# My RM11 Installation Experience **URL:** \ **Category:** RootsMagic\ **Tags:** tip\ **Created:** [September 12, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626 "2025-09-12T23:08:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/1 "2025-09-12T23:08:05Z")
I purchased RM11 and installed it without any apparent glitches. The key problem had been solved by the time purchased the product, and my key arrived very quickly. I took the default for Windows of downloading the 32-bit version. I may change my mind about that in the future and switch to the 64-bit Windows version. I entered my key and shut RM down. Almost immediately, I tried to start it again and it wouldn’t start. Every attempt gave a Runtime 217 error. So I installed it again. I didn’t even download it again and I didn’t have to enter my key again. I just ran the install again. It has been running fine ever since. I have no explanation for the Runtime 217 error. The first install had seemed go just fine. But I am now up and running with RM11. I just wanted to report the problem in case anybody else encounters it. I’m on Windows 10 Professional. The first thing I do when I install new version of RM is to set up a new set of folders for the new version and to point **Settings \> Folders** to the new folders. I also copy my previous RM database to the new folders and rename it to the new version. So I copied **jerryrm10.rmtree** to the new folders and renamed it to **jerryrm11.rmtree**. That’s no big deal in and of itself, except that I noticed that RM11 defaulted to my RM8 folders rather than to my RM10 folders. I was going to change all the folders anyway, so it’s no big deal. But why RM8? Why didn’t it default to my RM10 folders? In any case, when I opened **jerryrm11.rmtree** , it converted it to RM11 format just like it’s suppose to do and my RM10 database is still out there and available for use with RM10. ---
**Author:** ![huskym1025](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@huskym1025](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/huskym1025)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/2 "2025-09-12T23:22:15Z")
My installation went smoothly. Still playing around with it. I found when printing out a fan chart. You still have to save it as PDF file and then print it out. If you try to print it out when viewing it in RM11, the fonts are garbled. I know this but has been in RM since version 8, that I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![tinksquared](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/tinksquared/32/7181_2.png) [@tinksquared](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/tinksquared)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/3 "2025-09-12T23:33:06Z")
My install went flawlessly. I just repointed RM11 folders to my existing RM10 folders. Curious, why did you create new ones? ---
**Author:** ![kevync1985](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@kevync1985](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kevync1985)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/4 "2025-09-12T23:56:54Z")
> [@thejerrybryan](#): > > I took the default for Windows of downloading the 32-bit version. I may change my mind about that in the future and switch to the 64-bit Windows version. I did same thing. My perception is – in theory one might think better performance with a large db – not sure if that is accurate… so I may switch to 64b later. I have used 64b ver without any noticeable issues since RM8. No issues for me other than reg key was delayed ---
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 1:47am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/5 "2025-09-13T01:47:20Z")
> [@tinksquared](#): > > Curious, why did you create new ones? I’m not sure I have a completely logical answer. I just like each new version to be clean and distinct from each previous version. That let’s me go back and look at the previous versions, untouched by the new version. The only file that comes over from the old folders to the new folders is the RM database is itself, where a copy comes over and is immediately renamed. The old RM database remains untouched by the new version. Well, I do share my media files completely. But not the database folder, backup folder, GEDCOM folder, or report folder. ---
**Author:** ![MadDog](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/maddog/32/313_2.png) [@MadDog](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/MadDog)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 6:49am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/6 "2025-09-13T06:49:38Z")
> [@tinksquared](#): > > why did you create new ones? I always do the same as thejerrybryan and create a new folder and copy existing database to it. I started doing this when I was beta testing v8 while still using v7. ---
**Author:** ![Rooty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rooty](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Rooty)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/7 "2025-09-13T13:33:52Z")
Risk of later version using older version components at least on mac where they are scattered all over your home folder. ---
