Anyone from ED wanna explain this?

[Alfa]

I have reported it.

 

- JJ.

[bflagg]

Guy's Read ruggbutt's post. He's doing it right.

As stated HERE on this board, the install creates a unique ID that is generated from

your hardware resources. This number is unique - period.

This number is supposed to be sent to StarFarce and stored there. This is were

the comparison takes place when you reinstall. Apparently this part isn't happening.

 

It's either, the 27page thread about this issue and the facts as stated were not the facts at all, or... it's just a glitch and it will be corrected.

 

I think it's a glitch.

 

RuggButt.

If you installing to C:, image your drive. This way your won't go down in count

when your restore you image.

[bflagg]

I'm with ruggbutt on this one. We were told that it was 40% of hardware. Is ED saying if we reinstall the operating system that uses up an activation too? T

 

I asked this question directly along with many others... It shouldn't take up a activation count.

 

Just a requirement to connect and verify your activation after reinstall.

[Guest ruggbutt]

Thanks bflagg, I've already imaged it. And I'm really anal about things like this so I read the EULA. What sucks is that I followed Wags' instructions and I didn't figure that it would eat another install, as it's supposed to use the generated ID. Dammit Wags, you owe me one!!! j/k ;)

 

I'd like to see ED hook me up and give me an extra install back, or redo my code or something.

 

And while I'm here complaining about this let me say that 1.1 runs much better than previous versions. And I was doing some damage w/teh A10 and Rockeyes. The terrain is sierra hotel, much improved.

[bflagg]

That great to hear it's now working for you....

I'm still on the fence.... and it's all depends on you bold folks and your interactions wiht starfarce.

[Cosmonaut]

Ok seeing as Wagg’s post was edited then I guess this is a bug for everyone. Hmm so as it stands right now if you reinstall your OS then that’s gonna cost you an activation.

 

Well I think I’ll wait until these issues are sorted out.

[Guest ruggbutt]

I didn't reinstall the OS. I had texture corruption after I installed the first time.

[Conuk]

Guy's Read ruggbutt's post. He's doing it right.

As stated HERE on this board, the install creates a unique ID that is generated from

your hardware resources. This number is unique - period.

This number is supposed to be sent to StarFarce and stored there. This is were

the comparison takes place when you reinstall. Apparently this part isn't happening.

 

It's either, the 27page thread about this issue and the facts as stated were not the facts at all, or... it's just a glitch and it will be corrected.

 

I think it's a glitch.

 

RuggButt.

If you installing to C:, image your drive. This way your won't go down in count

when your restore you image.

 

This was gonna be my next question - I had a drive die yesterday... put in a new one... reinstalled everything - all new drivers etc... thing dont seem to shut down properly.... just bought Flaming... not sure whether I gonna reformat and put back on again.

 

So you reckon an image - wouldnt messup starforce ???

Scenario - image taken after flaming ... drive crashes... reinstall my image.... this happens a few times... etc ... will that be all my activation attempts ?

 

hmmmmm ... will hang on and see - before installing Flaming.

[Cosmonaut]

I didn't reinstall the OS. I had texture corruption after I installed the first time.

 

Yeah I know but the method of uninstall you used would be the same as if you reinstalled your OS. After reading this thread I doubt anyone would remove the registry entries but reinstalling your OS is something most people do once or twice a year.

[bflagg]

As long as everything is identical (even changing out to a different drive) will work just fine.

 

Imaging is a byte by byte, sector by sector HD copying utility.

I use drive image 2002 (DI 7 blows because you must have the CD, if your going to backup your images to a network resource, plus there is a 57meg "patch").

Ghost is also great....

 

If it's on the HD when you Image it, it will be there when you restore the image.

I use it all the time.

 

You cannot take the image and put it on another machine.

The XP/NT HAL layer would be different and XP/NT would crash and not boot.

 

 

I have 3 images of the same machine

1. Clean XPsp1 - authenticated with MS

2. Clean XPsp2 - authenticated with MS and has all the windows updates installed (no vid card drivers)

3. XPsp2 - authenticated, Updated, Office, Lotus, PSP8.0, all drivers.

 

It appears, to get around this stupid activation all the time, I would have to create a XP install with FC on it (what a waste!!!).

The bitch would be if your FC got corrupted then a restore would be necessary (it overwrites your HD, so you have to backup your "things you gotta keep" first)

The advantage, StarForce software on your machine will still think it's day 1, when your restore your image.

 

It's a great tool for quick system restores....

It gets rid of the annoying, re-registering with M$ crap. (which I suspect will also work with SF)

[Guest ruggbutt]

I'm using Acronis True Image. It will image your h/d when the rig is running, no need to reboot to the program to do the imaging. You use 2 floppies on reboot to restore an image.

[bflagg]

Acronis works good also... different strokes for different folks...

[Conuk]

cool.

 

thanks for that.

 

After my reinstall system will still not shut down properly - just restarts ... so will install FC when I get to the bottom of this... never seen this before..... then I`ll make the new image and all should be cool.

[VMFA-Blaze]

Yes Day Glow I totally agree with you about holding off purchases on the first day....

 

I can't believe it but I actually got my pay pal account set up today after a month's worth of effort...

 

But I've still got some work left to do with my system and from what I've just read here its probably just as well .....

 

Im ordering the XFX 6600 256 AGP from Zip Zoom Fly tonight and I'll most likely recieve

it on Monday......

