Still no problems, but...

Hi everyone

I've always been with the people thinking that this thing with activations isn't really that bad. I mean, it's no big deal really. I'll never need to reactivate or loose activations, why would I? I never reinstall windows, I very seldom add hardware to my computer and I'm always very careful when I do, backing up stuff and taking care to preserve my precious activations. But I must say I'm getting nervous about loosing the ability to play my favourite game right now.

Since bying Black Shark I've had two harddrive crashes (system harddrive, if loosing data wasn't enough) and I lost one activation on a malfunctioning windows installation and now just yesterday came the most ridicoulus thing:

I reinstalled my malfunctioning drivers for my USB Bluetooth adapter. Nothing else has been added, removed or otherwise changed on my computer. Guess if I was stomped to see Black Shark asking for ANOTHER of my precious activations to get running!

This shouldn't be happening!!

I didn't remove anything, I just reinstalled a device that has been installed on my computer since long before the day I got Black Shark. I currently down to only 4 activations left and I'm frankly beginning to worry whether I'll loose the ability to play this game some day down the line.

Sorry for the long rant but my attitude towards activations of this kind is changing day by day now. :cry:

Thought I might revive this old goodie. ;)

Just installed patch 1.0.1 to my lovely Black Shark and to my dismay the activation software stole yet another one of my activations, as always blaming modifications to hardware - but I've made none in the last .. ever since I bought the entire computer 2 years ago.

I'm wondering, if anyone activation-related reads these posts, is there anyway to get a copy of my activation logs that you probably keep? I'm dying to know what's causing me to lose activations like this! (Obviosly the first two I already know..) Email or PM will do if you'd like to contact me =D Have a great day

edit: I was thinking, the only thing I ever added/removed to my computer during these last two years was the connection/disconnection of a flatscreen TV once or twice and the (very) common plugging in and out of my joystick/HOTAS and other USB peripherals like MP3-player and 360 controller.

By my understanding of the hardware points-system I suppose none of this should affect anything that could build my points up to above the 12 needed for a reactivation? I also just figured out that maybe I could have deactivated my installation upon being requested to reactivate instead of just bluntly trying to reactivate directly and through that save my activation?

The problem is being looked into.

Yes, there is a log of activations - if you run out of activations you may request another serial from ED, and they will examine the situation on a case by case basis, and usually they will give you another serial.

It is an additional safety blanket, but you should still guard your activations anyway.

I don't know the specifics of the patch with respect to SF, so I can't really tell you if this is due to a new version of SF that might be computing things differently and whatnot - but having to reactivate is something that wasn't planned for I believe. I'll try to inquire, but no promises.

The problem is being looked into.

 

Yes, there is a log of activations - if you run out of activations you may request another serial from ED, and they will examine the situation on a case by case basis, and usually they will give you another serial.

 

It is an additional safety blanket, but you should still guard your activations anyway.

 

I don't know the specifics of the patch with respect to SF, so I can't really tell you if this is due to a new version of SF that might be computing things differently and whatnot - but having to reactivate is something that wasn't planned for I believe. I'll try to inquire, but no promises.

Great thanks!

I'm beginning to think that it is not because of the patch and it was just an unfortunate coincidence. I'd very much like to see the logs or maybe be directed to someone that can help me find out what's happening making me lose activations like this. I'm totally sure I never changed my hardware anyway! =)

Sorry, was it just one activation or multiple? One activation could be coincidence, multiple, that's something to really seriously look into.

Sorry, was it just one activation or multiple? One activation could be coincidence, multiple, that's something to really seriously look into.

I've had two (2) activations lost without (as I see it) no reason at all.

Could you describe the circumstances exactly? (Unless I missed them, I guess. .. )

Could you describe the circumstances exactly? (Unless I missed them, I guess. .. )

Sure I'll try to retell them (they're mentioned in my first and second post in this thread as well).

First I'd like to start off with that I lost probably three (3) activations on two harddrive crashes about a month apart and then one malfunctioning windows installation in connection to the second crash. This was in february something like that. That makes three.

Then I had an incident this summer when my bluetooth USB-adapter started crapping out so I had to reinstall the drivers for that. Restarting Black Shark after that made me loose another activations. That makes four.

Then yesterday I installed the patch according to instructions; unloaded all mods and installed the patch on a clean installation without the slightest hint of modding or any of the like. Started the game after patching made me lose another activation. This makes five.

I guess you get 8 activations upon purchase, because I've now got three (3) left.

Hope any of this information helps?

Thank you.

I've seen SF get somewhat fickle with certain things before. Unfortunately I'm not certain anything can be done about this :/

I believe this is one of the reasons ED provides this safety blanket of providing you with more activations if needed.

Boulund - I've noticed when you install software like VMWare (not in your case.. but) it might be considered as hardware change.

I could suspect the new Network Adapters (virtual ones or new layers) or something similar to cause such an issue.

Now, USB Bluetooth it acts as a network device (to my knowledge) - which may explain that you also see such an issue regarding the Bluetooth change.

At least it's worth keeping in mind if you fidle around with such devices. :)

As for the rest of the lost activations I have no idea.

Boulund - I've noticed when you install software like VMWare (not in your case.. but) it might be considered as hardware change.

I could suspect the new Network Adapters (virtual ones or new layers) or something similar to cause such an issue.

 

Now, USB Bluetooth it acts as a network device (to my knowledge) - which may explain that you also see such an issue regarding the Bluetooth change.

At least it's worth keeping in mind if you fidle around with such devices. :)

 

As for the rest of the lost activations I have no idea.

