When you run the installer for the database, accept all the defaults.

Click OK	Right click on the TMPostgresSetup.exe application and use Run As to begin the install. Select a LOCAL administrator as the user ID to use for the install. If a checkbox that implies "Protect My Computer" or "Run with Restrictions" is available and enabled, uncheck the box to allow the installer to run with full install privileges.
Click Next
Click Next
Click Next
Click Yes	At the end of the TM PostGres installer, you are asked if you want to install the PostGreSQL database in the dialog (as in below). If you say yes, postgres will install automatically for you and you can SKIP the next section describing how to install it manually and proceed to the step where the installer asks about installing a demo database Alternatively, you can install them later manually by: Go to C:/BoxOffice Click the PostGresInstall Icon Follow the instructions to install postgres.

Do not do this step if you elected to let the Theatre Manager Postgres installer automatically install Postgres for you. Only reference these instructions if you are running the actual Postgres installer from the Postgres web site manually.

Accept all the defaults on the screens that follow except the last one that references 'stackbuilder'.

	Before starting the install, please check that the computer date and timezone settings are correct. Failure to do so may cause postgres to think it is in a different timezone.
Click Next
Click Next	To install PostGres on another drive instead of the C: drive, click the Browse button and select another drive. If you change this location, you must also change the backupTM.bat files later to refer to the other drive. If you changed the install location to D:\BoxOffice, this would have already changed for you in this window Be aware that the standard install location ignores the 32 or 64 bit version of the operating system. you should always install to C:\Program Files\PostgeSQL\
Click Next	Enter a hardened ' Account Password' for the postgres user. If you do not supply one, we will generate one automatically. However, if this is a demo. In that case, please pick a user password that you remember - we suggest 'Master'. For a purchased version of Theatre Manager, this will be set up for you by your trainer who will use a specific AMS password for this server that should not be changed.
Click Next	Leave the Port Number as 5432 (if you change the standard port, you will also have to change it in Theatre Manager login window)
Click Next	Leave both these settings as shown.
Click Next
Click Next	You will need to wait for a bit while the database server is installed
Click Finish	Uncheck the 'Launch Stackbuilder at Exit' setting. There are no additional modules to install into your database at this time. At this time, the database should have installed successfully and should be runnning.

You will be given an option to install a demo database. If you would like to do this, click 'Yes'. It is recommended that you do.

Click Yes
Wait	Wait while a DOS window pops up and shows the progress of the demo database being imported. Depending on the performance and RAM in your machine, this could take a few minutes to finish.
	When the DOS window closes, the database server is installed, and the TheatreManagerDemo database is imported.

Making your own Self Signed TLS Certificate

It is generally best to create your own certificate. It takes about 30 seconds to do, and has the advantage that the certificate is unique to your database.

Start a CMD prompt, type the following 3 commands, and then follow the instructions as prompted. You can copy/paste the commands.

cd C:\OpenSSL-Win32 cd bin openssl req -newkey rsa:4096 -nodes -keyout server.key -x509 -days 365 -out server.crt

Answer all the questions you are asked and when done, find the files in the C:\OpenSSL-Win32\bin directory called:

• server.crt
• server.key

Continue to the installation step.

 

Using a supplied self Signed TLS Certificate

We have created a 4094 bit TLS certificate and included it with the installer. While it is better to create your own, if you need one fast to get started, you can use ours and create your own later (per the step above).

Go to the C:\BoxOffice folder and find the files called:

• server.crt
• server.key

Continue to the installation step.

 

Installing the server.crt and server.key Files

1. Select both the server.crt and server.key files and right-click to COPY them
2. Navigate to the postgres data directory which is C:\Program FIles\Postgres\x\data where 'x' is the version of PostgreSQL you have installed.
3. Right-Click and PASTE them into the data directory
4. You will need to restart the Postgres server for the changes to take effect

Once the database is running, start Theatre Manager and go to the window showing employees that are logged in to see that the connection being used is secure.

Postgres is installed using a secure password for the 'service' user under windows. It may be changed by the venue if they wish and if you do so, then you may need to:

• Find the local 'postgres' user on the computer using the Windows Administrative tools an edit the user id. You can change the password the way you would normally change the password for any other user (and is dependant on your version of windows)
• If you change the service password, then you must also open the 'services' control panel and find the postgres service. Change the password there as well. To confirm that you got it right, please stop and start the postgres server. if it stops and starts, its safe to bet that the server will restart on the next reboot of the server.

Why Microsoft Windows turns on defragmentation by default, we don't know, but its not necessarily good for servers. It is particularly terrible if you have Solid State Drives as it affects the longevity of the device by interfering with the drive's wear leveling algorithms. We suggest turning it off from being automatic.

