MATLAB: How to update an old version(student version R2013a) to the new version currently available

Question

I bought the student version R2013a in October 2013 and I am trying to use it on a different computer for schoolwork again. I deactivated the old computer and when I try to download the version onto my new laptop, it says it is too old of a version to be compatible. There was an option to pay around $60, but I wasn't sure if this would get me the new version. Would it be easier to pay the $99 to get the current student version for my new computer, or is there a way to pay less since I've paid for it before?

Answer 1

My research indicates that R2013a Student for Windows was available only in 32 bit version, and was supported up to Windows 8.1.

The 32 bit versions had no problem running in 64 bit operating systems -- though getting a compiler to work with Windows 8 might have been a challenge.

If you are using Windows 10, then getting a compiler to work with the old 32 bit versions of MATLAB is a hassle, but MATLAB itself would probably work. I have versions of MATLAB that old running in a Windows 10 virtual machine.

Your version was older than the time that Mathworks offered software support for the Student licenses, and your version would have aged out of the window during which they allow people to buy software support retroactively as an alternative to full price.

If you were using the 32 bit Linux version, then you are stuck if you are now using a 64 bit version of Linux, unless you run the 32 bit linux as a program inside a virtual machine.

The Mac versions were already 64 bit in R2013a, but R2013a will not run under High Sierra and might not be able to install under Sierra; it will run under El Capitan.