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Is there any way ....

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Started 1 month ago by Dragonlair
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Dragonlair

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I did not rebuild my computer. All the software I received free from here is still here. However, there were some username changes and creations (a mess trying to get Calendar to work). The result is that some of the software I got from GOTD and GGOTD are back to trial versions. It appears that all of Alawar is involved and at least the Advanced Registry Doctor as well. I am still trying to figure out what I have after this mess.

Is there any way I can get these back to licensed as I had them before?

As I said, I did not rebuild my drive. I did not over-write the applications. I created a new ID and copied the profile from my old ID to the new ID (as per Microsoft's instructions).

BTW - I am NOT happy with Microsoft over this. Tim never gave me the least hint that I would lose customizations of ALL my software and lose the licensing of these products. I have complained and I'm waiting for a response.

Posted 1 month ago #
Txnnok

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I'm fixing to go through with this today, upgrading to W7. I'm using the upgrade disk and could try to see if would my programs alone, but I'm gonna format and repartition.

That being said, I've been backing up up my software all night, especially the GOATD ones. I hope if I install the packages back in the licenses will be there. If it is being carried in the registry then it won't work.

All this wasnt much help for you, but I

Hope they give you response.

Posted 1 month ago #
Whiterabbit-uk

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Most of the games given away prior to it going to weekends only did place registry files in the registry, which means that when transferring only the game itself, it will revert to demo only. Alawars games all came with registry additions. Unless you back up your registry and transfer it over (which for the layman needs dedicated software), there's not much you can do.

WR

Posted 1 month ago #
Txnnok

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Thanks for the info. Didnt mean to hijack your thread Dragonlair, hopefully some its useful info,

I wonder if nero back it up trial will do it for one day, if it does registry keys.

I did find this free software. I dont know anything about it, so I wont post a link for readers. It says it registry keys though.

Back it up 5.4.9.125 description
A backup tool, that creates ZIP files for local backups and also offers mirror functions via copy or FTP Back it up is a backup tool, that creates ZIP files for local backups and also offers mirror functions via copy or FTP.
Several backup sets can be configured and folders and separate files can be added to each backup set. For each backup set there`s the option to delete specified files depending on the extension you enter.
You can also exclude certain extensions from the backup.
The program comes with an easy to use wizard that guides you through the creation of your backup set. You can also export/restore registry keys and manage multiple backups.

-------------------------------------------

Might be worth a try.

Posted 1 month ago #
GMMan

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Your reversion to trial is due to most developers' negligence of placing their registration data into a more permanent place in the registry. Instead of placing them in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, or even HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (which I consider a bad place to put registration data, but at least it's more permanent), they put it on a per-user basis in HKEY_CURRENT_USER. That means only that user have the registration and no one else does. Your best bet would be to do a System Restore, export all the registration data you can find in the old users' registry, and then reimport them into the current users' registry after you System Restore into your current configuration.

(Mind you, Windows Registry is not stored on a per-user basis. What I mean is to import them under HKEY_CURRENT_USER for every user so that they have the registration data.)

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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GMMan,

Thanks for the idea but we tried that! Possibly because of the creation and removal of users, a system restore to yesterday morning BEFORE we got started and the restore failed. Maybe if we had done a registry backup before hand, we might be able to get it back as the "current user" would have changed but it might still work. "IF" - the biggest little word in the English Language!

I don't know why the restore failed, I just know it did. We tried a few restore points and they all failed. We were able to restore to a point AFTER the creation of the last user but that didn't help. It just proved that system restore still worked!

Posted 1 month ago #
GMMan

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Try Safe Mode System Restore. After you go into Safe Mode, log on and click No. Then it'll present you with System Restore. It might work, but it also might not. If not, I guess the only thing you can do is to reinsert the serial numbers (if you saved them) or wait for a rerun.

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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The Alawar games offered here did not give us the actual "serial" or "unlock" numbers. Since this was more than 24 hours ago, I am reluctant to try a restore that way. I have my doubts that it will work with the user involved now deleted.

Has anybody had any experience in restoring a deleted user BACK into existence?

Diane

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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Just for completeness. I didn't actually try almost any of the games or utilities I received from here. I just opened them, sometimes checked the "About" for any licensing information and closed it. From that, it looks like my previous check was right. Out of 13 utilities, one failed. Maybe my problem was the fact that I had 13 utilities on the 13th of the month! HMMMM. If I counted right, I have 82 games from here installed. I lost 27 of them plus 7 from Alawar's Gamebox free game of the month.

I did lose 2 other products (PCStitch Standard and Plastic Canvas Design Studio) but they have been restored thanks to the developer's kindness in giving me new unlock codes.

I'm afraid to take DRASTIC measures that might cause more problems at this point. We're on our way back to normal and I guess I have to consider myself lucky that the damage wasn't any worse. There may still be more problem products but, like the PCStitch products, I think I can work those out.

Posted 1 month ago #
BuBBy

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Administrator

Two topics that touch on this subject.

Reinstalling a giveaway program

and

Formatted computer

Posted 1 month ago #
Terri218

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What is Alawar's Gamebox free game of the month these days?

Posted 1 month ago #
ScarletPetal

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I think it's still StrikeBall 2 Deluxe, but for some reason I can NEVER get either the Gamebox or Windows Error Reporting to connect to the Internet on my machine anymore.

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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Bubby,

I understand that a reinstall of a product or a reformat of your computer is not supported. However, I did neither. I simply created a new user and lost about 30% of the GOTD products (games & utilities) that I had. The installs themselves were not touched at all. I noticed several of the utilities have the licensee as "Giveaway of the Day" which implies that I would most likely lose them in a case of a reformat or reinstall. That I accept.

