Installing Pastel Partner 11 Workgroup 5 User Licence to Windows Home Server 2011

I recently setup a home server (HP Proliant Microserver) for my sister-in-laws small accounting business, that she runs from home. This tutorial is for a Workgroup installation (server and multiple PC’s accessing the server) of Pastel Partner 11.2.1. [These instructions should work for whatever version of Windows you are using for your 'server' setup.]

Please let me know if anything is unclear, I put this together in a rush after the fact and I may have inadvertently left steps out.

Pastel can be endlessly frustrating to install and configure on a network, so I thought I’d share how, especially so that the next time I have to do it, I have a roadmap.

You will need to install the following to each PC

• Appropriate version of Pervasive SQL – in this case Workgroup 32bit v10.13 for PC’s and for the server (version number must be identical across PC’s) [I could have done a standard install from the DVD but that installs version 9.6 and I saw online on the Pervasive site that this was discontinued so decided to use version 10 instead]
• Pastel Partner 11.2.1

I suggest installing to the server first if at all possible so that you can streamline the process.

Server Installation

So I installed Pervasive Workgroup 32bit v10.13 to the server, then installed Pastel Partner 11, I then opened Pastel and registered online as Server with no issues.

Server Data Folder Sharing

Then on the server I shared the c:\pastel11 folder so that I could access the registration folder and file on each of the client PC’s.

PC 1 – Windows XP Pro SP3 – 32bit

Installed Pervasive Workgroup 32bit v10.13
Installed Pastel Partner 11.2.1

Opened Pastel and registered as Workstation by pointing to the p:\custom\registration folder [do this for each subsequent pc, until your licenses run out]

If you are having problems with registration and your ‘OK’ button is greyed out, that is most likely due to folder permissions on the server and for the user you are working with.

PC 2 – WINDOWS Vista Business SP2 – 32bit

Installed Pervasive Workgroup 32bit v10.13
Installed Pastel Partner 11.2.1

PC 3 – WINDOWS 7 Professional SP1 – 64bit

Installed Pervasive Workgroup 32bit v10.13
Installed Pastel Partner 11.2.1

On all PC’s I mapped the network folder to “p:” for \\your-server-name\Pastel11

Gateway Locator - Setting up a Gateway

The Gateway is the PC which controls the transfer of the Pastel data over and across your network’

• Firstly stop all the Pervasive Workgroup engines on all server’s and PC’s [can be found in the lower right corner of your screen, right-click and select 'stop engine']
• Search for *.loc files on each PC locally and delete every pvsw.loc file that is found
• Go to the server that is going to be the gateway, goto Start > Programs > Pervasive > Utilities > Gateway locator
• In the Target directory Option select the share for the Pastel data (not the data itself just the root directory)
• Click OK
• Then go to the Change button at the bottom, click change
• Select the option Assign a Gateway
• The computer name that you are currently working on should appear
• Click on OK and then Refresh
• That will ensure that whenever any machine tries to access the shared data folder that it will read the pvsw.loc file which will tell the Pervasive Engine which machine to use as the Gateway.

- This will ensure that whenever any machine tries to access the shared data folder that it will read the ~pvsw~.loc file which will tell the Pervasive Engine which machine to use as the Gateway

NOTE: Make sure the server has a UPS so that is doesn’t shut down otherwise you might need to re-setup the gateway after a power failure..

Now open Partner, click “Help”, “Register Your Package”, select “Workstation Registration” and point to the p:\Custom\Registration folder, click next and follow the onscreen instructions.

You’ll then need to setup your company or companies by clicking open and then manage, then adding the companies by finding the folder each company is located in.

With a little luck you should now be setup to get on with some work.

There is an update of Pastel Partner version 11.2.2 which I don’t recommend you install unless you are having problems. I’ve found 11.2.1 is a stable version and a more common version, so no conversions necessary.

I’m waiting for more information before looking into whether to install the new version 12.