Deactivate/Re-install on another OS/HDD

[dnnzed]

Hi,

 

sorry, I know this activation thing is discussed back-and-forth millions time, but maybe my question is not the same, something is not clear and I want to be sure.

I'm on XP with 1.0.1 DCS install. I want to upgrade to Win7. I just got my W7 now, and I installed it onto a "backup/test" HDD for the reason to test the whole stuffs (install every programs what I use, test etc.) and if everything is fine, I will format my "proper" HDD (XP is on this one now) and reinstall W7 and every stuffs again. So, now I have a HDD with my old system (XP) and an other HDD (with W7, program installs are in processing now).

 

My question is: am I loose any activation if I deactivate on my XP system and install it onto another HDD with another OS, then activate, then deactivate, then install another HDD (this would be the old XP HDD format then W7), and activate on it again?

Maybe it was confused... :-)

Here is step-by-step what should I do:

1. Deactivate DCS on my XP (let's say, this is on HDD1).

2. Put my W7 installed HDD into the pc (let's say this is HDD2).

3. Install and activate DCS on this W7 (HDD2).

4. Playing/testing

5. Deactivate/uninstall DCS on W7 (HDD2).

6. Format my HDD1.

7. Install W7 onto HDD1.

8. Install/Activate DCS on this system.

 

So, am I loose any activation with this procedure?

 

I'm confused about this activation. I know, there are "points" when they are reach a limit it means a new activation, or something... Right? Or what?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

[Ovenmit]

Im not quite sure if I understand... but if you installed on both drives just deactivate on both drives and re-install/activate once done.

[slug88]

dnnzed, it's quite simple: you will *never* lose an activation as long as you deactivate first. So, no, you won't lose any activations with the procedure you described.

[dnnzed]

Great! Thanks!

[Joe Kurr]

I'm facing a similar issue.

For testing purposes I have created a dualboot: XP SP2 32bit / Win7 Ultimate 64bit.

 

For my Win7 install I already did a clean reinstall of Lockon, (I now have four LOFC installs on one machine), but I'm reluctant to do the same with DCS.

Can I for example boot in Win7, run DCS, reboot to XP, run DCS again, and not loose (de)activations?

 

IIRC changing OS is 3 points of a maximum of 13 needed to loose an activation.

What I'd like to know is if this is cumulative, so XP --> Win7 = 3 points, what will the 'score' be when I switch back to XP? Still 3, or 6?

[Kuky]

Be aware you do have limited number of De-Activations for every Activation key so you can't keep activating and de-activating infinite number of times. I am not 100% but I think there are 9 de-activations for every activation key.

[EtherealN]

Each licence comes with 8 activations and 10 de-activations. Note that the de-activations are not 10 for every activation (80), they are just 10. So before doing anything the OP should be listed as 7 activations and 10 de-activations remaining on his license. Step 1 as listed decreases de-activations to 9, step 3 re-uses the first activation due to it being de-activated first, step 5 costs another de-activation, and step 8 then once again re-uses the de-activated activation.

 

So after the operation is completed the license should have 7 activations and 8 de-activations remaining.

[dnnzed]

Buhh.. Now, that's not great... :-S

I guess, there is no other solution...

Only if I miss the "test" install procedure and install onto the final OS. (By this, I will save 1 activation and 1 deactivation, right? But also loose 1 deactivation and 1 activation, when uninstall from the old XP OS, and reinstall to the new W7 OS.)

[EtherealN]

No, with the procedure listed you never lose an activation. What I listed above is remaining activations and de-activations. You start with 8 and 10 respectively, but you used one activation when you installed it the first time ever. Effectively you are using de-activations instead of activations.

 

I'll move the thread over to the Activation section where others might be searching for similar information in the future. :)

 

Skipping the test install would mean that you end up at 7 activations and 9 de-activations remaining. Note though that this assumes you've previously not spent any other than the first activation upon first install. You can check this on the star-force website: http://proactive.star-force.com/2.0/activate.php

 

Enter your serial number there, then click "Serial Number Parameters" to see the status of your serial number.

Edited November 20, 2009 by EtherealN

[Frederf]

You always spend an activation while activating, no matter what. The thing is deactivating gives you an additional activation so it comes out even in the end.

 

Say the game is installed and you have 4 activations. You deactivate which gives you another for a total of 5. Thus when you activate again it takes you back down from 5 to 4.

[EtherealN]

That's hairsplitting, Frederf. :P

If you start with 4 and end up at 4 it's easier to just say you didn't spend any. The system is confusing enough already for some people.

 

But yes, that would be technically correct I guess.

[Kuky]

no wait a second here... if I activate/deactivate/activate/deactivate/etc... and untill I used up 9 deactivation on first activation key are you saying I will not be able to deactivate on next 7 activation keys? That doesn't sound right.

[Frederf]

You have multiple keys as in you bought multiple copies of the product? I would assume that the activate/deactivate counters are not global but unique to all purchased keys/licenses.

[DanKurt]

no wait a second here... if I activate/deactivate/activate/deactivate/etc... and untill I used up 9 deactivation on first activation key are you saying I will not be able to deactivate on next 7 activation keys? That doesn't sound right.

 

Hmmm, I thought like yourself Kuky, that with each activate I had 9 deactivations. This would make sense to me as you would then be able to put the game on 9 totally different PC's or 9 rebuilds.

 

It is a very confusing activation system especially with amount of times people change their PC's not to mention how many PC's that an individual/family household actually have (1 lappy for the kids , 1 works lappy and a my Desktop. 2 of which have DCS on).

 

It would be interesting to know for instance, if you do manage to use up all your deactivations but are still on your original activation with 8 left, would ED/Starforce grant you another set of deactivations or would you have to purchase an new copy of the Game?:huh:

[EvilBivol-1]

The number of deactivations is total, not per activation.

 

ED will grant you a new set of activations/deactivations if you run out of all of them and therefore can no longer run the game. Provided you have proof of purchase.

[DanKurt]

Cheers for clearing that up.......Now where is that dam receipt!

[EtherealN]

Also note that just changing anything in the computer is not enough to trigger a new activation. The system uses a points system where different actions - like CPU change, RAM amount change, hard drive volume and so on are worth a set of points, and only when the hardware differences exceed a limit will the system trigger a new activation. CPU change and OS reinstalls are the cases where you are probably really going to want to deactivate. I have tweaked my storage and peripherals a lot and never been prompted.

 

Refer to the DCS FAQ for more details on that.

[Kuky]

Thanks for clearing this up...

 

One more quick question (I think someone actually asked this already but now I can't remember the answer, so shame on me), does that registry saving utility work for DCS BS same as for LockOn?

[Tez]

Sage Pay (PROTX) receipt isn't obligatory. Just send email from the mailbox to which your DCS web site account is registered to.