Patent ID: 7739663

Claim:
A method of validating a first instance of an application program in executable, runtime form based on a second instance of the application program in executable, runtime form, the first and second instances of the application program installed in executable, runtime form in first and second computers, respectively, the method comprising the steps of: a validation program tool, stored on a computer readable storage media for execution by a CPU in a computer, generating and recording a first checksum for the first instance of the application program while the first instance of the application program is installed in executable, runtime form in the first computer, the validation program tool generating the first checksum based in part on a program portion of the first instance of the application program that is (a) installed in executable, runtime form in the first computer and (b) common to the first and second instances of the application program, but not based on a first system data portion of the first instance of the application program that is (a) installed in executable, runtime form in the first computer, the first system data portion being specific and unique to the first computer and including a unique identifier of the first computer; the validation program tool generating and recording a second checksum for the second instance of the application program while the second instance of the application program is installed in executable, runtime form in the second computer, the validation program tool generating the second checksum based in part on the program portion of the second instance of the application program in runtime form that is (a) installed in executable, runtime form in the second computer and (b) common to the first and second instances of the application program, but not based on a second system data portion of the second instance of the application program that is (a) installed in executable, runtime form in the second computer, the second system data portion being specific and unique to the second computer and including a unique identifier of the second computer; and the validation program tool comparing the first checksum to the second checksum, and if the first checksum does not match the second checksum, the validation program tool generating an electronic record that the first instance of the application program does not match the second instance of the application program.