PCPE v3.0 - Annoying Start-up Prompt

[ultraburger_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 12/24/2010

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With PCPE v3.0 in Win7 I get a prompt at start-up everytime to run this APC software (screen shot attached). This isn't a new issue as it was identified months ago here in multiple threads and for some reason these threads have been closed in what is certainly not a closed issue. The question to APC is when will this be fixed?

I paid extra for APC because of their brand but my post purchase experience has bene pretty poor so far. I had to do extensive Google searches to discover if my product (BD750G-CN) even supported Win7, then had to search even more to find the latest version of the software (no links were on my product page).

Also, when I click on "Technical Data" my hard drive makes an annoying noise (also already noted here in many posts), so what is being done about this?! I'm not a programmer, but these are pretty basic issues that NEVER should have happened in the first place with some very basic level testing and should not take over 2 months to fix.

I appreciate that APC has provided a forum and is listening to their customers comments/issues/suggestions, but if nothing is being done about this poor website and software it's even more annoying. Honestly my impression of APC has been greatly tarnished from my first purchase and if these issues aren't fixed soon, it will be the only APC product I purchase in my lifetime and I'll be sure to share my experiences.

APC I would like a fix, realistic work-around or at very least an explanation of what the hold up is please.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 12/27/2010

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we keep closing the the numerous threads on these same issues because we have indicated that 1.) the UAC prompt issue (which there is a workaround for) and 2.) the hard drive issue will be resolved in a future release, 3.1 i am told. [per another thread of this forum|http://forums.apc.com/spaces/6/racks-rack-accessories-cooling/forums/general/6532/ap7930-error/1#144...], it will be released sometime next year.

3.1 will be a little while because those are not the only two issues being addressed within the 3.1 release. among bugs being fixed there are also new little features being added and afterwards, everything needs to go through testing with many different unit models, etc and if issues are found, it adjusts the release date.

believe me, the issues you mentioned are definitely known and are being addressed. i will forward your thread here along to the product manager as well.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 9/7/2011

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h1. this is now fixed!

PCPE version 3.0.0.1 is now available on the web. This is an interim release that is available in English & German and addresses three major concerns.

Fixes in this release:*

•With Windows UAC enabled, when a user logged on to Windows Vista or Windows 7, the UAC dialog always asked the user to approve starting the PowerChute Systray icon. This will no longer happen.

•After un-installing PowerChute, hibernation was not being restored and has been corrected.

• When selecting PowerChute Technical data screen it would be displayed very slowly and sometimes the internal PC fan made a lot of noise (indicating over usage). This has also been addressed.

Here is the link to the software or you can browse to it on apc.com/tools/download

http://www.apc.com/tools/download/software_comp.cfm?sw_sku=SFPCPE3001

[CheezWiz_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 1/4/2011

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Are they also aware that the "Green" calculations are not correct?
Like mine says it takes 63 trees to absorb 5 lbs of carbon from one days use..
If I select month is says it only takes 48.2 trees to clear 119 lbs. If I select year, it only takes 4 trees... I think someone divided when they should have multiplied..

I too have chosen APC for my self and work because the software was always been excellent. Cyberpower makes decent equipment but their PowerPanel+ software has always sucked.. Until now.. APC has allowed themselves to be leapfrogged by CyberPower (64bit support with no UAC issues AND no need to create an account to download the software). For home use, a backup is only as useful as its companion software is easy to use and maintained. Windows 7 and Vista require the same programming paradigm where UAC is concerned so there has been plenty of time to get that working and the big consumer push to 64-bit has been full steam ahead for nearly a year now. It just seems like APC fell asleep at the wheel.

I now have two CyberPower 1350 in use where APC's once were. I still have one Back-UPS 1500 XS.. but at this rate of software support, perhaps not for too much longer.

We have made the move to 64-bit windows 7 at work and have bought APC's with all of our new systems, but have not installed PCP because of these issues. I am about ready to recommend we move in another direction there because Windows built-in drivers just shut down as soon as power is lost.
We are a University, so we buy a lot of product..

Message was edited by: CheezWiz

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Ray on APC forums on 1/7/2011

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How long have you installed the software for? I would seem to be for about a month.

The software works by taking the amount of CO2 that you've generated as a result of consuming that amount of energy and then working out how many trees it would take to sequester that CO2. Trees don't absorb CO2 instantaneously, they do so over a period of time.

I'm going to assume that you have it installed for approx. a month. Therefore the calculations are:
Each tree is assumed to sequester 13.393 kg CO2/year. So 63 trees would sequester (63 * 13.393) 843 kg CO2 throughout the year. For one day, that is 843 / 365 = 2.3 kgs = 5.06 lbs.
Over a week, it reports 48.2 trees. That's 646 kgs CO2 throughout the year or (646 / 12) = 12.4 kgs = 53.8 kgs = 118 lbs (all calculations are done in kgs so there may be rounding errors).
For the year calculation, that CO2 is assumed to be sequestered over that year. So 4 trees would sequester 646 kgs CO2, which matches the monthly calculation.

So all seems in order. Please reply if you have any questions.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Mauro on APC forums on 1/10/2011

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Well, I think that when you click on "Technical Data" it's the floppy disk drive that makes noise, rather than the hard disk, at least on my system. It's quite strange for me that PCPE has to seek the floppy disk to provide that information...

Mauro.

[a_ok2me_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 1/23/2011

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I hope threads like this don't get closed like prior threads because it feels like socialist policy preventing people from expressing their speech against a government or institution.

It's been about 4 months now since the problem was discovered and initially there were promises of quick identification and resolution, but no results. I'm using the 'work-around' but consumers shouldn't have to be this savvy and go the extra effort to figure it out.

It's also legitimate to tell users to downgrade to the prior version, but that's not how you want to run a business, especially if you make declarations of "proven reputation for Legendary Reliability".

[CheezWiz_apc · Accepted solution]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 1/24/2011

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Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense now. I was thinking that it would estimate my current usage over the year in absence of hard data for those times. Instead, it calculates those values as if I turned off my PC and did not use it anymore, adjusting as time goes on..