Migrating to new Server with DVMAX v7.5

Owned by John Bellos (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 20, 2020 by Amy Blanchard
5 min read

NOTE: This is NOT a document for how to upgrade from older versions of DVMAX. This article assumes you have DVMAX v7.5 already running, and that you are only moving to a new computer/server.

Step 1: Export Users and Passwords

  • Log in to DVMAX Client as the Administrator user.
  • From the Section menu, select General Management.
  • The General Management dialog opens. Click the Utilities tab.
  • Select Set Passwords & Users and click OK. The Tool Box opens. 
  • Click the Gear icon on the left side of the window to change to the Groups view.
  • Click the Save Users & Groups button  at the bottom of the window:
  • The Save As dialog will open.
  • Select your Desktop, name the file passwords and click Save.
  • Close the Tool Box by clicking X in the window title bar.
  • Close the DVMAX. From the DVMAX menu, select Quit.

 

Step 2: Install DVMAX Software.

  • Contact DVMAX Technical Support at 800-950-5455 for a link to the installer
  • After downloading the installer, locate the Installer for the current DVMAX version the clinic is using and double click it to get started. (In Win 10/Win2012 you will have to right click the installer, and choose Run as Administrator)
Note: If you are running on a Windows 64-bit machine, be sure to use the 64 Bit installer.
  • Follow the Installer prompts, and be sure to install DVMAX Server, and DVMAX Client.


Step 3: Apply DVMAX Updater

  • Skip this step if you are installing 7.6 or Higher
  • Navigate to the DVMAX UPDATER program (not UPGRADER)

    Windows: C:/Program Files (x86)/DVMAXProgramFiles75/DVMAXUpdater/DVMAX Updater.exe
    Macintosh: Macintosh HD: Applications:DVMAXProgramFiles75:DVMAXUpdater
  • Once the Updater program launches, go to the File menu (Or DVMAX Updater menu on Mac) and choose Preferences.
  • Type in your License and DVMAXID, then click Close.
  • If you get an error, re-check you typed in your license correctly. If you get Error 0, quit and Re-launch DVMAX Updater.
  • Select the DVMAX Server radio button. If the program asks you to locate the program, navigate to it here:

    Windows: C:/Program Files (x86)/DVMAXProgramFiles75/DVMAXServerFolder/DVMAX.exe
    Macintosh: Macintosh HD:Applications:DVMAXProgramFiles75/DVMAXServer
  • On the lower left, locate the most recent update and highlight it.

    For Windows: DVMAX-WIN_7.5.1b2.zip
    For Macintosh: DVMAX-MAC_7.5.1b2.zip
  • Click the Download Update button.
  • Once the transfer finishes, the update will appear on the right.
  • Highlight the downloaded update on the right, then click Install Update. Confirm any prompts that appear.
  • When the Update Complete message appears, click OK and Quit the DVMAX Updater program.


Step 4: Move Data and Images from Old Server to New Server

  • Locate your DVMAXDatabaseFiles folder on the old server typically located in:
    Windows:     C:/, or D:/, etc.
    Macintosh:     Macintosh HD:: or Macintosh HD::Users::home::Documents::
  • Move the DVMAXDatabaseFiles folder from the old server to the new server into the same, or similar, location.  You can do this via an external hard drive or over the network.
  • **Custom Reports: If you are using any special Custom Reports you will need to move the customReports folder from the old server and replace the newly installed one at the new server.  The typical location for the customReports folder is:

        Windows: C:/Program Files/DVMAXProgramFiles7/DVMAXServerFolder/Server Database/Web/customReports
        Macintosh: Macintosh HD::Applications::DVMAXProgramFiles7::DVMAXServerFolder:Web:customReports


  • Locate your DVMAX Images folder on the old server. This is typically located in:
    • Windows: C:\ or D:\DVMAXDatabaseFiles\DVMAXImagesFolder
    • Macintosh: Mac HD:User:Documents: DVMAXDatabaseFilesFolder: DVMAXImagesFolder
  • Move this folder from the old server to the new server into the same, or similar, location. Refer to our image configuration documents for more information on configuration on the new server:

Step 5: Launch DVMAX Server

  • Double click DVMAX Server on the Desktop.
  • At the first prompt, click OPEN to select a datafile.
  • Point DVMAX to your datafile and click Open.
  • When it's complete, you'll see a graph window, click Done.
  • The new DVMAX Server application will open and show the scrolling CPU Monitor. If it does not, click the Window menu at the top and choose Administration.

