J-Over v1.0 serial key or number
J-Over v1.0 serial key or number
Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0
Abstract
Decentralized identifiers (DIDs) are a new type of identifier that enables verifiable, decentralized digital identity. A DID identifies any subject (e.g., a person, organization, thing, data model, abstract entity, etc.) that the controller of the DID decides that it identifies. In contrast to typical, federated identifiers, DIDs have been designed so that they may be decoupled from centralized registries, identity providers, and certificate authorities. Specifically, while other parties might be used to help enable the discovery of information related to a DID, the design enables the controller of a DID to prove control over it without requiring permission from any other party. DIDs are URLs that associate a DID subject with a DID document allowing trustable interactions associated with that subject. Each DID document can express cryptographic material, verification methods, or service endpoints, which provide a set of mechanisms enabling a DID controller to prove control of the DID. Service endpoints enable trusted interactions associated with the DID subject. A DID document might contain semantics about the subject that it identifies. A DID document might contain the DID subject itself (e.g. a data model).
This document specifies a common data model, a URL format, and a set of operations for DIDs, DID documents, and DID methods.
Status of This Document
This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at https://www.w3.org/TR/.
This specification is under active development and implementers are advised against implementing the specification unless they are directly involved with the W3C DID Working Group. There are use cases [DID-USE-CASES] in active development that establish requirements for this document.
At present, there exist 40 experimental implementations and a preliminary test suite that will eventually determine whether or not implementations are conformant. Readers are advised that Appendix § Current Issues contains a list of concerns and proposed changes that will most likely result in alterations to this specification.
Comments regarding this document are welcome. Please file issues directly on GitHub, or send them to public-did-wg@w3.org ( subscribe, archives).
Portions of the work on this specification have been funded by the United States Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate under contracts HSHQDC-16-R00012-H-SB2016-1-002 and HSHQDC-17-C-00019. The content of this specification does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the U.S. Government and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Work on this specification has also been supported by the Rebooting the Web of Trust community facilitated by Christopher Allen, Shannon Appelcline, Kiara Robles, Brian Weller, Betty Dhamers, Kaliya Young, Kim Hamilton Duffy, Manu Sporny, Drummond Reed, Joe Andrieu, and Heather Vescent.
This document was published by the Decentralized Identifier Working Group as a Working Draft. This document is intended to become a W3C Recommendation.
GitHub Issues are preferred for discussion of this specification. Alternatively, you can send comments to our mailing list. Please send them to public-did-wg@w3.org (archives).
Publication as a Working Draft does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.
This document was produced by a group operating under the W3C Patent Policy. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.
This document is governed by the 1 March 2019 W3C Process Document.
Introduction
This section is non-normative.
As individuals and organizations, many of us use globally unique identifiers in a wide variety of contexts. They serve as communications addresses (telephone numbers, email addresses, usernames on social media), ID numbers (for passports, drivers licenses, tax IDs, health insurance), and product identifiers (serial numbers, barcodes, RFIDs). Resources on the Internet are identified by globally unique identifiers in the form of MAC addresses; URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) are used for resources on the Web and each web page you view in a browser has a globally unique URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
The vast majority of these globally unique identifiers are not under our control. They are issued by external authorities that decide who or what they identify and when they can be revoked. They are useful only in certain contexts and recognized only by certain bodies (not of our choosing). They may disappear or cease to be valid with the failure of an organization. They may unnecessarily reveal personal information. And in many cases they can be fraudulently replicated and asserted by a malicious third-party ("identity theft").
The Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) defined in this specification are a new type of globally unique identifier designed to enable individuals and organizations to generate our own identifiers using systems we trust, and to prove control of those identifiers (authenticate) using cryptographic proofs (for example, digital signatures, privacy-preserving biometric protocols, and so on).
Because we control the generation and assertion of these identifiers, each of us can have as many DIDs as we need to respect our desired separation of identities, personas, and contexts (in the everyday sense of these words). We can scope the use of these identifiers to the most appropriate contexts. We can interact with other people, institutions or systems that require us to identify ourselves (or things we control) while maintaining control over how much personal or private data should be revealed, and without depending on a central authority to guarantee the continued existence of the identifier.
This specification does not require any particular technology or cryptography to underpin the generation, persistence, resolution or interpretation of DIDs. Rather, it defines: a) the generic syntax for all DIDs, and b) the generic requirements for performing the four basic CRUD operations (create, read, update, deactivate) on the metadata associated with a DID (called the DID document).
This enables implementers to design specific types of DIDs to work with the computing infrastructure they trust (e.g., blockchain, distributed ledger, decentralized file system, distributed database, peer-to-peer network). The specification for a specific type of DID is called a DID method. Implementers of applications or systems using DIDs can choose to support the DID methods most appropriate for their particular use cases.
This specification is for:
- Developers who want to enable users of their system to generate and assert their own identifiers (producers of DIDs);
- Developers who want to enable their systems to accept user-controlled identifiers (consumers of DIDs);
- Developers who wish to enable the use of DIDs with particular computing infrastructure (DID method developers).
DID methods can also be developed for identifiers registered in federated or centralized identity management systems. Indeed, almost all types of identifier systems can add support for DIDs. This creates an interoperability bridge between the worlds of centralized, federated, and decentralized identifiers.
A Simple Example
This section is non-normative.
A DID is a simple text string consisting of three parts, the:
- URI scheme identifier ()
- Identifier for the DID method
- DID method-specific identifier.
The example DID above resolves to a DID document. A DID document contains information associated with the DID, such as ways to cryptographically authenticate the DID controller, as well as services that can be used to interact with the DID subject.
Design Goals
This section is non-normative.
Decentralized Identifiers are a component of larger systems, such as the Verifiable Credentials ecosystem [VC-DATA-MODEL], which drove the design goals for this specification. This section summarizes the primary design goals for this specification.
| Goal | Description |
|---|---|
| Decentralization | Eliminate the requirement for centralized authorities or single point failure in identifier management, including the registration of globally unique identifiers, public verification keys, service endpoints, and other metadata. |
| Control | Give entities, both human and non-human, the power to directly control their digital identifiers without the need to rely on external authorities. |
| Privacy | Enable entities to control the privacy of their information, including minimal, selective, and progressive disclosure of attributes or other data. |
| Security | Enable sufficient security for requesting parties to depend on DID documents for their required level of assurance. |
| Proof-based | Enable DID controllers to provide cryptographic proof when interacting with other entities. |
| Discoverability | Make it possible for entities to discover DIDs for other entities, to learn more about or interact with those entities. |
| Interoperability | Use interoperable standards so DID infrastructure can make use of existing tools and software libraries designed for interoperability. |
| Portability | Be system- and network-independent and enable entities to use their digital identifiers with any system that supports DIDs and DID methods. |
| Simplicity | Favor a reduced set of simple features to make the technology easier to understand, implement, and deploy. |
| Extensibility | Where possible, enable extensibility provided it does not greatly hinder interoperability, portability, or simplicity. |
Architecture Overview
This section provides a basic understanding of the major elements of DID architecture. Formal definitions of terms are provided in § Terminology .
- DIDs and DID URLs
- A DID, or Decentralized Identifier, is a URI composed of three parts: the scheme "did:", a method identifier, and a unique, method-specific identifier generated by the DID method. DIDs are resolvable to DID documents. A DID URL extends the syntax of a basic DID to incorporate other standard URI components (path, query, fragment) in order to locate a particular resource—for example, a public key inside a DID document, or a resource available external to the DID document.
- DID Subjects
- The subject of a DID is, by definition, the entity identified by the DID. The DID subject may also be the DID controller. Anything can be the subject of a DID: person, group, organization, physical thing, logical thing, etc.
- DID Controllers
- The controller of a DID is the entity (person, organization, or autonomous software) that has the capability—as defined by a DID method—to make changes to a DID document. This capability is typically asserted by the control of a set of cryptographic keys used by software acting on behalf of the controller, though it may also be asserted via other mechanisms. Note that a DID may have more than one controller, and the controller(s) may include the DID subject.
