M2R Installation

M2R comes in two editions. Choose the one that matches your license below, and this page will show you the exact steps for your setup. Not sure which one you have? Check your welcome email — it will say either M2R Essential or M2R Professional / M2R Enterprise.

Your choice is remembered on this device — click the other card any time to switch.

M2R Essential — Installation

📄 Installation Guide (PDF) 📄 User Guide (PDF)

1. Before You Begin 2. What Gets Installed 3. Running the Installer 4. First Launch & Activation 5. Optional Dependencies 6. Troubleshooting 7. Uninstalling

Section 1

Before You Begin

Please review these requirements before running the installer.

Supported Operating Systems

M2R runs exclusively on 64-bit Windows. The following versions are supported:

Windows Version	Supported
Windows 11 (64-bit)	✔ Fully supported
Windows 10 (64-bit)	✔ Fully supported
Windows 8, 8.1, or 7	✘ Not supported
32-bit Windows (any version)	✘ Not supported

Hardware Requirements

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Processor	1 GHz, 64-bit	2 GHz+ multi-core
RAM	2 GB	4 GB or more
Free Disk Space	1 GB	2 GB
Display Resolution	1024 × 768	1920 × 1080

Permissions

⚠ Administrator Rights Required for Installation You must be logged in as an Administrator (or run the installer as Administrator) to install M2R. Once installed, you can run the application day-to-day as a standard Windows user — no admin rights needed at runtime.

Section 2

What Gets Installed

The installer places files in the following locations. You do not need to change these defaults.

Item	Default Location
Application Files	`C:\Program Files\M2Reporter\`
User Data Folder	`C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\M2Reporter\`
Database File	`C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\M2Reporter\m2reporter.db`
Backup Files	User-chosen location — saved via `File > Backup & Restore` as a `.zip` file

File sizes: Installed size is approximately 600 MB. The installer file (M2R_Setup_x.x.x.exe, where x.x.x is the current version number) is 150–200 MB.

Section 3

Running the Installer

You'll receive your installer download link in your welcome email after purchase.

Step-by-Step

Download the installer from the link in your welcome email — M2R_Setup_x.x.x.exe, where x.x.x is the current version number.

Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator — or double-click if you are already logged in as an Administrator.

If Windows shows a "Windows protected your PC" prompt, click More info then Run anyway. (See Section 6 — Troubleshooting for details.)

Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

Optionally choose to create a Desktop shortcut and/or launch the application when the installer finishes.

Installation Options

Option	Default / Notes
Desktop Shortcut	Off by default — check this box if you want quick access from your Desktop.
Start Menu Group	Created automatically. Use Start Menu › M2R to launch the app.
Launch After Install	Optional. Launches M2R immediately when the installer closes.

Section 4

First Launch & Activation

The first time you open M2R, you'll sign in and then activate your license. Full walkthroughs with screenshots are in the User Guide.

Signing In the First Time

You'll be prompted for a username and password — use admin for both. You'll then be asked to set a new password for the admin user. Make note of this username and password.

Activating Your License

After signing in, the Software Activation screen appears. You must complete this before using the software.

Enter your License Key (format M2R-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX, from your welcome email), Your Name, and Your Email.

Complete your Company Information — country, company name, address, city, state/province, ZIP, and phone number.

Set your Default Account Settings (Identification Number, Account Type, Portfolio Type, Terms Frequency, Interest Type) — these pre-fill new accounts and can be changed per account later.

Enter your Bureau Identifiers — at least one is required. If you're still waiting on a bureau ID, enter TEST for now.

Click Activate License.

Your license is tied to this computer. Keep your license key safe for future reference. If you need to move to a new computer, contact support.

Don't have a license key? Contact help@m2reporter.com or call (800) 942-0470.

Section 5

Optional Dependencies

Most users will not need to install anything extra. The two components below are only required for specific situations.

Component	Only Needed If…	Where to Download
Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015–2022	You see a "DLL load failed" error on launch.	Microsoft — vc_redist.x64.exe
Microsoft Access Database Engine (ODBC)	You need to import legacy .mdb files.	Microsoft Download Center — ID 54920

Section 6

Troubleshooting

⚠ "Windows protected your PC" appears when launching the installer This is a standard Windows SmartScreen warning that appears for software that is not code-signed. M2R is safe to install. To proceed: click More info in the SmartScreen dialog, then click Run anyway. The installer will continue normally.

⚠ "DLL load failed" error when starting the application A required Windows system library is missing from your PC. Download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015–2022 (x64), then restart your computer and try opening M2R again.

