Installing Bruker D8 Discover software on a new measurement computer.

On Thursday I had 2 different users tell me the XRD computer would not boot. Its power button was flashing amber and after some internet searching and a few quick diagnostics(unplugging some stuff) I decided it was likely either the mother board or power supply. Knowing that system had blue screened a number of times over the last year, I decided the least painful option would be replacement.

There are 2 replacement options:

1. Pay Bruker a bunch of money(10K+) for a new computer (Win 7), software, and install.
2. Take a similar XP system and attempt to get the software installed (could be easier said then done).

So I thought I would try the install. Here is the list of what worked (I am not including the numerous steps I took that didn’t…):

1. Install old hard drive as slave to get config files (I have backups now but thank goodness that worked)
   • My users also appreciated that I was able to save their data
2. Install Hardware: CronosPlus PCI Board and License Dongle
   • Restart computer and cancel prompts to install drivers
3. Install Bruker software (from CDs: DIFFRACplus Basic Measurement and Evaluation)
   • Also on the Firmware & Software Tools CD copy the D8 Tools program
4. Install dongle driver (On the Measurement CD)
5. Setup static IP: Does not matter which network adapter just as long as the instrument is connected to it
   • 192.168.21.1
   • Subnet mask = default (255.255.255.0)
   • Leave all else blank
   • Also turn off any firewalls for that adapter
6. Restart Computer
7. Open XRD Config
   • Load your most recent conf file (ex. diff_in1.cnf)
   • In XRD Config click the download CNF button (It should work without a hitch if the system is on)
8. Copy the D8Tools back up Folder into the DIFFPLUS folder
9. Start D8Tools and make sure you can connect to the system
10. Install Video Laser Software
    • Open Video_1.5/ReadMe.TXT and follow the instructions (For our system options are - CronosPlus, color video, and 4Mb)
11. After restart system should be good to go except for the user management system and some issues that occur when adding users

User Management system

This uses a fairly simple python program I developed plus some OS configuration. The setup is described below:

1. Create a new user account - start it as an admin (control panel - user accounts - Create new account)
2. Remove most programs from C:/Documents and Settings/User/Start Menu
   • This limits users ability to do stuff easily that they shouldn’t be doing
3. Log into the new account and right click on the start menu and click options
   • Remove all unneeded features - ex. control panel
4. Log out and back into the admin account - change the new user to a limited account
5. Move all user data into the shared directory and make sure to give the new user permissions
   • May need to uncheck use simple file sharing (Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> Advanced)
   • Then under folder properties -> security add the new user name and give full permissions
6. Copy compiled Program use tracker app PUTAPP
7. Follow instructions in the Readme to setup

Getting XRD Commander and Video to work properly on the user account

This was a bit of a pain to figure out but is “fairly simple” in the end. It required copying all the associated registry keys from the Admin account to the user account. To do this:

1. Log into the user account then “switch accounts” to the admin account
2. Open Regedit and Navigate to HKEY_Users
3. Navigate to the Admins folder/Software
   • Each user has at least 2 files each start with a user key (a long string some how related to your user name) and the long string with Classes
4. Select the first Bruker AXS Key and click File -> Export - Name it what ever you want
   • Repeat this for the other Bruker AXS, Matrox, and Matrox Imaging
5. Either copy the Key name of the user account or note the difference from the admin (likely just a different number at the end)
6. Open each of the exported registry files in a text editor
7. Change the Key base to the user name found in step 5
8. Once all the files have been edited double click them to apply the edits
   • This should add the extracted keys to the User/Software registry
9. Delete the extracted registry files (no need to keep them) and restart

That should do it. Hopefully I did not miss anything. Good Luck!