FSX ativation FAQ from MS.....

[vololiberista]

...its a funny old do....
But I just ran Saitek's program here...>>

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest  

...and the report came back that all my system hardware, etc, was fine for running FSX.......
...except for Windows XP Pro SP2, which got almost zero marks... ...!

What do you make of that then... ...?

Paul.... ....!

I went to your link and my spyware programme rang every alarm it could think off!!!!!!!!!!
Vololiberista

[Bindoe]

I went to your link and my spyware programme rang every alarm it could think off!!!!!!!!!!
Vololiberista

It has to collect information about your PC. Maybe that's the cause?

Anyway I can assure you it's safe.

[Hagar]

Anyway I can assure you it's safe.

Can you guarantee that? These things worry me.

http://www.adoko.com/activex.html

[Politically Incorrect]

I have had to make the call to reactivate my XP install, this even when I first used the CD freshly un-wrapped from the package it came in from the pc builder.

Then after a pc cleaning in which I removed my video cards to clean out dust and reinstalled them, this was considered a major hardware change, didn't change a thing just removed and replaced the same hardware but that was enough to warrant a call to MS. No issues really just a 5 minute call and I was up and running again.

I have no problem calling to reactivate something I bought, I also have no problem with being limited to how many pcs i can use the software on at one time.

I buy a program I want to install on 3 home PC's + my laptop for fun? It's ABNORMAL to use one PC today - many of us have 5 or six placed around...

This may be true but you bought a license  to use the software on one computer at a time, the EULA states specifically in section 6 you can make a back up to be used for reinstalling the software and in section 8 you can transfer the software to any other device if you uninstall from the other, there is no limitation as to how many pcs you can install it on, but you can use it only on one pc at a time. this is really no different than most other software.

A major hardware change is no exception, that major hardware change could be your buddies pc for all they know, it is impossible for them to say whether that change took place on your machine or someone else's.

Actually makes sense to only be able to run it from one computer at a time, this is what prevents piracy, yes the second pc may be yours but then again it may be your neighbors or the buddy down the street and this is why the one pc at a time

Common sense and real simple to understand. Read the EULA, MS makes theirs pretty simple to understand, and I see them doing nothing wrong with preventing you buying the license and then installing it on all the pcs you want be them yours or you friends, simple as that.

By using the software, you accept these terms.  If you do not accept them, do not use the software.  Instead, return it to the retailer for a refund or credit.  

There you have it, right there when your installing it, don't like it take it back and get your money back BTW if your retailer won't give your money back there is a  contact for MS and they will

I think people seem to take EULAS as a joke and few ever read them, when that is all they need to do to understand exactly what they can or can not do with their software.

[Hagar]

A couple of points occur to me. On purchasing software from my friendly local store I ask if it will run on my machine & they say "Take it home & try it. If you're not happy bring it back". Now, this was fine in the old days but this new registration process puts a whole new light on it. Imagine the problems if you happened to purchase one of these returned items in good faith.

I believe you can try FSX as many times & on as many computers as you like PROVIDING you don't register it. I think this is a limited trial & it will shut down after a given period (say 30 minutes) like the FSX Demo. This would be very handy to test it on different systems.

If this is correct I wonder how many people know about it & if it's pointed out anywhere on the packaging or installation instructions.

[Politically Incorrect]

Actually I think that is true Hagar, I will need to check but you don't have to activate the software at all if i recall during install, but instead are limited to amount of flight time per session.

I have it activated on my gaming rig, I will try a install on one of my other PCs and see what it says. (should be able to find something relating to this in the program documents.)

RE: Taking it back to the store, most stores won't allow a return on open software just becasue of the fact of copying it. Few years ago you could purchase, take home burn a copy then return for your money back. Now it is usually a return for another copy. Like I stated in my post in the read me there is contact information for MS for a refund.

[quote]By using the software, you accept these terms.  If you do not accept them, do not use the software.  Instead, return it to the retailer for a refund or credit.  If you cannot obtain a refund there, contact Microsoft or the Microsoft affiliate serving your country for information about Microsoft

[Hagar]

Just found this from Joe_D's original link. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927007/en-us

Q7: How do I activate my Microsoft Game for Windows?

