FM Portable onto Ethernet Server via Parallels

[OT_Family]

Hi Mark,

After 5 years of Professional then Advisor, Portable/Cloud Mode looks perfect. But I am struggling and cannot see specific fix in Forum.

- I have always run FM under Windows (10 then 11) under Parallels Desktop on a MacBook. Normally I run FM on my laptop and take backups to drive W: which is an Ethernet network share on a small server.

- I can browse W: in File Manager and even run the installer from it. But it is never the target for an installation.

- When I try to enable Portable/Cloud Mode FM rejects the setting because it cannot write to C:\Program Files (x86).

- I tried to install from fmnadv2024p4.exe but could not browse to W: because none of my network drives were visible, only local paths eg Downloads. If I type W: into the destination path the Install button grays.

- I thought the problem might be local settings so I uninstalled FM from my laptop and deleted Hive Key Beiley Software.

- Same problem. FM installer will only accept local destinations like C: and D: (virtual CD drive) and local folders.

- Note that network discovery is turned on.

- I plugged in a USB data stick (allocated O: fine) but it doesn't appear as destination browse. So it appears to be (the only case I have come across in 15 years) that Windows is not convinced by emulated drive letters presented by Parallels.

- Bizarrely under Network, Мас, Home I can see iCloud and recognise its folders. But I am not ready to put all FM data into the cloud yet.

- I will revert to two laptops with backup/restore to pass the baton and a clear understanding of which laptop has the Master Data to update.

However, any suggestion to get it working as hoped?
Thanks.
Martin

[Mark]

Hi Martin,

I'm not sure, it sounds like something specific to Parallels, as when I run the installer on a regular Windows machine I can browse to a plugged in USB drive for an installation destination.

Some ideas:

1) Create a folder on the C: drive that has write permissions by a regular user, like:

C:\FMData

and try to install there?

2) Run FM as an admin. The C:\Program Files (x86) folder can't be written to by non-admin programs, which is how FM normally runs. It isn't a good idea in general to run FM as an admin, as it then bypasses some of the security benefits you get by limiting programs to standard permissions, but it is an option.

[OT_Family]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the usual stellar attention, with individual advice from the software author - not something you get often.

With (2) I had already tried because I had seen the need for write permissions. I forgot to add it to my rambling tried-so-far post.

With (1) I haven't done this because the problem is not with accessing drive C: which is revealed by the installer, with many local folders, including Documents and the iCloud folder that is local but cloud-sync'd. And also D: the virtual CD drive. One workaround would be installing Fm.exe & data into a sync folder, although I would want something really secure like Internxt Drive and to verify that the 'lock file' in Remote/Cloud mode is synchronised fast enough to be protection. However, before that...

One combination that I want to run past you in case there are hidden implications.

A) If I use the File Operation Set Data Location the Browse dialog does present the various network drive letters, including W: and the subfolder I intend to use for the data. (There has never in 5 years being a problem pushing data eg backups to W: drive.)

B) If I change the icon Properties and run FM as Admin (rather than logging into Windows as Admin) I hope it will let me run in Portable/Cloud Mode.

So my question is, does this meet the use case?
Two machines with Fm.exe installed locally, but both accessing data on the server share and communicating 'stay out my turn' through the lock file and loading/sharing configuration settings through the text file rather than the Registry. (I don't need the advantage of the data folder addressed relative to the location of Fm.exe because the drive letter is always the same.)
Any unintended consequences you can think of?

As usual, many thanks in anticipation.
Martin

[Mark]

Hi Martin,

That seems perfectly fine to me. The one downside to running FM locally from 2 machines and keeping your data in a common location is the registry preferences. Since you're not running in portable/cloud mode, the preferences will be stored in the registry, separate on each PC. Usually this isn't a very big deal, but something to consider.