• Click on the drive containing the database server
• Right click to get properties
• Click on the Tools tab
• Click on the 'optimize' button
• Look at the bottom to see if optimization is on (or off)
  • The button to turn it on and off is on the lower right
  • The current state is on the lower left

For most versions of windows servers, you want to do controlled update so that you can pick the time of outage. We recommend using the sever versions of Windows as they behave as you expect (so far). Windows 10 has a mind of its own and may need some special treatment.

Windows Automatic Updates is now found in Services in Windows 10.

How to locate:

• Open Control Panel and Administrative Tools
• Select Services
• In the Services window, scroll down to Windows Update and turn off the process.To turn it off, right-click on the process, click on Properties and select Disabled.
• Note: windows 10 sometimes listens to you, most times it does not, despite what you indicate in various settings and you may have to:
  • prevent it from downloading updates
  • which may involve doing some registry entries which could require you to gain control of some protected registry entries
  • Windows 10 isn't pretty - you are better using 2012 R2 or some earlier version of windows like 8.1 if you must

For watever reason, Windows (out of the box) tends to be set to maximum power-saving which includes setting your network connection to go to sleep when it can:

• especially on workstations, and
• especially if you go take an extended coffee break or have a meeting.

This is not the best setting for any application, like Theatre Manager, QuickBooks or other accounting software that needs to connect to a database on a server.

We suggest disabling power management on the ethernet card.

• use instructions like this for windows 7 and 8
• Use instructions below for Windows 10 (they are very similar to windows 7)
  • Open Control Panel
  • select network and Internet
  • Pick Network Connections. the screen should look like below
  • click the network card
  • right click and show properties
  • click configure

    

  • click power management and uncheck the highlighted item per the image below

    

In addition, please make sure to disable power management except for monitors.

Windows defender can prevent Theatre Manager auto updates from occurring in Windows 10 and can interfere with restarting of TM server. It can be addressed by:

• Using 2012R2 or 2016 server for server processes instead of Windows 10. 2012R2 server does what you tell it with Defender, windows 10 does not - it automatically turns itself back on unless you
  • Set windows defender exclusion to all theatre manager folders on that machine -and/or-
  • Turning the Defender policy off -or-
  • Installing some other AV software that disables Defender and takes over. (we dislike this option - other AV software is much much worse)
• Make sure to turn off DEP on windows 10 for all but essential programs - it might affect TM server from starting on startup

There are a couple of ways to disable indexing.

Using Control Panel

You can usually turn of most indexing by clicking on the properties of the device. However, it seems windows 10 doesn't fully listen, so it may be best to approach this task via the control panel.

1. Open Control Panels
2. Look for where things are indexed
3. Follow these instructions to disable indexing or something like the intent of the instructions.

Disabling indexing of disk from C drive properties

1. Double-click on My Computer (or Computer).
2. Right-click on C: drive (or the drive letter that Postgres is installed under).
3. Select Properties from the popup context menu.
4. Click the General tab.
5. Remove the check in the "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" box.

   

6. Click Apply.

   It may take several minutes for Indexing to complete. If a message pops up indicating Administrator permissions are required click Ok. If the current user is not the Administrator a prompt for the Administrator password will appear. Enter the password and continue. If a prompt appears indicating select folders cannot be altered it may be they are already open. Click Ignore All and let the process continue.

7. Click OK.
8. Reboot the computer.

Repeat this setting on the Web Listener computer, and the Apache server as well

1. Double-click on My Computer (or Computer).
2. Right-click on C: drive (or the drive letter that Postgres is installed under).
3. Select Properties from the popup context menu.
4. Click the Quota tab.
5. Remove the check in the "Enable quota management" box.

   

6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK.
8. Reboot the computer.

To check if the setting is turned on:

• Double-click on My Computer (or Computer).
• Right-click on C: drive (or the drive letter that Postgres is installed under).
• Select Properties from the popup context menu.
• Click the Previous Versions tab.

If Folder Versions reads "There are no previous versions available" this option is turned off. However, if backups are listed with date and time stamps, the feature is enabled and needs to be turned off.

1. Click Start >> Control Panel.
2. Click System in the Control Panel window.
3. Click System Protection in the left column.

   

4. Select the drive Postgres is installed on.
5. Click the Configure button.
6. Move the bullet to "Turn off system protection".

   

7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK.
9. Reboot the computer.

1. Right-click on My Computer (or Computer).
2. Select Properties from the popup context menu.
3. Double-click on System Properties in the left column.
4. Select the Advanced tab.
5. Move the bullet to "Adjust for best performance".

   

6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK.
8. Reboot the computer.

1. Open the control panel.
2. Click User Accounts.
3. Click the Change Users Account Control Settings link under Action Center
4. Move the slider down to Never notify.
5. Click Ok.