Anyone use/support Dentrix?

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marley1

Supreme [H]ardness
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new client just called me 9pm at night saying shes having some problems with her Dentrix G3 system. i have never worked on it, just curious as to what i am dealing with?

i figure its just server based application and the workstations just read off a data file... anyway if anyone has used it post here, may need some assistance 2morrow morning, going in for a 7:30 appointment lol.

maybe a quick reinstall on the workstation fix most problems?

she says it is running on a workstation, with no backup, and wants to fix it cheaply yay for starting business! lol, cheap i bet.

thanks
 
I haven't worked with Dentrix at all. I have done some work for one dentist, though. She was cheaper than the cheapest client we have ever had and she was completely fucking crazy, too.

Good luck! Make sure you backup the database before you do anything! :D
 
Yup....a few years ago one of my dentist clients used it....they've switched since then.

But I remember it being very easy....I think it was based on pervasive SQL or MySQL.

They've all switched since then to Kodaks Practiceworks, Dexis, SiDexis, Patterson Eaglesoft.
 
just a little update, walked into such a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ rigged setup.

server is a Acer box with 2 hard drives on onboard raid1, windows server 2003, no battery backup no backup, no antivirus on any computer

previous guy told em not to use battery backups.

no domain setup, dentrix software is installed on the server, but guy decided to install the image software on a worksation and not the server because SQL 2005 was installed on server.

so anyway next week i get to remove sql 2005 from server 03, install the image softwaver, get em all on domain, get a backup going, nod32 going to all machines.

was gonna propse a new server but talked to YeOlde and figured work with what they got for now then upgrade down the road.

good new is, HOT ASS DENTIST =)
 
No battery backups on a database server? :rolleyes: Good grief..WTF was this guys logic? A rude shutdown on a database server...yeah...talk about walking on thin ice...one of them times booting back up she'll likely balk when starting the database engine.

If they agree to new "server" hardware down the road shortly...I'd probably skip the bother of running DCPROMO on this existing server...and having to flip all the workstations over to domain logins. And then do this again in 6 months when the new server comes in. I'd just groom this network a bit...updates, antivirus, little things..and let it ride peer to peer until the new server hardware arrives. Only 5x PCs...I see no urgent rush/need to get on AD.
 
marley1 said:
just a little update, walked into such a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ rigged setup.

server is a Acer box with 2 hard drives on onboard raid1, windows server 2003, no battery backup no backup, no antivirus on any computer

previous guy told em not to use battery backups.

no domain setup, dentrix software is installed on the server, but guy decided to install the image software on a worksation and not the server because SQL 2005 was installed on server.

so anyway next week i get to remove sql 2005 from server 03, install the image softwaver, get em all on domain, get a backup going, nod32 going to all machines.

was gonna propse a new server but talked to YeOlde and figured work with what they got for now then upgrade down the road.

good new is, HOT ASS DENTIST =)
Click to expand...

YeOldeStonecat said:
No battery backups on a database server? :rolleyes: Good grief..WTF was this guys logic? A rude shutdown on a database server...yeah...talk about walking on thin ice...one of them times booting back up she'll likely balk when starting the database engine.

If they agree to new "server" hardware down the road shortly...I'd probably skip the bother of running DCPROMO on this existing server...and having to flip all the workstations over to domain logins. And then do this again in 6 months when the new server comes in. I'd just groom this network a bit...updates, antivirus, little things..and let it ride peer to peer until the new server hardware arrives. Only 5x PCs...I see no urgent rush/need to get on AD.
Click to expand...

Thing about Dentrix is they generaly say just run a workgroup. Like a lot of software vendors they don't want to mess with domains. Personaly I agree with running a domain but if you are looking at a new server I agree with holding off.

Anyway Dentrix is a pretty easy software to support. Upgrades are generaly very fast and the software doesn't seem to cause issues other then its high system requirments. Want to say it wants a 2.4 p4 with a gig of ram for the workstations and a 128meg video card if you are going to do any of the 3d stuff.

Have a client we are getting ready to take to g3 from g2. They had put off the update a while ago because they need to upgrade their systems(most are p4 3.0's with 512 ram but they have some older ones).

