MasterCook 8 and Windows 7

[Gulfstreamer]

We bought a new computer and my husband installed MasterCook on it and it won't work. Has anybody else had this problem? I had over 2000 recipes that I put in it and they all disappeared! My husband feels so bad and worked for hours trying to find it and re-install it but to no avail. It looks like MasterCook is not compatible with Windows 7. I have been unable to find any information about it on the Internet. Any help would be appreciated. Even if we can't find my recipes I would be happy to at least have the software to use to start adding more recipes.

Mary Ann

[mkc]

Not a Mastercook user, but you mentioned having quite a few recipes already stored and a new computer. Did you store the recipes on one computer and are now trying to copy them to the new computer? If so, aren't they still on the older computer?

I happen to use Living Cookbook (2008) and just checked their fora - people are reporting successful use with Windows 7 so that might be an alternative (albeit more involved) if the Mastercook folks don't have a patch.

Michelle

[Bawstinn]

It doesn't look like it is known yet if it is compatible or not: Windows 7 Compatibility (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/Details.aspx?type=Software&p=Master%20Cook%20Deluxe&v=Valusoft&uid=8&pf=11&pi=0&c=Hobbies%20%26%20Personal%20Improvement&sc=all&os=32-bit)

If you look under Windows Vista Compatibility, it shows it is not compatible, so maybe they are trying to figure it out still.

[tholbrook]

If you look under Windows Vista Compatibility, it shows it is not compatible, so maybe they are trying to figure it out still. Interesting - I am running MC 9.0 on Vista, and other than a few hiccups with access/permission issues, it has been working fine. Until recently, that is, when I installed the updates for Internet Explorer 8. Now the web recipe import feature doesn't work, - either I get script error messages when I select the text, or nothing happens at all. :(

[Gulfstreamer]

Thank you for the responses. It looks like it isn't compatible with Windows 7.

Michelle, I did have the recipes on the old computer but when my husband installed it and everything appeared to work he erased the hard drive and now they are gone! When I opened MC to get a recipe the cookbooks came on the screen and when I tried to open one they all disappeared--my heart sunk. We were unable to retrieve them.

[gabbyh]

Just installed Windows 7...glad to hear it's compatable w/ Living Cookbook, as I'm getting ready to order...I undertand it also has Weight Watchers points.

~Gail

[dreamer101]

Thanks for posting. Sorry for your loss. I feel your pain. That's a lot of recipes to lose. I have lost recipes with past computer crashes. I got a new computer a couple of years ago. Recently I was given the choice to update to Windows 7 (free because of the purchase date) but I wasn't sure of if it would cause software compatibility problems. I decided to stick with the dreaded Windows Vista. I'm so glad I didn't update. I love my MasterCook 9. I've been using it since MC 4.

tholbrook ... I have all the updates to IE 8. MC 9 web import feature still works for me. 2 things you have to remember: run IE 8 as administrator and open it as a separate window (not a tab).

[mkc]

Michelle, I did have the recipes on the old computer but when my husband installed it and everything appeared to work he erased the hard drive and now they are gone! When I opened MC to get a recipe the cookbooks came on the screen and when I tried to open one they all disappeared--my heart sunk. We were unable to retrieve them.

Have you looked in the new computer's directory structure for your Mastercook recipe database? I assume he copied it over from the previous computer as part of your data backup/move. If you know the file name/extension and can find it, you should still have your recipes, they just may not be accessible with your new computer (or, as some folks are mentioning regarding access control for the web import, you may just need to run MC as administrator). Or it could be that the recipe database is just in a folder other than the one MC expects it to be in.

Does MC have an on-line help board? Maybe someone there can help. Don't panic yet - if the recipe file was copied over, it's got to be somewhere. I can imagine how you feel - I have thousands of recipes in Living Cookbook and would be crushed if I lost them.

Michelle

[tholbrook]

tholbrook ... I have all the updates to IE 8. MC 9 web import feature still works for me. 2 things you have to remember: run IE 8 as administrator and open it as a separate window (not a tab). Thanks ... I'll have to look into this. I had all the settings "correct" with the previous version of IE, so maybe it went back to the default settings with the upgrade.

