Quick Help

Download and install

A single installer on the download page bundles the app and an optional local MySQL, for an easier setup on a fresh machine.

1. Download SmartHelpDeskCommercialSetup.exe and compare the SHA-256 hash published next to the download link before running it.
2. Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator.
3. Choose an HTTP port (default 9000), an optional HTTPS port, the server's network name or address, and a database name.
4. Use an existing MySQL server or enable the bundled local one from the same wizard.
5. When setup finishes, your browser opens automatically at the server address.

First login and admin account

Inside the installer wizard itself, the First administrator step asks you to type an email and a password of at least 12 characters (upper and lower case, a number, and a symbol). That becomes the first admin account — the installer never invents a password on your behalf when you supply one.

Open the server address in a browser and sign in with that account. For changing the password and setting up two-factor authentication afterwards, see First login in the user manual.

Licence and trial

The trial runs for 3 months with every feature enabled, no card or activation code required. Settings ← License shows the current status and your installation id.

1. After purchase, an activation code is emailed to you.
2. Enter it in the serial activation field and click Activate online.
3. If the server cannot reach the licensing provider, use the license key field as a fallback path.

The commercial edition renews itself daily and has a 30-day offline grace period. When a trial, licence, or grace period ends, the system switches to read-only mode without deleting any data. Full details in Licence and activation.

Update notifications and downloads

Settings ← Updates checks your current version against the latest one published on shdgrid.com, and shows release notes, file size, the SHA-256 hash, and a direct download button when an update is available.

A short message (informational or a warning) from the software provider may also appear inside the app. These are broadcast messages, separate from the version check, and the same message does not repeat within 24 hours.

You can also manually download the latest build any time from the download page and run it over your current install; this updates the app without losing your data.

Deploying the agent via GPO

The inventory agent is a small executable installed on employee machines that reports device data (name, serial number, operating system, network address) to the system.

1. From Assets ← Discovery ← Enrollment codes, create a code (requires the inventory.manage permission). The code is shown only once, at creation.
2. Manual install: run SmartHelpDeskAgentSetup.exe on the device and enter the code and the server address.
3. For domain deployment: choose GPO / MSI only from Enrollment codes, enter the secure HTTPS server URL covered by the server certificate, then set the device limit and deployment expiry. The system downloads a customer-specific MSI with the connection settings and a limited enrollment credential.
4. In Group Policy Management choose Computer Configuration → Policies → Software Settings → Software installation, then assign that MSI from a network share readable by computer accounts. Test with a small OU before rolling it out.
5. Start with a small pilot OU using a limited-use code before rolling out domain-wide.

Details on the Devices and Matching tabs are in Inventory agent in the user manual.

Sending a support case with screenshots

For download or install problems, or any time you cannot even sign in to the system, use the public support page: describe the issue, attach up to 3 images or PDF files (5 MB each), and you'll get a case reference to track status later on the same page.

For a problem inside an app that is already running, use Settings ← Support if it is enabled for your account. This form only sends the title, text, app version, installation id, and the contact email you enter — no tickets, assets, or employee names — and it stays available even in read-only mode. For a general question or if the form cannot be sent, email support@shdgrid.com.

Service not responding, the port, and logs

Is the service running?

Open services.msc and look for a service named SmartHelpDeskServer (or SmartHelpDeskDemoServer for the trial edition). If it is stopped, click Start. From an administrator command prompt you can also run:

sc query SmartHelpDeskServer

The port does not respond in the browser

The default port is 9000 (whatever you chose or kept during install). Confirm Windows Firewall allows inbound connections on that port, and that no other program on the same machine is using it.

Where the logs are

Service logs live inside the installation's data folder:

C:\ProgramData\SmartHelpDesk\Commercial\logs\service-out.log
C:\ProgramData\SmartHelpDesk\Commercial\logs\service-err.log

For the trial edition, replace Commercial with Demo in the path. The install log itself is install-bootstrap.log in the same logs folder.

Still stuck? Open a support case with a screenshot of the error and an excerpt from the log file.