Open Dental Forum

Jordan,
I am currently running the older version of OD at my office for many years now. I finally decided to set it up at home and see if the backup works. I am using Vista at home with a HP home server. What is the best way to install the software and restore the backup I got from my office. The office computers use XP. Many thanks for you help.

Dr. Ly

YOu should update to the latest version if you are still on maintenance. You are missing a lot of good stuff.

It does not matter that you are going from an XP to a Vista. All you need to do is make a backup from your office and then you just download the Trial Version from our website. You want to select "MySQL ONLY" other wise you are going to run into problems. It will try to upgrade your data to the trial version 6.2.7.

So install "MySQL ONLY" then you place your data normally called "opendental" inside the C:mysql/data folder.

Then you are going to place your image folder normally named FreeDentalData or OpenDentalData or OpenDentImages directly on the C: drive.

Now you are going to open your image folder FreeDentalData or OpenDentalData or OpenDentImages and run the Setup.exe

You should now have an Open Dental icon that you can open up the program with.

Debbie,
Thank you so much for your help. I was able to install the software onto my home computer. Now I get the dreaded "Choose Database" box. What should the settings be for the software to start?

Thanks again,
DTL

If what you get is the choose database window, write "Localhost" in the first box (don't include the parenthesis). Leave the rest as is.
If what you get is the Edit Paths window, write "\\Localhost\OpenDentalData\" in the first box. Leave the rest as is.

Thank you for all your help. This software is amazing and the support is great. I have referred many of my friends to your software.