Get a battery backup in place and a backup going. Plan to figure out what other random acts of stupid the old guy did and get a plan together for upgrades down the road.
 
so with what you guys are saying i may leave it in work group mode.

thinking of renaming server as it is named HD131231231089afljdsf
renaming local user accounts (creating new ones, since all are user, maybe make them more personal)
backup is already going in .............. Mozy Pro - easy money for me =)
battery backups are going in.
gonna rip out sql 2005 from the server and reinstall the image software, and fix up shares and stuff.



actually had dinner with the dentist and her assistand, fucking hot, real fun, got semi buzzed with em, was fun.

the client is actually really cool, seems smart, and when i said hey maybe in a year you will be like "hey dan i am opening up a new practice lets do the new server and link em up" she kind of smiled, so she seems smart and actually going to do good.

so fuck it i will work with the server they have and support em.

maybe next year will move to new server and rd1000

i am kinda curious, if you dont setup AD on the Server03 i guess you need no authentication with the server? (kinda got a brain fart.....been drinking with the client and my buddies lol).
 
as long as they are hot . . . I have to go to the dentist on Tuesday . . . I hope I get a hot one, new office I haven't been to before . . . .
 
marley1 said:
thinking of renaming server as it is named HD131231231089afljdsf
......................
i am kinda curious, if you dont setup AD on the Server03 i guess you need no authentication with the server? (kinda got a brain fart.....been drinking with the client and my buddies lol).
Click to expand...

I fucking hate it when people do that shit. I had someone do that with a sbs box, then stop the setup half way through. They also left the domain as smallbusiness.local when the client had had the domain named(server screwed up and a local shop tried to reload it).

Personaly I would run AD in the future. The client I have that is running dentrix is one we got from another consultant that was moving away. Are wiring guys had even wired the building for the other consultant a few years before hand.

Every machine had a Dentrix user account and the server had one too. That way they could all share in a workgroup. Personaly I hate these setups. They didn't even have the server doing dns. I installed dns on the server and got that setup. Really I'm not going to screw with it too much untill we can replace the server and some workstations. They have been talking about it so if they do I'll setup a domain then. I mean it is working fine right now so it is kinda hard to explain why they need us to spend half a day their to get AD working when it doesn't really matter to them.

A lot of software vendors do this crap or want it setup this way. We had doctors office where he bought some software called wisdom a few years ago(can't think of the companies name). They installed a compaq windows 2k server(this was installed before 03 came out) running in a workgroup without a raid with every machine having a differnet username. All of the user names were just wks1, wks2, etc. The server then had local users with the same names and passwords for filesharing to work. The system was bought turnkey with the hardware. Hell we found out they had a matence contract on the hardware like 2 months ago. The server was messing up and it looked like the hd was going bad. At the time I didn't know it wasn't running a raid(hadn't really gone over the machine that much). First thing I did was send a new backup job to another machine on the network(newer machine we installed) just to have a second backup as I didn't feel like trusting the tape drive. During this I find out from my boss about the hardware support contract he thinks they have. Takes those fucks 2 weeks to come out and the guy brings nothing but the hd. He was planning on just reloading the machine from scratch. This is where it gets intersting. No cal on the server they sold. He has no media with him and they are pretty sure they didn't get any. I ended up clonning the old scsi hard drive over and fixing it. I'm hoping to install a new server their by the end of the year and ditch those asshats.

I've seen a lot of other companies sell software and do the same shit. It is pretty common.
 
Captain Colonoscopy said:
as long as they are hot . . . I have to go to the dentist on Tuesday . . . I hope I get a hot one, new office I haven't been to before . . . .
Click to expand...

My dentist is some weird older lady. What sucks is one of the others in her office has a midget as an assistant and I always forget that dentist's name so I can make an appt with her next time.
 
swatbat said:
My dentist is some weird older lady. What sucks is one of the others in her office has a midget as an assistant and I always forget that dentist's name so I can make an appt with her next time.
Click to expand...

sweet! I would love to have a midget work on me! I think they have small hands or something, right? :D
 
Yeah....a network this small, if you plan on bringing them up to new good server hardware in short time down the road, I don't see that it makes sense to DCPROMO this rig..spend time flipping the workstations over to clients...profile copies, and then doing it all over again within a year.

While it's natural for IT guys to say "Get 'em on AD...security, security..blah blah"..think about it for a minute. It's just a 5 node network, no departments, no branch offices, why the need?

Renaming server...yeah I'd want to do that..those default computers names seem so amateurish...but that's really just a cosmetic thing. But renaming it, since the server is in workgroup mode, is quite easy. Any drive mappings can easily be redone. I don't think Dentrix needs any major changing...if I recall the clients all saw it through ODBC.

Are there issues with Dentrix running now?

I'd do a static IP setup on all. Go into advanced TCP/IP properties..enable netbios on all of them. Only 5x PCs..I don't think running DNS locally is a huge need. Under 10x PCs..enabling netbios over IP, static IP addresses, name resolution will be fine.

