Installing Kennel Connection 7 & SQL Server

Installing Kennel Connection 7 & SQL Server

Installing Kennel Connection 7 & SQL Server

Welcome to the installation guide for Kennel Connection 7. 


Kennel Connection 7 is compatible with Windows 7 or higher operating systems.  Windows 10 is recommended. 


Important:  If you are installing Kennel Connection 7 on your server and need SQL Server installed as well, proceed with these instructions.  If this is a workstation where only KC7 is needed or a server where SQL Server is already installed, click on Installing Kennel Connection 7 to a workstation or Installing Kennel Connection 7 with an existing version of SQL Server for the correct instructions.


Installation Instructions 


WARNING:  During the setup of KC7, it will scan your network for available SQL instances.  To prevent any installation issues on your main computer and workstations, you should disable your antivirus software before installing KC7.  Upon completion of the KC7 install and before re-enabling your antivirus, make sure you add KC7.exe to your antivirus exception/exclusion lists to prevent it from deleting the software.


Note:  In order to successfully install and configure Kennel Connection, you must be logged into each computer as the Administrator.


Warning:  Do not speed through the installation by clicking Next repeatedly.  Follow these instructions to ensure Kennel Connection 7 functions properly.


1. If you do not already have the KC7Setup.exe file,  you can request the installer from the following link: Kennel Connection File Request or by going to https://kennelconnection.com and clicking on Support>Request KC Install & Update:

2. Click the Request Update Link button at the bottom of the next page: 



3. Fill out the form and select Both from the dropdown menu at the bottom:

File Request Form
Once the form has been filled out, you should see a confirmation page: 



4. Check your inbox for an email with links to download your requested files. Click the link that is sent to begin the file downloads.


Note: Due to automatic account verification steps, emails may take anywhere from 1-10 minutes to be received. Be sure to always check your inbox/junk/spam folders as well.


5.  Once the files have finished downloading, you will see the KC7Setup.exe and the latest KC7 update file in your downloads folder or wherever you chose to save it to.  Many computers save to the Downloads folder if you were not given the option to choose.  The file looks like this:


KC7 install with SQL Server


Double click the KC7Setup.exe first and if prompted, choose Run. (If Windows Smartscreen blocks this file, click the "more info" button and then run anyway.)


6.  Once the installer is running, click Next until you get to the screen where it asks you where you want to install KC7 to.  This is where you MUST make sure it says C:\KC7 or if you're installing to another internal drive it should be drive letter\KC7. If it does, simply click Next and continue the installation by clicking Next or Install until it finishes.  Then click Finish.


If it does not show C:\KC7 as the install path OR you are installing to a different internal drive, proceed to step 6.


7.  If it does not show C:\KC7, you must change it to show C:\KC7 or whichever drive letter you're installing to.  Click on the Change button.


8.  Click the drop down arrow and choose your C drive or whichever drive letter you're installing to.


9.  You may now notice that the folder name only shows C:\.  If it does, in the Folder name field, simply type in KC7 after the slash and then click OK.



10. Click Next and install.  The KC7 software will now install.  Once it completes, click Finish to close the wizard.


11. Locate the latest KC7 update file you downloaded and double click it to run it. (If Windows Smartscreen blocks this file, click the "more info" button and then run anyway.)


12. Click "Next" and the update will automatically install to the proper KC7 directory. When it completes, close the install wizard.



Installing SQL Server


Please note:  Only one of your machines will need SQL installed to host the database.  The other machines will use a separate workstation install.


1.  Double click on your new KC7 desktop icon.  Instead of launching the software, this will launch a configuration wizard.  The new KC7 icon looks like this:



Click Next on the wizard to continue.



2. On the next screen, you will need to choose which type of machine this is.  (*This document is for the main/server computer with SQL Server install only.  If this is not your main/server machine, or you already have SQL Server installed, click on Installing Kennel Connection 7 to a workstation or Installing Kennel Connection 7 with an existing version of SQL Server for directions.*)  If you plan to connect other computers/workstations to this database, choose the second option. If this will be your ONLY computer, choose the first option and click Next.



3.  After a brief scan of your machine, you will be prompted to Download and install SQL Server.  Click the button to start the process. 



(If you have Windows updates pending, it will notify you and you'll be required to install and reboot before setting up KC.)




Note that if you already have an existing SQL instance installed, this will detect it and you can either use that instance or click the "Download and install another instance anyway" button to start with a new SQL instance. 


Please note:  Depending on your download speed and computer speed, this download and install could take 5 - 15 minutes or more.



The SQL download will begin.  Once the download portion completes, it will start installing SQL Server.  The install portion will move much slower than the download in most cases.  Be patient.


This wizard will not only download and install SQL Server for you, but it will also completely configure SQL and your Kennel Connection software to point to it, leaving you with simply having to open KC7 and begin use upon its completion!



4.  Once the install has finished, click Finish on the wizard.



Kennel Connection 7 has now been installed to your machine and is ready for use.  You may now either DEMO the program by entering in the information requested at the startup of KC7, proceed to upgrade your Kennel Connection 6 database to Kennel Connection 7 or restore your KC7 database. 


If restoring an already existing KC7 database, click here: Restoring your Kennel Connection 7 database


NOTE: If restoring an already existing KC7 database, you do NOT need to enter any registration information into KC. Close the KC software, restore the database and it will already be registered. 


If you are coming from Kennel Connection 6, please use the Kennel Connection 7 Upgrade Guide





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