About version updates

[whb456]

Hello, this is my first post, and i have a question about version updates, i am currently running PCP 10, and it has never been updated, and i was wondering if i should download the latest maintenance release version which is 11.5? i am a little unsure about which to download, your help would be appreciated. Thank You

[tborgal]

The maintenance release for v 11.5 will not work on V10. If you have not installed any MR's for v10 you should, bit they will be listed under V10. I can not remember if you can download the latest MR under the Help drop down menu or not however.

[whb456]

Thank You very much, so i should download 10.5

[whb456]

I should have asked this question in my first post, but when i install the MR will the update installation keep my former setup intact, or will the update wipe away everything i currently have setup? well come to think of it, i will back up everything anyway. i would rather be safe than sorry.

[whb456]

I should have asked this question in my first post, but when i install the MR update will the update installation keep my former setup intact, or will the update wipe away everything i currently have setup/saved? well come to think of it, i will back up everything anyway. i would rather be safe than sorry. and speaking of backing up my current files and setup, is the back up engine in this program accurate, will there be any issues with unicode, or any thing of this nature, i do not want to backup and install the latest version, only to find that when i have to do a restore, that everything is not as they should be, But please still answer my initial question. Thank You

[tborgal]

Installing a MR will not effect any data. Backups are perfectly safe and will restore with no problems. I do them all the time so I will have a copy of the data at home on my system and have never had a problem in over 10 years of doing them.

[whb456]

Thank You Tom

[NeilZ]

should have asked this question in my first post, but when i install the MR will the update installation keep my former setup intact, or will the update wipe away everything i currently have setup? well come to think of it, i will back up everything anyway. i would rather be safe than sorry.

No data is touched during a maintenance release.

That said, always doing a backup is a very wise thing.

However, what you're doing is a Maintenance Release (MR). These can correct program issues, and some will introduce minor program changes.

A Version update is exactly that, a whole new upgrade, and that requires the purchase of the new version. The version upgrade normally includes Major changes (such as the revamped Payroll module in v11.1, and revamped Personal Profiles screens in v11.5), as well as database updates. This normally requires a database conversion, which will copy existing data and enter it into the new version's database.

This also leaves your original installation intact. You'll need to keep the old installation as backups can only be restored to the version they were made from, so if you need some old data that was deleted, you have the capability to restore to that old installation to find it.