Common issues or errors while using the Software Distribution Center downloads (personal device)

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The Software Distribution Center provides selected licensed software for currently-enrolled students and actively-employed faculty and staff to use on their personal computers. Incoming students will have access beginning Orientation Week of the semester in which they are actively enrolled. Alumni or former employees do not have access.

Available in AppsAnywhere (Recommended)

Check the top section of the article in the Software Distribution Center, which will note if the application is Available in AppsAnywhere. This is the recommended method for the most seamless installation process on your personal device, as it takes care of the installation for you.

Common issues or questions

AppsAnywhere

Connect to the VPN if you are off-campus. Please visit Troubleshooting issues with AppsAnywhere for common issues and how to fix them. Visit AppsAnywhere knowledge base category for further questions or assistance.

404 error or the download failed

If the first step in the instructions is to log in to Google Drive, the file is shared out to your Michigan Tech email. If you are logged into a different email in the same browser, the file will not be found. There could also be issues with the browser or another related issue.

Follow all steps

The software provided is from different software vendors and has different procedures to follow in order to successfully install and launch the software. Make sure that you follow every step, in the order in which they are listed, through to the end.

The installation failed immediately

Make sure you have sufficient space on your primary or C: drive for the download and installation.

Windows: Visit Find out how much storage your PC has.

Mac: Visit Find out how much storage is available on your Mac.

Linux: Find available space on your Linux computer by entering df -H in a terminal window.

Select the right file by viewing file extensions

If the instructions are to right-click and run a file, such as Deploy-Application.exe or another EXE, ZIP, or BAT file, you can enable File Extensions to ensure that you are selecting the right file. Visit Common file name extensions in Windows for instructions.

Installation blocked by Microsoft SmartScreen

You may get a pop-up window with an error that Windows protected your PC and prevented an unrecognized app from starting. 

  1. Right-click on the installation file (e.g., setup.exe).
  2. Select Properties
  3. Select Unblock next to Security: The file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer. 
  4. Run the installer again.

Licensing error

If you use third-party antivirus software, you may need to disable/configure it to allow installation and communication with the license server. Use the default Windows Defender instead of third-party Antivirus software.

If you are off-campus, you may need to connect to the VPN first before installing or launching the software. This information would be included on the software information page in the Software Distribution Center.

Install Windows software on my Mac

Visit Setting up a Windows VM on a personal student Mac.

Which version to install and how to use the software

Contact your instructor for help and to find out the version needed for your class. View the support section in the software instructions for technical support or more information.

Find Microsoft software

Visit Microsoft software on a personal device.

Wolfram Mathematica Key

Visit the Wolfram User Portal and use your Michigan Tech email address. You'll need to validate your email address before getting your key by selecting the link in the email that Wolfram will send you. Select one of the options for help, if you see "There are No Products Currently Associated with Your Wolfram ID."

Please note that the instructions and keys are provided directly by Wolfram. The instructions may change without notice. Visit wolfram.com and browse for assistance if the instructions do not match.  Please use the Find Your Activation Key article for how to get your activation key or contact Wolfram. 

Is your Wolfram ID validated?

The Portal will only display your products if your Wolfram ID is validated. Go to your account to verify that your Wolfram ID is validated.

Is your product registered?

Only registered products will appear in your Portal. Complete the registration form to add your product.

Was your product registered to another email address?

Your product may be registered to a different email address than your Wolfram ID. Go to your account to add all of your email addresses to your Wolfram ID profile.

To manage your subscription products or credits, go to Wolfram Account

Install or run software on a different drive

AppsAnywhere apps

Please use Manage Cloudpaging Player Cache on Personal Devices to move the cache to a different drive, such as the D: drive.

Other installers from the Software Distribution Center

If you are downloading the specific installer, instead of using AppsAnywhere Cloudpaging player to launch the software, and installer uses the Deploy-Application.exe to run a PowerShell script, it will automatically install the software on the C: drive. 

The software I want is not listed

The software listed on the Software Distribution Center is what is available to your based on your university affiliation or course membership. The software vendors provide licenses for use on university computers. They do not always offer licenses for personal computers or may only provide it on a temporary basis, then change the licensing options. For example, Solidworks used to be available for a short time in 2020, but Dassault Systemes no longer offers licensing for personal computers through Michigan Tech.

Need help?

Contact Michigan Tech IT at it-help@mtu.edu or 906-487-1111. We are available during university business hours. Please include the following information: 

  • Description of the issue
  • Software title and version (e.g., NX Series 2007)
  • Device information, including operating system version (e.g., Windows 10 version 21H2) 
  • Specific steps you performed
  • Error messages
  • Screenshots
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