⚠ Application won't start at all Verify your Windows version — M2R requires Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), and 32-bit Windows is not supported. Also check your antivirus software, which may be quarantining a file. Add M2Reporter to your antivirus exclusions list and try again.

Still stuck? Contact our support team at help@m2reporter.com or call (800) 942-0470, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PT.

Section 7

Uninstalling M2R

You can remove M2R using either of these methods:

Method A — Windows Settings

Open the Windows Start menu and click the gear icon (Settings).
Go to Apps.
Find M2Reporter in the list and click it.
Click Uninstall and follow the prompts.

Method B — Start Menu

Open the Windows Start menu.
Browse to the M2Reporter folder.
Click Uninstall M2Reporter.
Follow the prompts.

✔ Your data is preserved after uninstalling The uninstaller removes the application files only. Your database and personal data remain in C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\M2Reporter\. To completely remove all data, manually delete that folder after uninstalling.

M2R Professional / Enterprise — Installation

📄 Admin Guide (PDF) 📄 User Guide (PDF)

Two installers, one setup order. M2R Network Edition needs a server install (one machine, once) followed by a client install on every workstation that will use M2R. Install and configure the server first — clients need a working server to connect to.

1. Before You Begin 2. Server Installation 3. Initial Server Configuration 4. Network & Firewall Setup 5. Client Installation 6. Troubleshooting 7. Uninstalling

Section 1

Before You Begin

M2R Network Edition uses a client-server architecture. Client workstations connect over TCP/IP (port 5432) to a central server running PostgreSQL 16, where all data is stored centrally.

Server Requirements

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System	Windows Server 2019/2022 or Windows 10/11 Pro (64-bit)	Windows Server 2022 (64-bit)
RAM	8 GB	16 GB (for 10+ concurrent users)
Disk Space	50 GB available	100 GB SSD storage
CPU	2 cores	4+ cores
Network	Static IP, connectivity to all clients	Gigabit Ethernet, RAID 1/5, UPS

Client Requirements

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System	Windows 10 (64-bit) version 1809+ or Windows 11	Windows 11
RAM	4 GB	8 GB
Disk Space	500 MB available	SSD storage
Network	Connectivity to server	Stable LAN connection (preferred over Wi-Fi)

Network Requirements

TCP/IP connectivity between all clients and the server
Port 5432 accessible from client machines to the server
Minimum bandwidth: 1 Mbps per concurrent user (100 Mbps LAN recommended)
A VPN is required for any remote/internet access — never expose the database directly to the internet

⚠ Administrator Rights Required You need local administrator privileges to install the server components, and local administrator (or the ability to run the installer as Administrator) on each client workstation.

Section 2

Server Installation

Install the server on one dedicated machine. This installs PostgreSQL 16 along with the M2R Server Setup tool.

Pre-Installation Checklist

Confirm you have local administrator privileges on the server
Temporarily disable antivirus during installation
Apply all critical Windows updates
Back up any existing PostgreSQL data if upgrading
Configure the server with a static IP address

Running the Server Installer

Download M2Reporter_Server_Setup_x.x.x.exe from the link in your welcome email, where x.x.x is the current version number.

Right-click the installer and choose Run as Administrator. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.

Read and accept the license agreement, then click Next.

Confirm the install directory (default C:\Program Files\M2Reporter Server) has at least 50 GB free, then click Next.

Leave PostgreSQL 16 Database Server and M2R Server Setup Tool checked (both required), and click Next.

The installer checks for PostgreSQL 16 and installs it silently if needed, configuring it to start automatically. This step can take 5–10 minutes — do not interrupt it.

When the wizard finishes, check Configure M2Reporter Server and click Finish to move straight into initial configuration.

Default superuser password The installer sets the PostgreSQL superuser password to postgres by default. Change this after setup — see Security in the Admin Guide.

Section 3

Initial Server Configuration

After installation, the M2R Network Server Setup wizard configures your database. If it doesn't open automatically, launch it from Start Menu → M2Reporter Server → M2R Server Setup, or run C:\Program Files\M2Reporter Server\M2Reporter_Server_Setup.exe directly.

PostgreSQL Admin Connection — enter localhost as Host, port 5432, database name m2reporter, admin user postgres, and the admin password (default postgres, changed later). Click Test Connection and confirm you see "Connection successful!"

Create M2R Database — set the M2R database username (default m2reporter) and choose a strong database password (8+ characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols). Click Create Database & User and confirm you see "…configured successfully!"

Validate License — enter your M2R Network Edition license key (format M2R-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX, from your welcome email) and click Validate License. This performs an online validity check; license data is stored in the database in the next step.

