Golden Software: Surfer 9 FAQ

Q2. How can I get the latest version of Surfer?
A. Minor updates (i.e. version 9.0 to 9.1, when available) may be downloaded for free if your serial number is registered. Connect your computer to the Internet, then click the Help | Check for Update command in Surfer. This will download the latest update and install it on your machine. Information about the latest version is listed on the Version History page.

If you experience any problems with this command or would like to download the full version of the updated software, please email your registered Surfer 9 serial number to surfersupport@goldensoftware.com. Once your serial number is verified, we will send you download instructions.

Major upgrades (i.e. version 8 to version 9) cost US$229 plus shipping. Refer to the order form for more information.

Q3. Where can I find a list of fixes and changes between versions?
A. A list of changes and fixes between minor versions (i.e. 9.0 to 9.1) are listed on the Version History page.

A list of major changes between major upgrades (i.e. 8 to 9) can be found on the What’s New in Surfer 9 page.

Q4. What are Surfer’s system requirements?
A. Surfer’s system requirements are:

Windows 2000, XP, Vista and higher
100 MB of free hard disk space
512 MB RAM minimum, 1 GB or higher recommended
1024x768x16-bit color minimum monitor resolution

Q5. How do I install Surfer?
A. Installing Surfer 9 requires that you be logged into an account that has Administrator rights. Golden Software does not recommend installing Surfer 9 over any previous version of Surfer. Please ensure that you install Surfer 9 into a new directory, which is what will happen by default. Surfer 9 can co-exist with older versions as long as they are in different directories.

To begin the installation, either insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive, or double-click on the downloaded EXE file to run it. See below for details of each method.

Installing Surfer on a Local Drive from CD:

Insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. The Setup program automatically begins on most computers.
Choose the "Install Surfer" option from the screen and setup will begin.

If the Setup program does not automatically start, double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. Open the CD-ROM drive which contains the Surfer disk by double-clicking on the CD-ROM icon. From the CD-ROM folder find and double-click on Autorun.exe to launch Surfer's Setup program. Select "Install Surfer" and setup will begin.

Installing Surfer on a Local Drive Using a Downloaded EXE:

Double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and navigate to the folder containing the downloaded file.
Double-click on the file Surfer90xxxxx.exe to begin the installation process. The EXE extension is not displayed if you have enabled the option to "Hide Extensions for Known File Types" in My Computer.

Q6. How do I uninstall Surfer?
A. To uninstall Surfer 9, go to the Control Panel and double click on Add/Remove Programs (Windows 2000 and XP) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista). Select “Surfer 9” from the list of installed applications. Click the Remove or Uninstall button to uninstall Surfer 9.

Q7. Do I need to uninstall the demo version before installing the full version? Can I activate the demo to become the full version?
A. You do need to uninstall the Surfer demo before installing the full version of Surfer. There is not a way to “activate” the demo version to become a full version.

Q8. Do I need to uninstall an older version of Surfer before installing a new version?
A. You do not need to uninstall previous versions of Surfer (i.e. Surfer versions 5, 6, 7, or 8) before installing Surfer 9, provided you install them in different directories. By default, this will be the case.

You do not need to uninstall a previous version of Surfer 9 before installing an updated version of Surfer 9, as the installation package will automatically do this for you.

Q9. Do you offer training?
A. Golden Software does not offer training courses, but does offer a variety of training resources:

Demonstrational videos/corresponding PDF guides, and a self-paced training guide - www.goldensoftware.com/supportvideo.shtml.
Online Support Forums
Online Knowledge Base
Golden Software Newsletters
Product Tutorials available by going to Help | Tutorial within Surfer
Free email and phone Technical Support at 303-279-1021

Q10. Where can I find my serial number?
A. The serial number is on the registration card glued inside the cover of your Getting Started Guide, or in the download instructions you received when you ordered the software. Please complete the registration card and return it to Golden Software or register online at our web site. After you install Surfer and run it for the first time, you can also find your serial number by opening the software and going to Help | About Surfer. The About dialog box will show the serial number.

Q11. Is technical support free?
A. Yes, technical support is free to all users for as long as you own the product. You must register your product in order to receive technical support. You can reach technical support by phone, fax, or email.

Q12. Is Surfer 9 capable of running on Windows Vista/XP 64 bit?
A. Surfer is capable of running on Windows 64-bit, but it is a 32-bit program, so it does not take advantage of the 64-bit memory space. We have heard from multiple users that it does install and run correctly in Windows 64-bit versions, as long as it is installed and run in a Windows on Windows (WOW) environment.

Q13. I’m a long time user of Surfer. How can I overlay maps in Surfer? The Map | Overlay Maps command is not there in Surfer 9.
A. To overlay two separate maps, in previous versions of Surfer you would use the Map | Overlay Maps command. In Surfer 9, you can add a new map layer to an existing map. Create one map, select it, and use the Map | Add command to add a new map layer directly to the existing map.

If you already have two existing maps, in the Object Manager drag one map layer (ie. Contours) from its map frame into the other map frame. That will overlay the two maps together in one map frame. You can delete the left over empty map frame.

To overlay a separate contour map and base map,
select and drag the “Contours” map layer and drop it
into the map frame containing the “Base” layer.

Q14. What is the SRF file compatibility between different versions of Surfer?
A. Surfer 9 can open SRF files from all previous versions of Surfer. Surfer 9 can only save SRF files in the Surfer 9 format. Previous versions of Surfer (ie. Surfer 8) cannot open the Surfer 9 SRF files.

Q15. I have a more technical question about the program, where can I find the answer?
A. For more technical questions and answers, please visit our Knowledge Base.

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