Here is a plain text version of the manual. This is not the entire manual but rather its more of a taster of it. If you want to have the full experience with helpful graphics, more info, and handy links, then your going to have to download the current issue.
Welcome to Giveaway of the Day! Getting free, legal software has never been easier. All you have to do is follow the easy instructions in this guide to install a fully functional, no time limit version of today’s offering.
Instructions
1. Check daily into Giveawayoftheday.com. Read the short description of today’s Giveaway. If you’re interested, click on the “Proceed to download page” button.
2. Read the complete description and check out the screenshots. Other info is listed right below the main description. When you’re ready to download, click on the “Download <Giveaway name here> now” button.
3. When a dialog box opens asking you to open or save the file, click on Save, and select your Desktop as the destination.
4. Locate the file on your Desktop, and open it using your favorite ZIP archiving program.
5. Click on the Extract button and extract it into a folder on your Desktop. E. g. if the ZIP’s name is “SomeGiveaway.zip,” extract it to Desktop\SomeGiveaway. If you are offered to only extract and run Setup.exe, select No.
6. Close your archiving software and open the folder that you extracted the Giveaway package to.
7. Open up readme.txt. Read all info fully before continuing.
8. Double-click on Setup.exe. Wait for the Giveaway Wrapper to connect to the activation server.
9. When the Setup dialog opens, follow the on-screen instructions to install the Giveaway. (For Giveaway packages with Activate.exe, skip to step 11.)
10. After finishing installing the Giveaway, another window will pop up, displaying the registration data (if applicable) and telling you activation is complete. If there is a registration serial number displayed, open up your new Giveaway and register it with the provided information. Typically, the registration dialog box will be under the Help menu, under Register, Activate, or Buy Now/Purchase.
11. If there is an Activate.exe file present in the extracted Giveaway package, run it to complete activation. (Vista users: if UAC is on, be sure to right click Activate.exe and select “Run as Administrator.”)
12. When done, check/uncheck the options on the registration info dialog to your preference. Click on Close to complete activation.
13. A web page will open up confirming that your Giveaway has been activated. It is a good idea to double-check your registration status. Open up your Giveaway, and click on Help > About. The dialog box should indicate that it is not a trial version and the registration name is Giveawayoftheday (usually).
14. You may now delete the Giveaway ZIP package and related extracted files.
Special Note:
Some Giveaways extract an installer instead of directly running them. In this case, the location of the extracted installer will be indicated in the readme.txt file. It is usually under the C: drive, sometimes also under the name of the Giveaway off the C: drive.
In Addition
Games are given away every weekend. You can download Game Giveaways using the same method. Just visit http://game.giveawayoftheday.com or follow the sidebar link from the main site on weekends.
Important Things To Remember
1. Do not use the built in updater in any software as it could reverse your free copy back to a trial mode.
2. Please read the included “readme.txt” for instructions on every giveaway.
4. When installing software on Windows Vista, run installer as Admin if you experience any problems.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Q How long do I have to activate the program?
A Each “Giveaway of the Day” must be downloaded, installed, and activated in the 24 hour timeframe. The main home page will tell you how much more time you will have for the daily offering. Once activated your new program will be fully functional and usable for as long as you have it installed on your system.
Q I’m receiving a message that says “Failed to connect. Please try again later.” How can I fix this?
A The most common causes of this problem are firewalls and improperly configured Internet Options. Allow the Setup.exe/Activate.exe program if your firewall program asks. Also check in your firewall’s main window if the programs are allowed. For improper Internet Options, open up the Internet Options control panel applet and check if all settings in the Connections tab is properly configured. Also, you may try lowering your security level on the Security tab.
Q I opened up my Giveaway, but it tells me to register. What do I do?
A Read readme.txt to see if there is a registration code that you have to enter. Also, if you didn’t run Activate.exe, exit the application now and run Activate.exe. If that doesn’t work, you can try uninstalling the Giveaway and starting over again, following the instructions carefully.
Q I can’t find my Game Giveaway. There isn’t any links to it on my Desktop or Start Menu.
A Some (or most) of the Game Giveaways don’t have a proper installer. You can usually find Game Giveaways under the C:\Games folder. Check your readme.txt for more info.
Q My computer recently crashed and I lost all my Giveaways due to a reinstall. How can I get them back?
A You can try restoring them from a system backup if you have one. Otherwise, you’ll either have to wait until the Giveaway is rerun or purchase a full version from the developer.
REMEMBER: This is just a sampler of the guide. To experience the full guide and all the information it has to offer, please visit the download links above.