- Verifiable Data Registries
- In order to be resolvable to DID documents, DIDs are typically recorded on an underlying system or network of some kind. Regardless of the specific technology used, any such system that supports recording DIDs and returning data necessary to produce DID documents is called a verifiable data registry. Examples include distributed ledgers, decentralized file systems, databases of any kind, peer-to-peer networks, and other forms of trusted data storage.
- DID documents
- DID documents contain metadata associated with a DID. They typically express verification methods (such as public keys) and services relevant to interactions with the DID subject. A DID document is serialized according to a particular syntax (see § Core Representations). The DID itself is the value of the property. The generic properties supported in a DID document are specified in § Core Properties. The properties present in a DID document may be updated according to the applicable operations outlined in § Methods .
- DID Methods
- DID methods are the mechanism by which a particular type of DID and its associated DID document are created, resolved, updated, and deactivated using a particular verifiable data registry. DID methods are defined using separate DID method specifications (see § Methods ).
Conceptually, the relationship between this specification and a DID method specification is similar to the relationship between the IETF generic URI specification ([RFC3986]) and a specific URI scheme ([IANA-URI-SCHEMES] (such as the http: and https: schemes specified in [RFC7230]). It is also similar to the relationship between the IETF generic URN specification ([RFC8141]) and a specific URN namespace definition, (such as the UUID URN namespace defined in [RFC4122]). The difference is that a DID method specification, as well as defining a specific DID scheme, also specifies the methods creating, resolving, updating, and deactivating DIDs and DID documents using a specific type of verifiable data registry.
- DID resolvers and DID resolution
- A DID resolver is a software and/or hardware component that takes a DID (and associated input metadata) as input and produces a conforming DID document (and associated metadata) as output. This process is called DID resolution. The inputs and outputs of the DID resolution process are defined in § Resolution . The specific steps for resolving a specific type of DID are defined by the relevant DID method specification. Additional considerations for implementing a DID resolver are discussed in [DID-RESOLUTION].
- DID URL dereferencers and DID URL dereferencing
- A DID URL dereferencer is a software and/or hardware component that takes a DID URL (and associated input metadata) as input and produces a resource (and associated metadata) as output. This process is called DID URL dereferencing. The inputs and outputs of the DID URL dereferencing process are defined in § DID URL Dereferencing . Additional considerations for implementing a DID URL dereferencer are discussed in [DID-RESOLUTION].
Conformance
As well as sections marked as non-normative, all authoring guidelines, diagrams, examples, and notes in this specification are non-normative. Everything else in this specification is normative.
The key words MAY, MUST, MUST NOT, OPTIONAL, RECOMMENDED, REQUIRED, SHOULD, and SHOULD NOT in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.
This document contains examples that contain JSON, CBOR, and JSON-LD content. Some of these examples contain characters that are invalid, such as inline comments () and the use of ellipsis () to denote information that adds little value to the example. Implementers are cautioned to remove this content if they desire to use the information as valid JSON, CBOR, or JSON-LD.
Interoperability of implementations for DIDs and DID documents will be tested by evaluating an implementation's ability to create and parse DIDs and DID documents that conform to the specification. Interoperability for producers and consumers of DIDs and DID documents is provided by ensuring the DIDs and DID documents conform. Interoperability for DID method specifications is provided by the details in each DID method specification. It is understood that, in the same way that a web browser is not required to implement all known URI schemes, conformant software that works with DIDs is not required to implement all known DID methods (however, all implementations of a given DID method must be interoperable for that method).
A is any concrete expression of the rules specified in Section § Identifier and MUST comply with relevant normative statements in that section.
A is any concrete expression of the data model described in this specification and MUST comply with the relevant normative statements in Sections § Data Model and § Core Properties. A serialization format for the conforming document MUST be deterministic, bi-directional, and lossless as described in Section § Core Representations. The conforming DID documentMAY be transmitted or stored in any such serialization format.
A is any specification that complies with the relevant normative statements in Section § Methods .
A is any algorithm realized as software and/or hardware and conforms to this specification if it generates conforming DIDs or conforming DID Documents. A conforming producer MUST NOT produce non-conforming DIDs or DID documents.
A is any algorithm realized as software and/or hardware and conforms to this specification if it consumes conforming DIDs or conforming DID documents. A conforming consumer MUST produce errors when consuming non-conforming DIDs or DID documents.
Terminology
This section is non-normative.
This section defines the terms used in this specification and throughout decentralized identifier infrastructure. A link to these terms is included whenever they appear in this specification.
- Authentication is a process (typically some type of protocol) by which an entity can prove it has a specific attribute or controls a specific secret using one or more verification methods. With DIDs, a common example would be proving control of the private key associated with a public key published in a DID document.
- (DID)
- A globally unique persistent identifier that does not require a centralized registration authority because it is generated and/or registered cryptographically. The generic format of a DID is defined in the DID Core specification. A specific DID scheme is defined in a DID method specification. Many—but not all—DID methods make use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) or some other form of decentralized network.
- identity management that is based on the use of decentralized identifiers. Decentralized identity management extends authority for identifier generation, registration, and assignment beyond traditional roots of trust such as X.500 directory services, the Domain Name System, and most national ID systems.
- An entity that has the capability to make changes to a DID document. A DID may have more than one DID controller. The DID controller(s) can be denoted by the optional property at the top level of the DID document. Note that one DID controller may be the DID subject.
- An entity to whom a DID controller has granted permission to use a verification method associated with a DID via a DID document. For example, a parent who controls a child's DID document might permit the child to use their personal device in order to authenticate. In this case, the child is the DID delegate. The child's personal device would contain the private cryptographic material enabling the child to authenticate using the DID. However the child may not be permitted to add other personal devices without the parent's permission.
- A set of data describing the DID subject, including mechanisms, such as public keys and pseudonymous biometrics, that the DID subject or a DID delegate can use to authenticate itself and prove its association with the DID. A DID document may also contain other attributes or claims describing the DID subject. A DID document may have one or more different representations as defined in § Core Representations or in the W3C DID Specification Registries [DID-SPEC-REGISTRIES].
- The portion of a DID URL that follows the first hash sign character (). DID fragment syntax is identical to URI fragment syntax.
- A definition of how a specific DID scheme must be implemented to work with a specific verifiable data registry. A DID method is defined by a DID method specification, which must specify the precise operations by which DIDs are created, resolved and deactivated and DID documents are written and updated. See § Methods .
- The portion of a DID URL that begins with and includes the first forward slash () character and ends with either a question mark () character or a fragment hash sign () character (or the end of the DID URL). DID path syntax is identical to URI path syntax. See § Path.
- The portion of a DID URL that follows and includes the first question mark character (). DID query syntax is identical to URI query syntax. See § Query.
- The function that takes as its input a DID and a set of input metadata and returns a DID document in a conforming representation plus additional metadata. This function relies on the "Read" operation of the applicable DID method. The inputs and outputs of this function are defined in § Resolution .
- A DID resolver is a software and/or hardware component that performs the DID resolution function by taking a DID as input and producing a conforming DID document as output.
- The formal syntax of a decentralized identifier. The generic DID scheme begins with the prefix as defined in the section of the DID Core specification. Each DID method specification must define a specific DID scheme that works with that specific DID method. In a specific DID method scheme, the DID method name must follow the first colon and terminate with the second colon, e.g.,
- The entity identified by a DID and described by a DID document. A DID has exactly one DID subject. Anything can be a DID subject: person, group, organization, physical thing, digital thing, logical thing, etc.
- A DID plus any additional syntactic component that conforms to the definition in § DID URL Syntax. This includes an optional DID path, optional DID query (and its leading character), and optional DID fragment (and its leading character).
