Sierra Information
Before installing Sierra, ensure that you are logged into your Windows account with administrative privileges. You will also want to be sure to download and install the latest version of Java. Note that in some cases it may be necessary for your local IT to intervene, especially in cases of firewalls, unprivileged accounts, and the presence of programs such as Deep Freeze.
Installing Sierra
To install Sierra, follow these steps:
- Run the installer
- If User Account Control warns you, choose Yes
- Follow the prompts in the installer
- Step #2 asks for an Install Folder
C:\Sierra Desktop App\is common
- Step #4 asks for a server
- Use
cat.opal-libraries.org - Do not use an IP address
- Use
- The installation will complete
- Note that the first time you run Sierra, it will spend several minutes downloading updates
- If the SFTX Pure 64 version of Sierra doesn't install, try the ZIP option.
Troubleshooting Sierra
Issues with installing or running Sierra can be difficult to diagnose and in many cases your local IT will need to be involved. Below are the most common issues.
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| Firewalls |
Local or campus firewalls can block information flowing to Sierra. You will want to ensure that the firewall allows access to the Sierra server, which has the IP address of 52.14.35.127. You will also want to ensure the following ports are not blocked:
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| Firewalls - RFC Compliance |
The setting "Enforce strict TCP compliance with RFC 793 and RFC 1122" can cause dropped packets for Sierra. Make sure this setting is disabled. Other settings to disable would be "TCP checksum enforcement" and "TCP handshake timeout". For Sonicwall devices these settings are located under Firewall Settings > Flood Protection. |
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| Software Conflicts |
Other software may interfere or prevent Sierra from installing or running. Start by temporarily disabling firewalls and antivirus software. AVG Antivirus |
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| Sierra Won't Load |
Sierra polls the printers visible to your PC at the time of launch. Multiple printers will take longer to check than one or two. Occasionally, a disconnected printer or network printer can cause the Sierra Desktop Client to take several minutes to load, so be sure to remove or disable any printers if appropriate. |
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| IP vs Hostname |
The Sierra installer initially asks for a server address. You will want to use cat.opal-libraries.org instead of an IP address. To check or change this entry:
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| Download to Mac Won't Run Install (should no longer be an issue on Sierra 5.2) |
If you try to launch the Install for Sierra after unzipping the file and it doesn't work, it may be the result of the OS blocking anything that doesn’t come through the app store or is certified by Apple. You might need to adjust the Sierra application's permissions; you can do that in your Sierra Preferences: under Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access. From there, you'll click the plus sign at the bottom of the list of allowed applications and browse through to the iiirunner.app in your Applications folder. If that doesn't work here's another approach. We recommend downloading the client to your desktop because that's where the shell command in the email message is looking for the installer. If you have the files elsewhere, you'll have to navigate to that directory in Terminal before running the command.
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