Update

Note for the majority of our customisations this is no longer a problem because our installer can now look for either the sample database or a production database. Older, less frequently updated products may still need this workaround.



The installation process looks in the registry to see the location of the plug-ins folder where it should install the plug-in. It looks specifically for the production database's settings so if you do not have a production database attached it will not install.


You are able to trick the installer into thinking that there is a production database by editing the registry. At this point, if you are not comfortable editing the registry then please do not as it can make Windows unstable if done so incorrectly.

Find the following branch in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Blackbaud\REINI_50

Right click and select export and save the file to a known location.
Right click on the saved file and select edit. This will open up the file in notepad.
In the second line of text change the REINI_50 to REINI_1.
In the third line of text again changed the REINI_50 to REINI_1.
Keep everything else as it is and save the file.
Double click on the file so that you add the keys to the registry.

Now when you attempt to install RE it will find the "production" database. When you run RE there will now be two lines that say The "Raiser's Edge 7 Sample Database". They both point to the same database so you can use either of them to start the database.