- The function that takes as its input a DID URL, a DID document, plus a set of dereferencing options, and returns a resource. This resource may be a DID document plus additional metadata, or it may be a secondary resource contained within the DID document, or it may be a resource entirely external to the DID document. If the function begins with a DID URL, it use the DID resolution function to fetch a DID document indicated by the DID contained within the DID URL. The dereferencing function then can perform additional processing on the DID document to return the dereferenced resource indicated by the DID URL. The inputs and outputs of this function are defined in § DID URL Dereferencing .
- (DLT)
- A distributed database in which the various nodes use a consensus protocol to maintain a shared ledger in which each transaction is cryptographically signed and chained to the previous transaction.
- A data object contained inside a DID document that contains all the metadata necessary to use a public key or verification key.
- As defined by [RFC3986]: "...the term 'resource' is used in a general sense for whatever might be identified by a URI." Similarly, any resource may serve as a DID subject identified by a DID.
- As defined for HTTP by [RFC7231]: "information that is intended to reflect a past, current, or desired state of a given resource, in a format that can be readily communicated via the protocol, and that consists of a set of representation metadata and a potentially unbounded stream of representation data." A DID document is a representation of information describing a DID subject. The § Core Representations section of the DID Core specification defines several representation formats for a DID document.
- Means of communicating or interacting with the DID subject or associated entities via one or more service endpoints. Examples include discovery services, agent services, social networking services, file storage services, and verifiable credential repository services.
- A network address (such as an HTTP URL) at which services operate on behalf of a DID subject.
- (URI)
- The standard identifier format for all resources on the World Wide Web as defined by [RFC3986]. A DID is a type of URI scheme.
- A standard data model and representation format for cryptographically-verifiable digital credentials as defined by the W3C [VC-DATA-MODEL].
- A system that facilitates the creation, verification, updating, and/or deactivation of decentralized identifiers and DID documents. A verifiable data registry may also be used for other cryptographically-verifiable data structures such as verifiable credentials. For more information, see [VC-DATA-MODEL].
- A verifiable timestamp enables a third-party to verify that a data object existed at a specific moment in time and that it has not been modified or corrupted since that moment in time. If the data integrity could reasonably have modified or corrupted since that moment in time, the timestamp is not verifiable.
A set of parameters that can be used together with a process or protocol to independently verify a proof. For example, a public key can be used as a verification method with respect to a digital signature; in such usage, it verifies that the signer possessed the associated private key.
"Verification" and "proof" in this definition are intended to apply broadly. For example, a public key might be used during Diffie-Hellman key exchange to negotiate a shared symmetric key for encryption. This guarantees the integrity of the key agreement process. It is thus another type of verification method, even though descriptions of the process might not use the words "verification" or "proof."
An expression of the relationship between the DID subject and a verification method. An example of a verification relationship is § authentication.
- (UUID)
- A type of globally unique identifier defined by [RFC4122]. UUIDs are similar to DIDs in that they do not require a centralized registration authority. UUIDs differ from DIDs in that they are not resolvable or cryptographically-verifiable.
In addition to the terminology above, this specification also uses terminology from the [INFRA] specification to formally define the abstract data model. When [INFRA] terminology is used, such as string, ordered set, and map, it is linked directly to that specification.
Identifier
This section describes the formal syntax for DIDs and DID URLs. The term "generic" is used to differentiate the syntax defined here from syntax defined by specificDID methods in their respective specifications.
DID Syntax
The generic DID scheme is a URI scheme conformant with [RFC3986].
The DID scheme name MUST be an ASCII lowercase string.
The DID method name MUST be an ASCII lowercase string.
The following is the ABNF definition using the syntax in [RFC5234], which defines and . All other rule names not defined in this ABNF are defined in [RFC3986].
did = "did:" method-name ":" method-specific-id method-name = 1*method-char method-char = %x61-7A / DIGIT method-specific-id = *( *idchar ":" ) 1*idchar idchar = ALPHA / DIGIT / "." / "-" / "_"A DID method specification MUST further restrict the generic DID syntax by defining its own and its own syntax. Case sensitivity and normalization of the value of the rule MUST be defined by the governing DID method specification. For more information, see Section § Methods .
A DID is expected to be persistent and immutable. That is, a DID is bound exclusively and permanently to its one and only subject. Even after a DID is deactivated, it is intended that it never be repurposed.
Ideally, a DID would be a completely abstract decentralized identifier (like a UUID) that could be bound to multiple underlying verifiable data registries over time, thus maintaining its persistence independent of any particular system. However, registering the same identifier on multiple verifiable data registries makes it extremely difficult to identify the authoritative version of a DID document if the contents diverge between the different verifiable data registries. It also greatly increases implementation complexity for developers.
To avoid these issues, developers should refer to the Decentralized Characteristics Rubric [DID-RUBRIC] to decide which DID method best addresses the needs of the use case.
DID URL Syntax
A DID URL always identifies a resource to be located. It can be used, for example, to identify a specific part of a DID document.
This following is the ABNF definition using the syntax in [RFC5234]. It builds on the scheme defined in § DID Syntax. The , , and components are identical to the ABNF rules defined in [RFC3986].
did-url = did path-abempty [ "?" query ] [ "#" fragment ]This specification reserves the semicolon () character for possible future use as a sub-delimiter for parameters as described in [MATRIX-URIS].
DID Parameters
The DID URL syntax supports a simple format for parameters based on the component (See § Query).
Some DID parameter names (for example, for service selection) are completely independent of any specific DID method and MUST always function the same way for all DIDs. Other DID parameter names (for example, for versioning) MAY be supported by certain DID methods, but MUST operate uniformly across those DID methods that do support them.
The following table defines a set of DID parameter names.
| Parameter Name | Description |
|---|---|
| A resource hash of the DID document to add integrity protection, as specified in [HASHLINK]. The associated value MUST be an ASCII string. This parameter is non-normative. | |
| Identifies a service from the DID document by service ID. The associated value MUST be an ASCII string. | |
| Identifies a specific version of a DID document to be resolved (the version ID could be sequential, or a UUID, or method-specific). Note that this parameter might not be supported by all DID methods. The associated value MUST be an ASCII string. | |
| Identifies a certain version timestamp of a DID document to be resolved. That is, the DID document that was valid for a DID at a certain time. Note that this parameter might not be supported by all DID methods. The associated value MUST be an ASCII string. | |
| A relative URI reference according to RFC3986 Section 4.2 that identifies a resource at a service endpoint, which is selected from a DID document by using the parameter. The associated value MUST be an ASCII string and MUST use percent-encoding for certain characters as specified in RFC3986 Section 2.1. |
Implementers as well as DID method specification authors MAY use additional DID parameters that are not listed here. For maximum interoperability, it is RECOMMENDED that DID parameters use the official W3C DID Specification Registries mechanism [DID-SPEC-REGISTRIES], to avoid collision with other uses of the same DID parameter with different semantics.
Additional considerations for processing these parameters are discussed in [DID-RESOLUTION].
Two example DID URLs using the and DID parameters are shown below.
Adding a DID parameter to a DID URL means that the parameter becomes part of an identifier for a resource (the DID document or other). Alternatively, the DID resolution and the DID URL dereferencing functions can also be influenced by passing input metadata to a DID resolver that are not part of the DID URL. (See § DID Resolution Input Metadata Properties ). Such input metadata could for example control caching or the desired encoding of a resolution result. This is comparable to HTTP, where certain parameters could either be included in an HTTP URL, or alternatively passed as HTTP headers during the dereferencing process. The important distinction is that DID parameters that are part of the DID URL should be used to specify what resource is being identified, whereas input metadata that is not part of the DID URL should be use to control how that resource is resolved or dereferenced.
DID parameters MAY be used if there is a clear use case where the parameter needs to be part of a URI that can be used as a link, or as a resource in RDF / JSON-LD documents.
DID parameters SHOULD NOT be used if the same functionality can be expressed by passing input metadata to a DID resolver, and if there is no need to construct a URI for use as a link, or as a resource in RDF / JSON-LD documents.
Path
A DID path is identical to a generic URI path and MUST conform to the ABNF rule in [RFC3986].