**Author:** ![DaleD](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/daled/32/72_2.png) [@DaleD](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/DaleD)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/8 "2025-09-13T19:10:05Z")
Jerry, how did you resolve your registration key issue? I bought 11, got a confirmation, but no key 24 hours later Dale ---
**Author:** ![BobC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/bobc/32/6195_2.png) [@BobC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/BobC)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/9 "2025-09-13T19:24:14Z")
Submit a support request with your order number. [Support Request](https://support.rootsmagic.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) ---
**Author:** ![kfunk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kfunk/32/68_2.png) [@kfunk](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kfunk)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/10 "2025-09-13T19:25:18Z")
Did you try sending an email to [sales@rootsmagic.com](mailto:sales@rootsmagic.com)? They are the people to help you. Last we heard, the keys were needing to be manually generated by the sales department. ---
**Author:** ![thejerrybryan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/thejerrybryan/32/404_2.png) [@thejerrybryan](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/thejerrybryan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/11 "2025-09-13T20:52:29Z")
> [@DaleD](#): > > Jerry, how did you resolve your registration key issue? There was no issue in my case. Getting my key just worked. I think my order went in after they fixed the problem with issuing keys. ---
**Author:** ![rzamor1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/rzamor1/32/8_2.png) [@rzamor1](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/rzamor1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/12 "2025-09-14T03:34:52Z")
Check your email. Sales sent out your key. ---
**Author:** ![Kelly](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kelly/32/3939_2.png) [@Kelly](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/Kelly)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/13 "2025-09-14T21:46:38Z")
Nothing remarkable, just observations: The Registration Key was received 2 minutes after receipt of my payment (via PayPal). No issues with purchase, or download. My experience of installing RM11.0.0.0, 32-bit began with this warning about an older version of RM (RM10.0.9.0) being found along with an obscured admonition. Answering _No_, the installation proceeded without pause. Checked box, Launch, Name and Key entered, then RM11 opened the last opened (in RM10) database; i.e., K:\1790 Census\David Howe\Genealogy\David Howe.rmtree, and asked to _Convert this file?_ Choosing _Cancel_, the file was not opened. I then manually closed RM11. The ironic question asks, if answering _Yes_, and the older version had been removed before installing RM11, would the bits in red still have been read?; i.e., _You should backup this file in the previous version before converting._ Next, opening RM10, then manually closing, prompting a backup, RM10 abruptly closed without further ado. Opening RM10 again, File, Backup, backup went smoothly without issue. I manually closed RM10. Opening RM11, it did not re-try opening the previously opened RM10 database (K:\1790 Census\David Howe\Genealogy\David Howe.rmtree) as it had done the first time RM11 ran. Noting: Settings, Open last closed file, was not enabled, but is now. Also, me too Jerry, in Settings, Folders, made discrete RM11 parent folder for projects moving forward. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/c/ce5227670a209be5f920ba36a4d3862457ba1b7d.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/7/779a58b1cd0569f27050d0deb07772a4d663bf0c.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/f/f88a4a6603fd196ad9a58cdebfac5fdfbea9a5b9.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/3/387c8f376f6db052b51ee560cc2f7d829f682d65.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/1/1a1b0d84710aa7e6264b4e68008c1d6e2e495228.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/c/c406e4ce731fc4feaeb27ea01dc1805e7fffe7d6.png) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/rootsmagic/original/2X/0/053d70bd23593b9eb18bc21391d788facffdf29b.png) ---
**Author:** ![williamfader](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/williamfader/32/1113_2.png) [@williamfader](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/williamfader)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2025, 11:38am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/14 "2025-09-19T11:38:25Z")
Everything did not go smoothly. When I looked at my history I had ten marriages listed. The same two but 5 times. ouch I didn’t have the option of choosing 64bit. download ---
**Author:** ![SandiB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/sandib/32/1313_2.png) [@SandiB](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/SandiB)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/my-rm11-installation-experience/14626/15 "2025-09-19T22:33:03Z")
Nothing odd for me. Everything went smoothly.