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Topic: Windows 10

Prompted by a post by Lizzie Peat on the ALERC forum regarding MapMate on Windows 8 and 10, I wondered what preparations were being made for Recorder to work with Windows 10?

Lizzie gave a good summary:

I have just finished reading 'MapMate Alerts!  Issue 110'

The key point is that MapMate...'have now, regrettably, and until further notice, decided to drop any recommendation that MapMate will run on Windows 8 (or subsequent Windows versions) for prospective or future users.

Mike Beard
Natural Course Project Officer
Greater Manchester Local Records Centre

2 (edited by stevemcbill 13-06-2015 19:11:58)

Re: Windows 10

MapMate Alerts!  Issue 110:

Welcome,

This alert is to let you know of a recent issue with Windows 8 and 8.1 and to ponder the future of MapMate under Windows.
Problem: The symptoms of this particular problem are that queries can't be chosen from the list in Analysis as this is blank.  The cause of this issue is that the "tree-view control" used to choose queries in Analysis was broken when Windows 8.0 was released.  This is part of the Windows operating system - being a "common control" - it is not 'MapMate' as such.   It is part of 'Windows', intended for software developers to use as an interface with you.

This was subsequently fixed, together with a host of other general problems, when Windows 8.1 was (quickly) released to replace 8.0.  Upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 also fixed the problem.  Microsoft then, recently, released a "not-required cumulative update" for 8.1 which (inadvertently) contained some problems from 8.0 that had been fixed in 8.1, consequently breaking it again.  This Update is KB3000850 and you are safe to remove it (which will restore functionality again).

Further complications:  It now appears that KB3059317 may have broken it again.  All we can suggest again is that you remove this update if applicable.

To remove an update: From Control Panel click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates, and then select from the list of updates.

Future (and Windows 10):  We have been asked a number of times now "Will MapMate run on Windows 10?"  All we can say is that we truly don't know.  Consider this question in context of the fact that Windows 8.1 is still unstable and yet Microsoft are already advertising Windows 10 to replace it.  Microsoft have a pattern of one good, then one bad version - which they have held to since it all started - so a betting man would have his money on 10 being good: XP good, Vista bad, 7 good, 8 bad, 10???  There is no software science here - it is purely Microsoft business strategy.

If MapMate is important to you - and/or until something else may come along to take it's place - you would be well advised to try and keep a stable and clean Windows 7 machine for as long as you can.  You will be able to continue to run the software indefinitely under these conditions.  We also strongly advise that you turn Windows Update to "ask me first" and then manually run them: you can then clearly see which may have a detrimental effect.  Avoid all "cumulative updates" as these always seem very poorly tested and their 'critical' content delivered otherwise.

We have now, regrettably, and until further notice, decided to drop any recommendation that MapMate will run on Windows 8 (or subsequent Windows versions) for prospective or future users.  We will keep you informed of any other bugs or issues and fixes as we find and resolve them.

Steve J. McWilliam
www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk
www.stevemcwilliam.co.uk/guitar/

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Re: Windows 10

Nothing we are aware of at the moment should  stop Recorder working under Windows 10. Recorder does work with Windows 8 and 8.1 although there are installation issues.  We do know that R6 will run under SQL Server 2014, so hopefully MS will ensure that this will install and run under Windows 10. There were some substantial differences between the pre-release   versions of Windows 8 and later versions so we can't be certain about Windows 10  until we can test with a release version.  I believe that funds  will be available to carry out these tests, but as yet no support contract is actually in place for 2015/16.

Mike Weideli

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Re: Windows 10

Thanks for the rapid response Mike. Good to see that it is in hand.

Mike Beard
Natural Course Project Officer
Greater Manchester Local Records Centre

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Re: Windows 10

Hi all,

Upgrading to W10 from W8.1 on my machine didn't even remove Recorder (whereas W8 to W8.1 did) and it seems to be working fine so far.

Machine: HP Pavilion G6
Operating system: Windows 10, 64-bit

Server: SQL Server 2008 R2, SP2, 32-bit (SQLEXPRWT_x86_ENU.exe)

Recorder 6: Version 6.22.2.274, Dictionary 2Z

Cheers,
Sam

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Re: Windows 10

Thanks for the info, very useful. Will checking as soon as I get the upgrade if R6 will install on Windows 10 and which version of  SQL Server is best.

Mike Weideli

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Re: Windows 10

I have now testing the install of R6 (v 6.23.2) on Windows 10. The testing was done on a new install of  the first  version of Windows 10. Possible there  might be some differences with a system upgraded from Windows 8.1. Most of the issues were with the installation of SQL Server. The version used in the testing was SQL  Server 2014 (ExpressandTools64Bit\SQLEXPRNT_x64_ENU.exe    833.2 MB), downloaded from the Microsoft Web Site. The installation of this requires .NetFramework3.5 which was not installed by Windows 10. It was available to add via Control Panel/Programs&Folders/Turn Windows Features on or off. Selecting turn on .NetFramework3.5  caused the download of additional files which were automatically installed.  The installation of SQL Server then proceeded without incident. Installation of R6 was then possible following the  procedures documented for Windows 8.1.

Mike Weideli

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Re: Windows 10

Hi again Mike,

Another snippet: Microsoft is saying that SQL Server 2008/2008R2 aren't supported on Windows 10:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2681562

When I did a fresh install of 2008 R2 recently on Windows 10 (after the November 2015 Update, the first of the regular major upgrades Microsoft is planning) I was able to simply bat off incompatibility messages and all seems to be running fine at the moment. But if Microsoft isn't supporting SQL 2008 on W10 then I suppose any future update could knock it out!

Best wishes
Sam