A DID method specification MAY specify ABNF rules for DID paths that are more restrictive than the generic rules in this section.
Query
A DID query is derived from a generic URI query and MUST conform to the ABNF rule in Section § DID URL Syntax. If a DID query is present, it MUST be used as described in Section § DID Parameters.
A DID method specification MAY specify ABNF rules for DID queries that are more restrictive than the generic rules in this section.
Fragment
A DID fragment is used as method-independent reference into the DID document to identify a component of the document (for example, a unique public key description or service endpoint). DID fragment syntax and semantics are identical to a generic URI fragment and MUST conform to RFC 3986, section 3.5. To dereference a DID fragment, the complete DID URL including the DID fragmentMUST be used as input to the DID URL dereferencing function for the target component in the DID document object. For more information, see § DID URL Dereferencing .
A DID method specification MAY specify ABNF rules for DID fragments that are more restrictive than the generic rules in this section.
In order to maximize interoperability, implementers are urged to ensure that DID fragments are interpreted in the same way across representations (as described in § Core Representations). For example, while JSON Pointer [RFC6901] can be used in a DID fragment, it will not be interpreted in the same way across representations.
Additional semantics for fragment identifiers, which are compatible with and layered upon the semantics in this section, are described for JSON-LD representations in Section § application/did+ld+json.
Relative DID URLs
A relative DID URL is any URL value in a DID document that does not start with . More specifically, it is any URL value that does not start with the ABNF defined in Section § DID Syntax. The contents of the URL typically refers to a resource in the same DID document. Relative DID URLs MAY contain relative path components, query parameters, and fragment identifiers.
When resolving a relative DID URL reference, the algorithm specified in RFC3986 Section 5: Reference ResolutionMUST be used. The base URI value is the DID that is associated with the DID subject, see Section § DID Subject. The scheme is . The authority is a combination of , and the path, query, and fragment values are those defined in Section § Path, Section § Query, and Section § Fragment, respectively.
Relative DID URLs are often used to identify verification methods and services in a DID Document without having to use absolute URLs, which tend to be more verbose than necessary.
Mac disk not ‘seen’ by Windows (no drive letter)
STEP 1: General MacDrive checks
If you have just installed MacDrive for the first time, please make sure that you have restarted the computer. If you ignore the restart prompt after installing, Mac disks will not be available until the next reboot. This is because our drivers will need to load at the next time Windows boots.
Please make sure you are using the latest version of MacDrive before proceeding. In many cases, updating to the latest version will take care of the issue you are experiencing.
STEP 2: Check that your drive setup is supported
Disks with multiple partition types: MacDrive will only work with disks containing exclusively Mac-partitions. It will not work with disks containing multiple partition types (e.g. a FAT32 and an HFS+ partition), with the exception of disks created with Boot Camp.
Encryption and Fusion: MacDrive also does not support encrypted disks (e.g. using FileVault), or Fusion drives. Both of these drive types require additional software to be used, and for that reason, require the Mac OS.
STEP 3: Check that Windows recognizes the device correctly
A common cause is failed connectivity on your Windows system.
Please confirm that the drive is visible in the Windows “Disk Management” console. To access the Windows Disk Management console, please do the following:
Right-click on Computer (or This PC, My Computer, depending on Windows version)
Click Manage
Select Disk Management
Use the console on the right portion of the Window to check for the presence of the drive
If your drive is present in “Disk Management” make note of the drive number and proceed to Step 3.
If the drive is not present, please contact the drive vendor for assistance getting your drive recognized as a hardware device on your computer. Mediafour Technical Support is not able to troubleshoot hardware, driver, or connectivity problems, but some issues can be resolved by choosing a different port on your computer, using a different cable, checking for loose connections, connecting directly rather than through an intermediate device (such as a USB hub), or, if your drive allows it, trying a different connection type.
STEP 4: Drive needs repair
Another possible cause is file system corruption. To repair such corruption, please try the following solutions:
– If you have MacDrive 9, you can attempt to repair the drive by going to Start > All Programs > MacDrive 9 > Tools > Repair Mac Disks (or in Windows 8, search the Apps menu for “Repair Mac Disks”), then follow the on-screen instructions to check the disk.
Note: In versions older than MacDrive 9, it is not possible to check a Mac disk unless it is mounted (assigned a drive letter). MacDrive 9 includes a new repair tool which will check for unmounted Mac disks.
If the affected Mac disk does not appear in the list of disks to check, or if you are using MacDrive 8 or prior, we recommend taking the disk to a Mac to check the disk for problems (e.g. Disk Utility included with the Mac OS).
– If the disk is damaged but the corruption is not repairable by the aforementioned utilities consider “Disk Warrior” or “TechTool Pro”. Both are quality, 3rd-party disk repair utilities that may be able to recover the damage file system and the data within.
STEP 5: Contact Support
Please create a technical support ticket with a detailed problem description and information on your computer’s configuration.
Mediafour software activation FAQ
Once you have downloaded and installed your software, you will typically need to activate it using your serial number (if you are not prompted during installation). Before the software is activated, it may function as a free trial.
How do I activate?
MacDrive 9
Please press the Start or Windows button, then go to All Programs > MacDrive > Activate MacDrive, and follow the instructions in order to activate your installation. You can also use the Activate MacDrive option in MacDrive Quick Start available via the taskbar icon, or, you will be prompted when you start your computer.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
Disk Aware
You will be prompted to activate when opening the application.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
You can install on one computer at a time per license purchased.
Can I move my license to another computer?
Yes, you can do so by deactivating the software. This uses an Internet connection to unlicense the software and notify our activation server that the software can be reused.
For all about MacDrive deactivation, please read this Knowledgebase article.
For Disk Aware, Ready, Aim, Drop!, and Media SOS, you can deactivate simply by uninstalling while connected to the Internet.
What is the “activation code”?
The activation code is a time sensitive, one use code that is generated as a part of offline activation. If you are being asked for an activation code, follow the on-screen instructions carefully and you will be able to generate one, using either a webform on any web-capable device or by phone. Either method requires a computer ID which is also displayed in the window.
Why does the software say my serial number is invalid?
This means there is something wrong with what you have entered and the software does not recognize it. Please make sure to copy exactly from your order confirmation email.
Usually, the most common mistakes that cause this error are:
– Entering something other than the serial number, like an order number or SKU. Your serial should be in this format:
- MacDrive 9 Pro: MX9EW-R????-?????-?????
- MacDrive 9 Standard: MD9EW-R????-?????-?????
- MacDrive 8: MD8-??????EWR-?????-???
- Disk Aware: DA1EW-R????-?????-?????
- Media SOS: MS1EW-R????-?????-?????
– Having a different version installed than you purchased, most commonly trying to activate MacDrive Standard instead of Pro or vice versa, or trying to use a MacDrive 8 serial with MacDrive 9.
– Having extra or missing characters in the serial number, or other typos.
I am getting an error that there was a “licensing failure” or “an activation failure occurred”. What do I do?
That error generally means that, while the software can see your computer is connected to the Internet and it’s trying to use the Internet to activate, there’s something stopping the activation transaction from getting through as expected by the software. Typically, this is a firewall, proxy, or other network security that is the problem, or a temporary problem with your Internet connection.
If you’re not sure what it could be, you can also take the computer off the Internet temporarily to use the webform- or phone-based activation methods instead, which will automatically be offered if you don’t have Internet access when you type in your serial number.
I need more help. What resources are available?
Immediate self help is available through our searchable Knowledgebase and checking our interactive Forums.
If you need the assistance of our support team, please contact us. Please have your serial number when contacting us.
Extending a free trial of Mediafour software
Mediafour Support cannot reactivate free trial versions on a computer once they have expired, nor extend the time of a free trial.
You are welcome to use the free trial version on another computer, or, purchase the software through our web site, or a retail store. Mediafour software products come with a 30-day money back guarantee. If you purchase and decide (for any reason) that you don’t want the software, we’ll promptly refund the purchase price.
