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creating an installer that can run only once

4 posts

flatface#

creating an installer that can run only once

Hi,

What would be the best way to create an installer that can run only once?
This installer will be downloaded so I want to use an internet validation so that it cannot be run again on another machine.

I can download and check an ini file but can I change and upload it? Or can I call a PHP script from the installer that can change an ini file or a database entry?

thanks!
Animaether#
there is a plugin that allows for FTP uploads. You can also use your webserver with a querystring ( blabla.php?id=machine_id_here ) and parse that on the web server, etc.

That said - this is a very, very poor method of 'security' as the user can always install once, and then copy the installed files / registry entries / etc. to another machine. Consider putting/adding a layer of security in your actual application.
Takhir#
Also possible to delete package at the end of install http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=236058 😉
onad#
I do not think this is a feasable protection. But hey surprise me 😉

Also keep in mind one can run an application on a Virtual Machine over and over again... E.g. disallow the process to run in the end of download, than snapshot your VM, thus multiple runs are always possible IMHO.