SAS 9.4 Install Instructions for Linux
Note: During this installation of SAS 9.4, the product SAS/OR will NOT be installed, due to technical issues. If you need SAS/OR, first install SAS 9.4 according to the instructions below. Then download SASLinux94-OR.zip, at no charge, which contains the SAS/OR install files. Launch the 'setup.sh' installer, located in the root folder of those install files, and follow the prompts (similar to those seen below). That will install (i.e., add) the SAS/OR product within the SAS system.
These are instructions for installing SAS 9.4 for Linux 64-bit from the zip archive file named SASLinux.zip, which is available for download via the VCU Technology Services website, as noted in step 1 below.
This SAS is for academic teaching and research purposes only. If you need SAS for administrative purposes, please see VCU SAS admin use.
Please note:
- Please refer to the system requirements for SAS® 9.4 Foundation for Linux for x64.
- If you need assistance, please contact the IT Support Center (828-2227, itsc@vcu.edu).
- If possible, disable your anti-virus software before installation (and remember to re-enable it afterward).
- To learn SAS, see: go.vcu.edu/saslearn
- Free statistical consulting is available by appointment — see: go.vcu.edu/statconsult
- Additional SAS resources are available.
To install SAS:
- If you have not already done so, visit Obtain SAS 9.4 for Linux x64 and follow the directions presented to download the SASLinux.zip installation archive file from the Technology Services website. This is a zip archive file that contains the files and folders needed to install SAS.
- Unzip the downloaded SASLinux.zip file into an EMPTY folder.
- After the files are extracted, navigate (cd) to that folder. This folder and its contents are known as a SAS software depot.
- Before installation, if desired you can run the SAS depot checker program to test the integrity of the extracted depot. To do so, launch the utilities/depotchecker/SASDepotCheck.sh program, that is contained in the depot, and, when prompted, provide the path to your depot. When the checker completes, examine the brief report it produces to ensure that no problems were found.
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Before installation, you are strongly encouraged to download into the depot any hot fixes that SAS has recently made available. These repair any known problems ("bugs") in the SAS software. To do so, launch the setup.sh program, found in the depot's root folder. On the first screen, select Manage this SAS Software Depot, and on the next screen select Retrieve Hot Fixes.
Note: If you perform step 4 (depot checker) and step 5 (retrieve hot fixes), you should perform step 4 first, because the depot checker will report any newly retrieved hot fix files as being problems.
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Follow the installation steps found at the Install and Configure SAS website. But please note:
- That website may show a few additional screens that you will not see during your installation. You may ignore them.
- Remember the path of the SAS Home directory that you specify (seen in step 7 at the above website). You will need to know that path later when you launch SAS.
- As you progress through the installation screens, we recommend that you take the default choices that are presented at the above website, unless you have a reason to make exceptions. For example, see the exceptions required for installing SAS Studio, as noted just below. Also, IF the Select SAS/ACCESS Products to Configure screen is displayed (shown in step 12 at that site), we recommend that you NOT select the SAS/ACCESS Interface to Oracle checkbox.
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If you wish to install SAS Studio:
- In step 8 of the instructions at the above website, in the 'Select Products to Install' screen, scroll down and select 'SAS Studio Basic' (and leave the other default selections as is).
- In step 15, in the Configure SAS Studio Basic screen, select 'Configure SAS Studio Basic', if not already selected.
- In step 16, in the SAS Studio Basic Configuration Directory screen, enter a folder path for the 'studioconfig' folder, such as '/home/jdoe/studioconfig' or '/opt/sas/studioconfig'. If that path does not exist, the installer should try to create it, so you must have appropriate permissions.
- In step 17, take the defaults in the "SAS Studio Basic Ports' screen.
- In step 18, select 'Provide password'. And in the ensuing screen type your password for 'sudo'.
- In step 19, in the 'SAS Studio Basic E-mail Support' screen, do NOT select 'Configure E-mail Support, unless you have a reason to do otherwise.
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In step 20, in the 'SAS Studio Basic Deployment Summary' screen, a path is displayed that, after installation, will contain instructions for using SAS Studio (so remember the path). After installation, those instructions should be placed in the file (for example):
/opt/sas/studioconfig/documents/SASStudioInstructions.html
where '/opt/sas/studioconfig' is the folder that you specified in step 16, noted above.
