Aloha Stops Communicating with NCR Wedge Service

[BIGGBYNinja]

We have multiple locations that are experiencing this problem. The locations are using NCR RealPOS 7402 model POS terminals. In order to get the Magnetic Stripe Reader working with Aloha, the NCR Retail Platform Software is installed. This puts a program in the Windows / Program Files / Startup folder called "NCRWedgeStartup.exe"

The way I understand how this works (and this may be completely wrong) is that this startup service makes the Keyboard Wedge service work as an OPOS device. We have Aloha configured to use the OPOS LDN "NCRMSR.1"

Everything works .. until it doesn't. What I mean is that after running just fine for maybe 4 or 5 days, the Aloha will stop reading any and all cards from the MSR. We've found a quick fix:

1. kill iberqs
2. kill ncrwedgestartup
3. start ncrwedgestartup
4. start iberqs

Every time we do this, it starts working again just fine.

As a test, when this problem happens, if I just kill Aloha (iberqs) and perform an MSR diagnostics test using NCR's Retail Systems Manager software, a swiped card reads just fine. This to me points to an Aloha issue.

Does anybody have any experience with these terminals or an issue similar to this? I'm having a hard time figuring it out, and it's frustrating that it is happening at multiple locations.

Thanks!

 

[posrescue]

More than likely Aloha is set to have Windows log of and log back on after a refresh or EOD. That will restart Aloha but it is probably not restarting the OPOS software. You might try setting the Aloha.ini file on the terminals to completely reboot instead of a log off/log on.
In the aloha.ini file verify or change the following line.
REBOOTNT=TRUE

This way the terminals will completely reboot at EOD and after refresh. This may cure you?

 

[BIGGBYNinja]

It's funny you mention that. It's the strangest thing. When this happens, rebooting the terminal does NOT resolve the issue. That's another thing that I can't wrap my head around. We actually already have all terminals set with the environment variable REBOOTNT = TRUE. They do reboot every night at 2 AM when our EOD runs.

Thanks.

 

[posrescue]

Possible try adding stop the NCR service and restart prior to starting Aloha in the aloha.ini. You may need to add a wait command to starting iber to ensure the ncr service has completely started prior to aloha starting up.