GPT and MacDrive
GPT (GUID Partition Table) is a partition type for disks. When formatting Mac-formatted disks, such as HFS+ or HFS+J, in Disk Utility, current versions of the Mac OS typically use GPT as the default partition type.
Fixed disks
MacDrive fully supports GPT partitioning for fixed disks. Fixed disks can include internal hard drives, but can also include portable devices such as external hard drives which connect via USB, FireWire, etc.
No additional software is needed to access a Mac-formatted disk that is GPT partitioned. You can simply connect the disk to your computer, and MacDrive will be able to access the disk and assign it a drive letter.
Removable devices
Removable devices, such as flash drives, cannot be GPT partitioned and work with MacDrive. This is because Windows does not currently support GPT removable devices of any kind, including those formatted NTFS, the most common Windows disk formatting type. A removable device can be identified as it will appear in the “Devices with Removable Storage” area of when viewing available drives (‘Computer’ in Windows 7/Vista, ‘My Computer’ in XP).
MacDrive does, however, support Mac-formatted removables with the partition types of APM (Apple Partition Map) or MBR (Master Boot Record), either of which can be created with Disk Utility.
To create a removable drive that will work with MacDrive, you can use either Disk Utility or the MacDrive Disk Manager. Please make sure to migrate any data from the device as repartitioning it will erase all data.
Disk Utility
Open Disk Utility by opening “Applications” from the Dock, and then “Utilities”. Then, select Disk Utility. Connect the removable device in the left panel. Then, select “Partition”.
Select the drop-down under “Volume Scheme” to select the number of partitions you want (usually, one). Then, select the “Options” button and select an alternate partition scheme, such as Apple Partition Map. Then, press OK, then Apply. You will be asked to confirm the change; press Partition to proceed.
MacDrive Disk Manager
Connect the device in question, then open “Computer” or “My Computer” to view connected devices. Right-click on the removable device and select “Format Mac Disk”, then select “Modify Mac Volumes”. Select the device, and press “Format Volume”, then Format. The result will be a Mac-formatted removable device that can freely be used on Macs, or in Windows with MacDrive.
Devices with multiple partition types (i.e. dual-format)
Dual-formatted hard disks, or devices with multiple different partition types, are not supported. For example, a device with one FAT32 partition and one HFS+ partition, or two HFS+ partitions and an NTFS partition, has multiple partition types. Neither Windows nor MacDrive will be capable of working with a drive configured in this manner.
Devices used with MacDrive can have multiple Mac partitions (HFS+, HFS+J, HFSX, and so on).
This Knowledgebase article does not apply to Mac computers running Boot Camp. The partition configuration of the system hard disk on a Boot Camp system is fully supported.
With MacDrive installed you won’t need to use two different formats (e.g. FAT32 and HFS+) to use your drive on both computers. MacDrive enables your Windows PC to seamlessly work with HFS/HFS+ disks.
Troubleshooting installation failures
If a MacDrive installation fails, the following are some general tips for proceeding:
- Ensure that you have downloaded the current version. The trial download will always be the current version, but if you have a disc or are using an archived file, this is a frequent cause of issues.
- Close all other open applications.
- Restart Windows, then try the installation again without opening other applications.
- Temporarily disable resident anti-malware software, such as antivirus and other security software. You can disconnect your network connection during installation if you wish, as the installation process does not require Internet. If installation completes, enable Internet before activating MacDrive.
- If the installation appears to stall (the progress bar freezes), make sure there are no popups in the background asking for permissions. Windows UAC, as well as other programs, may require you to respond before installation proceeds.
If you cannot resolve the issue, please contact our support team to continue troubleshooting. Be sure to include as much detail as possible about the installation problem: what you see occur, when the problem happens, and the exact failure behavior (such as the full exact text of any errors you see). Please include your serial number when contacting us.
How to activate
MacDrive 9 can be used for a five day trial period without activating. After that time, the software must be activated in order to continue using the features of MacDrive.
Activating requires a valid MacDrive 9 serial number. If you have not yet purchased MacDrive, please visit our online store to purchase. You can also purchase an upgrade from a prior version of MacDrive.
MacDrive 9 will prompt you to activate, but you can also open the Activation Wizard anytime by going to Start > All Programs > MacDrive 8 > Activate MacDrive 9.
– If you have access to the Internet, simply enter your serial number and select “Activate now through the Internet”.
– If you do not have access to the Internet on this computer, but have access on another computer, you can choose “Show other activation options” and select “Activate on the Mediafour website”. You can use the serial number, along with the computer ID displayed on this screen, to activate on our web site.
There are two activation forms depending on which product and version of Mediafour software you have:
Current Offline Activation (MacDrive 9 Standard and Pro, Media SOS and Disk Aware)
Legacy Offline Activation (MacDrive 8, MacDrive 7, XPlay 3, Ready Aim Drop!)
The activation wizard will always give you the correct link for your version. We recommend using the URL from the activation wizard for that reason. Using the webform, you will receive an activation code that you can use to activate MacDrive.
– If you do not have access to the Internet at all, you can choose “Show other activation options” and select “Activate by phone” and call us using the dialing instructions provided. We are happy to assist you with activation. You may also submit a support ticket and we will send you an activation code via email. Please be sure to include your serial number and computer ID.
– If you continue to have trouble activating, or your serial number is not accepted, please continue to our Knowledgebase article regarding Mediafour software activation problems.
Prior versions
The same steps will work to activate MacDrive 7 and 8. Please note that you will need a serial number for that version; for example, a MacDrive 9 Standard serial number can be only used to activate MacDrive 9 Standard, and will not work to activate other versions, such as MacDrive 9 Pro, MacDrive 8, or MacDrive 7.
Please note that MacDrive 6 (and earlier) and MacDrive 6 CrossStripe Edition (and earlier), cannot be activated from trial versions. You will need the original full installer for these programs.
How to deactivate
In some cases, you may wish to deactivate your MacDrive installation — to unlicense MacDrive and make the license available to be used again. This is particularly useful if you wish to migrate your MacDrive installation to a different computer, or if you’re planning to make major changes (such as hardware changes) that may affect your license. There are two methods that you can use to deactivate MacDrive 9.
Deactivating without uninstalling: In MacDrive 9, you can also deactivate without uninstalling by going to Start > All Programs > MacDrive > Deactivate MacDrive 9. This requires an Internet connection. MacDrive 9 Quick Start also enables you to select Deactivate MacDrive.
During uninstall: MacDrive 9, if activated through the Internet, automatically deactivates during normal uninstallation in the Control Panel. No special steps are required. If no Internet connection is available, the installation will proceed without deactivating MacDrive.
Regardless of which method you use, please be sure to take note of your serial number before uninstalling if you do not have it recorded in another location. Serial numbers can be accessed through Start > All Programs > MacDrive > Help and Support > MacDrive Support Information. If you purchased MacDrive as a download from Mediafour.com, your serial number will also be on your Order Confirmation email.
If you have trouble activating MacDrive again, please continue to our Knowledgebase article regarding Mediafour software activation problems.
Prior versions
MacDrive 8
All versions of MacDrive 8 will attempt to deactivate when uninstalling the software. MacDrive 8.0.6 and 8.0.7 will additionally have the option in the Start menu to deactivate under Start > All Programs > MacDrive 8. To deactivate in MacDrive 8, the activation must have been originally done through automatic Internet activation for automatic deactivation to be possible. Please contact us for assistance.
MacDrive 7
MacDrive 7.2.5 or newer also has the functionality to deactivate automatically during uninstall. To deactivate in MacDrive 7, the activation must have been originally done through automatic Internet activation for automatic deactivation to be possible. Please contact us for assistance (please note that official support for this version has ended, so support can only help with activation, not other tech issues, installers or updates).
Mediafour software activation FAQ
Once you have downloaded and installed your software, you will typically need to activate it using your serial number (if you are not prompted during installation). Before the software is activated, it may function as a free trial.
How do I activate?
