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CNST MSDNAA FAQs

  1. How can faculty members obtain MSDNAA software?
  2. How can CNST students obtain MSDNAA software?
  3. How can faculty members set up MSDNAA accounts for students in their classes?
  4. How long does it take to process my access request?
  5. Why do I need an E-Academy account?
  6. I downloaded a file from the site after selecting the software of my choice. Now what?
  7. I only have a dial-up connection. Can I obtain copies on CDs?
  8. How many times can I download the software?
  9. What is the difference between the "Product Key" and the "Activation Code"?
  10. What is the difference between a "Single User" and a "Volume License" product?
  11. What is an SDC file?
  12. What is an ISO file?
  13. I downloaded Windows 2000 Professional and burned it to recordable CD media (CD-R), but it will not boot to install. Why?
  14. What is the Microsoft Developer Network - Academic Alliance (MSDNAA)?
  15. How do I access the Microsoft Developer Network - Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) site for software for download?
  16. What if I've forgotten or lost my MSDNAA password?
  17. What is the process for downloading software?
  18. What if the software download is interrupted?
  19. Do I have to delete the software once I graduate?
  20. What software is available?

Answers

  1. How can faculty members obtain MSDNAA software?

    CNST Faculty: Send an e-mail to John Hagle from your TSTC faculty e-mail address asking for an MSDNAA account. You will receive a confirmation e-mail from E-Academy with log on instructions. Once you have an E-Academy account you can begin to download software.

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  2. How can CNST students obtain MSDNAA software?

    CNST Students: For students using MSDNAA in a class, your instructor will obtain an E-Academy account for you. A system is being developed to set up CNST students not using MSDNAA in class, information about this process will be available soon. You can also ask your CNST instructors to request an account for you, even if they are not using it in class.

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  3. How can faculty members set up MSDNAA accounts for students in their classes?

    Faculty can obtain student access for your classes by sending a list of your student's TSTC e-mail addresses to John Hagle You can obtain a list of students e-mail addresses from the Roster. An easy method to attain this is by accessing your class's WebAdvisor course shell at https://www.tstc.net/index.asp. Go to the course listings panel and click the course link, which will display your class roster, including all your student's pace e-mail accounts. Copy those e-mail addresses and include them in an e-mail sent to John Hagle. Please be also sure to include your name and the course in which you will be using this software. Please make sure to send along any additional late registrants.

    Once your student accounts have been created, they will a confirmation e-mail from E-Academy with log on instructions. Once your students have an E-Academy account they can begin to download software. E-Academy maintains a Support Page and a very helpful E-Academy FAQ.

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  4.  How long does it take to process my access request?

    Access requests are not processed during the first week of the semester. Thereafter, requests are generally process within three days — one day for your instructor, two days for the administrator.

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  5. Why do a need an E-Academy account?

    E-Academy is a company hired by Microsoft to administer the distribution of MSDNAA software to institutions with MSDNAA subscriptions. The software is available by logging onto your E-Academy account, and the E-Academy administers the download. For more help using E-Academy see their Support Page and their helpful E-Academy FAQ.

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  6. I downloaded a file from the site after selecting the software of my choice. Now what?

    The small file (about 400 KB) you downloaded is nothing more than an automated file transfer executable. It points to the encrypted and compressed file on the local server. Execute the file to download, decrypt, and decompress the product. Before you download a product, check to see if you have sufficient room for both the product download and the extracted product. (Most downloads are around 500 MB. You need an additional 500 MB for the extracted file, for a total of 1.0 GB of free space.) 

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  7. I only have a dial-up connection. Can I obtain software on CDs?

    There are a few packages that you can obtain from Microsoft on CDs, which will be shipped to you directly. If you choose to have CD media shipped to your home, you pay a small fee to cover the cost of the CD media itself plus shipping and handling. You are not paying any fee to "license" the software, as the software is already fully licensed under the MSDNAA agreement.

    Here are the packages available via the CD shipment method:

    Product Description Price
    Microsoft Project Professional 2002 (Single-User) $8.89
    Microsoft Project Professional 2003 $8.89
    Microsoft Visio Professional 2002 (Single User) $8.89
    Microsoft Visio Professional 2003 $8.89
    Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional - Full Install $14.99
    Windows XP Professional (Single User) $8.89

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  8. How many times can I download the software?

    The terms of the MSDNAA subscription allow only one download per package. Whenever you download a package, that transaction is recorded into your E-Academy account. If you attempt a second download, E-Academy will not deliver the software. Think carefully about when and where you download the software, especially if you work on mulitple machines, such as a laptop and home computer. The software can only be installed on one of these machines.

    Please be careful about "trying out" software, then un-installing it from your machine. If you need that software for a future class you will not be able to obtain it.

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  9. What is the difference between a "Product Key" and an "Activation Code?"

    Product keys are required during the installation process. They are unique only to the product, not to the user. Product keys may be used repeatedly. Activation codes are also required during installation. They are unique to the product and to the user. Products using activation codes require the user to "activate" the product within 30 days or less. These products will not work after the time period, unless the product is activated. An activation key may be used only a limited number of times (typically two-to-three times). Thereafter, you must acquire a new activation key or call Microsoft technical support to request additional activations.

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  10. What is the difference between a "Single User" and a "Volume License" product?

    The products that are available to faculty and staff are "Single User" versions, each download or installation of an SU product typically requires a unique product key or activation code. Some products are available to the MSDNAA administrator in Volume License versions and do not require activation. These are intended for lab use only and require manual tracking of installations. Volume license media, keys, and activation codes are not distributed to faculty or staff. The media and keys for single-user and volume-license versions are not compatible.

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  11. What is an SDC file?

    The .SDC file format is a Secure Download Cabinet file. It is an encrypted and compressed file format for Internet delivery of the products. The product executable that is downloaded decrypts and extracts the product. If you have an SDC file on your hard drive after downloading a product, the process has failed. Delete the SDC and try again.

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  12. What is an ISO file?

    The ISO files are images of the product CDs. Use a third-party CD-R utility to create a CD from an image file. The resulting CD will be an exact replica of the original and is bootable (assuming the original CD was bootable). Use of re-writable CD media (CD-RW) is not supported.

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  13. I downloaded Windows 2000 Professional and burned it to a CD-R, but it will not boot to install. Why?

    Some products are offered in two versions. The ISO version, when extracted and burned to recordable CD media (CD-R), is bootable. The other version has all of the data from the CD except the boot sector. It is not bootable. Use of re-writable CD media (CD-RW) is not supported.

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  14. What is the Microsoft Developer Network - Academic Alliance (MSDNAA)?

    Microsoft provides to the Computer Netowrking and Security Department and its employees and students a number of software products. These may be licensed and downloaded by accessing the department's MSDNAA web site. License keys are issued automatically by email. There is no charge to the end user for this service.

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  15. How do I access the Microsoft Developer Network - Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) site for software for download?

    In Microsoft Explorer, navigate to http://msdn01.e-academy.com/tstc_nimt/. Select the LOGIN button on the left side. On the Login page, enter your TSTC email address. Your MSDNAA password is emailed to you when your MSDNAA account is created/renewed.

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  16. What if I've forgotten or lost my MSDNAA password?

    In Microsoft Internet Explorer, navigate to http://msdn01.e-academy.com/tstc_nimt/. Select the LOGIN button on the left side. On the Login page, click the link labelled "» Forgot Password?". On the next page, enter your TSTC email address which is your MSDNAA username, then click on "Go Find It". Your MSDNAA password will be emailed to you, usually within a minute or two.

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  17. What is the process for downloading software?

    First

    You must have a valid MSDNAA account and login to the MSDNAA web site as described above.

    Second

    If you are enabled to download a certain product, you must "purchase" the license. Again, there is no cost for this. Any product keys are emailed to you.
     
    Third

    You must arrange to access room S-143 to download the software. This is a 2-stage process. The initial download is a small Windows executable which, when run, will begin (or continue in the case of an interruption) the download of the desired software. Be sure to save this downloader utility to a location where you can re-run it if needed. When the downloader utility runs to completion, it will have created a copy of the software product distribution on your computer. In some cases, this will be an ISO image file that must be "burned" to CD for use. Our CD-writing utilities permit creating a CD from an image file.

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  18. What if the software download is interrupted?

    The download utility was automatically saved to your desktop; to restart the download, simply re-run it. It will continue the download from where it was interrupted.

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  19. Do I have to delete the software once I graduate?

    No. You may continue to use the software for as long as you wish.

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  20. What software is available?

    Navigate to the MSDNAA pages and click on the SOFTWARE button at the top of the page. This will list the products available.

     

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