Support Articles — .NET framework

MadgeTech 4 Will Not Open – DbProviderFactories Error

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This article addresses an issue where the software will not open, or crashes when opening. An error may or may not be presented showing that The application has encountered a problem and needs to close.  The specific error message is “The ‘DbProviderFactories’ section can only appear once per config file.”

Please follow the instructions to fix the issue: 

This crash or failure to launch, is caused by a typographical error in one of Microsoft’s .NET Framework configuration files.  This file is located here:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Config\Machine.Config

and/or here:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Config\Machine.Config

Back up the file to a second location before any changes or edits are made.  Next, open the file in Notepad.

The following text is the typographical error that must be removed from the file. It must look exactly like this with the slash near the end:

<DbProviderFactories />.

The text below shows an example of what this line will likely look like in the file.  Remove only the line that is bold, that shows the “/” character after DbProviderFactories.

Finally, save the file, overwriting Machine.config, and attempt to open MadgeTech 4. It may be necessary to save the file to a second location first, then close it, then copy it from the second location to the original folder.  When saving, make sure to change the file type to “all files”, and the name to “machine.config” rather than just machine.

If the problem persists, please contact us at [email protected].

MadgeTech 4 will not open

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THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT APPLY TO WINDOWS 10 USERS

If the software will not open, this may be due to an issue with the specific version of the Microsoft .NET framework on the user’s PC.

When Microsoft released .NET framework 4.5, it had a bug that prevented a lot of software packages—including ours—from running properly.  They have since released 4.5.1, 4.5.2 and other subsequent versions, which work fine with our software. Updating is only required and recommended, if the computer specifically has .NET framework version 4.5.

Go to Control Panel in the Start Menu and select Programs and Features.  Scroll down to the listing for Microsoft .NET Framework and check the full name and the specific version number.  If the installed version is Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 (actual version in the right-hand column may say 4.5.50709) rather than 4.5.1 or 4.5.2, then that is likely the issue.  Note, the new 4.6.1 and later versions included with Windows 10 should be fine as well.

Microsoft has since patched this version to 4.5.1/4.5.2 as they inadvertently affected many small software companies like us.  .NET 4.5 changed a registry function that doesn’t work with our software or many other packages.

Linked below is the download page from Microsoft for 4.5.2, please download and install this new .NET framework, restart your computer, and then try running the software again.  http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42643

If this does not solve the problem, please review the article “MadgeTech 4 will not open – DbProviderFactories error”.