MacDrive 9
Please press the Start or Windows button, then go to All Programs > MacDrive > Activate MacDrive, and follow the instructions in order to activate your installation. You can also use the Activate MacDrive option in MacDrive Quick Start available via the taskbar icon, or, you will be prompted when you start your computer.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
Disk Aware
You will be prompted to activate when opening the application.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
You can activate through an internet connection right away by entering your serial number. If you do not have internet access, you will automatically be given other options to activate. Follow the steps provided in the activation wizard. You can activate via a website form on another computer, or, activate by phone.
You can install on one computer at a time per license purchased.
Can I move my license to another computer?
Yes, you can do so by deactivating the software. This uses an Internet connection to unlicense the software and notify our activation server that the software can be reused.
For all about MacDrive deactivation, please read this Knowledgebase article.
For Disk Aware, Ready, Aim, Drop!, and Media SOS, you can deactivate simply by uninstalling while connected to the Internet.
What is the “activation code”?
The activation code is a time sensitive, one use code that is generated as a part of offline activation. If you are being asked for an activation code, follow the on-screen instructions carefully and you will be able to generate one, using either a webform on any web-capable device or by phone. Either method requires a computer ID which is also displayed in the window.
Why does the software say my serial number is invalid?
This means there is something wrong with what you have entered and the software does not recognize it. Please make sure to copy exactly from your order confirmation email.
Usually, the most common mistakes that cause this error are:
– Entering something other than the serial number, like an order number or SKU. Your serial should be in this format:
- MacDrive 9 Pro: MX9EW-R????-?????-?????
- MacDrive 9 Standard: MD9EW-R????-?????-?????
- MacDrive 8: MD8-??????EWR-?????-???
- Disk Aware: DA1EW-R????-?????-?????
- Media SOS: MS1EW-R????-?????-?????
– Having a different version installed than you purchased, most commonly trying to activate MacDrive Standard instead of Pro or vice versa, or trying to use a MacDrive 8 serial with MacDrive 9.
– Having extra or missing characters in the serial number, or other typos.
I am getting an error that there was a “licensing failure” or “an activation failure occurred”. What do I do?
That error generally means that, while the software can see your computer is connected to the Internet and it’s trying to use the Internet to activate, there’s something stopping the activation transaction from getting through as expected by the software. Typically, this is a firewall, proxy, or other network security that is the problem, or a temporary problem with your Internet connection.
If you’re not sure what it could be, you can also take the computer off the Internet temporarily to use the webform- or phone-based activation methods instead, which will automatically be offered if you don’t have Internet access when you type in your serial number.
I need more help. What resources are available?
Immediate self help is available through our searchable Knowledgebase and checking our interactive Forums.
If you need the assistance of our support team, please contact us. Please have your serial number when contacting us.
Troubleshooting Mediafour software activation problems
Circumstances:
You are having a problem with the Software Activation process for a Mediafour software product.
Cause:
There are four likely causes:
1) You aren’t connected to the Internet while activating, or
2) You are connected to the Internet through a proxy, which is common on business networks, or
3) You have already installed the software on the allowed number of computers (typically just one), or
4) You have replaced enough hardware in your computer that it appears to the activation system that you are now installing the software on a second computer, even though you are not.
Solution(s):
1) Confirm that you have an active Internet connection before attempting to activate the software.
2) Confirm that the activation wizard knows your Internet proxy information, which you can likely get from your system administrator if you are on a business network.
3) If you are using MacDrive 7.2.5 (or newer, including MacDrive 8 and 9) or XPlay 3.1.4 (or newer), and activated through the Internet, uninstalling will also allow you to deactivate automatically if your computer is still connected to the Internet. Please click here for more information.
4) If you are using MacDrive 8.0.6 (or newer, including MacDrive 9), you may deactivate without uninstalling by going to Start > All Programs > MacDrive 8 > Deactivate MacDrive.
5) Purchase additional software for the other computers from shop.mediafour.com.
6) Contact Mediafour Support, explain what has changed in your computer, and provide your product serial number. A Mediafour Support Professional will work with you to get the software activated.
Mac disk not ‘seen’ by Windows (no drive letter)
STEP 1: General MacDrive checks
If you have just installed MacDrive for the first time, please make sure that you have restarted the computer. If you ignore the restart prompt after installing, Mac disks will not be available until the next reboot. This is because our drivers will need to load at the next time Windows boots.
Please make sure you are using the latest version of MacDrive before proceeding. In many cases, updating to the latest version will take care of the issue you are experiencing.
STEP 2: Check that your drive setup is supported
Disks with multiple partition types: MacDrive will only work with disks containing exclusively Mac-partitions. It will not work with disks containing multiple partition types (e.g. a FAT32 and an HFS+ partition), with the exception of disks created with Boot Camp.
Encryption and Fusion: MacDrive also does not support encrypted disks (e.g. using FileVault), or Fusion drives. Both of these drive types require additional software to be used, and for that reason, require the Mac OS.
STEP 3: Check that Windows recognizes the device correctly
A common cause is failed connectivity on your Windows system.
Please confirm that the drive is visible in the Windows “Disk Management” console. To access the Windows Disk Management console, please do the following:
Right-click on Computer (or This PC, My Computer, depending on Windows version)
Click Manage
Select Disk Management
Use the console on the right portion of the Window to check for the presence of the drive
If your drive is present in “Disk Management” make note of the drive number and proceed to Step 3.
If the drive is not present, please contact the drive vendor for assistance getting your drive recognized as a hardware device on your computer. Mediafour Technical Support is not able to troubleshoot hardware, driver, or connectivity problems, but some issues can be resolved by choosing a different port on your computer, using a different cable, checking for loose connections, connecting directly rather than through an intermediate device (such as a USB hub), or, if your drive allows it, trying a different connection type.
STEP 4: Drive needs repair
Another possible cause is file system corruption. To repair such corruption, please try the following solutions:
– If you have MacDrive 9, you can attempt to repair the drive by going to Start > All Programs > MacDrive 9 > Tools > Repair Mac Disks (or in Windows 8, search the Apps menu for “Repair Mac Disks”), then follow the on-screen instructions to check the disk.
Note: In versions older than MacDrive 9, it is not possible to check a Mac disk unless it is mounted (assigned a drive letter). MacDrive 9 includes a new repair tool which will check for unmounted Mac disks.
If the affected Mac disk does not appear in the list of disks to check, or if you are using MacDrive 8 or prior, we recommend taking the disk to a Mac to check the disk for problems (e.g. Disk Utility included with the Mac OS).
– If the disk is damaged but the corruption is not repairable by the aforementioned utilities consider “Disk Warrior” or “TechTool Pro”. Both are quality, 3rd-party disk repair utilities that may be able to recover the damage file system and the data within.
STEP 5: Contact Support
Please create a technical support ticket with a detailed problem description and information on your computer’s configuration.
GPT and MacDrive
GPT (GUID Partition Table) is a partition type for disks. When formatting Mac-formatted disks, such as HFS+ or HFS+J, in Disk Utility, current versions of the Mac OS typically use GPT as the default partition type.
Fixed disks
MacDrive fully supports GPT partitioning for fixed disks. Fixed disks can include internal hard drives, but can also include portable devices such as external hard drives which connect via USB, FireWire, etc.
No additional software is needed to access a Mac-formatted disk that is GPT partitioned. You can simply connect the disk to your computer, and MacDrive will be able to access the disk and assign it a drive letter.
Removable devices
Removable devices, such as flash drives, cannot be GPT partitioned and work with MacDrive. This is because Windows does not currently support GPT removable devices of any kind, including those formatted NTFS, the most common Windows disk formatting type. A removable device can be identified as it will appear in the “Devices with Removable Storage” area of when viewing available drives (‘Computer’ in Windows 7/Vista, ‘My Computer’ in XP).
MacDrive does, however, support Mac-formatted removables with the partition types of APM (Apple Partition Map) or MBR (Master Boot Record), either of which can be created with Disk Utility.
