You come in to the practice, start your computer, click on the Genie icon… and get an error message. What do you do?
This article outlines some troubleshooting steps you can follow to get Genie up and running again as quickly as possible. If you do end up needing to call support, following these steps first will help us to resolve the issue faster.
Before you begin
Before trying to fix the issue, getting a better idea of what the problem actually is can help pinpoint the cause. Some questions to ask yourself are:
- Is the issue happening on every computer? If no-one can log in, this usually indicates an issue on the server. (If the issue is only happening on one or a few client computers, skip step 1 below.)
- When was the last time I logged in successfully, and did anything change since then? (e.g. Genie updates, new computers, a power outage, IT onsite.)
- What does the error message say? It may give you a clue as to why Genie won’t start.
Once you have determined the above, try the troubleshooting steps below.
If no-one in the practice is able to log into Genie, the first thing to check is that your server computer is switched on. If you aren’t sure where your server is, it’s usually a computer that no-one works at (except maybe your IT). Some practices have it set up with its own screen, others are able to sharescreen or remote into it. If you can’t find your server, check with your practice manager or doctor.
Also make sure the Genie Server application is running on your server. Genie won’t be able to access your data without this application, so it’s important to make sure it hasn’t been shut down or stopped accidentally.
To check this, log into your server computer and look for an application with this icon:
If it doesn’t appear to be running, click or double click on the icon to start it. You should see a window called ‘4D Server Administration’ appear, with some blue graphs.
Note: If you get an error saying the datafile is locked after clicking on this icon, Genie Server may already be running as a service, in which case you can continue to the next step (although if you are unsure, contact Genie Support).
If no-one in the practice can access Genie Server and you are unable to determine whether Genie Server is running, you may need to contact your IT professional and ask them to check this for you.
If the problem is only happening on some computers, or checking Genie Server didn't fix the issue, try the below steps on your usual workstation.
Genie may not be able to start if your internet connection is broken or unreliable. On the client computer, click the following link, or copy and paste it into your usual internet browser (e.g. Google Chrome or Safari): www.geniesolutions.com.au. Does the website load successfully?
If not, this often suggests a bigger network issue, which could also be preventing Genie from connecting to the server. You may need to contact your IT professional and ask them to check this for you.
3. Start Genie from the Genie folder
If Genie isn’t able to start, the shortcut on your desktop or dock may be broken. Try starting Genie directly from the application instead. This is usually found at:
Windows: C:/Genie/Client
Macintosh: Applications:Genie
Double click on the Genie Client icon in this folder (Genie lamp with a blue cord) to start it.
If Genie doesn't even open, contact Support for the steps to reinstall the application.
If a grey window opens (Windows), or you can see 'Genie Client' appear in the top left corner of your screen (Macintosh), but you still get an error, continue to the next step.
4. Custom Connect to the Server
If your server computer was recently restarted, its network address may have changed. You can point Genie Client to the correct address by doing the following:
- In Genie Server, note down the ‘IP Address’ listed on the left (it will be in the format X.X.X.X).
- On a client computer, ensure Genie Client is completely quit.
- Double click on the Genie Client icon to start.
- Immediately press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard (or, if this is a Macintosh, hold the Option key instead).
- When a ‘Connection to 4D Server’ window opens, release the Alt/Option key.
- Go to the ‘Custom’ tab.
- In the ‘Database Name’ field, enter: Genie
- In the ‘Network Address’ field, enter the IP address you noted previously.
- Tick ‘Force the update of the local resources’.
- Click ‘OK’.
Note – if you are unable to access the server to check the IP address, follow the above steps to open the ‘Connection to 4D Server’ window, then go to the ‘Available’ tab. If you can see your server here, highlight it in the list and click ‘OK’ to connect.
5. Manually delete 4D Preferences
To delete 4D preferences:
Windows
- Go to the Start menu.
- Type 'Run' in the search box and press 'Enter'. (If you don't have a search box, click the 'Run' option in the Start menu).
- Enter the following in the Run window: appdata
- Press 'OK' - a File Explorer window should open to the AppData folder on your computer.
- Delete any folders called exactly '4D' or 'Genie' from the following locations:
- AppData > Roaming
- AppData > Local
- AppData > Local > Temp
Macintosh
- Click the blue-faced finder icon on your dock to open a Finder window.
- In the blue sidebar on the left, click your home folder (a house icon with the same name as your computer user).
- Open the 'Library' folder.
- Delete any 4D or Genie folders found at the following locations:
- Library > Application Support
- Library > Preferences
- Library > Caches
Restarting your computer can often fix background issues that may be preventing Genie from starting.
Genie needs access to a printer to be able to start. Make sure you have a printer installed on your workstation (a PDF printer is fine) and are able to print to it successfully outside of Genie.
8. Check your computer's Operating System is supported
This is particularly relevant for Macintosh computers. See the Operating Systems article for more information.
Check the Genie folder on your computer to make sure it has read/write access, including all contents. Your Genie folder is usually located in Applications: Genie on a Mac or C:\Genie on Windows.
On a Windows machine, you can check the permissions on a folder by right-clicking on it and selecting Properties, and navigating to the Security tab. On a Mac, you can check the permissions on a folder by right-clicking on it and selecting Get Info (where the permissions information is towards the bottom of the window).
If you are unsure about the steps above, please liaise with your IT support representative or network administrator.
10. Check the time and date of the machine
Sometimes if the time and date is not set to the correct location this can cause issues with logging into Genie. Make sure your computer is set to your current location and with the date format of DD/MM/YYYY. For more information refer to the Daylight Saving Time guide.
If you still can’t get Genie going after trying the above, gather as much of the following information as possible before contacting Support, as this will help resolve the issue faster:
- Is the issue happening on one computer or all of them? (If you are the only person in the practice at the moment, try starting and logging into a second computer and see if you experience the same issue when starting Genie.)
- Did anything change since the last time you logged into Genie successfully?
- What happens when you start Genie – do you get an error message, does Genie quit straight away, or something else?
- Take a screenshot of the error and have it ready to send through. If the error has a ‘Details’ option in it, click the small arrow/plus icon next to it to expand out the error fully before taking the screenshot, as this includes important information about the problem.