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Activation Guide

Manifold licenses are copy protected using a serial number and Activation key mechanism that locks each license to a single computer system. Serial numbers are provided in an email message sent to the licensee. You must have the original serial number email message to verify the accuracy of the serial number you are attempting to use and to obtain assistance.

If you do not have a valid Manifold serial number you can procure a license on the Online Store to obtain a serial number. If you lost your serial number, you may or may not be able to recover it by purchasing a Key Recovery service product.

Summary

Login as Administrator. Use the actual Administrator account and not some other account believed to have administrator privileges. Check your computer's date and time to make sure it is reasonably accurate. Install Manifold and then launch Manifold. In the Activation dialog that pops open, provide the serial number emailed to you for the Manifold edition you have licensed. Copy the serial number from the original serial number email message and paste it into the dialog.

For the first 30 days after your serial number was issued, you can run on the serial number alone. After 30 days you will have to get an Activation key as well. When the Activation dialog launches, enter your serial number and then press the Get Activation Key via the Web button and then press Accept. Getting an Activation key terminates any return privileges you may have.

Important: Manifold is licensed for use on one machine at a time. Five Activation keys per serial number are provided to allow re-installs if necessary, not to allow simultaneous use on five machines. Simultaneous use of the same Manifold serial number on multiple machines will cause license revocation.

For complete details and to get the most out of your license, please read the entire the Activation Keys and Serial Numbers help topic. This help topic describes procedures for manual activation if your computer is not connected to the web.

Activating Extensions

If you have licensed Business Tools, Geocoding Tools or Surface Tools extensions: launch Manifold and choose Help - Activate Extension. Enter the serial number for the extension. Get an Activation key if it is more than 30 days since the serial number was issued. Press Accept. Do this for each extension that you have.

If you have licensed Universal Edition or Ultimate Edition, all three extensions get turned on automatically when you activate your main Manifold System serial number. No need to use the Help - Activate Extension dialog with Universal Edition or Ultimate Edition.

Troubleshooting

Please visit the Activation Troubleshooting page for a quick troubleshooting checklist that solves 99% of activation problems.

For even more detail, see the Activation Frequently Asked Questions page for a comprehensive list of questions and answers.

Getting Assistance with Activation

All serial number and activation questions are handled by email.

If the tips in the Activation Troubleshooting page do not help, the fastest way to solve any activation problem is to read and apply the instructions in the Activation Keys and Serial Numbers help topic. Although tech support responds very rapidly to activation questions it is faster to read even a long topic carefully since that will usually solve the problem right away.

Please see the Activation Support page for information on contacting tech support for priority assistance with any serial number or activation question. No tech support token is required for activation questions using the given procedure.

Useful Links

Pages especially useful for installation and activation: