Planned formatting of my hard disk

As I need to have my hard disk reformatted (since its functioning is too slow now and a reformatting would speed it up considerably, as I know by experience)

Emma Goldsmith wrote:

You'll have to save your own resources (TMs, TBs, user profile, etc.) elsewhere, return your license, download and install Studio on your clean disk and activate the license again.

I wrote some step-by-step instructions on installing Studio on a new computer here:
http://signsandsymptomsoftranslation.com/2014/02/11/studio-on-a-new-computer/

As you're re-using your hard disk, you'll have to follow the steps in the blog post in this order: 6, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1

By the way, I don't think it's overkill to re-format your hard disk. It's much more effective wiping everything off it than using clean-up programs.

Stanislav Pokorny wrote:

So back up everything you need on an external drive, return all licenses, reinstall Windows, install all you need, activate, restore your documents from the external drive: that's usually the best way to improve the speed of your machine, although it might take a whole day.

[Upraveno: 2014-09-25 12:42 GMT]

Huw Watkins wrote:



I also use a cloud application such as onedrive to keep all my important work files and folders in. This makes things considerably easier for backing up your stuff (it's already done basically). I am also an advocate of reinstalling the OS regularly. I'm also considering installing an SSD one of these days to improve performance - I've heard good things.

You've probably found out by now, but just in case - your returned licence is kept in the My Account section of the SDL website. All your licences are kept there, so I also vote for deactivate and reactivate after installation. I forgot to do it last time I reinstalled and logged it with SDL who helped me out very efficiently and quickly.



[Edited at 2014-09-27 13:20 GMT]

Chiara Deaglio wrote:

Just one question:

to "return" a license means to "deactivate" it from the prompt I get when opening Trados Studio?

The all I have to do is clicking on "Deactivate" from this prompt and then reformatting my hard disk and then reactivate Trados (how? I know my license number as I have written it on paper, but I presume I have to follow some procedure by going on the SDL website - MyAccount, to reactivate Trados... hoping that I will not have lost my Glossary and TMs because of the reformatting...)

Thank you

Chiara Deaglio wrote:

hoping that I will not have lost my Glossary and TMs because of the reformatting...)

Thank you

Huw Watkins wrote:



You click on deactivate when prompted or via the open application: Help>Product Activation. Then once you have backed up any files and folders you want to keep from your C drive, you start the reinstall process. I would also advise at this point that you make sure you format the C drive during this process to ensure it is completely wiped. It is offered to you as an option early on during the reinstall as "Manage Drives" or something similar (from memory). So once you have done that and reinstalled your OS (make sure you have your OS licence key to hand before formatting the drive BTW as there's no going back after formatting), then you simply download SDL Trados Studio from the My Account section of the SDL website. Once downloaded (along with multiterm) you start to install Studio and it asks you to activate by inputting your licence key. That's it, done...

As others have said, it will mean doing this for all your software. What I do is simply re-install software as and when the need arises for it, so I don't overload the system too early on.



[Edited at 2014-09-27 14:48 GMT]

Chiara Deaglio wrote:

Just another question:

Can this procedure (1. deactivation - 2. reformatting - 3. reactivation) be repeated any number of times on the same hard disk, or just once or twice (on the same hard disk, I mean)?

I am asking this question because I have heard that I am only allowed to install Trados Studio 2011 on 2 different computers (although I have installed on just mine, until now).

Well, is the above mentioned procedure actually "consuming" my so-called "second chance" or is it repeatable umpteenth times without any limitation?

Thank you!!!!!

Huw Watkins wrote:
In fact I sometimes have it installed on 3 computers, but obviously only activated on 2 at any one time. I can choose which I use by deactivating and activating at will. I am not 100% sure whether I am breaking the licence agreement by doing that, but currently I only have it installed on 2 computers anyway. Would be interesting to find that out..

Stanislav Pokorny wrote:



I don't think you are breaking the LA, Huw. Breaking it would mean to make an attempt to activate three copies at a time with only two activations available, which is of course impossible unless you have cracked the software.