Answer ID: 13609 Date Created: 07/03/2005 12:08 AM Last Updated: 10/07/2005 02:22 PM Access Level: ACT!-Basic
Error: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" When Opening Any
Database
Question
You are trying to open a database in ACT! 2005 for Windows or ACT! 2005 Premium for Workgroups. You
receive the following error message:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Answer
More than one possible resolution for this issue has been identified. Simply restarting the computer has been
known to resolve the issue. If you have not already done so, please restart the computer before proceeding
with the following solutions.
The following causes have been identified for this issue. Please work through the appropriate sections below
to resolve this issue:
● Database in Network Location
● Windows Telephony or Remote Access Connection Manager Services not running ● Conflict with Firewall software
● Corrupted Preferences file(s) ● Damaged Installation of ACT!
Database in Network Location
This issue can occur if you are not currently connected to the network or if the database is in a network location that is inaccessible to your local Windows login. To determine if network connectivity, rights or permissions is the cause of your issue, follow these steps:
2. Navigate to and open the folder containing the database files.
● If you are not able to locate the network drive, you may not be connected. Please see your network
administrator for assistance.
● If you receive an Access Denied error, you do not have proper network access to this directory. Please see
your network administrator to gain the appropriate access.
● If you are able to access the folder containing the database files, try again to open the database through the
ACT! 2005 program. Occasionally, establishing a connection to the shared folder through Windows Explorer (or My Computer) will allow the ACT! 2005 application access to the files.
Windows Services Not Running
ACT! 2005 requires that Windows Telephony and Remote Access Connection Manager Services be
started. Follow the steps below to ensure that these required Windows Services are running:
1. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
2. Type services.msc into the Open field, and then click OK. The Services window appears.
3. Locate the Service named Telephony and ensure that the Status displays as Started. If this services is NOT Started, right-click the Telephony Service, and then click Start from the shortcut menu.
4. Repeat step 3 for the Service named Remote Access Connection Manager, and then test.
Conflict with Firewall software
This error has been known to result if your system has firewall software installed. It is recommended that you temporarily disable this firewall and test to determine if this is the cause.
If you find that temporarily disabling this firewall resolves the issue, you may need to uninstall the firewall software or contact the vendor for information on allowing the ACT! database to function through the firewall.
Corrupted Preferences File
rebuild this file the next time you launch the program. Use the following steps:
Warning: If your are using Internet Mail, Outlook Express, Eudora or Local ACT! Folders for E-mail, renaming this
preferences file may result in a loss of e-mail messages. If you are using Outlook for E-mail or are just beginning your use of ACT! E-mail, you will not experience this issue.
If you are using Internet Mail, Outlook Express, Eudora or Local ACT! Folders for E-mail, please create a backup of your ACT! E-mail database. You can then restore this backup after renaming the preferences file and opening the ACT! E-mail view. Refer to the following Knowledge Base document for detailed information on backing up and restoring your ACT E-mail database:
Title: How To Back Up or Move Your ACT! 2005 E-mail Messages Answer ID: 14451
Before following the steps below, it is also recommended that you have a current backup of your ACT! 2005
database(s). For information on creating a backup of your ACT! 2005 database, refer to the following
Knowledge Base document:
Title: How to Back Up and Restore an ACT! 2005 Database Answer ID: 13857
Follow the steps below to rebuild your ACT! 2005 Preferences:
1. Close ACT!.2. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
3. Type act7diag into the Open field, and then click OK. The ACT! 2005 Diagnostics utility launches. 4. Click the Databases button in the lower-left corner. The Databases view appears.
5. Click the Tools menu, and then click Delete Preferences. The following ACT! dialog box appears:
6. Click Yes to continue, and then close the ACT! 2005 Diagnostics utility. 7. Launch ACT!. The following ACT! dialog box appears:
8. Click No. The ACT! Getting Started Wizard appears.
9. Click Cancel, and then click the button near the upper-left corner. An Open dialog box appears.
10. Navigate to (if necessary) and Open your database.
If deleting your Preferences through the ACT! 2005 Diagnostics utility fails to resolve this issue, the
damaged preferences setting may be within the Preferences backup file. It is recommended that you again
delete your Preferences through the ACT! 2005 Diagnostics utility, and then rename the Preferences
backup file as follows:
1. Follow steps 1 - 6 of the procedure described above to delete your Preferences through the ACT! 2005 Diagnostics utility.
2. Launch Windows Explorer (or My Computer) and navigate to the following location: C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Application Data\ACT\ACT for Win 7
3. Right-click the preferencesBak.XML file and then click Rename from the Shortcut menu, and then rename this file to preferencesBak.old.
4. Close Windows Explorer (or My Computer), and then launch ACT! 2005. The QuickStart Wizard appears. 5. Proceed through the QuickStart Wizard to reconfigure your Word Processor and Fax preferences. Do NOT
reconfigure E-mail UNLESS you are using Microsoft Outlook as your e-mail system. If you are using Internet Mail, Outlook Express, Eudora or Local ACT! folders for e-mail, you will need to restore your e-mail database.
6. Launch ACT! E-mail to determine if your e-mail messages were retained. 7. Close ACT!, and then restore your e-mail (if necessary).
Damaged Installation
If you still receive the error, your ACT! 2005 program may be improperly installed or may be damaged. It is
recommended that you uninstall the ACT! 2005 software, rename the ACT! program folder, and then reinstall
the ACT! 2005 software in Windows Selective Startup mode. Please be sure that you have the ACT! 2005
installation CD (or the downloaded installation executable file) on hand, before proceeding.
Note: Uninstalling the ACT! 2005 software will NOT remove your database files.
Prior to uninstalling ACT! 2005, it is strongly recommended that you back up your e-mail database. Click the
link below for detailed information on creating a backup of your e-mail database:
Title: How To Back Up or Move Your ACT! 2005 E-mail Messages. Answer ID: 14451
Follow the steps below to uninstall ACT! 2005:
1. Launch the Windows Control Panel, and then double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. The Add/Remove dialog box appears.
2. Select the ACT! 2005 item, and then click the Remove (or Change/Remove) button and follow the prompts to completely remove this software.
Note: Uninstalling ACT! 2005 will NOT remove your database files.
3. From the Add/Remove Programs window, Remove all instances of Microsoft .NET Framework. If you have more than one installed instance of Microsoft .NET Framework, remove the instance with the highest number first. (this software will be reinstalled as you reinstall ACT! 2005)
4. Close the Windows Control Panel and restart your computer, and then launch Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
5. Navigate to the ACT! 2005 program folder. By default, this is located at: C:\Program Files\ACT\ACT for Win 7.
6. Rename this folder to ACT for Win 7 old. 7. Navigate to the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$ACT7. 8. Rename this folder to Old MSSQL$ACT7.
Policy.7.0.Act, Policy, 7.1.Act, Policy.7.2.Act, or C1. Please do not delete any other files. Windows XP/2003 - C:\Windows\assembly\GAC
Windows 2000 - C:\Winnt\assembly\GAC
Important Note: If you do not see the \GAC folder, please return to step 3 above to ensure that the Microsoft .NET Framework has been removed.
10. Close Windows Explorer (or My Computer).
11. Reinstall the ACT! 2005 software in Windows Selective Startup mode. For detailed information on this process, refer to the following document:
