Mort, I think this might be an answer, try it out.
Seems like most successful installs of Mathcad 11 on Windows 7 have been limited to 32 bit version only. I have run into a similar litany of problems trying to install Single User Mathcad 11 on WIndows 7 Professional 64 bit under Virtual PC XPMode. Here is what I tried after reading through many posts on this forum and what finally worked on my system:
First, thinking wishfully, I tried to install in W7 Program Files (x86) to see if it would run as a regular W7 32 bit program. The CD setup "installed" the Mathcad program files, Mathcad 11 even showed up as an installed program. But the setup program never invoked the activation wizard, so no C_dilla folder was created, no request code was generated. Regtool.exe appeared to have no effect. I am not sure what in Windows 7 keeps the activation wizard from running. Tried "run as admin", XP compatibility, etc, no joy.
Next I tried to install Mathcad in Windows Virtual PC under XPMode. Executing autorun or setup from the top level of CD-ROM resulted in error "Mathcad 11 has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry about this problem." I also tried the "Setup Launcher" under D:\Mathcad\setup.exe, same error. Not looking too promising at this point.
Then I tried to run Mathcad directly from the CD-ROM, while in XPMode, just to see if it would even run as an evaluation demo. I ran D:\Mathcad\Program Files\Mathsoft\Mathcad 11\mathcad.exe.This resulted in the error: "An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format."
activation wizard success
Then I happened to try "mcad.exe" found in the same directory on the CD. Aha. This finally started the activation wizard. It brought up a notice of expired evaluation period,and requested that i choose an activation method. "Manual" was preselected. It generated a request code, and the C_Dilla folder was now created on the virtual PC C:\ drive. I submitted the request code to PTC and the next day PTC emailed an activation key.
I reran mcad.exe, put in the activation key, and got the message "Activation Completed, congratulations, Mathcad is now activated and ready to use."
not quite there
Things were looking good, except that so far the program itself was not actually installed since the CD setup file would still not work on the XPMode side. I was able to start mathcad.exe from the CD, but with an error "failed to create function manager"; it would not calculate or save files.
setup workaround
I copied the whole Mathcad 11 folder from the Program Files directory on the CD onto the XPMode C:\Program Files and tried mathcad.exe it there. Same error, no function manager, no calculate, no save.
success
Then, <set epiphany = on >, in XPMode I ran the regtool.exe (found under program files\mathsoft\mathcad 11\) selected "Register Components", and... bingo, registry happiness, Mathcad is working in XPMode on Windows 7 64 bit OS.
aftermath
Although I would have preferred to avoid XPmode entirely, as others have pointed out it does run Mathcad fairly seamlessly. You can create a shortcut by Start>All Programs> Windows Vitural PC > Windows XP Mode Applications, rtmouse-send-to-desktop, that will start up the whole chain of Virtual PC, XPmode, and Mathcad 11 with a single command or mouse click from the Windows 7 side.
question
slightly off topic, but if anyone has figured out how to associate the filetype .mcd on the Windows 7 side
with the Mathcad executable in XPMode ? (so that you could open a mathcad worksheet with a double click ). Please post.
best regards,
Mo
