There are a couple of different places where a "Loading" message may appear. It is important to determine where precisely the "Loading" message is appearing. Please test the following:

  1. Close Hallmark Card Studio 2012 if it is already open
  2. Start Hallmark Card Studio 2012
  3. When it opens to the main screen, do not click on anything

After leaving the program alone for a couple of minutes, does the "Loading" message appear? If so, please try the following section:

"Loading" on main screen

Please go to the Add/Remove Programs and check to see if you see an entry that starts with Microsoft SQL Server Compact. If you find such an entry, please try the following:

  1. Go to the Add/Remove Programs
  2. Uninstall Hallmark Card Studio 2012
  3. Uninstall any item that starts with Microsoft SQL Server Compact
  4. Restart your computer
  5. Reinstall Hallmark Card Studio 2012
  6. Restart your computer
  7. Test the Hallmark program once more

If you are unable to find any entry that starts with Microsoft SQL Server Compact in the Add/Remove Programs, then please try the following:

  1. Go to the Add/Remove Programs
  2. Uninstall Hallmark Card Studio 2012
  3. Download and install the Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5 SP2 component found here

    http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=5783
  4. After that has been installed, restart your computer
  5. Reinstall Hallmark Card Studio 2012 after the computer finishes restarting

If the "Loading" message does not appear while waiting for a few minutes on the main screen, please see the following section:

"Loading" on other screens

This typically appears on download copies of the program when there is some issue with the internet connection. This should not appear in the program if it was installed from a disc. Disc installations do not require an internet connection. So, if you are seeing this on a disc installation, it is more likely that you are being affected by a problem outlined in the first section.

If this was installed from a download copy of the program, please verify that you have an active internet connection on the computer. If the computer is currently connected, you may also need to check to see if there is any anti-virus, firewall or anti-malware software on your computer. It may be that one of these programs is blocking Hallmark's access to the internet.