Make sure the server is set to optimize background services. (under system properties, advanced tab, performance options, advanced tab..radio button choices) (I believe this option is still there for Server03 when in workgroup mode)

For users.....naturally a good Administrator password on the server. For the sharing....with server in workgroup mode, treat it just like a locked down 2Kpro or XPpro peer to peer network.

On the server, I'd add local users, Chair01, Chair02, Chair03, Office, Reception, each with a password (if they don't like passwords..at least have something...like "smile".

Now on the server shares, share permission to "everyone" full rights. On the Security tab for NTFS....add Administrator, System, and the local users group...and remove the "everyone" group. Adjust rights accordingly.

The "chair" workstations usually never do any MS Office stuff, or anything like that...so shouldn't be a need to worry about how to backup their documents. Shouldn't even be surfing the internet. Try to drill that into them. They need these running smoothly all the time, too much of a chance of picking up a hijacker/trojan. If they need internet surfing at the office..encourage them to have an internet PC in the staff lunchroom (I did that for 2 dentist offices). Dentist offices are usually staffed with young staff...so there's a need for internet access.

There is most likely an "office" and a "receptionist" PC..those My Docs you can remap to the server for backing up. And if they run Quickbooks..since that doesn't like backing up across a network anymore...set 'em up with a handful of USB thumb drives for that rig.



marley1 said:
so with what you guys are saying i may leave it in work group mode.

thinking of renaming server as it is named HD131231231089afljdsf
renaming local user accounts (creating new ones, since all are user, maybe make them more personal)
backup is already going in .............. Mozy Pro - easy money for me =)
battery backups are going in.
gonna rip out sql 2005 from the server and reinstall the image software, and fix up shares and stuff.

i am kinda curious, if you dont setup AD on the Server03 i guess you need no authentication with the server? (kinda got a brain fart.....been drinking with the client and my buddies lol).
Click to expand...
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
The "chair" workstations usually never do any MS Office stuff, or anything like that...so shouldn't be a need to worry about how to backup their documents. Shouldn't even be surfing the internet. Try to drill that into them. They need these running smoothly all the time, too much of a chance of picking up a hijacker/trojan. If they need internet surfing at the office..encourage them to have an internet PC in the staff lunchroom (I did that for 2 dentist offices). Dentist offices are usually staffed with young staff...so there's a need for internet access.

There is most likely an "office" and a "receptionist" PC..those My Docs you can remap to the server for backing up. And if they run Quickbooks..since that doesn't like backing up across a network anymore...set 'em up with a handful of USB thumb drives for that rig.
Click to expand...

The chair workstaions at the office I support don't even have office. Yea you are right generaly backing up the chair workstations is worthless.
 
gawd, I hope so . . . .


You might interest them in an Untangle box for content filtering .. . . what are they running for a firewall now??
 
running a 8 port linksys router.

gonna use that till next server.

pretty much i already got go ahead.

1 Dell 750VA for server
5 APC ES 550VA for workstations
1 Optiplex 755 for her house with HP 24" (not my choice she liked how it was shiny)
1 Optiplex 755 Ultra SFF for receptionish
1 Dell 3115cn with 2 yr and extra ink
6 User Nod32
Mozy Pro Backup 10GB right now, next year may go to tape.

gonna create user accounts like YeOlde said, actually gonna steal his naming, Chair1, Chair2, Receptionist1, Receptionist2, and Danielle (owner).

rename computers same way, hd-server, hd-chair1 yada yada.

removing sql 2005 from server03, get the Dentrix Image program on the server not Receptionis1
get printer installed and scanning to shared folders

will map the My Documents over to server for receptionist and the owner

all comptuers will get on LogmeinFree for my access.

owner will be using LogmeinFree to work from home.
 
Personaly I would just name the back computers chair1, chair2, etc and have them all use the same user name. That way you have less accounts to deal with.

Also I would consider using something like no-ip and just straight remote desktop for the owner. From my experience it is a more fluid experience using straight rdp then logmein. Responce time is generaly better because a third party is not proxying the data.
 
the thing about the single user account, is she mentioned how she(the doctor) didn't want the receptionist to get access to her personal stuff and quickbooks.

i guess i could make 2 user accounts, DentalName and Danielle, and then make a quickboook password.

she liked logmein, but RDP is an easy option i will let her decide, thats what i am doing right now on her machine.

guy made these small ass mini itx computers for em. trying ot see if they have gig nics.
 
so yeah if i did one user account for employee and one for owner, no matter what the employee would still have access to quickbooks file. what can i do with that?

owner and one employee that works 2 days a week handles the books. i can make a password for quickbooks that only the owner and that one employee use.

but if i put the file on the server the shares would have to be to allow the owner and employees access to the folder.

what can i do bout that?
 
marley1 said:
so yeah if i did one user account for employee and one for owner, no matter what the employee would still have access to quickbooks file. what can i do with that?
Click to expand...

