I have been a proud user and supporter of Giveawayoftheday.com for a couple of years now and the problem I have is the first time it has happened. I have always been able to use and activate coreectly all the software you guys have to download and I never had any problems. Now, for some reason, when I download and install the zip file and it egts to the section where it brings up the pop up for activation, well that gets blocked or stopped somehow. I always get this error message explaining setup.exe couldn't complete the installation and needs to close. it then asks me to send an error report to microsoft, but they don't tell me how to fix it so why should I help them if they wont help me. Anyway I know there must be something doing this and I don't have anything installed that I never had before. I just installed a dvd copy prgram and I can't even activate it. The file installs fine and the program works fine, but once the pop up begins to appear to provide me with the activation code, it shuts down the installation. If I get one of the programs that automatically activates the software it usually works, it only happens when the setup has to give me the activation codes, that's all that is blocked. I just installed Plato DVD Copy and I can't even activate the program. If anyone knows how to help me with atleast activating the software today, that would be a help. If anyone can provide me with the codes for activating todays giveaway, please do. If anyone knows what causes this problem, then please tell me how to stop it. I have windows XP Home SP 2. Trend PC - Cillin Internet Security but I have tried to turn that off completely to install but the problem still occurs. I desperately need help.
Problems with activating giveaway software.
(14 posts) (5 voices)-
alison22000
MemberPosted 16 years ago # -
RunesageMagik
MemberHello, Alison,
First, know that I am no fan of Gates & Co and their indifference to the little folk, their lackadaisical attitude toward security, and their precedent setting method of making paying customers act as beta testers. That said, the monopoly is what it is. By submitting those autoreports, you're helping all the rest of us Windows users because the systems analysts in Redmond prioritize problems and incompatibilities and delegate resources to quickly resolve issues affecting the greatest number of users, then crank out their neverending potpourri of patches, fixes and upgrades. Had to get that off my chest before addressing your issue:
For reasons unknown (likely related to how various software integrates with Windows Registry and shared files), sometimes that README file says to run the Activation FIRST, and sometimes it says to run the SETUP first. Stupid Question of the Day: Are you absolutely sure you did the steps in the right order?
I honestly don't think your glitch has anything to do with your security progs. If it did, all my security measures would surely be red flagging the install and I didn't get a peep. Although I didn't want the software, I just downloaded and installed Plato to see how it'd go. (smoothly) Here's what you should have experienced...
This activation procedure was more convoluted that usual, but it worked. This was an "Install, then Activate". When I clicked Setup.exe, the "checking with GAOTD" pop up appeared briefly, then disappeared.
The installation wizard then appeared and I installed the software, whereupon two new boxes popped up simultaneously:
1) titled "successfully activated" showing the user and reg key
Posting Activation/Registration Keys is against Forum/Site Rules2- a strange little box threatening to kill the software after 3 uses if I didn't register it. So, like a good little drone, I clicked Register and pasted the info and now I own Plato.
May I suggest you delete everything, clear your Temp cache, reboot, download a fresh copy and try try again? Please post your results here.
BTW, the two pop up boxes were on top of each other. Perhaps you missed one? In a couple of past installs, the stupid pop up was also a pop under, hidden under other browser windows I had open.
Just between you, me and the fencepost (oh, and Bubby who is probably reading this, too) I wish GAOTD dealt with this README file better. Unfortunately, being a simple text file, they can't highlight in bold or red, so they should rewrite that file in a way that more clearly breaks out the step-by-step procedure, say in a series of numbered steps, AND by clearly identifying whether the README will be -
A - ACTIVATE FIRST, then INSTALL procedure
or
B - RUN SETUP to INSTALL FIRST, then ACTIVATE procedure
IMHO, that alone might eliminate many of the complaints caused by simple oversight. Another nice option would be if GAOTD allowed people to post screen shots so we can see exactly what any error message says.
