Knowledge Base

ReliaSoft's standard software products that were developed prior to the release of the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system in 2007 are known to experience two minor issues that have simple workarounds. These issues are related to:

1. Licensing and activating the software
2. Accessing the online help files

This document discusses both of these issues and presents the workarounds. For active products, these issues will be eliminated in future service releases and upgrades. The following products/versions are affected:

• Weibull++
• Weibull++ DE (Developer Edition)
• ALTA / ALTA PRO
• BlockSim
• DOE++
• RGA / RGA PRO
• Xfmea Standard, Xfmea Enterprise and RCM++
• MPC 3
• Lambda Predict 1 and 2
• RENO

1. Issue with Licensing and Activating:

You may be required to re-enter the license and re-activate the product every time you start it. This is due to a new "default" security implementation under Vista, named User Account Control. With this option turned on, ReliaSoft's license manager cannot store your license/activation information in the Registry on your computer.

Solution: You can temporarily turn the User Account Control feature off, license and activate the product and then turn the option back on (if you wish). To do this:

• From the Windows Vista Control Panel, select User Accounts and then select Turn User Control on or off.
• Turn it off and license/activate the product.
• Repeat these steps to turn the feature back on if you wish.
• Restart the computer.

2. Issue with Accessing Help Files:

Microsoft has made the decision to stop supporting the WinHelp (*.HLP) help file format in Windows Vista (as discussed in this Microsoft Support Article). ReliaSoft is transitioning to a new format for online help files but, like thousands of software applications developed prior to Microsoft's decision, some of ReliaSoft's existing products are still shipped with 32-bit WinHelp files.

Note: The help files in Weibull++ 7, ALTA 7, BlockSim 7, DOE++ 1, Lambda Predict 3, Xfmea 4 and RCM++ 4 use the new HTMLHelp (*.CHM) Help files and do not experience this problem.

Solution: To view 32-bit .hlp files, Microsoft requires users to download the program (WinHlp32.exe) from the Microsoft Download Center, and then install it on their computers.

NOTE for Weibull++ 7 Developer Edition (DE) Users: Although the *.HLP file is still packaged with the installation, a new HTMLHelp (*.CHM) help file is now available. Click here to download the new help file, which is compatible with Windows Vista.