Summary

FLEXnet Connect is a solution that Flexera sells to software vendors that is designed to help you stay connected with your customers after they install your applications.

Synopsis

FLEXnet Connect is a solution that Flexera Software sells to software vendors that is designed to help you stay connected with your customers after they install your applications. Keeping software updated is one of the many benefits of FLEXnet Connect, but Flexera also recommends that software vendors build in an option to disable automatic update checking. If you are using an application that uses FLEXnet Connect, your application may have a configuration option to disable update checking. Please check your application's menu options.

If your application does not have this option, Flexera has created a tool called the Software Manager that can disable automatic update checking. The Software Manager utility lists all applications currently using FLEXnet Connect on your computer and the FLEXnet Connect's status with that application.

Discussion

You may already have the Software Manager installed. If the Software Updates or Program Updates shortcut is listed in your Start menu, then the Software Manager is installed. If you do not have the Software Manager installed, follow these instructions to download and install it:

To download and install the Software Manager:

1. Download the latest FLEXnet Connect 6.1 Software Manager and save it to your Desktop. The latest FLEXnet Connect Software Manager can be downloaded here.
   
   
2. Double-click on the FLEXnet Connect executable and follow the instructions to install the Software Manager. Once installed, you can run the Software Updates shortcut to start the Software Manager.

We provide 3 options for disabling the Software Manager:

Option #1: Download and Disable the Software Manager with the Uninstaller

Perform the following steps to download and disable the Software Manager with the uninstaller.

To download and disable the Software Manager with the uninstaller:

1. Download the Software Manager uninstaller and save it to your Desktop.
   
   
2. Double-click SoftwareManagerUninstall.exe and follow the instructions to disable the Software Manager.

NOTE: The SoftwareManagerUninstall.exe only removes Windows Registry entries which are responsible for starting the common software manager after a reboot. No files are removed.

Option #2: Disable the Software Manager Using Task Manager

Perform the following steps to disable the Software Manager using Task Manager.

To disable the Software Manager using Task Manager:

1. Open the Task Manager by running Task Manager as an Administrator.
2. Navigate to the Startup tab.
3. Right-click Common Software Manager.
4. Select Disable.

Option #3: Disable the Software Manager Using the Registry Editor

Perform the following steps to disable the Software Manager using the Registry Editor.

To disable the Software Manager using the Registry Editor:

1. Open the Windows Registry Editor (regedit.exe) by running the Windows Registry Editor as an Administrator.
2. Navigate to the following Windows Registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
3. Back up the Windows Registry entry by exporting it to a Windows Registry (.reg) file.
4. Delete the ISUSPM Value Name along with its Value Data by right-clicking ISUSPM and selecting Delete.

We suggest using the option, out of the 3 options, to disable the Software Manager that matches your preferences. Or if a particular option does not work for you, you can move on to the other options.