FoxPro customer service number — how to get professional support for Visual FoxPro
Contents
- 1 FoxPro customer service number — how to get professional support for Visual FoxPro
- 1.1 Overview and historical context
- 1.2 Official Microsoft channels and phone numbers
- 1.3 Community and third‑party support (practical and cost-effective)
- 1.4 What to prepare before calling or posting (checklist)
- 1.5 Practical troubleshooting and escalation paths
- 1.6 Migration and long‑term strategies: costs, timelines and targets
Overview and historical context
Visual FoxPro (VFP) is a proven relational database and development environment originally created by Fox Software and later acquired by Microsoft. The last major Microsoft release was Visual FoxPro 9.0 (released in 2004). In 2007 Microsoft publicly announced that it would not develop a new version of Visual FoxPro and shifted the product to a maintenance-only posture; consequently there is no dedicated “FoxPro” customer service line within Microsoft today as there is for actively developed products.
Because of that lifecycle, most organizations with VFP in production rely on a mixture of Microsoft corporate channels for platform support (Windows, SQL Server) and specialized third‑party consultants or community projects for VFP-specific issues. Knowing what to ask and where to call produces much faster resolution than generic help requests.
Official Microsoft channels and phone numbers
If your issue touches Microsoft platforms (Windows OS compatibility, network, SQL Server or Active Directory), use Microsoft’s general customer service channels. In the United States the primary Microsoft customer service number is 1-800-642-7676 (1-800-MICROSOFT). Corporate headquarters is located at One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399.
For online assistance, start at Microsoft Support: https://support.microsoft.com. Microsoft also publishes a global customer support directory (search “Microsoft global customer service phone numbers” or visit https://support.microsoft.com/help/4051701). Hours and routing differ by country; enterprise or paid support is handled via the Microsoft Partner or Unified Support programs rather than the consumer line.
Community and third‑party support (practical and cost-effective)
The VFP community remains the best source for product-specific knowledge: code samples, bug workarounds, compatibility guidance and migration patterns. Key community resources include the VFPX open‑source project on GitHub (https://github.com/VFPX), the Universal Thread knowledge base (https://www.universalthread.com), and longstanding forums such as Foxite (http://www.foxite.com) and Stack Overflow’s visual-foxpro tag (https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/visual-foxpro).
Specialist consultancies offer paid support on an hourly or retainer basis. Market rates in 2024–2025 for experienced VFP consultants typically range from $100 to $250 per hour depending on geography and complexity; small remediation engagements commonly cost $2,000–$15,000, while migrations and rewrites range from $10,000 to $250,000+ for large enterprise applications. Always request references, a written statement of work, and sample SLAs that specify response times (e.g., 4-hour response for P1 incidents) before engaging.
What to prepare before calling or posting (checklist)
- Product and environment: exact VFP version (e.g., Visual FoxPro 9.0 SP2), Windows build (e.g., Windows Server 2019, build 17763), and SQL Server version if relevant.
- Error and replication details: full error messages, stack trace, reproducible steps, sample DB (anonymized) and time/date of occurrence. Note DB size (GB), index counts, and number of concurrent users.
- License and deployment facts: license keys or purchase proof if looking for licensing help, number of deployed seats, and whether the app uses COM interop, ODBC/OLE DB drivers, or .NET COM wrappers.
Practical troubleshooting and escalation paths
Start with the least costly route: reproduce the problem in a copy environment and post a minimal reproducible example on Stack Overflow or Universal Thread. Include logs, error codes and exact reproduction steps. For performance issues include profiling data (CPU, I/O, query plans) and table/index statistics; these often reveal whether the bottleneck is VFP client code or an underlying SQL Server query.
If immediate resolution is required, escalate to a paid consultant with VFP experience. For issues involving Windows or SQL Server patches, ring the Microsoft support number (1-800-642-7676 in the US) and reference your organization’s support contract or Microsoft Partner ID. For enterprise customers, Unified Support via the Microsoft Partner portal (https://partner.microsoft.com) provides prioritized incident handling and account management.
Migration and long‑term strategies: costs, timelines and targets
Many organizations use three long‑term strategies: 1) stabilize and continue running VFP in a supported Windows environment; 2) incrementally migrate data to SQL Server while preserving VFP front-end; or 3) reimplement the application in .NET (C#/ASP.NET) or a modern stack. Choice depends on business risk, regulatory requirements and the availability of VFP expertise.