 

I've got a lowley FX 5700 Le in it now thats hooked up to my HDTV...

 

This set up as it now stands doesn't allow me to really see the hud clearly......

 

So when the new card is installed I should hopefully be set for about a year,and then I'll purchase the down load....

 

~S~

 

Blaze

[169th_Moose]

I could not help myself, LoL. I know have it. And not looking back. Its worth it. Its aint the same flight with 1.1....Go for it.

 

Thats my 3cents....

[Guest ruggbutt]

A quick bump for the devs.

[bflagg]

This is good new..

 

http://forum.lockon.ru/showpost.php?p=53819&postcount=3

 

and if it works as advertised, imaging your HD wouldn't have to be done...

(tho I think #4 is bogus)

[Orao]

my .02$:

1) always use a manual method of activation. this will guaranty that nothing is sending and receiving via network. also, this will help you to avoid "hang-up" problems with starforce automatic activation, which is happening on some specific network configurations, when using some firewalls, etc.

2) after getting "machine code", go to proactive.star-force.com and manually enter machine code and serial key. you'll get activation key and number of how many activation left.

3) always save your machine code and activation keys to text file, jut in case.

4) remember: everytime you ask for activation, you getting minus one activation left, even if you didn't change anything in your hardware.

5) before uninstalling LO:FC, backup it's registry keys. This will help you to avoid of unnecessarily activations.

 

Number 5 is crap. Why I should backup my registry keys ??? What will happen when I format my HD and I don't have an image of my HD ???

 

I beleive that STRAFORCE gave us direct statement in which he said that after formating our HD the reactivation count wont be decremented.

[Aeroaero]

i dont know how to do this..

"quote"

1) always use a manual method of activation. this will guaranty that nothing is sending and receiving via network. also, this will help you to avoid "hang-up" problems with starforce automatic activation, which is happening on some specific network configurations, when using some firewalls, etc.

2) after getting "machine code", go to proactive.star-force.com and manually enter machine code and serial key. you'll get activation key and number of how many activation left.

3) always save your machine code and activation keys to text file, jut in case.

4) remember: everytime you ask for activation, you getting minus one activation left, even if you didn't change anything in your hardware.

5) before uninstalling LO:FC, backup it's registry keys. This will help you to avoid of unnecessarily activations. ...

 

I know how to format c:,but that is all and i do it a lot ...

ED said we only need to activate if hardware changed 40% like a new mobo /or graph card ...

THEY SAID SWEET F ****LL ABOUT EVERY TIME WE FORMAT ...

I hope this aint true cause i have not tried a format with 1.1 yet, but i 100% know i will be soon with the mixture of diff devices i use and conflicts the software cause are very delicatley balanced.

Just by installin ati new drivers i can sometimes it happens cause a format especially when i try omegas or dna driver the new releases.....

i know nothing about reg stuff that is why i format.

I was always told dont mess with it if you dont understand its workings just format. they should not be telling people to go there.

Well thats my opinion ,we paid for it so we should not have to in the future go cap in hand to starforce.

but then again maybe we wont??????

 

 

 

This is an e-mail received this morning from ED with regard to this issue:

 

"Hello

 

The 1.1 must be installing on 1.0, 1.01 and 1.02. But if you modified any of these versions(add or delete files, substitute skins, etc.) it might be problems.

To avoid the problems for sure it much more secured to reinstall the LockOn.

 

There is no really reason to reinstall 1.1 on the computer, since you can modify the hardware up to 40%. But if

you spent all 5 activations by some reasons(???) we will review the situation and find solution.

 

Best regards,

 

LOFC"

[Dmut]

Number 5 is crap. Why I should backup my registry keys ??? What will happen when I format my HD and I don't have an image of my HD ???

 

I beleive that STRAFORCE gave us direct statement in which he said that after formating our HD the reactivation count wont be decremented.

number 5 isn't about how to avoid activation if you change your hardware. it's helps when you didn't change it.

 

and hey - it's not my fault that SF ask for activation everytime you reinstall FC. I thought that it woudn't, and it's not supposed to...

I just trying to help.

[Guest ruggbutt]

What happens when LOMAN screws up and you get corrupted textures? You have to reinstall Lock On. Sometimes the game itself would start to run slow and a reinstall would fix it.

 

I reinstalled Lock On several times this year already, this is lame about it using the reg key every time you reinstall to the same hardware.

 

ED, you really need to do something about this........................

[bflagg]

Even tho this is apples and oranges.. you have to do the same with falcon 4 if your restoring your F4 install from a backup.........and it's a one step process....

 

(I do understand your concerns ruggbutt)

[Guest ruggbutt]

At least someone cares.................;)

[pappavis]

I have bought and downloaded lo-mac 1.1 with paypal, installed etc. All working fine. But i am sure that starforce will give me trouble sometime in future. Fortunatley my sis-in-law is return from Russia in 2 weeks to South Africa she will bring me 3 copies of lo-mac :).

I wanna then try to install the russian language version and overwrite the language config files with those from the downloadversion.

 

My best recommandation is to order lo-mac on CD-ROM this way you are elimenating starforce AND supporting further development of lo-mac :) :).

 

Enough complaining, back to flying my new Su-25T baby :P.

[britgliderpilot]

. . . . . Doesn't a reinstall on "manual" not need a new activation?

 

Just checking . . . .