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I am using the previous version of SAPP. Will my
data be converted?
If I have more than two computers in
the previous versions data, will I lose the data over the two computers I am
permitted in the FREE version?
I accidentally deleted a
computer in the computer file and it deleted all of the related software
records for that computer. What do I do now?
I have over
forty computers to monitor and while I have made batch files using the Software
Audit Tool (SAT) to read the computers, its very time consuming to read in the
data files. What can I do?
Why does the reader program
(built in and command line) change the “TPS” ending to
“RED”?
Why are the CD keys encrypted in the
files that the Software Audit Tool makes?
Why
doesn’t the program read in all software titles? (I used another program
to compare results.)
How can I monitor unauthorized
software installations (you know the stuff people download and bring from
home)?
Will the Software Audit Tool (SAT) overwrite the
data I hand entered?
My users change with some
frequency. How do I update the software database when users change?
I received a “Path Not Found” error when running SAT
in batch mode. What is it, and what should I do about it?
How can I tell if a piece of software has been uninstalled from
a given system?
How long can I use the Free
version?
Is it mandatory to enter all that data in the
software record?
I love the ability to automate data
collection and entry. Why aren’t the reports available as command line
options too?
Are there any special requirements for
networks?
I have a key but, it doesn't work. What
should I do?
What happens if I don't register my
program?
Why doesn't the Software Audit Tool travel
through the network and read every computer it finds?
I am using the previous version of SAPP. Will
my data be converted?
Yes, the data is converted upon installation
of SAPP 3. If you choose not to convert at that time, you can evoke the program
“ConvertSAPP.EXE” found in your SAPP3 directory. The conversion
tool is NOT listed under programs. You must call it from a DOS prompt. Do not
run the program more than once.
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If I have more than two computers in the
previous versions data, will I lose the data over the two computers I am
permitted in the FREE version?
No, you will not lose any data, but you
will not be able to update the computer file. Once you upgrade to the proper
version for the number of systems you monitor, you will have access to all
data.
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I accidentally deleted a computer in the
computer file and it deleted all of the related software records for that
computer. What do I do now?
- If you have a backup, you can restore the data files. They
all end with “TPS”.
- If you do not have a backup (shame on you!), you can simply
re-read the computer’s data using SAT, and then read it in again.
- You can use the RED file as a sort of backup. Simply rename
the file WhatEverNameItIs.RED to WhatEverNameItIs.TPS, and re-read it into
SAPP. (Assumes you read the data in and still have the file.)
- If you are using the free version, and do not have a backup,
then you must re-enter all the missing data manually.
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I have over forty computers to monitor and
while I have made batch files using the Software Audit Tool (SAT) to read the
computers, its very time consuming to read in the data files. What can I
do?
There is an optional program called the Multi-Reader just for
people in your situation. The Multi-Reader can be used as a desktop program to
read all the files in with just one click, or it can be used at the command
line. When used at the command line, you can set up a “for while
loop” in a batch file. This batch file can examine a given directory for
new “TPS” files, and then read them in automatically. If your batch
file is put in the Task Scheduler, then you will not need to be there to read
in data.
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Why does the reader program (built in and
command line) change the “TPS” ending to “RED”?
There are two reasons for this. The first is so the file mask
doesn’t show you files that you have already read in. The second is so
you do not read in the same files over and over again. You can use the RED file
as a sort of backup. Simply rename the file WhatEverNameItIs.RED to
WhatEverNameItIs.TPS, and re-read it into SAPP.
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Questions
Why are the CD keys encrypted in the files
that the Software Audit Tool makes?
That is so unauthorized users
cannot use the program to steal product keys. The entire data file is
encrypted, so you can email it, but because SAT is a stand-alone program, an
unauthorized user could invoke it and copy the keys therefore
“bootlegging” some products. This encryption simply prohibits that
practice. It is up to you to place security on using SAPP where the data is
unencrypted.
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Why doesn’t the program read in all
software titles? (I used another program to compare results.)
When
software is installed properly, we can generally read the values in the
registry. Some factors influence what we can read, but the biggest one is the
inconsistency by software vendors who do not enter items in the registry the
same ways. For example, the very name of the software can be put in countless
categories, such as Product ID, Installed Name, Name, Product, etc. etc. We are
constantly striving to find different ways to improve our reading abilities, so
keep checking for updates. Each new release of SAPP will improve. It’s a
work in progress.
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How can I monitor unauthorized software
installations (you know the stuff people download and bring from home)?
It depends on whether there is a proper installation. If properly
installed and there are the correct entries in the registry, then you will
probably catch the installs on one of the reports. Remember you can always
search the software database as well. We are planning a “master”
software database that will compare installations against an approved list and
flag all “nonconforming” software. Look for that feature in about 6
months.
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Will the Software Audit Tool (SAT) overwrite
the data I hand entered?
That depends on the fields in question. It
will not overwrite installed dates, or licenses, and many other fields. It will
overwrite the fields collected for a given piece of software on a given
computer. You can see the data collected after using SAT, and before you read
the data in, by using the View Programs menu item on the Software Audit Tool
menu. In the majority of instances, there will not be any conflicts.
Back To Questions
My users change with some frequency. How do
I update the software database when users change?
Simply re-read the
computer using SAT, and read the resulting data file into SAPP. Software
records are found by a combination of the Title and the Computer Name. So if a
user changes, but the computer name stays the same, re-reading the data in will
update the user name, as well as the updating the software record in general.