ScarletPetal, Alawar's Gamebox usually changes around the 15th. It should within the next day or two.

Posted 1 month ago #
copmom

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Dragonlair.. first of all I'm curious about why you created a 'new user'?? Won't it let you choose which 'user' you want if you have several? And instead of worrying about losing anything.. (which I've done in the past), I've always had 2 HD's on my machine. Then I use Acronis True Image to make a clone of my HD so I have it as a backup and it can serve as a stand alone hard drive with all the system files, etc. right there. Of course since I'm periodically adding new things, I periodically 'reclone' from the one I use everyday to the other just to keep it up to date.

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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Copmom,

I normally have one user - it makes booting a bit easier. I created more IDs to try to fix a problem with Calendar. Somehow, my main ID was corrupted and the one known problem was the Windows Calendar would not wake up to remind me. We do not have a 2nd internal HD. We do have an external HD but it is not a clone - just a generational backup of our user data.

I do choose among several IDs but none of them are the "original" ID because of this mess so I can't go back. I've discovered that once you change the list of users in any way, you cannot restore to prior to the latest configuration. To prevent further problems, we're (hubby and I) going forward from where we are. Except for the lost items (34 games and 1 utility), we have it at least in a working form and are progressing on other customizations and "cleanup".

As much as it hurts to say - games are not critical to my computer. It's better to stay here than to risk more damage by doing more. At least the main system seems to be working OK. Even Calendar works now!

However, thanks for the tip of the 2nd HD and the cloning. The next time we get a new machine, we may consider that!

Diane

Posted 1 month ago #
copmom

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Talk about corrupt! I had a scare this morning! Windows did an automatic update.. 14 items! Then it went to reboot and all I had was a blank blue screen! No icons at all! Figured something killed it. So, switched to my original C: drive (it's been an F: drive), and when it booted up it said downloading updates.... then reboot, another blank screen! This time I just let it be, and after about 10 full minutes the icons finally came up on my main screen. Then switched the HD's again, and after waiting another 10-15 minutes that drive also showed. Grrrrrrr. Also, I just deleted that AnVirus program from 2 days ago, don't want anything else taking over my machine. I am getting really paranoid!

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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Copmom,

My monthly Windows update was 15 items and I got the message Tuesday afternoon in the middle of my "mess". I let it be and did the update yesterday morning. I allow Windows to check for updates but it's not allowed to install them without my OK! The only thing I allow to actually download and update itself is my anti-virus Avira.

I had no trouble with the update. It took a while to do. The download of about 43 MB was minor. I had no blue screen or anything else. Just a normal boot at the end of the update. I have no idea why your update dragged on that long.

I guess my problem has everybody jumpy! At least I'm in good company. :))))

Posted 1 month ago #
copmom

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Yes.. I am a bit jumpy now! Guess we're all going to be hopping around like a bunch of Mexican jumping beans! LOL
Now that I'm being paranoid, I think I'll go ahead and ghost this larger HD onto my original C: drive so they're BOTH up to date. I have been going through different games, and doing a lot of deleting on the ones I've finished, so no point in having them back if I have to use my original drive again! Revo uninstaller has been mighty busy since the weekend. That was in between a major shredding job I've been doing since last Saturday. Found I still have files of all our business/financial/tax paperwork going back to 1980 in our storage shed. Well, I've now got the 1980's shredded, almost finished with the 1990's. Then the year 2000 and 2001. I think we're supposed to keep things like receipts and tax stuff for seven years. Am I right? I forgot!

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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Some of the supporting work, maybe but my husband and I are such packrats (and paranoid - he's BEYOND Paranoid - all the way to "Infinite-noid") that there are some things we keep forever and basic Tax forms are among them (personal - no business ones). I think the statute of limitations is 10 years but if the government thinks there is fraud involved, there is NO statute of limitations.

My external hard drive backup of some data did come in handy. Some of the files (zips) were not accessible for security reasons. A restore from the manual copy backup I made just last weekend saved us a lot of work by correcting the problem.

I don't trust Microsoft's backup. We manually copy (in groups) the data we want and where we want to put it. That way we KNOW what we have and we KNOW we can get to it.

Hubby is a former Systems Programmer (large IBM mainframe) and I'm experienced as "site administrator) for PCS, Symbolics and Micro-Vaxes (some years back). We each have over 30 years computer experience.

Posted 1 month ago #
copmom

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Well, now I 'ghosted' my C: drive to my older F: drive so that's done, but after Acronis got through I had to press a key to shut down, then rebooted. Watched the clock.. it took a total of EIGHT minutes for the basic screens bright blue to show any icons or the start button, clock, etc. This is a big pain! Am running WinXP SP2. When SP3 came out I had installed that, and promptly deleted it.. that messed me up. Just got through Googling and most of the info. there on s-l-o-w start up goes back to 2007 and prior.. so no telling what the 14 items today did to me!

Posted 1 month ago #
Dragonlair

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I have begun contacting the developers of the games that I lost (other than Alawar - 28 games: 21 GOTD, 7 Gamebox). Since I have not received any contact from Alawar in almost a year of trying (5 different addresses), I don't see that it will help contacting them. So far, I have had one response (within 10 - 15 minutes) and that game is now available.

I have to say that the support from Dextrogames is wonderful! I have also contacted Gambana (1 game), RealApex (1 game), Axysoft (1 game), and Meridian 93 (2 games).

I uninstalled Advanced Registry Doctor Pro when it quit but it was the only one of 13 utilities that failed in the fiasco of last week.

Posted 1 month ago #

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