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MSDNAA Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ attempts to address the most common questions students have regarding the MSDNAA program in the School of Computer and Information Sciences.

  1. If I'm a student at South Alabama, can I get access to the MSDNAA Program?
  2. If I'm eligible, how can I get access to the program?
  3. What if I forget my password?
  4. I never received my password even though I signed up a few days ago.
  5. I've signed up for MSDNAA in a previous semester, but my login no longer works.
  6. I tried to download software, but all I got was about a 1 KB download. What's going on?
  7. The small program I downloaded won't execute.
  8. What do I do with a .iso file? I tried putting it on a CD, and it doesn't do anything.
  9. I've downloaded the software, but the extension is .cdr.
  10. If I stop taking courses at the School of Computer and Information Sciences, do I have to give back or destroy any software I've downloaded?
  11. I want to download Microsoft Office. Can I get that from MSDNAA?
  12. I get an SDC error when I try to download the software, and it says that a possible cause is No Connection. What's going on?
  13. How do I install the software without burning a CD?
  1. If I'm a student at South Alabama, can I get access to the MSDNAA Program?

    Only students at South Alabama that are currently enrolled in at least one credit course with the School of Computer and Information Sciences is eligible for our program.

  2. If I'm eligible, how can I get access to the program?

    Go to the School of CIS's web page, http://www.cis.usouthal.edu, and select Current Student Info. In the menu that appears, you will see the item MSDNAA Software. If you highlight this item, then you will see the item MSDNAA Signup application and information. Enter your J Number and e-mail address on that page and hit Submit. You should receive an e-mail regarding your account within 24 hours. Make sure that your spam filters are not set too high.

  3. What if I forget my password?

    If you go to the normal login page for MSDNAA, on the right you will see a link that says click here for a reminder of your password. Simply enter you e-mail address and hit Submit, and the password will be sent to you. Again make sure your spam filters are not set too high.

  4. I never received my password even though I signed up a few days ago.

    The e-mail will not be coming from the University of South Alabama. It will be coming from e-academy. Check your junk folder to make sure your spam filter removed the e-mail before you saw it.

  5. I've signed up for MSDNAA in a previous semester, but my login no longer works.

    Since the program is only open to students who are currently registered in one of our courses, it is necessary to remove students who are no longer registered in our classes. If you are out for one or more semesters, you will need to register again.

  6. I tried to download software, but all I got was about a 1 KB download. What's going on?

    To prevent unauthorized access to the software, all software packages are wrapped in a container. The small program that downloads is an executable file. Once you run the program, it will begin the download process.

  7. The small program I downloaded won't execute.

    It's possible that the small file might not have the correct extension. Simply change the extension of the program to .exe, and it should work.

  8. What do I do with a .iso file? I tried putting it on a CD, and it doesn't do anything.

    An .iso file is an image of a CD. You need to use your CD burning software to recreate the CD from the image. Do NOT copy the .iso to the CD. It will not do anything. You should consult the documentation of your software to determine how to create the CD from the image.

  9. I've downloaded the software, but the extension is .cdr.

    Change the extension to .iso.

  10. If I stop taking courses at the School of Computer and Information Sciences, do I have to give back or destroy any software I've downloaded?

    No, once you've downloaded the software, it's yours to keep.

  11. I want to download Microsoft Office. Can I get that from MSDNAA?

    As of August 2006, the only components of Microsoft Office that are available through MDSNAA are Access and Frontpage. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Powerpoint are not available through MSDNAA.

  12. I get an SDC error when I try to download the software, and it says that a possible cause is No Connection. What's going on?

    This type of error can occur if there a physical problem on the server housing the software, or if there is a problem in the Internet connection with the server. If you get this error, send a report of it to lynn@cis.usouthal.edu, and explain what software you wanted to download and when you got the error.


    13.
  13. How do I install the software without burning a CD?

    1. Go to the URL http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm
    2. Click on the download for your operating system
    3. Save the file on your hard drive, and once it downloads, execute it.
    4. This will start the installation.
    5. Click Next.
    6. You can now choose where the files will be stored. If you are satisfied with the default,
      click Next.
    7. Click Next again.
    8. Once installation has completed successfully, click Next.
    9. Your operating system should detect the software and place a small icon in the
      Notification area on the taskbar to the left of the clock.
    10. Right-click on the icon and move the mouse pointer to the top item in the menu,
      "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM".
    11. You should see another menu appear, and one drive letter should be labeled as No Media.
    12. Move over to that item and another menu should appear.
    13. In the menu that appears, choose Mount.
    14. You will be presented with the "Mount CD/DVD Image" dialog box.
    15. Use this dialog box to locate the .iso file you downloaded.
    16. If the file is mounted correctly, installation of the item contained in the .iso file should begin.
    17. You can then install the software.
    18. When you are done, you can Unmount the file.