Getting set up guide for installation and licensing
Welcome to Golden Software, your premier destination for cutting-edge data visualization solutions that empower your data analysis and interpretation journey. At Golden Software, we set the gold standard for geoscientific software solutions.
This comprehensive Getting Setup guide is designed to offer you detailed instructions on the essential steps needed for a successful initial software setup. It includes information on system requirements, processes for downloading and installation, along with instructions for purchasing, activating, and deactivating licenses for your Golden Software products.
The primary objective of this guide is to facilitate a smooth and efficient setup process, ensuring that you can begin to harness the full potential of our software solutions in a timely manner. Your choice to utilize Golden Software is greatly appreciated, and we are committed to providing you the support you need throughout this initial setup process, as well as when using Golden Software products.
Overview of Golden Software Products and Services
As pioneers in the field of geoscience and engineering software, we are dedicated to empowering professionals across the globe with tools that bring unparalleled precision and efficiency to their work.
Our suite of products, ranging from robust data visualization and 3D graphing tools to advanced 3D surface mapping and geostatistical analyses, have been meticulously engineered to cater to your unique analytical needs. Our software not only delivers industry-leading performance but also enhances user experience through intuitive interfaces and unmatched customer support.
Here are some key products and services offered by Golden Software:
Surfer: A 2D and 3D mapping, modeling, and analysis software designed for scientists and engineers.
Grapher: An advanced graphing program for creating publication-quality graphs, charts, and diagrams.
Golden Software Knowledge Base: Our knowledge base has many helpful articles about all of our products, many of the features within our products, and includes training videos and recordings of past webinars, to help you fully leverage our software to meet your specific needs.
Golden Software Technical Support: We offer exceptional technical support to all active customers, ensuring you receive the assistance needed to fully benefit from our software solutions.
System Requirements
Golden Software products require certain hardware and software specifications in order to run smoothly and efficiently including Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 and Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 redistributables (x86 and x64) for successful installation and operation. Most newer model computers will already have these applications installed, but if your system is a few years old or was custom built, it may be necessary to download and install these programs prior to installing our software. Each of these programs can be downloaded directly from the Microsoft website using the links below.
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5
- Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (both x86 and x64 versions must be installed)
Please review the following system requirements before installing Golden Software products.
| Required | Recommended | |
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Operating System |
Windows 10, 11 or Higher |
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RAM |
512 MB |
16 GB |
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Disk Space |
500 MB for installation |
500 GB with 25% disc space available |
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Monitor Resolution |
Minimum 16-bit color depth |
1024 x 768 or higher monitor resolution |
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3D View |
OpenGL v3.2 or later, including the following support: |
Other recommendations
Internet connection for product activation, deactivation, and updates
This is recommended, but not required. If you do nor have internet access, you can find directions to perform an offline activation on the Activate your software on an offline computer page.
Please note that these system requirements are for general guidance only. Surfer and the license server have additional requirements or recommendations, which are listed on the Software installation system requirements page.
We recommend that you ensure your system meets the minimum requirements before installing Golden Software products. If you have any questions about system requirements or compatibility, please contact our support team for assistance.
Download and install Golden Software Trial
Utilizing a trial version of Golden Software’s Surfer and Grapher offers customers a valuable opportunity to assess features, functionality, and overall suitability for a user’s specific needs, without any financial commitment. This risk-free, 14-day exploration allows potential users to gain hands-on experience with our software, ensuring that it aligns with their expectations and requirements before making a purchase. Additionally, trial versions enable our customers to familiarize themselves with the interface and workflow, ultimately empowering them to make an informed decision and maximize the return on investment when choosing the right software solution for them. Instructions on how to download a trial version of our software can be found below.
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Head over to the Surfer trial or Grapher trial pages to get started.
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To access the trial, you'll need to provide your name, email address, and other necessary information. This will create a trial account and enable you to download the software.
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Once you've successfully registered, you will receive an email with download links and instructions for the trial version. Download the software and follow the on-screen prompts to install the software on your computer.
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Take your time to explore the software's features, tools, and interface. The 14-day trial allows you to experience everything the product has to offer, so make the most of it! Don’t forget to check out our extensive resources to help you fully leverage Golden Software products, and to see real life applications.
Additional Resources
- One-hour Surfer Tutorial
- One-hour Grapher Tutorial
- Online Surfer Help
- Online Grapher Help
- Introduction to License Administrator
- Surfer Knowledge Base Articles
- Grapher Knowledge Base Articles
- Surfer Training Videos and Past Webinars
- Grapher Training Videos and Past Webinars
- Upcoming webinars
- Blog posts
If you encounter any issues during this process, please don't hesitate to reach out to our dedicated support team. We're here to help and ensure you have the best experience with Golden Software Products.