Initialize Database Schema — click Initialize Schema. This creates all database tables and indexes, a default company record, and stores the validated license information.

Generate Client Configuration — click Generate Client Config and save the file as M2R_client_config.json to C:\Program Files\M2Reporter Server\client_configs\.

Review the Status Log confirmation, then click Finish.

⚠ Write down the database password! You'll need to give it to every client user. Share it separately via encrypted email or secure messaging — it is not included in the client config file.

The client config file is not the software. M2R_client_config.json only contains the server host IP, port, database name, and username — it doesn't grant access to M2R. You'll still distribute it (via email, network share, or USB) along with the database password shared separately, and each user still needs the client installer to actually run M2R.

Section 4

Network & Firewall Setup

Before clients can connect, open port 5432 on the server's firewall.

Windows Firewall — Recommended (PowerShell)

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "M2R PostgreSQL" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 5432 -Action Allow -Profile Domain,Private

Windows Firewall — Manual

Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (Win + R, type wf.msc)
Click Inbound Rules → New Rule
Rule Type: Port → Next
Protocol: TCP, Specific local ports: 5432 → Next
Action: Allow the connection → Next
Profile: check Domain and Private (uncheck Public for security) → Next
Name it M2Reporter PostgreSQL → Finish

PostgreSQL network access is configured automatically. The server installer sets up pg_hba.conf to accept client connections. For better security, restrict this to your own subnet rather than allowing all IPs — see the Admin Guide's Security section.

Remote Access

If any users will connect from outside your office network, use a VPN (Windows VPN, OpenVPN, etc.) — this is the recommended and most secure option. Port forwarding directly to the database is possible but carries significant security risk and is not recommended.

Testing the Connection

From a client workstation, open Command Prompt and run:

ping <server-ip-address>

telnet <server-ip-address> 5432

If telnet connects, the port is reachable. If it's refused, check the server firewall configuration.

Section 5

Client Installation

Repeat these steps on every workstation that needs to use M2R. Do this after the server is installed, configured, and reachable on the network.

Download M2Reporter_Client_Setup_x.x.x.exe from the link in your welcome email onto the workstation, where x.x.x is the current version number.

Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator — or double-click if already logged in as an Administrator.

If Windows shows a "Windows protected your PC" prompt, click More info then Run anyway (see Troubleshooting below).

Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the client installation.

On first launch, enter the server connection details from M2R_client_config.json (host, port, database name, username) and the database password provided separately by your administrator.

Sign in with the shared M2R database username and password. Your license status, tier, and company data are already active on the server — there's no separate activation step on each client.

Everyone shares one database login. Individual clients are identified for audit-logging purposes by their machine name and Windows username, not by separate M2R accounts — so all users sign in with the same M2R database credentials your administrator sets up.

Section 6

Troubleshooting

⚠ "Windows protected your PC" appears when launching either installer This is a standard Windows SmartScreen warning for software that is not code-signed. Both the server and client installers are safe to run. Click More info, then Run anyway.

⚠ Server Setup tool shows "Connection failed" Confirm PostgreSQL is running (Get-Service postgresql-x64-16 in PowerShell — start it with Start-Service postgresql-x64-16 if stopped). Confirm it's listening on port 5432 with netstat -an | findstr :5432. Double-check the admin password, and temporarily disable the firewall to test.

⚠ Client shows "Connection to server failed" Ping the server IP from the client to rule out basic network issues. Run telnet <server-ip> 5432 — if it's refused, check the server's firewall rule. Verify the server IP, database name, username, and password in the client's connection details match exactly.

⚠ "License validation failed" during server setup Confirm the server has internet connectivity (ping google.com) and that outbound port 443 (HTTPS) isn't blocked by the firewall. Double-check the license key format is M2R-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX — copy/paste it from your welcome email to avoid typos.

Still stuck? Contact our support team at help@m2reporter.com or call (800) 942-0470, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PT. For server issues, have your license key and server internet status ready.

Section 7

Uninstalling

Client and server components are removed separately, using standard Windows uninstall methods.

Removing a Client

Open Windows Settings → Apps (or the Start Menu folder for M2Reporter).
Find M2Reporter Client in the list.
Click Uninstall and follow the prompts.

Removing the Server

Back up your database first (see Backup & Recovery in the Admin Guide).
Open Windows Settings → Apps.
Find M2Reporter Server and click Uninstall.
PostgreSQL itself can be left in place or removed separately, depending on whether other applications use it.

⚠ Uninstalling the server removes access for every client Make sure you have a current backup before removing the server or its database. See the Admin Guide's Backup & Recovery section for the recommended backup strategy.

← Getting Started First-Time Setup →