System updates and reactivation woes

[RedBeardSean]

Okay, there's no long-story-short here. Last autumn I formatted and reimaged my PC. Reinstalled Hero Lab. Happiness.

In the spring, there was an update that had me reactivate my license. I discovered that I could actually do two installations on the same license, so I put a copy on my second computer. Because of the update and reactivation, I had to wait until this fall to activate the license on the second computer. I did that Monday.

This morning, I open up Hero Lab, see that there's an update, and it being pre-coffee in the morning, I reactivate the license. It now tells me I have to wait the 120-day waiting period to reactivate, and now can only run the damned thing in try-out mode for the next 3 months.

I am not happy.

[Duggan]

I'll assume you've sent an email to support@woflair.com already. That's the fastest way to get your problems solved. As for why this might be triggered, there are a few possibilities. One is that you accidentally logged in with one of your other installations and re-upped the time - I know I did much the same at one point with my license. Another is that something bugged and the program thought your system had changed in the interim.

Just to be sure I'm clear on the sequence of events, you installed it on Computer A, reformatted it in autumn and re-installed it, still as your primary license. In the spring, you ran an update which required you to contact the server again to re-authenticate your install. At this time, you installed your secondary license on Computer B.
Unless there's a third computer involved, you should have been able to activate that immediately. The reactivation only involves the first computer. Or did you use your secondary computer when you re-installed by accident?

BTB, you probably won't get an official response for another hour or two. Most of Lone Wolf lives on the West Coast including their support staff. It's one of the reasons I figured I'd go ahead and ask a few questions. But ultimately, what they'll probably do is reset your secondary license so that you can re-activate it immediately.

[RedBeardSean]

Originally Posted by Duggan

I'll assume you've sent an email to support@woflair.com already.

Um, now that I'm drinking my coffee, that seems like a great idea!

Just to be sure I'm clear on the sequence of events, you installed it on Computer A, reformatted it in autumn and re-installed it, still as your primary license. In the spring, you ran an update which required you to contact the server again to re-authenticate your install. At this time, you installed your secondary license on Computer B.

As far as I can recall, yes, this is the sequence.

Or did you use your secondary computer when you re-installed by accident?

That I don't remember, honestly. I have since installed on a third computer (yay, Laptop!), but I bought a secondary license for that one.

BTB, you probably won't get an official response for another hour or two. Most of Lone Wolf lives on the West Coast including their support staff.

...and here I thought wolves were notcurnal.

[RedBeardSean]

Originally Posted by Duggan

I'll assume you've sent an email to support@woflair.com already.

My email was returned by a mailer daemon as undeliverable. I don't remember summoning a daemon, but I guess this thread wasn't completely pointless kvetching on my part after all.

[Duggan]

Sorry. ^_^ Typo on my part. Support@wolflair.com is the right email. I somehow dropped an 'l' above.

Anyhow, long story short, they should be able to fix your problem pretty quickly. The system is fairly conservative in how it handles the licenses through the automated system, but they're really good at switching things over for users who need to change licenses early. I've done it before myself.

[Colen]

Originally Posted by RedBeardSean

Okay, there's no long-story-short here. Last autumn I formatted and reimaged my PC. Reinstalled Hero Lab. Happiness.

In the spring, there was an update that had me reactivate my license. I discovered that I could actually do two installations on the same license, so I put a copy on my second computer. Because of the update and reactivation, I had to wait until this fall to activate the license on the second computer. I did that Monday.

This morning, I open up Hero Lab, see that there's an update, and it being pre-coffee in the morning, I reactivate the license. It now tells me I have to wait the 120-day waiting period to reactivate, and now can only run the damned thing in try-out mode for the next 3 months.

I am not happy.

To use one copy of Hero Lab on two computers, you need to use a second license number - you can get the second license number by going to the License menu and choosing "Obtain Secondary License".

Switch to using this number on the computer that's giving you the "reactivation required" messages and you shouldn't have any problems in the future.

Hope this helps!

[RedBeardSean]

Originally Posted by Colen

To use one copy of Hero Lab on two computers, you need to use a second license number - you can get the second license number by going to the License menu and choosing "Obtain Secondary License".

Switch to using this number on the computer that's giving you the "reactivation required" messages and you shouldn't have any problems in the future.

Hope this helps!

Oh. So, to have it on three, do I need a second secondary license, or a second full license?

[Duggan]

Originally Posted by RedBeardSean

Oh. So, to have it on three, do I need a second secondary license, or a second full license?

The latter. You get one free secondary license. You can buy up to two more associated with one full license for $10 each as per the licensing FAQ.

They're trying to make it easy for a single user to be on multiple computers without risking one person in the gaming group buying the software and then having everyone else use it.

[RedBeardSean]

Originally Posted by Duggan

The latter. You get one free secondary license. You can buy up to two more associated with one full license for $10 each as per the licensing FAQ.

They're trying to make it easy for a single user to be on multiple computers without risking one person in the gaming group buying the software and then having everyone else use it.

Oh, okay. I had purchased an additional license for my laptop, but had thought the other two computers were supposed to share a single license number. Now it all makes sense to me.

Thanks, guys!