Mary Ann, we do have a resident MasterCook "expert" on this board: PamN - and I believe she is also involved in another MC help forum as well. I'm hoping that she'll see this thread and weigh in. Good luck! I would be absolutely devestated if I lost all my MC cookbooks.

[tea4one]

Interesting - I am running MC 9.0 on Vista, and other than a few hiccups with access/permission issues, it has been working fine. Until recently, that is, when I installed the updates for Internet Explorer 8. Now the web recipe import feature doesn't work, - either I get script error messages when I select the text, or nothing happens at all. :(

I don't have vista but IE 8 does do this when I select the text when using the import bar. All I normally have to do is open another window of IE and it normally fixes the problem. I do get the script errors a lot when IE opens as well. Hope it works for you if you try it.

[Bawstinn]

I don't have vista but IE 8 does do this when I select the text when using the import bar. All I normally have to do is open another window of IE and it normally fixes the problem. I do get the script errors a lot when IE opens as well. Hope it works for you if you try it.

I'll have to try this. I am running XP and I get the same problem. Often it tells me I don't have any text highlighted. Other times it chokes when I go to import the recipes to a cookbook. Tells me there was some sort of error and no recipes found.

[Gulfstreamer]

My husband has spent days working on this problem. The files are there but when we retrieve them and I open a cookbook and look at a recipe it deletes the cookbook. It just won't read the files and it also caused some other problems with the computer. When he removed MC the problems went away. My only salvation is that he has some of my MC on his laptop because we travel in our RV and I sometimes need recipes. However, he hasn't updated it for awhile and I don't have the latest recipes that I added. I am grateful to at least have some of them.

I guess I will have to buy Living Cookbook and use it instead. I have to have a place for all of my recipes and meal planning.

Thank you very much for all of your suggestions and help. At least others can learn from my experience.

[mkc]

Don't discard those cookbook files yet - I haven't checked the LC support board, but it may be that they'll have a conversion utility and you might be able to pull them in if/when you get LC.

Michelle

[PamN]

Gulfstreamer,

You CAN run MasterCook quite well on Windows 7. There are a few early-adopters on the yahoo discussion group who have done so.

Windows is stashing your cookboks off in your VirtualStore folder -- you need to change your settings according to this faq:

http://mc6help.tripod.com/mastercook_and_vista.htm

Once you've got your settings changed, your cookbooks should stay where they belong -- as long as you always run MC as administrator.

Incidentally, for Help files, you need to download WinHlp32.exe from Microsoft -- here's a link that goes to both the Vista and Win7 versions:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=917607

[Cafe Latte]

I've just ordered a new laptop with Windows 7. I'm hoping that I will be able to transfer all my MC 8 recipes over successfully. Since PamN posted the links, has anyone been able to do it? I don't want to buy MC 11 just for it to work with Windows 7 as I don't see any real updates with the program itself. Any input is appreciated except for suggesting new recipe software - I love MC.

[Chocolate Rose]

Wouldn't it work if you install MC 11 and then move your MC cookbooks jnto it. I have a new laptop with Windows 7 and am using MC 11 with no problems.

[Cafe Latte]

Wouldn't it work if you install MC 11 and then move your MC cookbooks jnto it. I have a new laptop with Windows 7 and am using MC 11 with no problems.

I'm sure that woud work, but I'm trying to avoid buying MC11 because I don't care about any new cookbooks that might come with it, and I'm fine with the features of MC8. I have the original disc from MC8 so I will install that when the laptop gets here. Thanks anyway.

[Cafe Latte]

So I loaded MC8 on my new laptop from the original disc and then copied all the cookbooks over, and NO problems, so it works. I'm not sure why others had problems.

[Lilly Bug]

You are not alone in your difficutlies - I transferred once and lost everything.

The next time I did better - but I had to initially look for things, and thought at first I lost everything.

Everyone has given you great advice - so hang in there and check it all out. Hopefully - you still have the old files to go back to until you get this resolved.

It seems to me that unfortunately, cooking software has a little way to come to make it to the 21st century. Maybe not enough of a target audience? It is unfortunate that with the advances made in computers and software that continues to be a problem for us!

Good luck!

Andrea