.Net updates improve speed

[Lee B]

FWIW A poster on the ATX board reports that Microsoft has 3 noncritical .Net updates (performance enhancements), which he downloaded and installed resulting in a 50% improvement in the time required to load ATX and the time to open a return.

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

Is this for ony networked units? Or also for stand alone ?

[Jack from Ohio]

All computers should have all Microsoft Windows important updates PERIOD.

This includes Netframework. All computers should already be upgraded to Netframework 4.0.

If not, this could be a major source of issues for those that seem to have them even after program updates.

I believe the installation instructions said that the computer must have Netframework 4.0 for ATX2012 to operate properly.

[HV Ken]

We were experiencing all kinds of weird problems with .NET Framework 4.0.

Upgrading to .NET Framework 4.5 took care of them.

I think they should now ensure people are up to 4.5....

[Lee B]

FWIW Part II - Another poster on the ATX board with a Network of Windows 7 computers reports that after upgrading from .NET 4.0

to .NET 4.50 a noticeable improvement in stability and a significant improvement in overall speed.

[Lee B]

Followup, ATX is now saying that they do not support .NET 4.50. One of the IT people who regularly posts on the ATX board

has installed .NET 4.50 on a clients Windows 7 Network and is testing it. .NET 4.50 is not available for Server 2003 or XP.

Since I am on XP I am installing the .NET 4.0 updates that I mentioned in my first post. I have the first two updates installed

and the results are favorable.

[Lee B]

The IT person on the ATX board has reported back that the upgrade to .NET 4.50 on his clients Windows 7 NetWork was smooth and troublefree. The tax client says, that the increased speed in rollovers and opening returns is like night and day.

Another poster that has a Windows 7 Network reports that entering new assets etc is working normally for him for the first time

since 12.8.

[Lee B]

I have finished downloading and installing the noncritical (optional ) updates to .NET 4.0 on my XP standalone with 2 G of RAM.

First let me say that I wasn't having many problems, just a bit slow. After installing these updates, the second and subsequent times

I open the ATX 2012 program, it's loading in about 30 seconds compared to over 60 seconds before. The time to open clients returns is the same 30 seconds before and 30 seconds after. The Print Manager seems to load quicker and I wasn't having any printing problems before. A funny side benefit is that my 2011 program now loads in 10 seconds compared to over 40 seconds before

[grandmabee]

is this for servers only not stand alone? How can I tell what version I have on my stand alone?

thanks

[Lee B]

This is for both servers and standalone computers. The first time we installed the ATX program part on the installation was the installation of Microsoft.NET 4.0 which is required to run ATX. Microsoft.NET 4.50, which was released in August 2012, will run on Server 2008 and Windows 7.

Therefore if you are on Server 2003 or XP standalone, you can download and install the optional (noncritical) updates for .NET 4.0 from

the Microsoft update site (It took me about 45 minutes).

If you are on Server 2008 or Windows 7 standalone, then you can upgrade to Microsoft.NET 4.50, plus there are several small additional security updates

that will be required. For more detailed info, there are several pages of posts with explicit instructions on the ATX Board.

[joanmcq]

I update Win 7 automatically. Would this update be included (standalone)?

[SCL]

i think so.

i also think this .NET update, or any win update (as jack suggests)...is needed and independent about how the atx program does or doesn't work.

i'm a w7, standalone, also.

i'm an atx small fry (trying to do 100, fairly complex personal returns on atx1040...plus a 5 or 10 pay per return package for extra needs).

i have had little trouble with atx since early feb when i originally installed 12.5/7(?).

my set up is as simple as i can make it (for me).

i do not have a network setup.

i do not have altered forms, schedules, client letters, instructions etc. that need to be rolled over.

[DonnaA]

My Windows 7 standalone computer did not automatically update to .NET Framework 4.5. I had to download it from Microsoft, and then it automatically updated with 4 security patches for the program.

[Lee B]

Just a clarification, these are not automatic updates. They are optional (noncritical) updates, which you have to select. If you're in IE, click on Windows Updates, which will take you to the Windows update site, then click on Custom, then click on your operating sytem, then a list of optional updates will display from which you can select the updates(4.0) or upgrade (4.50) depending on your OS. Just to be fair, several posters on the ATX board this morning saw no improvement, but it sounded like they had major problems before they tried this.

[ILLMAS]

Updated to 4.5, and I notice no difference at all, still takes about 60 seconds to open.

[ILLMAS]

Updated to 4.5, and I notice no difference at all, still takes about 60 seconds to open.

I retract what I said, my computer is still showing 3.5. Will try again.

[grmy2h]

Here is the direct link for manual update of .Net Framework 4.5

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

[JRS]

Here is the direct link for manual update of .Net Framework 4.5

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653

Thanks. It did speed up the opening of the program and returns. Thanks again for the link.

[joanmcq]

I just updated the .NET, and it's improved opening explorer; lightning fast! I'm going to try ATX in the morning. The client I'm working on is an employee of one of our sports teams, and the return has about 10 state returns.

Got my fingers crossed!

[Maribeth]

Installed the .Net yesterday. Did not notice any improvement. Want to the "other" board this morning and someone had posted how to really install it. Seems I had not installed it properly. Right clicked on the icon, ran it as administrator, went up MS updates & installed the 4 updates. Oh my my, but my system is flying.

One of the blessings of this dismall ATX season is getting all the hardware and software up to date and working in the 21st century. It feels good!

[joanmcq]

I just opened my multi state return with 7 states currently added in a few seconds. I'm flying!

[TAXMAN]

Joanmcq: Would like to know your results with the return stated above: Any software issues? Are you on net or standalone version that you did this? Thanks.

[joanmcq]

Standalone win 7 64bit i7 processor. 9 GB RAM. worked fine even though it was using over a gig of memory by the time all 12 states were added. Return is done and printed. Even printed quickly. But now my computer froze while I was creating a PDF copy and windows task manager had to shut it down. Now I can't open the return without it crashing the program. Return has unemployment, I was going to check the 1099-G, and the damn thing froze. Back to looking for answers.

[Jack from Ohio]

Standalone win 7 64bit i7 processor. 9 GB RAM. worked fine even though it was using over a gig of memory by the time all 12 states were added. Return is done and printed. Even printed quickly. But now my computer froze while I was creating a PDF copy and windows task manager had to shut it down. Now I can't open the return without it crashing the program. Return has unemployment, I was going to check the 1099-G, and the damn thing froze. Back to looking for answers.

Reboot

[joanmcq]

Did that, it didn't work but what did was restoring the return. Since I was just opening it after a few days to print and create the efiles, I didn't lose any data.