To create a removable drive that will work with MacDrive, you can use either Disk Utility or the MacDrive Disk Manager. Please make sure to migrate any data from the device as repartitioning it will erase all data.
Disk Utility
Open Disk Utility by opening “Applications” from the Dock, and then “Utilities”. Then, select Disk Utility. Connect the removable device in the left panel. Then, select “Partition”.
Select the drop-down under “Volume Scheme” to select the number of partitions you want (usually, one). Then, select the “Options” button and select an alternate partition scheme, such as Apple Partition Map. Then, press OK, then Apply. You will be asked to confirm the change; press Partition to proceed.
MacDrive Disk Manager
Connect the device in question, then open “Computer” or “My Computer” to view connected devices. Right-click on the removable device and select “Format Mac Disk”, then select “Modify Mac Volumes”. Select the device, and press “Format Volume”, then Format. The result will be a Mac-formatted removable device that can freely be used on Macs, or in Windows with MacDrive.
Devices with multiple partition types (i.e. dual-format)
Dual-formatted hard disks, or devices with multiple different partition types, are not supported. For example, a device with one FAT32 partition and one HFS+ partition, or two HFS+ partitions and an NTFS partition, has multiple partition types. Neither Windows nor MacDrive will be capable of working with a drive configured in this manner.
Devices used with MacDrive can have multiple Mac partitions (HFS+, HFS+J, HFSX, and so on).
This Knowledgebase article does not apply to Mac computers running Boot Camp. The partition configuration of the system hard disk on a Boot Camp system is fully supported.
With MacDrive installed you won’t need to use two different formats (e.g. FAT32 and HFS+) to use your drive on both computers. MacDrive enables your Windows PC to seamlessly work with HFS/HFS+ disks.
How to safely remove drives from the computer
Even though FireWire and USB devices are Plug & Play (i.e. they are ready to use upon being plugged-in), you should not just unplug them. By unplugging a drive with a “hot” connection, you can corrupt data on your hard disk or other storage device. It is important to note that even disconnecting a device improperly one time can cause file system corruption.
You can prevent such problems by clicking the “Unplug/Eject” or “Safely Remove Hardware” icon in the system tray (down by the clock). The icon looks like a gray box with with a green arrow on top.
You’ll then be given a list of removable devices that are currently connected to your computer. Highlight the device you would like to remove and click “Stop”.
Windows should then prompt you that it is safe to disconnect the device. If not, this is an indication that some part of Windows is using resources on the disk. To clear this, reboot your computer and before doing anything else, try the above instructions again.
Access denied when formatting or repairing
Typically, receiving an “access denied” error when attempting to format or repair a Mac disk is due to the disk being in use by another process. Usually, this is because one or more Windows Explorer windows are still open showing the disk or its contents. This includes still having “Computer” open in Windows Explorer.
Other causes include files on the disk still in use by applications or resident software (such as antivirus) using the disk.
To resolve this problem, try closing Windows Explorer windows and open applications. If the problem persists, try disconnecting and reconnecting the drive, or restarting the computer.
Apple RAID support
MacDrive 9 Pro offers support for Apple RAID sets. Specifically, our requirements are:
- MacDrive 9 Pro supports RAID volumes made with GPT partitions created using Mac OS X 10.4 and above, and supports striped, mirrored and concatenated disk sets.
- MacDrive 9 Pro requires that the complete set be connected regardless of the type of RAID (e.g. mirrored). If not all disks are connected, MacDrive 9 Pro will wait until the complete set is connected in order to mount the set.
- MacDrive 9 Pro does not offer support for warm-spares for mirrored sets.
- MacDrive 9 Pro cannot mount a RAID of greater than 2TB in Windows XP 32-bit, due to the inherent limitations of this OS.
I have MacDrive 9 Standard or MacDrive 8 (or prior). Can I access Apple RAID?
Apple RAID is a feature in MacDrive 9 Pro. If you have MacDrive 8 (or any prior version), or you have MacDrive 9 Standard, you can purchase an upgrade to MacDrive 9 Pro via the online store.
What if I have a set that was created using a version older than OS 10.4?
Write-behind/CRC (cyclic redundancy check)/Delayed write failed/IO error troubleshooting
The most common cause of these error messages is hardware failure, and/or failed device connectivity.
The first step in troubleshooting is to determine if the device you are using (e.g. External FireWire/USB Hard Drive) works properly when connected via an alternate connection type (if supported by the device). For example, if you are having difficulty using a hard drive via FireWire, try connecting it via USB to determine if the problem is resolved. If your hardware doesn’t have an alternate method of connection, you should contact the hardware vendor for diagnostic software to determine if your hardware is working properly.
Other steps to troubleshoot these error messages include:
- Trying a different cable
- Connecting the device to another port of the same type
- Temporarily disabling any resident software that could interfere with file transfers (e.g. antivirus software)
Compatibility with Windows 8
Is a version of MacDrive available which supports Windows 8?
Yes, support for Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit) was released in MacDrive 9.0.0 Standard and Pro.
Windows 8.1 support was added in MacDrive 9.2.0 Standard and Pro, which is a free update for all MacDrive 9 users.
A five day free trial of MacDrive is available if you would like to evaluate it before purchasing.
Does MacDrive 8 support Windows 8?
No, MacDrive 8 (and prior) does not support Windows 8. The latest OS supported by MacDrive 8 is Windows 7. Support for Windows 8 will not be added to MacDrive 8.
Mediafour Technical Support is unable to provide assistance to anyone attempting to use MacDrive 7 with Windows 7.
Is an upgrade to MacDrive 9 available for the MacDrive license I already own?
Yes. If you own a valid license for a prior version of MacDrive, you are eligible to purchase an upgrade to MacDrive 9 at a discounted rate. You will need your serial number to purchase the upgrade, but do not need to have a prior version of MacDrive installed in order to install the upgrade.
Compatibility with Windows 7
Is a version of MacDrive available which supports Windows 7?
Support for Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) was released in MacDrive 8 and is also included in both MacDrive 9 Standard and MacDrive 9 Pro. A five day free trial of MacDrive is available if you would like to evaluate it before purchasing.
Does MacDrive 7 support Windows 7?
No, MacDrive 7 does not support Windows 7. MacDrive 7 supports only Windows XP, Vista, and Server 2003. Support for Windows 7 will not be added to MacDrive 7.
Mediafour Technical Support is unable to provide assistance to anyone attempting to use MacDrive 7 with Windows 7.
Is an upgrade to MacDrive 9 available for the MacDrive license I already own?
Yes. If you own a valid license for a prior version of MacDrive, you are eligible to purchase an upgrade to MacDrive 9 at a discounted rate. You will need your serial number to purchase the upgrade, but do not need to have a prior version of MacDrive installed in order to install the upgrade.
Encryption and FileVault
MacDrive does not support encrypted Mac-formatted drives. If you connect such a drive, you will be prompted to format the drive and it will not mount.
If you have enabled FileVault for your Mac disk and wish to use it with MacDrive, please refer to Apple’s instructions for disabling this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4790
Compatibility with network drives
MacDrive is not usable in networking and/or network-attached storage scenarios (e.g. Mac-formatted hard drive connected to an Airport base station).
MacDrive works with direct-attached storage (e.g. Mac-formatted hard drive connected via USB). Sharing of Mac disks mounted with MacDrive is not supported.
Parallels & VMware Fusion compatibility
MacDrive works with Windows running virtually under Mac OS X using Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMware Fusion, with the exception in both cases that the Mac OS X system volume will be inaccessible.
In such cases, the Mac OS X system volume is inaccessible because, as with any operating system, Mac OS X requires exclusive access to any volumes it has mounted.
Please note that you will need to configure your virtualization software to have a particular virtual OS take control of a drive before Windows can use it. This is often in a “Settings” or “Devices” menu. For detailed help with your particular virtualization product and version, please contact the software manufacturer.
Compatibility with Boot Camp drivers and Mac OS 10.9
MacDrive 9 Standard and MacDrive 9 Pro are compatible with Boot Camp drivers from Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks as well as previous versions of Boot Camp, such as from 10.6 Snow Leopard and prior.