If you “automate” the process, say once a month, using batch file
reads, the files will stay updated with very little, if any, effort on your
part.
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I received a “Path Not Found”
error when running SAT in batch mode. What is it, and what should I do about
it?
The most common causes for this error are: a broken network
connection, an incorrect path, or a non-existent directory in the path. To see
what the problem is, simply open a DOS window, and do the following. First
change to the drive letter in question. If the connection does not exist, DOS
will report that it cannot find the drive. IF THE DRIVE EXISTS then do a DIR
command for the path. If the path does not exist, that will be reported as
well. Learn to use the “Net use” command to create the connection
in your batch file. You can also use the “exists” and
“mkdir” commands as additional commands to prevent failures in your
batch commands.
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How can I tell if a piece of software has
been uninstalled from a given system?
That’s a trick question
sort of. Once software has been properly uninstalled, there is nothing to
report to SAPP, so here is the best way to figure this out. Remember that the
Software Audit Tool (SAT) reads what is installed. It also stamps the data with
a date and time of reading. After reading in the data, there will be records
for that specific computer with earlier “read dates”. These records
will NOT be updated and will stand out as software titles that have PROBABLY
been uninstalled. There is a report that lists titles by read dates, which you
can use to ferret out the systems with uninstalled software. By the way, if you
are fine with the title being uninstalled, then it’s your choice if you
wish to delete the specific software record in question.
Back To Questions
How long can I use the Free version?
You must register it, but you can then use the Free version for as long as
you wish. You still may upgrade to newer releases as they are published.
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Is it mandatory to enter all that data in
the software record?
No, most data is not mandatory, except for the
computer name and the software title. The most helpful data to enter is the
data that links all the supporting tables, such as user names, etc. You
determine what else is helpful to you, and what is not. Be aware some reports
may not be useful with little or no data in them.
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Questions
I love the ability to automate data
collection and entry. Why aren’t the reports available as command line
options too?
We are planning to publish a report pack for Gold
editions only that allows reports to be run in batch files. That way, you can
automate the data collection, data entry, and the reporting. Look for that
option to appear around the second quarter of 2005.
Back To
Questions
Are there any special requirements for
networks?
Whether you have a local network or a wide-area network,
whether you use special network software or TCP/IP, there are several common
principals that you must follow in order for the Software Protection Program
(SAPP) and the Software Audit Tool (SAT) to work. Here are the principals.
- The Software Protection Program (SAPP) installation must be
on a server.
- The workstation must "see" the server as a networked drive
letter. You cannot tell the SAT program to use any other type of locator such
as \\name or IP numbers etc. While the drive letters are of your choosing, they
must follow the convention of letter colon and whatever path you choose. This
rule applies to any type of network connections whether they are local or
wide-area or some form of virtual networking.
- Connections must be pre-established for the user to use SAPP
on the server or for the SAT program to place its data files on the server.
There are no facilities within the programs to establish connections. A lack of
a connection or even a lack of a pre-existing directory will cause a file error
and the procedure to fail.
- Be sure to include connection and log in scripts in batch
files or in short cuts whenever you create them.
- The speed of data file creation and storage is a combination
of the speed of the computer being read as well as the speed of the network
connection. For example, a 3-Gigahertz computer saving a large file over a
10-Megabyte network connection that is busy will feel slow in spite of the
computer speed. Inversely, a 120Mhz Pentium saving a file over a fiberoptics
cable will still feel slow in spite of the fiberoptics.
Note: There is no support provided for network
issues, connectivity issues or batch file writing.
Back To Questions
I have a key but, it doesn't work. What
should I do?
Entering KEY information is relatively simple. However,
there are conditions upon which you may receive an error. There are generally
two types of errors possible and the error messages will differ:
- The first time you are registering and entering KEY
information in your program, you may receive a Key Not Accepted or Incorrect
Key message. This is probably due to the way the KEY has been entered. It must
be entered exactly as it appears. The most common error is to leave off the
beginning letters and colon. It is best to copy the KEY and paste the KEY into
the box. If you have a problem, be sure you have copied the entire KEY and did
not miss the end or beginning characters of the KEY. If you manually enter the
key, be sure to include all the characters provided
- The second error is a severe error and will display a Bad
Registration Key error. This window only appears after the program has been
successfully registered. The KEY originally received is specific to the
computer on which the program was installed. The KEY may not be used on another
computer. Use Email on the Help Menu to report your problem and get help.
Back To Questions
What happens if I don't register my
program?
If you do not enter your Registration Key within 15 days from
the install date, then the software will become disabled. Your data will still
be available, but the program may not function properly.
Why doesn't the
Software Audit Tool travel through the network and read every computer it
finds?
The main reason is security. SAT
reads the registry at each computer. While XP and newer 2003 Windows can allow
remote registry reads, it takes special efforts to allow this. The
efforts would undo certain security issues, not to mention various firewall
issues, etc. (We hope your firewall protects "alien" systems from reading your
registry. -Aw Heck. We hope you use a firewall!) So the easiest way to get the
data, is to allow you to install SAT, and use command lines to get the
data, and send you the files. Oh, one more thing, Win98 wouldn't
allow a remote reading anyway, and there are millions of Win98 systems out
there.
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As of Date: February 1, 2005
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