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Lost CD?

PattiSheaffer
1-Newbie

Lost CD?

I was able to get a response from PTC about a licensing issue - it's an odd process, but appears to have worked. Someone on here kindly referred me to the appropriate website (which I never would have found by myself!). Can someone help me now figure out how to get a disc replaced? I never got to install the Wavelet Toolbox, and now my disc is lost. How does PTC make us deal with this kind of issue? Ordinary contact channels appear closed.

Thank You Very Much!!!!!!!!

Patti

20 REPLIES 20
PhilipOakley
5-Regular Member
(To:PattiSheaffer)

The key question is what "features" are listed in the licence file, that is, does the provided licence file list just "mathcad", or did they include "wavelets" as well (and any other of the extension packs). If you have the licence file for the pack, then getting hold of an old copy of the extension pack would be sufficient.

Since V14 the extension packs have been included as standard (certainly for Enterprise users) .

Philip

Thank you for the reply - I bought 2 discs from Academic Superstore (I'm a student) - one of Mathcad 14 and one of the Wavelet Extension Pak. The Extension Pak is the disk I need to replace. I assumed that since they sent a second disk, that had the code/license I needed, and I looked in the node-locked license PTC gave me for Mathcad and it says nothing about the Extension pak.

Patti 😞

PhilipOakley
5-Regular Member
(To:PattiSheaffer)

Patti,

My comments were more related to Version 8 (the old Mathsoft way of doing the licences). They used the C: volume serial number as the key.

In V14 the licences for the extension packs use numbers! (e.g. 254 255 etc). They use the ethernet port's MAC number as the key.

Philip

Philip Oakley wrote:

Since V14 the extension packs have been included as standard (certainly for Enterprise users) .

Not for the single user license though. You need the CD.

Can anyone tell me how to get the lost expansion pak CD replaced? Maybe there is a .iso file I can download?

Sorry, but as far as I am aware (and I just checked the PTC site) the CD image is not available by download.

Right. I didn't really think so, but I guess I was looking for information as to how to get support for this problem from PTC. I haven't been able to figure out their system for getting support - and I can't find a telephone number of email for customer service. They don't seem to distinguish between standard pay-for technical support (e.g., how to use features) and customer support issues like this.

TIA,

Patti

Patti Sheaffer wrote:

I haven't been able to figure out their system for getting support

If you are a single used with no maintenance agreement it's simple. After 30 days you don't get any support.

Thanks. Wow. I can see moving to MathCad was a bad idea. Glad I only plunked down cash for the student edition. Well, maybe my lost disk will turn up somewhere.

If you have a licensing issue you can get support.

Contact Customer support via http://www.ptc.com/support/mathcad and click on the tab for Single User, then Mathcad Single User and Student Call Logger (Licensing and Installation) . It brings you to this page http://www.ptc.com/appserver/cs/mathcad_logger/options.jsp

Someone will get back to you.


Mona

Thanks, Mona - I found that but it says my 30 days are up. (I had some really bad luck with installation and computer crashes that ate up my 30 days of support). I should have googled MathCad support before buying. (I used to be a faithful MathCad user and was trying to get back into it) With some googling, I just now found this:

"I have used this product for many years. The original company Mathsoft (good company) was purchased by PTC (bad company). This single user license can only be used on one computer. If your computer breaks or you decide to get a new one, you have to buy the software again. Single user license will no longer exist after version 14. PTC technical service is almost nonexistant. You will very likely not be able to install this software on your computer: to get the software to install you will likely have to contact technical service so they can give you the secret info for installation to be successful..."

This is a very unusual arrangement for a scientific software company, not differentiating between Customer Support and Technical Support.

If your computer breaks or you decide to get a new one, you have to buy the software again.

Don't believe everything you read on the web. This is completely untrue.

And Mona is correct. After 30 days the one thing you can get support for is licensing, so if PTC sees a lost CD as a licensing issue you might be in luck.

In addtion, if you upgrade to Mathcad 15, the price includes a year of maintenance, which means technical support and any maintenance (service) releases during the year. We are trying to provide technical support to all users.

Mona

Actually, Mona, there are only two options: (1) installation assistance (good for only 30 days from original purchase of main product, and I don't need it anyway), and (2) obtaining a new license file - there *may* be a way to send a message to PTC buried in option #2 somewhere, but since I've already activated the main product (so I can't now get the proper code) and I lost the Wavelet CD, I can't "trick" PTC's website into letting me send a message to them. The construction of the website prevents all this (which is why I'm on this forum...). I guess they don't expect/allow you to loose a CD before you install it, though I'm sure I'm not the first person to do so.

Patti Michelle Sheaffer

MK
1-Newbie
1-Newbie
(To:RichardJ)

Nonsense -

I bought Mathcad 14 as a personal purchase (not student) so paid through the nose, and didn't take out maintenance. I upgraded to Windows 7 (on the same PC as the original install) and tried to get Mathcad re-activated. No go. After failing to get any response from PTC to getting re-activated, I finally took the plunge and I have moved to Mathematica.

Companies like PTC deserve to go the wall for their lousy customer support. It should be illegal for companies to hold back on legitimate purchasers of licenses.

RichardJ
19-Tanzanite
(To:MK)

Martin Kearney wrote:

Nonsense -

Not nonsense. PTC can be a major pain in the ass to deal with, and exceedingly slow in responding, but you are the only person that has posted in the Mathcad forums that has said they didn't eventually get reactivated. I notice that you didn't say they refused, but only that they didn't respond. If you had tried harder (not that you should have to!!!) I expect you would eventually have got a new activation.

Of course, being Windows 7 Mathcad may not have worked anyway....

RichardJ
19-Tanzanite
(To:RichardJ)

Richard Jackson wrote:

Not nonsense. PTC can be a major pain in the *** to deal with,

Oh great! These forums have Nanny Ware installed. The *** is not what I wrote!

MK
1-Newbie
1-Newbie
(To:RichardJ)

1. I've seen the trial version work on Windows 7.

2. It's folk like you, who respond to a user's bad experience as if it were their fault, who make companies like PTC get away with such a poor service. Try harder? I followed the customer services path fully - so I should try harder because PTC aren't upto it? And I maybe the only who has posted who hasn't been re-activated, but I know of many who have gave up on Mathcad because of PTC.

3. So, again, your claims are nonsense.

mzeftel
1-Newbie
(To:MK)

For licensing issues go to http://www.ptc.com/support/mathcad and click on Mathcad Single User and Student Call Logger (Licensing and Installation).

Someone should help you.

Mona

RichardJ
19-Tanzanite
(To:MK)

Martin Kearney wrote:

1. I've seen the trial version work on Windows 7.

I didn't say it wouldn't work. I said it might not. some have got it to work, others haven't.

2. It's folk like you, who respond to a user's bad experience as if it were their fault, who make companies like PTC get away with such a poor service.

Where did I say it was your fault? I merely pointed out the truth: you never got to the point where they actually said "no". And, further, that had you pursued it you would probably have eventually got the activation. Those are just facts. Possibly not ones you like, but facts nevertheless.

Try harder? I followed the customer services path fully - so I should try harder because PTC aren't upto it?

No. A point I in fact made before you did. To quote: "If you had tried harder (not that you should have to!!!)". The fact that you shouldn't have to try harder doesn't change the reality though. PTC's support sucks, and sometimes the only way to get anything is to beat at it. If you chose not to beat at it that is your prerogative, but that doesn't mean that the new activation was not available, only that you didn't beat on the door hard enough to get it.

3. So, again, your claims are nonsense.

No. You can get a reactivation if you change to a new PC. That is a fact. It may be painful to do so, but it is possible.

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