I've made some suggestions recently - hopefully some improvements might be made. We'll see. - BuBBy
Posted 16 years ago # -
alison22000
MemberI don't need to be treated like an amature. I have been using computers and the internet for many years and giveawayoftheday for atleast 4 years, approx. I know how to install the programs correctly and that's not the problem. Also with the program for the give away today, it had no activation selection, only the setup.exe file, so i didn't have the opp to choose to activate the software first. Also even when I do have the 2 different options with the setup.exe and activation.exe, I still have the problem when I try to activate first or setup first. The installation proceedure isn't the problem, I know that because I have installed heaps of software from give away, so I know the routine. As I have stated, there must be something blocking the setup proceedure as I turn off my antivirus, firewall and delete all temp internet files cookies etc and I still have the problem. So what now. One last thing, I never lose sight of the activation window as I never have my browser open when installing the software and I know what I am doing so there isn't any way I can miss it, it just isn't being let to open or as I keep saying it is being blocked some how, so can someone tell me some help info to do with what can block the setup.exe without talking about my antivirus or firewall as I have told you I deactivated them and all the processors.
Posted 16 years ago # -
RunesageMagik
MemberWell excuuuuuuuuuse me for trying to be helpful. I didn't think mine was a condescending post even though I asked if you were absolutely sure you were doing things in the order stated. With some 37 years of computer experience and programming experience under my belt, I KNOW how frustrating it is to try to ferret out a problem via text messages with customer service reps who use the paint by numbers approach even when told specifically what's been tried. At least I went to the trouble of downloading the software so I could try to follow along with you. Best of luck, toots.
Posted 16 years ago # -
alison22000
MemberRunesageMagi, I have to thank you for atleast allowing me to use the activation sequence you got with your download, atleast I am able to use the program now. I am not upset with you personally, I just get very angry when things go wrong with my stupid computer, if it's not one thing it's another and it makes me wonder why we bother using them when they fail us so often. RunesageMagi, you were very helpfull to me, although the actual suggestions didn't work, you atleast had the care enough to paste your activation details here for me to use. The person who wrote the first answer said that the activation codes are different for everyone, well you are so wrong. When it comes to give away of the day software, the codes are all the same and that is what I was told from give away support although they didn't care enough about me being a proud user of their website, they still refused to help me in any way and just ignored all 14 emails I sent to them. It just goes to show that the admin has no care for it's users, just whatever money if any they make from it. Anyway thankyou RunesageMagi for the help you gave me. It may not have fixed the problem completely, but I atkeast got to activate the software today that I really wanted and seeing as though it is free why is it wrong to give someone else the activation info, it's not like it's illegal, when ut's free anyway. thanks for your help RunesageMagi and take care. I hope your here tommorrow if it's some great software to help me the same way again. Thanks for all your time. If anyone still has any helpfull hints to fix this, then please let me know asap. thanks.
Posted 16 years ago # -
RunesageMagik
MemberNo worries, alison. Glad you got it to work, even if I risked the wrath of Bubbykahn to help. I don't consider myself having had a productive week if I don't accidentally lose an hour of creative writing to a blue screen of death and have at least one program blow up in my face. As for GAOTD admin not caring, I suspect it's more a case of a basically volunteer operation not making a whole bunch of money while being bombarded 24/7 by hundreds of requests for help. You want an example of not caring about the little folk, just look at the Microsoft or telecomm monopolies, or Yahoo, or the US Congress. Compared to them, GAOTD is the Mother Theresa of freeware. Best wishes. Coober Pedy is where I'd like to be!
Posted 16 years ago # -
create4christ
MemberOkay RunesageMagi,
I sure hope you're there cause I need you!! I have tried activating first with Strike Ball 2, then setup . . .then deleting everything and doing setup first. I still can't get it to work. I keep getting the Demo screen that says I have 0 seconds left.
Can anyone help!!
Posted 16 years ago # -
create4christ
MemberVista Home, but I changed the compatibility to XP and Run as Administrator
Posted 16 years ago # -
create4christ
MemberIt looks like that worked. Thanks BuBBy!!
Posted 16 years ago #
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