As explained here, Windows Vista required certain changes to RTG's software. Here we explain how to prepare RTG Bills prior to upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

For compatibility with Windows Vista, you need RTG Bills Version 2.17 or above.

If you have RTG Bills Version 2.16 or below installed in the Program Files directory, such as this standard location:

C:\Program Files\Rtgbills

it will not work correctly in Windows Vista. The data files are also in that location, and you must move them elsewhere.

Even if you have RTG Bills V2.17 or above, you might have the data files in the Program Files directory if you used an earlier version of RTG Bills. You can see where the data files are located by choosing Setup > Database.

If the data files are in the Program Files directory, you should move them before you install Windows Vista. Here is the best way to do it:

1. Upgrade to the current version of RTG Bills. See Upgrading RTG Bills.
   
   Before you install RTG Bills, you need to know where your data files are now located. During the installation, be sure to specify as the Data Location the current location of the data files. That is probably here (or you wouldn't be doing this at all):

   C:\Program Files\Rtgbills

   If you don't choose the right Data Location, the data will not appear when you start RTG Bills. If that happens, uninstall RTG Bills and install it again with the correct Data Location.
   
   
2. At this point, you have RTG Bills V2.17 or above working and you can see your data. Now you must move the data out of the Program Files folder.
   
   We created a program to copy the data for you. Install this upgrade: Copy RTG Bills Data.
   
   
3. In RTG Bills, choose:
   

   File > Tools > Copy RTG Bills Data > OK

   You should see a new window, Copy RTG Bills or RTG Timer Data. The Current Data Folder shows where your data is now. In the New Data Folder box, enter where you want to move the data.
   
   If you are not sharing RTG Bills with other users, you can click the Standard Data Location button.
   
   However, if you are sharing RTG Bills, you should choose a location that is shared on the network. Create a folder, Rtgbills, on the network and set it to be shared. All RTG Bills users must have read and write permission for the shared folder.
   
   Click Copy to copy the data into the new location.
   
   
4. Start RTG Bills. Although it may appear to be working, it is still using the data in the old location. Choose:
   

   Setup > Database

   
   Enter the new location in the box and click Save. From now on you will be using the data in the new location.

You should now be able to install Windows Vista and use RTG Bills without problems.