The Boot Camp drivers included with Mac OS Mavericks offer read-only support for Mac disks. MacDrive 9 can be installed with Boot Camp’s drivers and has been fully tested in such a scenario.
If MacDrive is installed after Boot Camp drivers are already installed, no special steps are needed. If you are installing Boot Camp drivers after installing MacDrive, either repairing or reinstalling MacDrive will be necessary; you will be prompted by MacDrive when booting Windows in this scenario.
In MacDrive 8, we recommend using 8.0.7 (the most recent release) with OS 10.7 Lion or newer.
Files appear as zero bytes (hard links)
On an HFS+ volume, some Mac software creates “hard links” instead of normal files. Hard links have no content; they are indirect references to regular files. In this way, they are somewhat similar to Windows Explorer shortcuts or Mac OS Finder aliases.
Although the Mac OS Finder shows these hard links as normal files, MacDrive does not support hard links. MacDrive will show hard links as files of size “0KB” (zero bytes).
A hard link can be recognized in MacDrive by right-clicking the file, clicking Properties, and clicking the MacDrive tab. If a file is a hard link, its type will be “hlnk” and its creator will be “hfs+”.
While rare, large user-created QuickTime videos are the most commonly-seen hard links.
Currently, the only workaround is to make a create a copy of the hard-linked file in Mac OS. This will create a “normal” copy of the file, which is accessible by all versions of MacDrive.
Aliases, or shortcut files, will also appear as zero bytes, but will also have an original normal file that the alias points to. You can simply open the original file instead of the alias to access it in Windows.
Compatibility with disks larger than 2TB in Windows XP
Windows XP does not support disks greater than 2TB. To use the disk with Windows, you will need to use a compatible operating system that supports disks greater than 2TB (e.g. Windows Vista, Windows 7). This limitation is in Windows XP, and is not something MacDrive is capable of overcoming.
MacDrive has been tested and works properly with disks larger than 2TB under Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Apple RAID support in MacDrive 9 Pro is also limited to 2TB or less in Windows XP.
Compatibility with DMG files
MacDrive 9 offers a feature to “mount” or access the contents of unencrypted DMG files. This feature was implemented in MacDrive 7 (and newer). Prior versions of MacDrive, including MacDrive 6, cannot access DMG files.
Sparse image files are supported in MacDrive 9 Pro (not Standard). MacDrive does not support Sparse bundles, however.
Please note that our support for DMGs and Sparse images is limited to those which are unencrypted. MacDrive does not support encrypted disk images (or disks).
Troubleshooting installation failures
If a MacDrive installation fails, the following are some general tips for proceeding:
- Ensure that you have downloaded the current version. The trial download will always be the current version, but if you have a disc or are using an archived file, this is a frequent cause of issues.
- Close all other open applications.
- Restart Windows, then try the installation again without opening other applications.
- Temporarily disable resident anti-malware software, such as antivirus and other security software. You can disconnect your network connection during installation if you wish, as the installation process does not require Internet. If installation completes, enable Internet before activating MacDrive.
- If the installation appears to stall (the progress bar freezes), make sure there are no popups in the background asking for permissions. Windows UAC, as well as other programs, may require you to respond before installation proceeds.
If you cannot resolve the issue, please contact our support team to continue troubleshooting. Be sure to include as much detail as possible about the installation problem: what you see occur, when the problem happens, and the exact failure behavior (such as the full exact text of any errors you see). Please include your serial number when contacting us.
Administrator installation options
There are a variety of custom options you can set when installing MacDrive.
Note: MacDrive 9.0.0 (and newer) only offers support for silent installation without reboot, without activation (as described below).
MacDrive 8
Silent installation with automatic restart:
macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe /quiet
Silent installation without automatic restart:
macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe /quiet REBOOT=ReallySuppress
Silent installation with automatic restart and automatic activation:
macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe /quiet AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD8-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Silent installation without automatic restart and with automatic activation:
macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe /quiet REBOOT=ReallySuppress AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD8-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Normal installation with automatic activation:
macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD7-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Notes: Replace the filename “macdrive_8.0.4.10_en_setup.exe” with the filename of the MacDrive 8 installer you are using. These instructions are applicable to MacDrive 8.0.4 (and later).
MacDrive 7
Silent installation with automatic restart:
macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe /quiet
Silent installation without automatic restart:
macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe /quiet /norestart
Silent installation with automatic restart and automatic activation:
macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe /quiet AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD7-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Silent installation without automatic restart and with automatic activation:
macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe /quiet /norestart AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD7-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Normal installation with automatic activation:
macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe AUTOMATIC_ACTIVATION_SERIAL_NUMBER=MD7-12345EWR-12345-123 (replace with your serial number)
Notes: Replace the filename “macdrive_7.2.0_en_setup.exe” with the filename of the MacDrive 7 installer you are using. These instructions are applicable to MacDrive 7.2.0 (and later).
How to retrieve a lost serial number or software installer file
Please login to your account at:
https://macdrive.com/shop/myaccount
Here you will be see available downloads, recent order and you can view/print invoices. Use the “Store Login” link and login with your username (your email address) and password set when you ordered.
If you have misplaced your password, there are instructions for resetting that as well.
How to create a Mediafour.com online store invoice
Please login to your account at:
https://macdrive.com/shop/myaccount
Here you can view/print invoices.
If you have misplaced your password, there are instructions for resetting that as well.
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10.1.1 - Released 6/6/2016
Fixed: MacDrive.exe can crash on multi-user systems.
Fixed: On some systems, partition driver can crash on startup.
10.1.0.65 - Released 3/07/2016
Added: Disk Aware is now built-in to MacDrive—a separate install and license is not needed.
Fixed: On some systems, MacDrive main window crashes when starting.
Fixed: System hang when coping folders that originated in a Dropbox folder.
10.0.3.15 - Released 10/5/2015
Added: Support for RAID disks with 4K sectors
Added: MacDrive now gives more information about unusable disks
Added: Better error recovery
Fixed: Reformatting a disk doesn’t refresh the MacDrive window
10.0.2.6 - Released 8/27/2015
Fixed: On Boot Camp systems, restarting into Mac OS using the notification icon now works
Fixed: Now installs correctly in Windows Server 2012 R2
Fixed: Unchecking “Create a desktop shortcut” now works as expected
10.0.1.16 - Released 8/3/2015
Improved: Reliability and stability on Boot Camp systems.
10.0.1.133 - Released 7/29/2015
Switch between Santa Cruz and Juliana websites
Use the images and instructions below to help you locate the serial number on the frame of your Santa Cruz bike. Please include the entire series of numbers and letters when registering your frame.
Locating Your Serial Number on Your Frame
- Remove the rear wheel
- Remove the lower shock bolt
- Compress the swing arm until you get a clear view of the serial number
- Remember to list all characters on the front triangle when registering your frame
Your serial number is also located on the box your bike was shipped in and may be located on the receipt provided by the retailer you purchased your bike from.
MY20 carbon frames ship with QR code stickers. You can use the serial number printed directly around the top of the QR code or you can scan it. Notice there are TWO QR code stickers - the one you need to use for frame registration is the one on the front triangle and NOT the one on the rear.
Serial numbers for carbon frames are located above the bottom bracket on the main triangle.
For our aluminum frames, the serial number will be stamped under the bottom bracket or as seen below on MY20 aluminum frames.
MY20 aluminum frame
Same applies for hard tails.
Reserve serial numbers can be found on the rims themselves beneath the tubeless tape or on the wheel builder card that comes with your wheels. Please register each of your Reserve wheels here.What’s New in the J-Over v1.0 serial key or number?
Screen Shot
System Requirements for J-Over v1.0 serial key or number
- First, download the J-Over v1.0 serial key or number
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You can download its setup from given links:
J-Over v1.0 serial key or number & Crack
J-Over v1.0 serial key or number& Software
J-Over v1.0 serial key or number
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