How to purchase Golden Software products
Visit our official Golden Software online store to purchase the license for your chosen product(s). All of our products are backed by our Golden Guarantee, in an effort to ensure that our products are the correct solution to meet your needs. We offer a wide range of licensing options to suit your needs, including perpetual licenses and flexible monthly or annual subscriptions. Upon successful purchase, a unique product key will be sent to the email address you've provided. This product key is essential, allowing you to fully unlock and enjoy the advanced features of our software.
Download and install Golden Software products
After purchasing your license, you'll receive an email at the address provided during the purchase, which includes a download link. After downloading, open the installer program for the specific product, and follow the on-screen instructions to install the software on your computer.
For additional help and best installation practices, please visit Best practices for software installation.
Locate your license information
Once you have downloaded and installed the software, you will need to locate your license information. This information is provided in your purchase confirmation email and can also be found by logging into your Golden Software My Account.
For more information and additional help in locating your license information, please visit Identify and locate your serial number or product key.
Activate your Golden Software products
Single user activations
For single user activations, follow the instructions below, or see Activate your Golden Software products for additional support.
To activate your license, open the software and follow these simple steps:
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Navigate to the Golden Software Licensing window (if you’re not already on this window) by clicking on File | License Info
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Select Enter Product Key
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Enter your product key and select Activate
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Your software will now be activated and ready for use
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If you are unable to activate your product key, read the text that appears below the box where you entered your product key. If you are unable to fix the problem, you can click the Create support file link in the lower-right and contact us with the ZIP file. Include a summary of what you were trying to do.
Video: How to activate a single user license
Concurrent Use Activations
If you have a concurrent use license for Surfer, Grapher or Strater, you must set up a license server before you can activate your concurrent use products. The license server will distribute concurrent license seats to the end users of the program.
There are three things you need to run a license server:
- A server/computer on the same network as the users of the programs
System Requirements For Setting Up A License Server - Sentinel RMS License Manager, version 9.7 or newer, installed on the license server
- Golden Software License Administrator, version 3.1 or newer, installed on the license server
Instructions for how to set up a license server can be found below.
Set up your license server
A license server must be set up on one of the computers on the network to serve concurrent use licenses. The license server can be a dedicated server, physical or virtual, or the license server can be one of the end user computers. The license server should use a static IP address. The setup is performed in three parts: install the Sentinel RMS License Manager, install the License Administrator, and activate your concurrent use licenses.
Surfer, Grapher, and Strater concurrent use licenses can be distributed over a number of network configurations. These include internal LAN networks as well as private and public WAN networks. User's can VPN in to the server network or RDP into a computer on the network. To set up a license server on a virtual machine, please visit Use a virtual machine or IPv6 network for concurrent license server
A license server also requires that UDP port 5093 be opened. UDP port 5093 is opened (if permitted) during installation of the Sentinel RMS License Manager. Note that TCP port 5093 is not used, only UDP port 5093 is required.
Install the License Manager
It is recommended to start by installing the Sentinel RMS License Manager. If your server already has a Sentinel RMS License Manager installed, verify the RMS version is the same or newer than the latest version in the compatibility table. You can install or upgrade the version of RMS License Manager with the following installation instructions:
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Download the installation file by following the instructions in the Download Instructions email you received after placing your order
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Double-click the setup.exe file to run the installer
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Follow the prompts in the Sentinel RMS License Manager - InstallShield Wizard. We recommend you perform a Complete installation to maximize compatibility with other software
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Close the Sentinel RMS License Manager - InstallShield Wizard once the installation is complete
The License Manager is not visible in the Windows Start menu applications list and does not have a user interface; this program runs in the background. To verify the License Manager is installed or to stop, start, or restart the License Manager, locate the Sentinel RMS License Manager in the Windows Services application. See How to Check the License Manager Version if a Sentinel RMS License Manager may already be installed on your server.
Install the License Administrator
After the License Manager is installed, proceed by installing the License Administrator. The License Administrator must be installed on the server for full functionality. The License Administrator can also be installed on client computers or other computers to view current usage remotely.
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Download the installation file by following the instructions in the Download Instructions email you received after placing your order or visit Golden Software Downloads page and navigate to the License Administrator section
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Double-click the file to run the installer
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Follow the prompts in the License Administrator - InstallAware Wizard
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Close the License Administrator - InstallAware Wizard once the installation is complete
Video: How to set up a license server for concurrent use licenses
Activate your concurrent use license
For concurrent use activations, follow the instruction below.