Intruiging as I have VMWare installed and currently run three virtual computers every now and then. This might very well be why I encounter these things! Good find. But still! I've made no changes and I really haven't changed anything with my three virtual computers since february this year. I still don't think that using VMware should cause my activations to disappear! ;)

I just suspect that when the VMware (Workstation) layers change, you might experience issues. I experienced one such loss after installing VMware, but I've learned.

I'm not sure which circumstance you get it - if it's when the VMWare (host) layers are updated, or when you change any of the virtual devices (attached to a guest). But it's there ... somewhere :)

I just suspect that when the VMware (Workstation) layers change, you might experience issues. I experienced one such loss after installing VMware, but I've learned.

I'm not sure which circumstance you get it - if it's when the VMWare (host) layers are updated, or when you change any of the virtual devices (attached to a guest). But it's there ... somewhere :)

Nice spotted of you! Very unfortunate though. I'd love to keep using my VMware virtual computers but now I'm scared to even touch them, and thinking about uninstalling it is equally unnerving! ;)

Ah, newsflash.

I just got a question to reactivate here too.

- Situation: Been doing some work in a VMWare Guest session (VMware Workstation 6.5.2)

- Started up my DCS to test a file on the server

- Activation in my face.

Luckily I do have both my Serial+Reactivation code, so I just hit the "Activate now" using the format:

AA-BBBBBB-CCCCCC-DDDDDD-EEEEEE:FFFF-GGGGGG

which is:

<serial-code-here-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:<reactivation>

I got a prompt something similar to this:

"This activation is still in use on this machine, do you want to continue using it for the program. Start using the applicaiton without reactivating?"

I promptly answered "Yes, heck ya".

And DCS started as expected.

Ah, newsflash.

I just got a question to reactivate here too.

- Situation: Been doing some work in a VMWare Guest session (VMware Workstation 6.5.2)

- Started up my DCS to test a file on the server

- Activation in my face.

 

Luckily I do have both my Serial+Reactivation code, so I just hit the "Activate now" using the format:

 

I got a prompt something similar to this:

 

I promptly answered "Yes, heck ya".

And DCS started as expected.

Sounds like something I'd like to know more about =) Still no cure for the cause though =(

Please explain in further detail how I should acquire this reactivation code? I'm pretty sure I know where my serial is anyway ;)

Sounds like something I'd like to know more about =) Still no cure for the cause though =(

 

Please explain in further detail how I should acquire this reactivation code? I'm pretty sure I know where my serial is anyway ;)

You get one if you use "deactivation" once - returns a code and explains you how to use it. I've already deactivated once and reactived again, so I had the code stored on my disk. :)

Id' like to make it "official" that VMWare Workstation (6.5.x) networking will eat your activations.

I'd like to add that this is somewhat "bad" that a network interface change (a virtual one in this case) will change the checksum for your computer (the checksum that Starforce uses to verify that it's your computer).

IMHO; Network Interface changes may happen quite often in a Computer's lifecycle and should not be part of the sum.

To reproduce;

1. Start your DCS multiplayer - ensure that you do NOT have any activation issues BEFORE you start.
   
2. Start VMWARE Workstation.
   
3. Click -->EDIT menu --> "Virtual Network Editor ...".
   (Do not use the standalone Shortcut for "Virtual Network Editor" on the Start-menu\VMware).
   a) Add a new "host Virtual Adapter"
   b) Apply and exit
   
   
4. Start DCS multiplayer again - you should get a "Error" for the activation.
   
   
5. Remove the recently added "VMnet2" host virtual adapter again.
   You may have to remove it from the DHCP tab too.
   
6. Start DCS multiplayer again - you should NOT have any activation issues.
   

Great for the heads up, I've since you discovered this decided to move on and run linux system and other stuff on my other PC so that it doesn't interfere with the otherwise great game.

Btw, I tried doing a deactivation but got no reactivation code like you spoke of? It only said to use my serial key to reactivate, nothing mentioned (and I even looked hard for it) about said reactivation code. Which is strange, because it is actually mentioned in all readmes etc.

Btw, I tried doing a deactivation but got no reactivation code like you spoke of? It only said to use my serial key to reactivate, nothing mentioned (and I even looked hard for it) about said reactivation code. Which is strange, because it is actually mentioned in all readmes etc.

Ah, I might have remember the details it a bit incorrectly, it's a while since a did it. But you do get a reactivation code after deactivation - otherwise I wouldnt have it :p

Maybe someone else have the correct procedure to recieve it when you deeactivate. :)

Just installed patch 1.0.1

http://www.star-force.com/support/users/deactivate/

Patch 1.0.1 also updates StarForce. The new version doesn't use the reactivation code. It becomes simpler.

Ah that's wonderful. Thank you. Is this information available to me (end-user) somewhere that I just missed or was it a slip in the patch information?

Currently info about changes between SF versions presents only on SF web site.

You get one if you use "deactivation" once - returns a code and explains you how to use it. I've already deactivated once and reactived again, so I had the code stored on my disk. :)

No you don't get one. I deactivated twice and no code both times. Now I'm down to 5 activations left thanks to ED's mistrust and misrepresentations to its customers. ED didn't even have the decency to return my email to them.

No you don't get one. I deactivated twice and no code both times. Now I'm down to 5 activations left thanks to ED's mistrust and misrepresentations to its customers. ED didn't even have the decency to return my email to them.

I guess you didn't read Tez's post?

I've never gotten a deactivation code when deactivation either. But counting my activations I still got the same number of them when I activated the next time.

http://www.star-force.com/support/users/deactivate/

Patch 1.0.1 also updates StarForce. The new version doesn't use the reactivation code. It becomes simpler.