How to extend the idle time on my PC

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John Dykema
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How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by John Dykema »

If I let PC+ sit idle for just a few minutes I get an error and can't use it anymore. In fact, I can't even get out of the error and so I have to use cntrl/alt/del.
Does anyone know how to increase the idle time and still be able to get back into the PC+ program?
We are running Win XP Pro on 5 networked pcs.
Thanks.
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

Tracy
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Tracy »

What version of PowerChurch?
What is the error you are receiving?
Tracy

Zorak
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Zorak »

In your Power Settings in Windows, do you have it shutting down the network card when not in use?

John Dykema
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by John Dykema »

Sorry It's been a while since I could get back to this error with you.
To answer Tracy's question:
We use PC+ 10.4 date 07/14 on Win xP Pro. We use USB Linksys wireless adapters on our desktop machines.
If I'm idle more than say 5 minutes we get is "Invalid Seek Offset" Cancel, Ignore.....
and the only way out of this is Cntrl-alt-delete.


To answer Zorak's question:
My power setting don't show a network card setting. It's set to a Home/Office desk, never hibernating, System Standby-Never, and Hard drive shutdown- Never.
Hope this helps.

NeilZ
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by NeilZ »

John Dykema wrote:Sorry It's been a while since I could get back to this error with you.
To answer Tracy's question:
We use PC+ 10.4 date 07/14 on Win xP Pro. We use USB Linksys wireless adapters on our desktop machines.
If I'm idle more than say 5 minutes we get is "Invalid Seek Offset" Cancel, Ignore.....
and the only way out of this is Cntrl-alt-delete.


To answer Zorak's question:
My power setting don't show a network card setting. It's set to a Home/Office desk, never hibernating, System Standby-Never, and Hard drive shutdown- Never.
Hope this helps.
John,

with the USB adapters, what signal strength are you getting (also are they 802.11G or 802.11N adapters), in other words, which model ??
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Tracy
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Tracy »

If you are connecting to a Windows server, it may be related to the timeout for network drive connections.
For more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297684
Tracy

John Dykema
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by John Dykema »

For Tracy: Our network mapped drive never gets disconnected. This does not happen to any other application that I'm running except PC+. I can leave a Word doc idle all day without this problem.

Neil: We use Linsys usb adapters - 802.11g and we use Comcast cable to the router and get download strength of 5.47 Mbps. If I click on the adapter in the tray it shows 54 Mbps strength with all 5 bars showing. Hope that helps.
John

Zorak
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Zorak »

There is a check box option on my USB wireless device properties at home that reads "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" on the Power Management tab of the device properties. This goes back to Windows XP, so you should have it too.

The difference between having a Word document open across a network connection and running a program like PowerChurch Plus across a network connection is significant. Once you open that Word document, you only need access to anything when you are finished working and try to save changes. Running PowerChurch Plus, you need access to the network drive whenever you open a menu or do anything else in the program.

NeilZ
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by NeilZ »

I was thinking about that USB parameter too. Do you have a screensaver setup that would trigger that??

FWIW ... at the new church, we have the main computer running on a Linksys 803.11n USB adapter, which is accessed by other computers over a Linksys N wireless router. One laptop, and one desktop using a Linksys USB G adapter, neither has a problem with long term use of Powerchurch over the network.
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Tracy
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Tracy »

Version 11 handles this differently. The workstation will keep a copy of the executable on the local workstation. This will help with the disconnects, and prevent the "Invalid Seek Offset" error.
Tracy

John Dykema
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by John Dykema »

Neil, I have extended my screensaver to 30 minutes to no avail.
Also, I've looked all through the properties of my wireless connection and could not find a checkbox about allowing the computer to turn off.......
Anyway:
Here is the error I got today:
PROGRAM: FRM_COENTER.REFRESH
LINE: 23
ERROR: 1104
MESSAGE: Error reading file i:\data\me.dbf
Hope this helps you.

BTW, do you know how I can copy the error in PC+ and paste it in this forum? Copy and paste doesn't work for me for these errors.
John

Tracy
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Tracy »

I am 99% sure these messages are due to the server disconnecting the workstation due to lack of activity. The speed of the reconnection and authentication to reconnect is slower than the base language we use is expecting.

On Windows 2000 and later. When an error message, as the one you presented, is on the screen, the CTRL+C (CTRL+Insert also works) should put the text of the message box (Title, message, button labels) on to the clipboard. All versions of windows should be able to use ALT+Print Screen to capture an image of just the message box.
Tracy

NeilZ
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by NeilZ »

This is very weird, as we have a wireless network at the church here. We've not seen this type of behavior at all. OK .. how about the firewall what are you using ??
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

Lnkoop
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by Lnkoop »

Neil, we are using the Windows Firewall. We run Win xp pro. Could there be a setting in there possibly?

NeilZ
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Re: How to extend the idle time on my PC

Post by NeilZ »

Lnkoop wrote:Neil, we are using the Windows Firewall. We run Win xp pro. Could there be a setting in there possibly?
Seriously doubt it ... it doesn't have as many tweakable settings.
Neil Zampella

Using PC+ since 1999.

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