Yes - dnc4U works 100% on Windows 10!

After we installed Windows 10 from the Microsoft website, dnc4U installed and worked straight out of the box with no tweaks necessary. We think that Windows 10 is a vast improvement over Windows 7 & 8. The metro interface has been toned down and it's like Windows used to be with a desktop and start button. But it runs even faster. In addition many of our USB to RS232 devices that did not work on previous Windows versions, now work 100% in Windows 10 - at last manufacturers have updated their USB device drivers to work!



Here's a quick guide to installation

The first thing to do is download the dnc4U installation file from our website. Get this by clicking Free Trial on the dnc4U webpage. Then you need to decide whether to download the version that does not have an internet connection, or the version that does have an internet connection and performs a licence check for days used is via our server. We do not store any information other than your software code, your start and end dates, it is totally anonymous. The second method is preferable because it is more reliable at giving the full 60 day trial - the non internet connected version can sometimes fail, especially if you accidentally turn back the clock. The second version is also superior for registration, as this is all done automatically.




After making a decision which version you need, you have the option to download either as a zip or an exe file. We suggest you save the file rather than run it - but it's up to you. The zip is simply the exe file already zipped up, but sometimes your Windows settings, firewall or antivirus may not like downloading raw exe files. It depends what make of browser you have, but all will download the file and place it into a download folder. We used Microsoft Edge, and once downloaded, it performs virus check and then in the bottom of the screen where it shows the download progress press Open to install.. Either open up the exe or open up the zip file.





Drag and drop the exe file onto your desktop. At least on the desktop, it is easier to remember where you copied it to.

You then need to install the setup program with full admin rights. Like above, in most cases. you will have these rights. However, we would suggest that you right mouse click the setup file, and select run-as-administrator just to make sure. You will get the standard Windows prompt about installing a file, just select OK. If you are using an anti-virus program such as Avast that runs any new exe in a sand-box, then you may get an initial setup fail. Simply let the sand-box run it's course, then when it has finished, click continue execution, the setup will continue without problem.





The installation program will then take it's course and install the dnc4U program. We have opted to set the default program folder location for Vista, Win7 & Win8 & Win10 to the users\public folder. This solves all kinds of problems with different user's access to the program, and read/write access of temporary files that dnc4U creates. Unless you have an overriding reason not to, we would suggest you stick with this.





Out of the box settings for dnc4U and Windows 10 work just fine, and running in Windows 10 compatability mode is great, unlike in previous Windows versions where you may have had to set compatability to XP SP2. You can always run the compatability troubleshooter.

Once dnc4U has been installed, then like above, out of the box, with no IT department intervention altering privelidges, dnc4U will work straight away. If you have problems running the program, you get errors such as unregistered components, or you are unable to see network drives or shares, then we would recommend that you run-as-administrator, just to make sure that you have sufficient level of access. You only need to do this once, and Windows will remember. Initial trials by us, reveal that running as administrator is no longer required - we will of course review this as time progresses.

On new laptops, it is almost inevitable that you will not have a com port, in which case you will have to install either a USB to RS232 adaptor or an express RS232 card. If you are using a USB adaptor, then we recommend a keyspan. >> Click Here or Here Plug in your keyspan and Windows will go and install the latest drivers automatically, as keyspan are still one of the few vendors that have tested Win10 drivers, although our Prolific chipset USBs and FDTI chipsets did install drivers that seemed to work .

Ten minutes later and dnc4U is installed along with the USB to RS232 adaptor!





In conclusion, installing dnc4U on Windows 10 is very easy, and should not take more than 10 minutes to download, install and update any USB drivers.

What we can say with almost 100% certainty is that should you have any problems with the installation, it is amost certainly a problem with user access permissions. What often happens is that an IT department will not give users sufficient access, they may only give them a standard account which in many cases is not enough. The best workaround is to run-as-administrator which will temporarily elevate user permissions just for this program, it will not give users admin permissions to run amok and mess up the computer.

For IT departments who do not fully understand this, it is good to google "run as administrator" to put your mind at rest. Maybe Microsoft should have given this option a more apt name such as "run-this-program-with-elevated-access-so-that-it-works-in-Windows-just-like-it-ought-to" not as snappy, but more accurate!