- Common targets and rough cost ranges: migrate VFP data to SQL Server + keep VFP front-end: $5,000–$40,000 depending on DB size and complexity. Full rewrite to .NET or web stack: typically $25,000–$250,000+, with mid-market projects averaging $50k–$120k. Typical consultant rates: $125–$250/hr. Timelines: small projects 2–6 weeks, medium 2–6 months, large enterprise multi‑phase over 6–18 months.
Contact summary and final recommendations
There is no dedicated “FoxPro customer service number” maintained by Microsoft for Visual FoxPro — use Microsoft’s general support lines (US: 1-800-642-7676), the Microsoft Support portal (https://support.microsoft.com) for platform issues, and VFP community resources (VFPX GitHub, Universal Thread, Foxite, Stack Overflow) for product-specific questions. For critical production incidents or migration planning, engage an experienced VFP consultant and insist on a written scope, SLA and fixed milestones.
Document versions, collect reproducible examples and performance metrics before calling. That preparation shortens diagnosis time and reduces consultant hours and overall cost. If you want, provide your VFP version, error text and a short summary of your environment and I’ll outline a tailored contact and escalation plan with likely time and cost estimates.
How do I contact FOXPRO?
Product professionals are available Monday – Friday between 8AM and 5PM Eastern Time. You can also reach us by phone at 717-248-2507, option 2.
Who makes FOXPRO?
It should come as no surprise that Pennsylvania provided the birth place to one of the most successful electronic game call manufacturers in the world — FOXPRO Inc. It was from within the heart of Penn’s Woods that John Dillon (company president, lead engineer) began to forge a new path in electronic game calls.
What is the return policy for FOXPRO?
We want you to be fully satisfied with every item that you purchase from FOXPRO. If you are not satisfied with an item that you have purchased, you may return the item within 30 days of delivery for a full refund of the purchase price, minus the shipping, handling or other additional charges.
Why won’t my FOXPRO Firestorm turn on?
Problem: Firestorm will Not Turn On. Solution: Make sure that you have fresh batteries installed. If you are using rechargeable batteries, make sure they are fully charged.
How do I contact Fox Live Now?
If you have a comment about something you saw on LiveNOW from FOX, please send it to us via email: [email protected].
Why was FoxPro discontinued?
An AI Overview is not available for this searchCan’t generate an AI overview right now. Try again later.AI Overview Visual FoxPro (VFP) was discontinued primarily due to changing market trends and Microsoft’s strategic shift towards .NET and cloud-based technologies. While it was a powerful tool for enterprise development in the 90s, factors like the rise of cloud computing, security concerns, and the need for 64-bit architecture and modern web development made it less relevant. Additionally, VFP’s 32-bit limitation and lack of support for Unicode further contributed to its decline. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Shifting Technological Landscape: The rise of cloud computing, the need for 64-bit architecture, and the increasing popularity of web-based applications made VFP’s desktop-centric approach outdated.
- Security Concerns: VFP’s lack of support for newer Windows versions and its 32-bit architecture raised security concerns, making businesses vulnerable to attacks.
- Limited Scalability: VFP had limitations in scalability and data handling capacity compared to modern systems, especially concerning the demands of “Big Data”.
- Lack of .NET Integration: VFP wasn’t part of Microsoft’s strategic move towards .NET, which became the dominant framework for enterprise development.
- Declining Sales and Support: Sales of Visual FoxPro declined, and Microsoft eventually ceased development and support, making it increasingly difficult to maintain and develop applications.
- Community Support Wanes: While a dedicated community continued to support VFP, it dwindled over time, making it harder to find developers with the necessary skills and resources.
- Focus on Subscription Model: Microsoft shifted its focus to subscription-based models, which didn’t align with VFP’s licensing structure.
Essentially, VFP’s core strengths became less relevant in the evolving tech landscape, and Microsoft chose to focus on more strategic and profitable areas like .NET and cloud-based solutions.
AI responses may include mistakes. Learn moreFoxPro Replacement and End of Life Migrations – InterSoft AssociatesVisual FoxPro has been the programming language of choice for enterprise development since the 90’s. However, the evolution of clo…InterSoft AssociatesWhy was Visual FoxPro development cancelled by Microsoft?Dec 24, 2019Quora(function(){
(this||self).Bqpk9e=function(f,d,n,e,k,p){var g=document.getElementById(f);if(g&&(g.offsetWidth!==0||g.offsetHeight!==0)){var l=g.querySelector(“div”),h=l.querySelector(“div”),a=0;f=Math.max(l.scrollWidth-l.offsetWidth,0);if(d>0&&(h=h.children,a=h[d].offsetLeft-h[0].offsetLeft,e)){for(var m=a=0;mShow more