Still treat it the same. It's just another local user.
Keep the Quickbooks file in her own My Documents file.
 
marley1 said:
so yeah if i did one user account for employee and one for owner, no matter what the employee would still have access to quickbooks file. what can i do with that?

owner and one employee that works 2 days a week handles the books. i can make a password for quickbooks that only the owner and that one employee use.

but if i put the file on the server the shares would have to be to allow the owner and employees access to the folder.

what can i do bout that?
Click to expand...

Sorry thats what I ment. One user account for the chair machines, one for the front machines, one for the owners machine.

Anyway the one employee that works 2 days a week could always have her own login on whatever machine she uses. Either way I'd password protect quickbooks.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Still treat it the same. It's just another local user.
Keep the Quickbooks file in her own My Documents file.
Click to expand...

her my documents will be mapped to the server, with her and administrator as permision, so if it was in that the employee wouldn't be able to access it.

i would have to keep it in a folder shared to all but put a password on it.

i dunno if it would be that big of a deal, she wouldn't be able to access the file without password, but still could steal it i guess.....
 
i know she did want it as simple for the workers as possible, so one user name like Office for all the employee and one just for the Onwer they would probably like.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Still treat it the same. It's just another local user.
Keep the Quickbooks file in her own My Documents file.
Click to expand...

Don't forget to check the "make my documents private" thingy in the user account properties. makes it a little bit more secure.

I would also rename the local administrator account if she is really worried about security. My personal favorite for local admin usernames is "Bea Arthur" right now.
 
marley1 said:
her my documents will be mapped to the server, with her and administrator as permision, so if it was in that the employee wouldn't be able to access it.
.
Click to expand...

Yup....dats what I figured..so it should be good. Dunno which versin of QB she runs...those older ones that kept it in program files\intuit\quickbooks 200x by default...figured just relocate it to My Docs.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Yup....dats what I figured..so it should be good. Dunno which versin of QB she runs...those older ones that kept it in program files\intuit\quickbooks 200x by default...figured just relocate it to My Docs.
Click to expand...

but then the one Receptionist wont have access to the file silly =p

i will just keep the quickbooks i a company folder, if she has problem ill make a seperate account, actually texting her right now to ask.
 
marley1 said:
but then the one Receptionist wont have access to the file silly =p

i will just keep the quickbooks i a company folder, if she has problem ill make a seperate account, actually texting her right now to ask.
Click to expand...

Hmmm....guess I misunderstood.

I often make a folder on the server called Quickbooks. Map a drive to it from clients using the letter "Q"...Q for Quickbooks!
 
I hope it's not one of those consumer grade ones... Definitely hook her up with a real firewall when the new server comes in the distant future...
 
AMD_RULES said:
I hope it's not one of those consumer grade ones... Definitely hook her up with a real firewall when the new server comes in the distant future...
Click to expand...

Heh..the old BEFSR81.....much as I like some LInksys models..that was was glitchy.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Hmmm....guess I misunderstood.

I often make a folder on the server called Quickbooks. Map a drive to it from clients using the letter "Q"...Q for Quickbooks!
Click to expand...

I also, like to use the Q: drive for Quickbooks. Makes it easier for people to remember what it is for and then you can tighten it down and only give appropriate people the necessary access to it.
 
god i dig this dentist.

anyway 3 user accounts, Office, Elizabeth, Danielle. Only Danielle and Elizabeth will have access to Quickbooks.

going there in a bit.
 
AMD_RULES said:
I hope it's not one of those consumer grade ones... Definitely hook her up with a real firewall when the new server comes in the distant future...
Click to expand...

really no need for anything more, shes not doing any port fowards.

but yeah i hate linksys gear, i rather throw my buffalo with tomato in there.
 
marley1 said:
really no need for anything more, shes not doing any port fowards.

but yeah i hate linksys gear, i rather throw my buffalo with tomato in there.
Click to expand...

maybe you should throw that option at them (buffalo w/ tomato). Tell them it will future proof them for Wi-Fi in the office :D
 
cant right now, they already got a 5grand invoice not include labor, but i will be getting a free dinner out of it (setting up her computer at her house =p )

but yeah for right now im working with what they have, next year when she gets bigger and opens up a second location then we can move up a bit.

YeOld makes me think i should try the RV series again, but FUCK LINKSY!
 
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