I obviously needed Excell installed in the XP OS in order to export information.