Simviation Forums

...So I got into a plane and went to an airport. It wasn't responding, so I had to do a cold shut off of my PC. I started it back up, and started FSX, and everything seemed fine, except for that I had lost my option button for Multiplayer. I didn't think too much of it, and did some free flight. I am playing for about 45 minutes, I'm on short final, and my screen goes blank, and I get this message:

"Thank you for trying Microsoft(R) Flight Simulator X.  The trial time limit has expired.  Please activate Flight Simulator to continue playing".

I got flight simulator deluxe over 4 months ago, and all of a sudden it's saying it's a trial!! I REALLY do not want to have to re-install the program due to all the add-on planes/AI I have put on it that took quite a while. Is there any possible way that I can fix this problem without having to re-install FSX??

PLEASE HELP...

[smiley=dankk2.gif]
Jimmy

hav u seen the registration article over at www.fsinsider.com?

YES! I'm not alone! Good for me, kinda, but bad for you. Mine started this about a week ago-i've done everything I can think of, visited MS troubleshooting webiste, but can't find any real solutions. I'm going to try to get help over chat from MS. I will let you know if I find out anything. Maybe it'll get fixed in SP1 or something . Let me know if you find out anything.

You are not the only one to have this problem.

This thread may be of interest.
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 64103119/0

Eek, what is SP1?? Sorry, I'm not that great at fixing flight sim problems...

Eek, what is SP1?? Sorry, I'm not that great at fixing flight sim problems...

SP1 = Service Pack 1.
SP1 is sceduled to be released at the end of this month.

Hopefully, activation problems is one of the things that will be addressed.

So if I want to get the problem fixed now, do I have to reinstall it using the "Uninstall" button in Main FSX folder? Or maybe is there a way I can re-enter the serial code without uninstalling it?

Just the Idea to re-install 15gb of a single software crisp my nerves ..With the pach(Sp1) about to be release this issues should be fix it...


wish you luck

How much is Sp1 going to cost??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, it's going to be a free downloadable patch (I hope), like Direct X 10. I just know that it had better be free, because the idea of paying Microsoft to fix something that's wrong with Microsoft's program activation system doesn't make me too happy or make much sense.

Of course SP1 will be free.
Mr Bill woudn't have it any other way.

Glad to know that.

So if I want to get the problem fixed now, do I have to reinstall it using the "Uninstall" button in Main FSX folder? Or maybe is there a way I can re-enter the serial code without uninstalling it?

When you boot the program, does it ask you to activate it?

if so, call Microsoft and activate it again. If not, see if you can invoke the activation box pop up manually from FSX.


If not, then call Microsoft and tell them what happened. They will most likely have a solution that will not require a reinstall.


Some people aimlessly shut down services because of something they read on the net. FSX installs a service and other files related to it. If you recently went through your services list and shut things down, or deleted start elements related to the service, that may be a reason for the activation problem.


It is also possible an add-on over wrote some critical file however I rather doubt that.

You are not the only one to have this problem.

This thread may be of interest.
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 64103119/0

Curious

Why would that thread be of interest to anyone?

There have been a few other people who have posted about that problem. There are recent threads about it and also FSX dev blog posts and other information in the solutions area at FSi and MS although what is available may not have a fix for it at this point other than calling MS.

That thread is very old AND it does not make sense the thread would come up in a search of the site anywhere near the top of a query result list for the subject matter.

That thread provided no solution other than something that is illegal and the solution is deemed by this site the same as the FS9 CD crack, an infraction of the rules. The solution in that thread is not even like the CD patch and was made by a hacker who put FSX on the P2P networks with the crack.

Microsoft is well aware of it and you better believe SP1 will be fixing that too.

As for what happened, all that thread contains is the rants of a frustrated user who instead of working with the software or accepting the limits of his hardware choose to use illegal means to activate it and then go on a crusade to trash anyone on SimV who liked the title or had anything good to say about it.

He was NOT a victim as was stated in that thread, but just ticked off and had a personal beef with the Corporation 'Microsoft' as did several others.


He was banned in December of 06. His last attempted logon was:

12/23/06 at 12:37pm

That was 18 minutes before you signed up to these forums on the exact same day:

Date Registered: 12/23/06 at 12:54pm.


He even went so far as to make up complete lies about the software, telling people silly things and starting rants and arguments such as FSX does not and never will support dual core processors and try to tell the forum the software can not display sharp ground textures because of a bug, and even went so far as to try and state technical reasons for the bug. He was proven wrong in each case and was eventually exposed for what he was up to all along, which was nothing but to have a reason to gripe about the Corporation he hated, part of which was because he did not listen to the advice I had posted over and over again about minimum hardware requirements needed to run it 6 months before the title or the demo was released...

I don't know what you are accusing me of......

My only purpose in linking to that thread was to let bowler-man know he was not alone with that problem.