Step 6: Configure Backup

We recommend the following configuration:

  • Click on the Maintenance Tab, then click on the Preferences button to configure your backup.
  • Change Automatic Backup to Daily.
  • Set the time (military format) for when your practice is least busiest or closed.
  • Click the Configuration tab.
  • In the Attachments area, click 'Add File...'
  • Point to the location of your datafile folder and select the .4DIndx, 4DSyncData, .4DSyncHeader, and .Match files as attachments.
  • For the Backup Destination, click the '...' button to the right.
  • Set the Backup Destination to your DVMAXBackupsFolder, typically located in:
C:/DVMAXDatabaseFiles/DVMAXBackupFolder on Windows
Macintosh HD:Documents:DVMAXDatabaseFiles:DVMAXBackupFolder on Macintosh
  • Check the Use Log File box. A dialog will ask you where to save the Journal File. Save it in the same folder as your data, typically located in:
C:/DVMAXDatabaseFiles/DVMAXDataFolder on Windows
Macintosh HD:Documents:DVMAXDatabaseFiles:DVMAXDataFolder on Macintosh
  • Click the Backup & Restore tab.
  • Set the If Backup Fails choice to Retry at the Next Scheduled Date and Time, or any other option of your liking. If you set it to retry differently, make sure you check the box to Cancel the operation after a certain number of attempts to avoid endless backup attempts and failures.
  • Click OK to save the Backup settings - DVMAX will then perform it's first backup

 

Step 7: Configure Auto Session Management (DVMAX v8.6 ONLY)

  • Go to the Edit menu (On Macintosh, go to File menu)  and choose Database Settings
  • Click on the Web icon. (8th icon across the top)
  • Click on Options (I) tab
  • Locate the Inactive Process Timeout section and move the slider bar to the 5 min setting
  • Check the Automatic Session Management box

Step 8: Configure Cache

  • Go to the File menu and choose Database Settings.
  • Click on the Database / House icon.
  • Click on the Memory tab.
  • Change the Maximum Size to a higher valiue, depending on your system.
  • If you're running Windows 32-Bit Server, set the Maximum size below 1000 mb. (We recommend 700 MB)
  • If you're running Windows 64-Bit Server, set the Maximum size to 3-4 GB, if you have the free memory.
  • If you're running Macintosh Server, set the Maximum size below 2 GB. (We recommend 1500 MB)
  • The other values listed on this page should be left at their defaults. Changing any other values could have an adverse affect on your system.
  • Quit and re-launch the DVMAX Server Application for these changes to take effect.


Step 9: Import Passwords

  • Login to DVMAX Client as the Administrator user if you have not done so already (password will be blank).
  • From the Section menu, select General Management. The Management Functions dialog opens.
  • Click the Utilities tab.
  • Select Set Passwords & Users and click OK.  The Tool Box opens.
  • Click the Groups icon on the left side of the window to change to the Groups view. 
  • Click on the Gear icon at the bottom right and choose Load Users and Passwords.
  • Click Desktop and select the Passwords file you saved before beginning your upgrade and click Open. Users and Passwords are loaded.
  • Click the Users icon on the left side of the screen.
  • If desired, select the Administrator user and click Edit to set a password for this user.
  • Enter the desired password, confirm the password, and click Change.
  • Click the X in the window title bar to close the Tool Box.

Step 10: Enable Replication (Applies only to v8.6 and Only if Using Remote Processing Feature)

  • Log into DVMAX Client as Administrator
  • Click Section → Hold SHIFT → Click System Constants.
  • At the prompt, click I Understand
  • Click on the Functions tab
  • Click Execute method and type: rp_InitializeTables
  • Click OK.
  • The Program will enable REPLICATE as needed. It will take roughly 5-15 minutes, depending on the size of the data and the speed of the machine.
  • When the process is done, the progress dialog will disappear, and you will be able to close out of Advanced Settings.
  • No reboot of DVMAX is necessary.


*Note: If the server IP address has changed, when logging in to the client application for the first time after the server migration, the user will get a runtime error. Click Continue to the alert and the user should see the new server IP address displayed. Select this new server and click OK.