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Version 3.1 and earlier versions
Download, Installation and Licence Notes
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Installing and activating UltraDiff is a simple process and most users
never encounter any problems.
Occasionally however, we do receive queries and the sections below outline the various
areas in more detail, which we hope you will find useful.
Please note that if you are running Vista, then the instructions given below
should be followed carefully to ensure UltraDiff works correctly.
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Download information and security
The file that you download is called UltraDiff[type].zip.
When you download, please ensure that your browser is set to allow session (temporary)
cookies since these are used to manage your page navigation and the download itself.
The file should be saved to your local PC; if you attempt to Open and install over
the Internet it will fail. Also, do not use a download manager since we have found
that these often do not work correctly with our site.
You can extract the contents of the zip file using a program such as WinZip on Windows
2000 or, on Windows XP and later systems, you can simply double-click the file to
open it and then copy the files as you would normally.
The zip file contains the installation file with the suffix
[.msi]. This is a standard Windows Installer that your system will
recognise.
Also included is a 'ReadMe.txt' file that may contain important late-breaking information.
Security
All our msi files are digitally signed for security
and you can check that the certificate on your download is valid by right-clicking
on the msi file once it has been extracted and
then selecting the "Digital Signatures" tab.
This confirms that the file really came from us and that it has not been altered
or corrupted since it was signed.
Backup
It is advisable to copy the msi file to CD or
other external backup media for backup or reinstallation purposes.
Note that you may need to do this if you have a Roving Licence
and intend to use UltraDiff on PCs where the msi
installation file is not readily accessible.
Installation
Step 1 - Logon
You should be logged on to your PC with Administrator privileges. This will ensure
that, when installed, all users of your PC will have access to UltraDiff.
We have found that most home users running Windows XP tend to run their PCs with
these privileges already set but, if you have adjusted your security settings or
are running Windows Vista, you should take this into account.
At work, there may be strict security policies in force and you may need to seek
assistance from your IT support staff.
Step 2 - The Zip File
Extract the msi file from the zip file and save
to your hard drive or a network drive in a suitable directory.
Check the ReadMe.txt file for any additional installation instructions.
Step 3 - Installation
Open Windows Explorer, double click on the msi
file name in your chosen directory and follow the on-screen installation instructions.
If you're installing UltraDiff and using the Vista operating system,
please follow the instructions in the special Vista notes now,
BEFORE attempting activation.
Internet access requirements
UltraDiff requires access to the Internet for the following program features
found on the Help menu. In addition, UltraDiff will need to lauch your
web browser to show you relevant information for most of these :
- Activation
- Parking
- Feedback
- Access to Resources and Support
- Checking for updates
If you run firewall software, you should ensure that UltraDiff is granted
permission to send and receive data through the firewall.
You may also run software that stops UltraDiff from launching other programs.
If so, please ensure that UltraDiff can at least launch your web browser
otherwise you will be unable to access several of these features.
Activating your Licence
When you activate UltraDiff, it connects to our web servers to obtain and
save the licence for your PC installation and also updates other UltraDiff
files as needed.
Each licence issued is locked to the PC being activated and the number of available
licences is reduced by one. Licences cannot be moved between PCs by copying or using
backup/restore processes.
You can only activate UltraDiff on a PC if there is an unused licence available.
If you only have one licence, or all licences are in use, then you have to Park
one licence before you can activate on another PC
To activate UltraDiff on a PC, it should first be installed as outlined
above and you should be logged on to your PC with Administrator privileges in the
same way as when installing.
- Open UltraDiff.
- Click on the "Activate" option and click "OK".
- In the Wizard that opens, enter your Master Licence ID, as shown on your download
instructions (and invoice if purchased). Please check carefully that you enter this
correctly since it is easy to transpose some of the digits.
- For Static licences, ensure the Transfer Key is left blank for the first activation.
- On completion of the Wizard, UltraDiff will connect to our web servers
to obtain the licence and activate the installation.
Once activated, UltraDiff will automatically close and then re-open ready
for use.
