Troubleshooting & Common Tasks
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Table of Contents
- FastTrack or FT Comm Not Working Right
- Switch Computers
- Using Your Account on a Friend's Machine
- Move FT to a Different Folder
- Other Common Issues
FastTrack or FT Comm Not Working Right
If FT4web or FT Comm is malfunctioning, follow this complete reset procedure:
Reset Procedure
- Uninstall FT Comm using Windows Control Panel
- Reboot Windows
- Reinstall the latest FT Comm Installer by extracting the ZIP and running setup.exe
- Open FT Comm and navigate to the User Settings tab
- Click "Revert to Backup" and select the backup version you want to restore
- Navigate to the Download tab and press Connect to download FastTrack data
This procedure gives you a clean installation while preserving your custom families, charts, and settings from backup.
Switch Computers
Moving to a new computer? Follow these steps to transfer your FT4web setup.
On Your Old Machine
- Open FT Comm and go to the User Settings tab
- Write down your account number and password (you'll need these)
- Click "Back Up Now" to save your current setup to the cloud
On Your New Machine
- Install FT Comm by extracting the ZIP and running setup.exe
- Enter your account number and password (must match old machine)
- On the User Settings tab, check the Main PC option
- This converts your new machine to your Main PC
- Note: There is a fee for this conversion
- Click Connect on the Download tab to update data
- Click "Revert to Backup" to restore your families, charts, and settings from your old machine
- Start Charting – Ranking from your desktop
Your new computer now has all your data and custom configurations from your old machine.
Using Your Account on a Friend's Machine
Want to demonstrate FT4web on a friend's computer using your data and settings? Here's how:
Get Your Friend a Trial Account (Recommended)
Call 866-295-0166 during business hours to get a free trial account for your friend. This is the best approach for ongoing use.
One-Time Demo on Friend's Machine
On Your Machine
- Open FT Comm → User Settings tab
- Write down your account number and password
- Click "Back Up Now" to save your current setup
On Your Friend's Machine
- Install FT Comm by extracting the ZIP and running setup.exe
- Enter your account number and password
- Click Connect on the Download tab
- When prompted, select "Purchase a 1 day update for this computer"
- Follow payment instructions
- This gives you access until midnight Central time
- Go to User Settings tab → click "Revert to Backup"
- Select your backup to restore your families and settings on friend's machine
Set Up Your Friend's Trial Account
- Navigate to User Settings tab
- Change the account number and password to your friend's trial credentials
- Click "Back Up Now" to save your configurations to your friend's account
- Click "Charting – Ranking" on desktop to start charting
Your friend now has your setup saved to their trial account and can continue using it after you leave.
Move FT to a Different Folder
Need to move your FT installation to a different location (different drive, different folder, etc.)?
Move Procedure
- Manually copy your old FT folder to the new location
- OR use the backup and restore features
- Start FT Comm
- On the User Settings tab, change the Install Path to the new location
- The value saves automatically as you change it
- Click Connect on the Download tab to do an update
- This re-registers the OCX and DLL programs in their new location
- Click the "Add Desktop Icon" button to update your desktop shortcuts to the new location
Important Warnings
❌ DO NOT simply rename, cut, or paste the install folder without following the steps above
❌ DO NOT just change the Install Path field without doing a data update
❌ DO NOT skip the "Add Desktop Icon" step
These shortcuts will cause problems that require a full reinstall to fix.
Other Common Issues
Pop-up Warning from Anti-Virus
Symptom: Your anti-virus software displays a warning when running FT Comm or FT4web.
Solution:
- DO NOT automatically click OK without reading
- Read the message carefully and examine all options
- Only choose options that say:
- "Run this program"
- "Allow Access"
- "Do Not Block"
- "Run Anyway"
- "Add to exceptions"
- Avoid options that say "Block", "Quarantine", or "Delete"
Family Tab Problems
Symptom: Issues with the Families tab in FT4web, often related to Microsoft Office compatibility.
Solution: Follow the Family Tab Problems guide.
Chart Freezes on Startup
Symptom: FT4web freezes when starting, or exhibits excessive flickering, especially on edges of the issue list.
Common cause: Custom DPI settings in Windows
Solution:
- Set Windows DPI back to standard setting instead of a custom setting
- Restart FT4web
- Some flickering is normal, but excessive flickering indicates a DPI issue
Unable to Run Third-Party Programs
Symptom: Cannot run FastBreak, OTR-EDGE, or other third-party programs that use FastTrack data.
Solution: Click here for third-party program compatibility information
FT Comm Won't Connect to Server
Symptom: FT Comm fails to connect when you press "Connect" button.
Possible causes and solutions:
Internet connection issue
- Verify you can access other websites
- Check your network connection
Incorrect credentials
- Verify your account number and password on User Settings tab
- Call 866-295-0166 x 1 if you've forgotten credentials
Firewall blocking
- Check your firewall settings
- Add FT Comm to firewall exceptions
- Temporarily disable firewall to test
Anti-virus interference
- Check if anti-virus is blocking FT Comm
- Add FT Comm to anti-virus exceptions
Windows security settings
- Ensure FT Comm has permission to access the internet
- Check Windows Defender settings
Download Interrupted/Hanging
Symptom: Download starts but stops or appears to hang.
Solution:
- Click the Interrupt button
- Wait at least 1 minute before taking additional action
- If still hung after 1 minute, close FT Comm
- Restart FT Comm and try again
- If problem persists, follow the reset procedure
Data Appears Out of Date
Symptom: Charts show old data; latest trading day is missing.
Solution:
- Check the current time - data updates at ~7:30pm Central
- Check the Data Status Blog for any delays
- Manually update by clicking Connect in FT Comm
- Verify your account subscription is current (call 866-295-0166 x 1)
Cannot Modify Chart Settings or Families
Symptom: Changes to charts or families don't save, or you get "access denied" errors.
Common cause: Insufficient permissions to the FT folder
Solution:
- Verify you have read/write permissions to your FT install folder (usually C:\FT)
- Check that FT4web wasn't installed under a different Windows user account
- If installed in "Program Files", move FT to a different folder
Still Need Help?
Contact Support
Phone: 866-295-0166
- Extension 1: Account issues, subscription questions
- Extension 2: Technical support, investment training
Business Hours: 8:00AM-5:00PM Central (market days)
Online Support
FLOSS (FastTrack Live Online Support Services):
- Call 866-295-0166 x 2 first
- Support will tell you to click the FLOSS button in FT Comm if needed
- Support connects remotely to assist you
Support Portal: https://Support.ME (when directed by support)
Additional Resources
Prevention Tips
Avoid Future Issues
- Keep FT Comm updated - Apply updates when the yellow banner appears
- Enable automatic backups - Protect your custom settings
- Use default install path (C:\FT) - Avoid permission issues
- Add to anti-virus exceptions - Prevent interference
- Don't modify FT folder manually - Use FT Comm tools instead
Consider FastTrack
Many technical issues with FT4web stem from the complexity of desktop software installation and Windows compatibility. FastTrack (browser version) eliminates these issues entirely.
Read the Migration Guide to learn how FastTrack can simplify your experience.