Mathworks Matlab installation on a WURclient computer

Motivation

A WURclient desktop or laptop at Wageningen University & Research is not a standard Windows 10 computer. WURclients use Windows 10 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 R2022b (for NON commercial use only).

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

1. It is not always the latest version available.
2. It requires an internet connection to the WURNET to be able to check out a license. Outside a WUR location (campus or otherwise) a VPN connection will enable checkout of the license file.

In this post the installation procedure for Mathworks^® Matlab will be given step wise. Thereby, providing a way to install the latest version as well as install the software on a WURclient laptop without having to connect to WURNET to checkout a license.

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. Leave the browser open, you will need it again later during the installation.

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 and make sure you install into “C:\MyPrograms”.

7. In the meantime, while Matlab^® is installing, navigate in your browser to the tab “Install and Activate” of the Mathworks^® License Center. In the right side of the screen under RELATED TASKS click the link “Activate to Retrieve License File”.

8. If you have not yet activated a computer on a Designated Computer or Individual License, the screen as displayed below in Figure 2 will be shown

9. If you have already activated a computer, click on the “Activate a Computer” button and the screen displayed above in Figure 2 will appear.

10. Select the Release and Operating System. To find the Host ID open the command prompt and type “vol c:”. The Volume Serial Number (looking something like “1234-ABCD”) printed in the command prompt, needs to be entered as Host ID. Use the number of you Desktop/Laptop, preceded with an D for a Desktop or an L for a Laptop, as the Activation Label (e.g. D0123456) and press continue. After a question, whether the software is installed (just mark “yes” and continue), the window shown below in Figure 3 will appear.

11. Select “Download License File”. The file will be downloaded as license.lic into your downloads folder.

12. Once the Matlab^® installation has finished, copy the license.lic file into C:\MyPrograms\MATLAB\RYYYYv\licenses, where RYYYYv represents the version you installed e.g. R2019a. In case the folder C:\MyPrograms\MATLAB\RYYYYv\licenses does not exist yet, create it yourself.

13. On your computer start “Activate Matlab RYYYYv” with administrative rights to correctly implement the downloaded license. In the start menu navigate to the item, right-click and select “more” > “Open file location”. In the new File Explorer right-click on “Activate Matlab RYYYYv” and select “WUR – Run with administrative rights”.

14. Now you should be able to start MATLAB from your start menu without problems!