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Open the License Administrator
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Select the Activate tab
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Enter your Product Key and click Activate
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Click Done when the Activation is complete message is displayed
Connect client software to the license server
After the license server has been set up, you can install the program on your computer and get a seat from the license server by follow the instruction below.
- Install and open the program on the end users PC. The PC should be on the same local network as the license server. If you are not sure, ask your IT administrator
- Click Select License Server in the Licensing dialog
- In the License Server Selection dialog, you can either search for license servers on the local network, or you can type in the name or IP address of the license server Then click Search
- Click the arrow in the results field to see the list of all license servers on the network
- When you have selected the license server from the list, click Get License
Video: How to connect client computer to the license server
Activating Golden Software products offline
Please refer to the Activate your software on an offline computer article for instructions on how to perform an offline activation.
If you encounter any issues during the license activation process, please visit our Licensing Troubleshooting and Error Codes knowledge base article. Here you can learn how to troubleshoot any issues you may encounter and ensure that your license is successfully activated.
Deactivate your Golden Software license from within the software
Single user deactivation
To deactivate your Golden Software license, open the software and navigate to the Golden Software Licensing window by selecting File | License Info. Select Deactivate License and follow the prompts to complete the deactivation process.
Concurrent use deactivation from client computer
A license can not be deactivated from the client side computer, but the client computer can be disconnected from the license server.
To disconnect a client computer from the license server, open the software and navigate to the Golden Software Licensing window by selecting File | License Info. Select Forget server and follow the prompts to complete the disconnection process (note: you will need to restart the software for the Forget server action to take affect).
Concurrent deactivation from within License Administrator
To deactivate a concurrent use license within Golden Software License Administrator, open the License Administrator and navigate to the Deactivate tab. Select the license you wish to deactivate, and then press the Deactivate button on the bottom right of the window.
Deactivate through My Account
If your previous activation is on a computer that is no longer accessible, you can also deactivate your software online through My Account. To do so, login to My Account, navigate to My Products, select the product you wish to deactivate, click on Activations tab, and press the Deactivate button on the respective computers activation row.
If you encounter any issues during the license deactivation process, please visit our Licensing Troubleshooting and Error Codes knowledge base article. Here you can learn how to troubleshoot any issues you may encounter and ensure that your license is successfully deactivated.
Transferring your Golden Software license to a new computer
To transfer your Golden Software license to a new computer, please complete the following steps:
Deactivate your license
Before you can transfer your license to a new computer, you must first deactivate it on the old computer unless you still have an activation available. (Please note: single user licenses are allowed to have up to 2 activations per license, while concurrent use licenses are limited to only one activation on a license server).
To deactivate, please follow the Deactivating Your Golden Software License instructions above before transferring your license to a new computer.
Install the software on the new computer
After you have deactivated your license on the old computer, you can install the software on the new computer. Download and install the software from our website, or from My Account. You can also download the software from the email that was sent to you when purchasing Golden Software products.
Activate software on the new computer
To activate your products on a new machine, please follow the directions specific to single user or concurrent use licenses above, or see Activate your Golden Software products for additional help
If you encounter any issues during the license transfer process, please visit our Licensing Troubleshooting and Error Codes knowledge base article. Here you can learn how to troubleshoot any issues you may encounter and ensure that your license is successfully transferred to the new computer.
Uninstall Golden Software products
Before uninstalling the software, you should deactivate your license to free it up for use on another computer. Please follow the directions above in the “Deactivating Your Golden Software License” section of this document.
To uninstall Golden Software products from your computer, please complete the following steps:
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Navigate to the Search area of your Windows taskbar
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Start typing “Uninstall”
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Click on the “Add or remove programs” option to open
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This will open the Settings > Apps > Apps & Features window
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Use the search bar to look for specific programs by name, or use the scroll bar to scroll down until you find the software you are looking for
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After locating the software you’d like to uninstall, select the 3 vertical dots on the right side of the program tile
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Click Uninstall and follow the prompts in the Uninstall Wizard
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Golden Software licensing issues
If you are experiencing licensing issues, please visit Licensing Troubleshooting and Error Codes for additional troubleshooting tips.
Additional support
If you are still experiencing problems with getting your Golden Software products setup, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Customer Success team by creating a new ticket here. Our legendary support agents will be happy to answer with any setup questions, or assist with any issues you may face during the setup process.
Updated August 2023
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