Mathworks Matlab installation on a WURclient computer

Motivation

A WURclient desktop or laptop at Wageningen University & Research is not a standard Windows 11 computer. WURclients use Windows 11 Enterprise, which has been modified by Facilities and Services Information Technology (FB-IT) among others with respect to installation rights for security reasons.

WURclient computers at Wageningen University & Research can install “Matworks^® Matlab” from the Software Center created by the IT department, which is launched by clicking on Start and selecting the “Software Center” tile. At the time this post was written the latest version of Matlab^® in Software Center was MATLAB R2021b (for NON commercial use only). Currently the latest available version in Software Center is MATLAB R2024b LNU (for NON commercial use only).

The Matlab^® version in Software Center for WURclient computers has one major drawbacks:

• It is not always the latest version available.

In this post the installation procedure for Mathworks^® Matlab will be given step wise. Thereby, providing a way to install the latest version.

Prerequisite

To be able to install Matworks^® Matlab you need to have POWER USER RIGHTS on the WURclient desktop or laptop.

To see whether you possess these rights, right-click any icon (except Recycle Bin or WUR HELP) on the desktop. When the opened menu contains the option ‘WUR - Run with administrative rights’ (seventh or eighth from the top), it means you have power user rights on that particular desktop or laptop.

Installation

1. If you do not have one already, create a folder named MyPrograms in your C:\-drive. All programs, you install yourself on your WUR Desktop or Laptop, should be installed into this folder (C:\MyPrograms). The folder can be created using File Explorer on your WURclient computer.

2. Open an internet browser (e.g. Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome) and navigate to the following web-address: https://nl.mathworks.com/login?uri=%2Fmwaccount%2F

3. Log in with your WUR e-mail address and Mathworks^® password. If you have never visited The Mathworks^® website before, then create a new account with your WUR e-mail address. Remember the password (it never changes, unless you change it yourself)!

4. Once logged in you need to select:

   • MATLAB (Designated Computer): The installation is restricted for use to a host ID that identifies a particular computer, but not a particular user. Any number of people can log in and use the software, but not simultaneously.
   • MATLAB (Individual): You can install and run the software on multiple computers. Each installation is restricted for use by a particular computer and a particular user name. This is advised for WURclient computers (desk- or laptops) and privately owned desk- or laptop computers.

5. After choosing the license type you will be sent to the License Center page of Mathworks^®. On this specific page you find a “Download” button. Pressing it allows you to download the version of Matlab^® you want to install.

6. Once the download has finished, navigate to your downloads folder. Start the installer with a right mouse click and select “WUR – Run with administrative rights” as shown below in Figure 1.

7. The Mathworks Product Installer will start with a screen asking to log into you Mathworks account. First provide your WUR e-mail address, followed by the password belonging to the MathWorks account you created earlier using your WUR e-mail address.

8. Confirm the Software Linense Agreement by selecting Yes in the radio button. To confirm click the “Next” button.

9. Select the desired license (Designated Computer or Individual, as described in step 4.), and click the “Next” button to continue.

10. Select the destination folder. The recommended folder being C:\MyPrograms\MATLAB\RYYYYv, where RYYYYv represents the version, e.g., R2024b. Click the “Next” button to continue.

11. Select the desired products to install onto you desk- or laptop computer, and click the “Next” button to continue.

12. Tick the desired checkboxes to select the options wanted. Click the “Next” button to continue.

13. Press the “Begin Install” button to start the installation.

14. To finalize the installation press the “Close” button in the “Installation Complete” screen of the MathWorks Product Installer.

Activation

Mathworks^® has switched to named user licensing instead of Campus-Wide licensing, where you had to create a license file (license.lic) on the Mathworks^® site and place it in a specific folder (C:\MyPrograms\MATLAB\RYYYYv\licenses, where RYYYYv represented the version you installed, e.g., R2019a).

To activate the installed Mathworks^® MATLAB after installation, start the application using either the created desktop icon or using the start menu. You will be asked for the e-mail address associated with your Mathworks^® account (your WUR e-mail address).

Next enter the password of your Mathworks^® account in order to activate the installed Mathworks^® MATLAB.

The activation is needed only once! After activation Mathworks^® MATLAB will also start even if you do not have access to internet.

Transition a previous installation to named user licensing

Previously installed versions of Mathworks^® MATLAB (R2023b and newer) can be transitioned from a Campus-Wide license to an Individual named user license.

Save the following files into the Downloads folder of your WURclient desk- or laptop by right-clicking the link and selecting the option ‘Save link as…’ (IMPORTANT: DO NOT CHANGE THE FILE NAMES!):

• license_info.xml (only for MATLAB R2023b and newer)

Switch to Individual named user licensing by performing the following steps:

1. Open File Explore and navigate to the folder, where you previously installed Mathworks^® MATLAB, e.g., C:\MyPrograms\MATLAB\R2023b.
2. Open the subfolder licenses.
3. Delete the file named license.lic.
4. Copy the file license_info.xml, you downloaded earlier and most likely resides in your downloads folder, into the folder from which you deleted license.lic.
5. Close File Explorer.

To reactivate read the Activation section above in this post.