Activation Troubleshooting

Simple Errors are Easy to Fix

Keep it Simple

Simple errors are easy to fix

Please visit the Activation page for a quick guide to activating your Manifold® product license. Follow the instructions carefully and it will work.

Problems are almost always something simple that is easy to fix, like typographic errors in the serial number, or trying to activate on a computer that doesn't allow Manifold to connect to Internet. The tips below will help.

This page applies to all current Release 9 and Release 8 builds. For the activation process used in deprecated builds, see the Legacy Troubleshooting web page.

Serial Number

Manifold product licenses are authorized by a unique serial number. You must have a valid Manifold product serial number to run a Manifold product. Serial numbers are sent by email when a license is purchased. If you have not received the serial number email, check for Email Problems.

If you do not have a valid Manifold product 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.

Check your Serial Number

Check the serial number you are using on the Status Page. The status page will report the product authorized by that serial number and how many activations are currently available on that serial number.

  • Note the Manifold product authorized by that serial number. The serial number must be used with that Manifold product. It will not activate other products.
  • If a serial number is invalid, that usually indicates a typographical error. Please make sure to copy and paste the serial number from the original serial number email message. Do not change the serial number in any way.
  • If a serial number has been revoked, that usually indicates it has been traded in on an upgrade, such as an upgrade to a newer Manifold product version. Locate the serial number obtained by upgrade and use that serial number instead. If you lost the upgrade you might be able to recover it using a Key Recovery service product.
  • If you have done many activations in a short time, you might no longer have any activations available, and will have to wait until at least one activation "grows back" and becomes available again. See the About Activation page to learn how activations always automatically grow back. If you cannot wait for an activation to grow back, you'll have to buy a new serial number.

Quick Fixes

Overlooking something simple causes almost all activation problems. Such problems are easy to fix by carefully applying the activation instructions. Consider the following for fast and easy fixes:

  • No Internet connection - Does the computer have a live Internet connection? You must have a live Internet connection to activate.
  • Firewall or other block - Is any software installed that would prevent the Manifold product from contacting Manifold's activation servers? If so, turn it off or configure that software so it does not prevent Manifold from contacting activation servers. Keep in mind that some blocks may be upstream from your computer, for example, installed in routers that your organization uses as gateways to the Internet.
  • Errors in serial number - Did you correctly enter the serial number? To avoid typographic errors use Copy and Paste from the original serial number email message sent to you by Manifold. Do not make any changes in the serial number. Do not use a masked version of a serial number from a Manifold product installation's About dialog that has "X" characters replacing part of the serial number.
  • Wrong serial number - Are you trying to use a serial number issued for a different product? To activate a Manifold product you must use a Manifold product serial number for that product. You cannot use a serial number for a different product.
  • No available activations. - Activations automatically grow back after use, but if you use up all available activations in a short time you may have to wait until at least one activation grows back and is available again. See the About Activation page for how that works.
  • One activation every 24 hours - Have you activated on a different system in the last 24 hours? After activating a license on a computer, you must wait at least 24 hours before activating that license on a different computer.
  • Wrong installation file - The Product Downloads page provides installation files for Manifold products. You must install using the installation file for the Manifold product your serial number authorizes. Trying to use installation files for other Manifold products will not work.
  • Inaccurate system date - Is your system date set accurately? If your system date is set to a date and time in 2004 the activation process knows something is bogus.
  • Microsoft requirements not installed - Windows Installer (.exe) installation packages for Manifold will automatically install required Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual C++ Redistributable packages if they are missing. Portable (.zip) installations do not automatically install required Microsoft components if they are missing, so you must make sure those are installed if you choose to use a portable installation. If required Microsoft components are not installed the product cannot be activated. The Requirements page has links to Microsoft downloads. When using portable installations a quick and easy way to ensure Microsoft requirements are installed is to at least once install Manifold from a Windows Installer package. You can then go on to use portable installations knowing all requirements have been installed for you.
  • Unsupported Hardware or Software - Manifold products are licensed and supported for use only with computer configurations as described in the Requirements page. They will not install or activate on an Android telephone. Running on emulators, virtual machines, and other unsupported environments may also cause trouble. If you do that you must self-support.
  • Non-default Windows Installations - When installing or activating a Manifold product, you must have a standard Microsoft Windows installation. Various third party programs (antivirus, "security" programs, etc.) may interfere with activation or subsequent operation. Turn off such programs or learn how to configure them so they do not block Manifold. Manifold product installations and these instructions assume you are running an unmodified Windows installation as shipped by Microsoft. If you, your computer vendor, or your organization's IT department has installed special software on your computer that interferes with normal Manifold functions, such as contacting activation servers via Internet, that may prevent you from installing, activating, or operating Manifold product licenses.

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.

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.

For general information on technical support for Manifold products, please see the main Support page.


Legacy Troubleshooting

This page provides tips for activation troubleshooting for current builds of Manifold System Release 9 and Release 8. Deprecated (older, out of date) builds of Release 9 and Release 8 may use a different activation mechanism. For activation troubleshooting tips for deprecated versions, see the Legacy Troubleshooting page.


Buy Now via the Online Store

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Engineering

About Manifold

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