Unable to register WideFS

[broncomaniac]

My brother and I have just purchased WideFS as we will be installing and running FlightSim Commander from a laptop which is networked to our gaming PC. We have had a registered version of FSUIPC for a number of years. When I try to register WideFS in the FSUIPC window the module refuses to accept the 12 character key we received from simMarket. It says it is not a valid 12 character key - but this is not true as it was copied and pasted from the e-mail. It seems to me that the cause of the problem is that we used a different e-mail address to purchase WideFS to the one used to purchase FSUIPC. We have several e-mail addresses, and we used the one that our simMarket account is registered to. However FSUIPC is linked to our joint e-mail address, and this is the name and e-mail address that appears at the top of the registration window. The registration window tells you to enter the 12 character key "using the exact name and address details you enter above". Presumably the key is being rejected because the name and e-mail address don't match. Unfortunately it is not possible to edit the name or e-mail address.

I can prove that this is the cause. I decided to try to fool the system by modifying my FSUIPC key file to contain the name and e-mail address used to purchase WideFS. If I then try to register WideFS it will accept the key, confirms registration and tells me to restart FS. I do so and go to the FSUIPC window, and it tells me that FSUIPC needs to be registered! So I shut down FS again, go to my FSUIPC key file and modify it again to show the original name and e-mail address which are correct for the FSUIPC registration. I start up FS again, go to the module window and then discover that FSUIPC is registered but WideFS is not!!

This is really daft. It seems that FSUIPC requires you to register both FSUIPC and WideFS using the same name and e-mail address. This is not a reasonable expectation, as it could be a number of years between registering each product and your e-mail address may have changed - or it could be a very short time but your e-mail may have changed for a number of reasons - or you had simply chosen to register WideFS using a different address.

I have just spotted on simMarket that it states "FSUIPC3 with key issued to the same name and e-mail address is required". I presume this is what I should have read, but this is not very clear English at all - why can't it say that you need to use the same name and e-mail address used to register FSUIPC?

Furthermore I have just noticed on the FSUIPC registration window that it says that WideFS registration is independent of FSUIPC registration, "but uses the same name and address when both are registered". Unfortunately you don't get to see this until you have already purchased WideFS and try to register it. This again is another case of rather unclear English - it says that it "uses" the same name and address, but doesn't make it clear that you need to use the same name and address when purchasing.

So what do I do? Surely I don't have to purchase WideFS again using the correct name and address? If it's any use, I have FSUIPC 3.96 and WideFS 6.78. Please help me. Thank you.

[Pete Dowson]

This is really daft. It seems that FSUIPC requires you to register both FSUIPC and WideFS using the same name and e-mail address.

...

So what do I do? Surely I don't have to purchase WideFS again using the correct name and address? If it's any use, I have FSUIPC 3.96 and WideFS 6.78. Please help me. Thank you.

1. The restriction in all RECENT versions of FSUIPC is only that the name is the same. You can have a different email address.

2. I cannot support such old versions as 3.96 in any case. Please update to a supported version and you will be okay. The oldest supported version of FSUIPC3 is 3.98.

Regards

Pete

[broncomaniac]

1. The restriction in all RECENT versions of FSUIPC is only that the name is the same. You can have a different email address.

2. I cannot support such old versions as 3.96 in any case. Please update to a supported version and you will be okay. The oldest supported version of FSUIPC3 is 3.98.

Regards

Pete

Thanks for the reply Pete. Since I sent my posting yesterday I found another posting on the forum (page 4) with the exact same problem. That told me that updating to the latest version would solve the problem as I could use a different address. I didn't realise there was a more up to date version, but I have now downloaded and installed version 3.98. I use Windows 7 64 bit, and I have tried the installation both as administrator and not as administrator - with the same results. I have tried all possible options in the registration window at the end of the installation process, including deleting the old registrations and re-registering both FSUIPC and WideFS - whatever I do I find that when I go into the module in FS either FSUIPC is registered and WideFS not, or vice versa - even though both registrations were apparently successful. I understand that I can use different addresses now, but the problem is that there are different names associated with those addresses. FSUIPC is registered for example under "John & Peter Smith", and WideFS under "John Smith" (not my real name!!). I had to give my brother's name for WideFS as we were using his simMarket account and his e-mail address. I have tried changing the name on the WideFS registration to "John & Peter Smith", but it won't accept that because it is expecting just "John Smith".

I am now in a loop that I cannot get out of without your help. If it helps, we purchased FSUIPC on 14/04/05 (simMarket order 163148) and WideFS on 16/10/10 (simMarket order 665186). If you need our exact names, e-mail addresses or whatever I can send these to you by e-mail or PM. Please let me know. Really sorry to be a pain, but I really do think this issue needs to be made much clearer on simMarket. I have since seen the registration notes on the latest FSUIPC documentation, but it is now rather a case of shutting the gate once the horse has bolted.....

Thanks for your help.

Edited October 18, 2010 by broncomaniac

[Pete Dowson]

I understand that I can use different addresses now, but the problem is that there are different names associated with those addresses. FSUIPC is registered for example under "John & Peter Smith", and WideFS under "John Smith" (not my real name!!). I had to give my brother's name for WideFS as we were using his simMarket account and his e-mail address. I have tried changing the name on the WideFS registration to "John & Peter Smith", but it won't accept that because it is expecting just "John Smith".

There is no way that I would ever change FSUIPC to allow both different names and different email addresses. That makes no sense and loses any proper "one person" registration protection. Don't forget that unlike many products I am not using machine identities because i want to allow you to use my programs on any machines you use.

I am now in a loop that I cannot get out of without your help. If it helps, we purchased FSUIPC on 14/04/05 (simMarket order 163148) and WideFS on 16/10/10 (simMarket order 665186). If you need our exact names, e-mail addresses or whatever I can send these to you by e-mail or PM.

The only way is to send everything to petedowson@btconnect.com and let me make you another key. SimMarket would also do that for you -- you simply raise a problem ticket and explain. When I'm away (as I was) that's far faster of course.

... but I really do think this issue needs to be made much clearer on simMarket.

Yours is the first ever case, in 7 years, of a different NAME being used. I had thought that by allowing different email addresses there would no longer be any problem!

Pete

[broncomaniac]

The only way is to send everything to petedowson@btconnect.com and let me make you another key. SimMarket would also do that for you -- you simply raise a problem ticket and explain. When I'm away (as I was) that's far faster of course.

Pete

Thanks again Pete. You say you need me to send you "everything". What specifically do you need me to send?

Thanks.

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks again Pete. You say you need me to send you "everything". What specifically do you need me to send?

As you said:

we purchased FSUIPC on 14/04/05 (simMarket order 163148) and WideFS on 16/10/10 (simMarket order 665186). If you need our exact names, e-mail addresses or whatever I can send these to you by e-mail or PM.

i.e. SimMarket order receipts, names, email addresses, and which registration you want changing to match the other.

Regards

Pete