After installation:
- If desired, you can run a couple of easy install validation tests. In the SAS 9.4 Qualification Tools Guide, see the SAS Installation Qualification Tool (pages 3-4), and the SAS Operational Qualification Tool (pages 7-8). You can also run the JAVAINFO procedure.
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Immediately after installation and every few weeks or months, you are encouraged to check for and install any hot fixes that have become available for SAS 9.4. For more information, please see the Applying Hot Fixes after the Installation section on page 30 of the SAS® Deployment Wizard and SAS® Deployment Manager 9.4: User’s Guide. Note that downloading hot fixes into the SAS depot prior to installation, as noted above, might not obtain all required hot fixes, as some needed hot fixes can only be identified after installation.
- A tuning guide from Red Hat, detailing how to obtain optimal performance with SAS 9.4 in RHEL environments, is available:
To launch SAS 9.4, execute this program file:
/opt/SAS9.4/install/SASHome/SASFoundation/9.4/sas
This assumes that you chose the default location for the 'SASHome' directory (/opt/SAS9.4/install/SASHome) as shown in step 7 at the Install and Configure SAS website
This article was updated: 12/8/2023
SAS Linux Renewal Instructions
Perform the steps below to renew an EXISTING installation of SAS 9.4 for Linux 64-bit, for Teaching and Research. If you have a different SAS version, please see SAS Renewal.
These instructions require that you obtain and apply the current SAS renewal "SID" file, which is available for download from the VCU Technology Services website, as noted in step 1 below. Applying this SID file will extend your SAS license through June 30, 2022, plus a 90-day grace period.
This SAS is for academic teaching and research purposes only. If you need SAS for administrative purposes, please see VCU SAS admin use.
To renew SAS:
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If you have not already done so, visit Renew SAS 9.4 and follow the directions presented to download the SAS renewal file named SAS94Linux64WrkstnExp06302022tr.txt.
This file, known as a SAS Information Data file or "SID" file, will renew your Linux x64 SAS software through June 30, 2022, plus a 90-day grace period.
- It is recommended that you login to your computer as the same user that installed the SAS software.
- Stop all running SAS processes.
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Issue the following command to launch the SAS Deployment Manager:
SASHOME/SASDeploymentManager/9.4/sasdm.sh
(replace "SASHOME" with the path of the folder where SAS is installed on your computer).
- When prompted, select your desired language.
- In the Select SAS Deployment Manager Task screen, select Renew SAS Software, then click Next.
- In the Select License Renewal screen, select Apply SAS Foundation license file for renewal, then click Next.
- In the Specify SAS Installation Data File screen, specify the location of the SAS94Linux64WrkstnExp06302022tr.txt SID file that you downloaded, then click "Next".
- In the Summary screen, click Start.
- In the Deployment Complete screen, click Next.
- In the Additional Resources screen, click Finish.
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(optional) If you wish to verify that your SAS license has been renewed, launch SAS and run the following program (note the two semi-colons):
PROC SETINIT;
RUN;
The "Expiration" date reported in the SAS Log window should be "30JUN2022".
The downloaded SAS94Linux64WrkstnExp06302022tr.txt file will extend the license of SAS 9.4 64-Bit Linux until June 30, 2022, with a 90 day grace period through September 28, 2022.
Each release of SAS has a unique renewal setinit. If you are running an earlier version of SAS for Linux, you may contact the IT Support Center (828-8227) to obtain a setinit for the version of SAS that is installed on your system(s). you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to the latest release.
SAS Institute requires that a license renewal authorization code be applied each year. If you are still at VCU, you will be notified by email when future annual license authorization codes (called setinits) are available.
Licenses for additional installs must be registered at:
https://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/ws
This software is licensed by contract by VCU. You may not distribute or allow the distribution of this software, its activation codes/files, or its license renewal codes/files to any other person or entity.
When you leave VCU, you must immediately uninstall ALL copies of this software from any non-VCU owned computers on which you had installed it or authorized its installation.
Because of changing federal regulations regarding exporting software outside the USA, before you transfer any VCU licensed software outside the USA, you are required to contact VCU Technology Services to obtain current regulations. Note: Sophos Anti-Virus is an exception - it may be downloaded and used in any country.
Violation of this license may result in civil or criminal legal actions, as well as University disciplinary actions.
Please read the Computer and Network Resources Use policy at:
For assistance with this software product or if you have any questions regarding this message, please contact the IT Support Center:
VCU Technology Services