This article discusses options for upgrading and disk space requirements.
This article is written in the context of the Premium edition, but the same methods apply for the Basic edition.
You may choose to move to KM8 without running a test version first, or you may choose to test KM8 while still operating on KM7.
If you run a test KM8, then at time of cutting over from KM7 to KM8, your most recent KM7 data needs to be converted to KM8. After going live with KM8, you must shut down KM7 to ensure that it is not used by mistake (If you do use KM7 by mistake then you will have a mix of data between the two versions and the inevitable outcome is loss of information).
There are no shared components between version 8 and previous versions, so for testing purposes you can run both versions on the same computer(s) and test version 8 while continuing to operate on version 7.
Note: This document covers server installation only. The workstation installation uses the same setup (KM8Setup.exe) and is elementary.
If you are running a single user license and your computer holds the database, then it is considered the “server” and this section applies to you.
Ensure that the KM8 server meets the minimum requirements, and preferably the recommended minimum requirements.
Check that there is sufficiend disk space available.
The upgrade process will take a little while to run. The time required depends mostly on the size of your database and the speed of your disk.
The upgrade process can read a KM7 database, or a backup (.fbk file). If you are installing KM8 for a test run, it is good enough to grab yesterday’s KM7 backup file (If you have it zipped, unzip it first) – it does not matter for a test if the data being upgraded is 1 day old. If you are installing KM8 to cut over from KM7, you should select your KM7 database (KM7.fdb) for the upgrade process.
If you are upgrading from the KM7.fdb file, you must stop the KM7 database server process (Firebird Server - KM7). This is important so that the file can be accessed exclusively by the upgrade process and so there can be no more changes to the KM7 data.
To do this, first ensure that KM7 is not in use. Then open your windows services, locate the services “Firebird Guardian – KM7” and “Firebird Server – KM7”. Stop both services and change their Startup Type to “Disabled”. Don’t stop the “Firebird Server - KM8” by mistake.
Run KM8Setup.exe
Choose the Setup Type to be “Standalone OR Server” as this is the server install (Or Basic if your KM8 license is for the Basic edition).
Choose “Upgrade installation”
Now, this is the important part. The default database location is:
C:\ProgramData\WH Software\KM8\Database
If that location has the required disk space and is where you want the database, then all is good, carry on, otherwise you will need to take some steps to reconfigure the location.
If you want a different location for the database, there are a few things to do. (Or call for tech support and we will help).
(a) When the ProMaster Master Keying 8 Database Creator starts running from the setup, click cancel. This will allow the setup to continue running, but the database will not be created and KM7 will not be upgraded.
(b) Edit the file C:\Program Files (x86)\WH Software\KM8\FB3\databases.conf
To edit this file, you need to open notepad as administrator (I.e. with elevated permissions) then from notepad open the databases.conf file.
Don’t mess with anything in this file!
At the bottom there will be a line that look like this:
KM8=C:\ProgramData\WH Software\KM8\Database\KM8.fdb
To change the location, say to D:\KM8Data, edit the file accordingly, for example:
KM8=D:\KM8Data\KM8.fdb
Then save the file and close notepad.
(c) Now run the database creator manually.
The program to run is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\WH Software\KM8\Bin\KM8DBCfg.exe
Step through this, selecting options including the KM7 database file.
(a) Run KM8, and log in as admin. You will know the password, you choose it in the database creator process.
(b) Paste in your registration key.
(c) If you choose the option to create a security group for each user, edit those security groups to add any new permissions to users who need them.
(d) If you choose to not create security groups, then edit each user and a security group. See “Users and Security groups” in the help file.
(e) Log out.
(f) Log in as a normal user (not admin) and perform the product activation.
Having finished the server installation, go ahead and do your workstation installations.
In the case that you have installed KM8 and used it in a testing scenario with KM7 still being used, here is what you need to do to go live.
(a) Stop using KM8.
(b) Locate the KM8 database and delete it (KM8.fdb). Don’t delete the wrong file.
Think twice, delete once.
(c) Stop using KM7 and stop the KM7 database engine (See step 2 above)
(d) Run the database creator.
C:\Program Files (x86)\WH Software\KM8\Bin\KM8DBCfg.exe
Answer the questions in the database creator, and make sure you select your KM7.fdb file.
(e) Follow the instructions in step 4 above.