Parking your Licence
When you park your UltraDiff licence, the licence is copied back to our
web servers and the number of licences available to you is increased by one.
Once a licence has been parked, it is then available to be activated on any other
PC or even on the same PC if required.
Since you have control of the activation and parking, this means that you can safely
park your licence at any time when you need to:
- Share a licence between users on different PCs
- Keep your licence safe when upgrading or restoring your PC in some major way
- Move your licence to a new PC
The frequency at which you can park your licence depends whether you have a Static
or a Roving licence.
To park your UltraDiff licence, you should be logged on to your PC with
Administrator privileges in the same way as when installing or activating.
- Open UltraDiff.
- Click on the "Park" option and click "OK".
- In the Wizard that opens, simply follow the instructions given.
- On completion of the Wizard, UltraDiff will connect to our web servers
to park the licence.
Once your licence has been parked, UltraDiff will automatically open your
browser at a web page confirming the details.
Note that if you have a Static licence, your Transfer Key for your next activation
will be shown here and is also automatically emailed to you.
Using a Static Licence
A Static licence is intended for use on a single PC on a semi-permanent basis.
Once activated, you keep the licence on the PC until such time as you upgrade to
a new PC or need to keep your UltraDiff licence safe while you undertake
a major restore or upgrade of the existing PC.
The frequency with which you can park your Static licence is limited to once in
any 90 period to reflect the intended usage.
When you park a Static licence, a Transfer Key is automatically emailed to you and
this must be used when you next re-activate UltraDiff. Please note that
these keys are unique and can only be used once.
Using a Roving Licence
A Roving licence is intended to be used by mobile workers or for sharing between
several users subject to concurrent usage (ie activations) being limited to the
number of licences purchased.
It differs from a Static licence in that it can be parked as often as you like at
any time of day or night - even several times on the same day if required.
As an example, if you wish to use UltraDiff on your desktop and on a laptop,
you can do so:
- Install UltraDiff on both your desktop and the laptop.
- Activate UltraDiff on your desktop.
- To use UltraDiff on the laptop, simply park the licence from the desktop
system and then activate on the laptop
- When you need UltraDiff on the desktop again, simply park the licence from
the laptop and then activate on the desktop
With a Roving licence, we recommend that you park your licence at the end of every
session.
This will ensure that it is always available to be activated on any machine that
UltraDiff has been installed on. Doing this will avoid a possible situation
where you are far away from your desktop and cannot activate the laptop because
the licence was not parked!
Vista - special instructions after installation
UltraDiff will work correctly on Vista but there are some special settings
that must be made prior to activation and use.
These settings are simple to apply and this is a temporary workaround pending a
new release (due soon) which will work with normal Vista settings.
The settings to be changed enable UltraDiff to run in XP SP2 compatibility
mode and to always run with elevated privileges:
- Log in with Administrator privileges.
- Using Windows Explorer, find the exe for UltraDiff. This is usually located
at "C:\Program Files\Blade Software\UltraDiff xxx" where "xxx" depends on the version
installed.
- Right-click on the exe and select 'Properties':
- Select the Compatibility tab in the popup dialog:
- Tick "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and make sure that "Windows XP
(Service Pack 2)" is selected:
- At the bottom of the page, tick "Run this program as an administrator":
- Click "Show settings for all users":
- If your 'User Account Control' is enabled, you may see a dialog box:
Windows needs your permission to continue
Click 'Continue'
- Tick "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and make sure that "Windows XP
(Service Pack 2)" is selected:
- At the bottom of the page, tick "Run this program as an administrator":
- Click OK - twice.
These settings should enable UltraDiff to work for all users but please
note that, as outlined above, when activating or parking, you should be logged in
with administration rights to avoid possible issues.
If your Vista system is to be used by Standard Users we recommend that they do not
save files to the default "My UltraDiff". This directory is within the protected
"Program Files" directory and for Standard Users, their files are really saved to
a "shadow" directory which can make it hard to find files if they are needed by
other users.
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