Re: MathCAD 5.0 install problem

noah-maine · ‎Oct 26, 2018

I have been trying to install MathCAD Express for quite some time now. The installer downloads and installs Diagnostic Tools just fine, but the PTC MathCAD prime gives a download error of, "Download Error: Please check the network connection and start the installation again."

I hope someone can help; MathCAD is required for several of my classes!

Thank you

Werner_E · ‎Oct 26, 2018

We have seen so often reports of installation problems with Prime here in the forum.

Maybe PTC knows that Prime is just a mediocre program (to be polite) and came to the wise conclusion that it should not be installed.

Seriously - you sure should contact PTC support and make this their problem.

mfrench · ‎Nov 02, 2018

I'm having the same problem. I'm trying to go back to V15 and can't get that working either.

Your post is a couple days old; did you ever figure out what was wrong?

Mark

MatthewBenick · ‎Nov 04, 2018

I am having the same issue. I use Mathcad for school and installed a new hard drive into my computer. Now, I cannot get the program. PTC, PLEASE HELP!!!

Werner_E · ‎Nov 04, 2018

PTC, PLEASE HELP!!!

PTC won't listen to posts in this Forum. This is a user driven forum dealing mainly with the usage of the software.

For installation problems (and there seem to be a lot of them when I look at all the posts here) you definitely should contact PTC support (I know, that can be hard as "support" isn't something PTC is famous for in a positive sense) and bring it to their attention. Maybe with a lot of luck they will manage to put their act together one day.

Generally its a good advice to make a back up of the license file (usually license.dat somewhere in the program directory) you get when you install the software and keep it in a safe place. In case you have to reinstall the software, change the hard drive, etc. you should be able to install Mathcad, point the license manager to the formerly saved license file and are up and running.

Changing the hard drive should not affect the license as the license usually is bound to the MAC address of your NIC (network interface card) - either wired or wireless.

So the NICs active when you installed Mathcad should also be active when you use Mathcad (at least that applies to the one NIC which Mathcad choses to be the "primary" one).

mfrench · ‎Nov 05, 2018

PTC has a help number: 877-275-4782

So far, I haven't been able to reach a person. The automated system seems to require information that, as a student user, you won't have. If you find a way to navigate successfully through the system, please post it here - it would be very helpful to the rest of us having install problems.

They have an email address (learning@ptc.com) that claims to have one day response. I just submitted an email with screen shots. Not sure if they will respond, but I live in hope. If they actually do, I'll post something.

mfrench · ‎Nov 11, 2018

Follow Up:

The email address learning@ptc.com did actually work. I was contacted by a tech support person who did the install remotely. The process was very different than the one in the PTC instructions. Hard to think that I could have done this on my own.

VladimirN · ‎Nov 06, 2018

You can submit an "Academic Support Request" here: http://support.ptc.com/appserver/support/academic_case_logger/academic_case_logger.jsp

mfrench · ‎Nov 06, 2018

Thanks!

mfrench · ‎Nov 02, 2018

‎11-02-2018 05:19 PM

I'm having the same problem. I'm trying to go back to V15 and can't get that working either.

Your post is a couple days old; did you ever figure out what was wrong?

Mark

P.S. I mistakenly replied to a reply rather than the original post. My apologies for the duplicate.

sk�ck · ‎Nov 10, 2018

Hello,

Today, I bought mathcad prime 5.0 (I have already installed mathcad prime 4.0) and of course... I have the same problem. Is there now a solution? Or have the support now answered how to get it work?

I hope they find a solution soon, because I want the program and further, I have paid for it.

Yours Simon

sk�ck · ‎Nov 11, 2018

Ok, so I have installed the free version from another site (chip) and activated the license afterwards. Everything worked perfectly! But I don't know why ptc can't provide a working installation file...

Yours Simon

LucMeekes · ‎Nov 11, 2018

Can you explain what " another site (chip)" is? Are you referring to a web site (please provide the link), or is it something else...

Luc

sk�ck · ‎Nov 11, 2018

Yes of course. This is a german website called chip. It offers a lot of free downloads for many programs, also for PTC Mathcad. And of course it is a complete legal website!

But I dont know if this works for everybody. It would be great if PTC can solve the problem insteed of searching for other solutions.

Here is the link to the website:

https://www.chip.de/downloads/Mathcad-Prime_59235409.html

After the installation, I activated the license with the normal activating process.

I hope this helps.

Simon

LucMeekes · ‎Nov 11, 2018

Thanks!

mfrench · ‎Nov 11, 2018

I had the same problem. I bought an academic license and couldn't install Prime 5. V15 eventually installed, though it took a few tries (flaky license server?). I sent an email to learning@ptc.com and was contacted by one of their help people. The problem was solved quickly once we made contact. We did a Webex and he took control of my keyboard.

The install process was very different from the one presented in the instructions from PTC. Not sure why PTC keeps having this problem.

MatthewBenick · ‎Nov 12, 2018

OK, I have figured it out. So when you get to the application selection phase of the installer, change the save location to the C: folder instead of C: -> program files -> PTC. From there it should download and install fine. May have to try 2 or three times before it works.