A7: When you start the game for the first time, you are prompted to click Activate or to click Remind me later. If you click Activate, you must enter the product key. If you do not to activate the product, the game will run in the reduced functionality mode. You can run the game without activating it as long as you want. However, in the reduced functionally mode the game will run for only 30 minutes. Additionally, some features such as the multiplayer feature will be unavailable in the game. To continue to use all the features of the product, you must activate the product.

[RollerBall]

Frankly, if you've bought the product ligitimately, I think activation is the least of your problems...

[757200ba]

FSX, FSX , FSX , FSX.For me just for better graphics, and for a game.For me its NO.So you have to go to heaven just to activate a program that you bought with the effort of your work, to install on a pc that you worked to buy (at least most of us).This reminds me "mumy can i stay out of bed until the movie is finished".What i mean is the limittations that Microsoft is  doing on FSX is not worthwile.Specially that you buy the prog. so (if you dont have the right pc) you try to tweak, so with somany tweaks you have to reinstall (theres one), because we love FS so much we try again, tweak here, tweak there, a help from a friend or SIMVIATION forum, make us do it  again we need to reinstall. fianally we get to the conclusion that we need a new video board,OOOOPPPSSSSS we cant do that we need to call MS. So price for FSX+VIDEO+CALLand you also have to install INTERNET.ok we do it,(few months pass by, some add on factory makes a wonderfull add on maybe a scenery from you country or state or airport or favorite airplane.You buy it or download it or somebody let you use it to install (NO,NO you cant do that) you buy the add on, but your pc is not powerfull enought so you need more memory or a better processor, ok FSX+VIDEO+INTERNET+CALL+ADDON+MEMORY+PROCESSOR+CALL +CALL +CALL.ANd by the way MS present the specifications for all the FS i think you are going to spend lots of time at the phoneOK we do it again.Funny im i having a hobby or am i buying a house or asking for a loan. FS9 it didnt have any piracy control ritght !!!No activation by phone or change of hardware issues, and we are all happy, so now they want to control what we buy in software matter but also what  hardware we have.Nice for the next FS you need to call if you change your hardware, and something like this it will be a specification ($2000 processor,(only work s with this one ) $3000 video board (only work with this one) $2000 motherboard (only work with this one) and so on. And HAAAAA you can only fly for 1 hour each day.I think i wouldn mind if somebody could change something about it....................just a thought.
Many thanks

[Politically Incorrect]

Frankly, if you've bought the product ligitimately, I think activation is the least of your problems...

You know I feel sorry for you that your experience thus far with FSX has been so bad, you make that apparent in every post you make so get over it.

You seem to be the only one so upset over the future of technology and software design, and also one of the few that take minimum requirements and marketing photos for software with more than a grain of salt, whereas if you really had frequent experience with software you would have known from the beginning that the marketing always glamorizes the final product and even before the FSX Demo was released  most here already knew in advance that it would take a computer and some cash to get it to run to their expectations. Or at least those of us that have been around the MS Sim series for awhile.

Sorry for my rant, but I'm sure I speak for most of us here when I say we are tiring of your complaints here, if they are that important to you go complain to MS instead of bashing what I find to be a superior addition to their flight sim series. minor bugs and all

[RollerBall]

Politically_incorrect

You are a total dick head

If you had an ounce of intelligence you would see that I am doing an objective appraisal of this piece of software just as I have done before with many others and as I will do again in the future. Every comment that I make is backed up with evidence and pictures.

I also say good things as well but clearly you choose to ignore them. You are the one with the closed mind.

If you are so undescriminating that you just take everything a seller says to you about a product with a pinch of salt that's OK with me. But I don't.

I also like to test something after I've bought it, which is what I'm doing here. So far there have been thousands of views of the topics in which I've been involved so I can only conclude that people are interested in them one way or the other. And I'm delighted to see that not everyone agrees with the comments I've made and the conclusions I've come to.

I've been around on this Earth for quite a while and I've found that there are always people like you who want to stifle discussion and other people's opinions, especially when they are at odds with their own. I have always treated  them with the contempt they deserve.

If you want to do your own objective appraisal of FSX I'll be interested in reading it. So don't try and shut me up while I'm doing mine.

[Mobayrasta1]

[quote]Politically_incorrect

You are a total dick head

If you had an ounce of intelligence you would see that I am doing an objective appraisal of this piece of software just as I have done before with many others and as I will do again in the future. Every comment that I make is backed up with evidence and pictures.

I also say good things as well but clearly you choose to ignore them. You are the one with the closed mind.

If you are so undescriminating that you just take everything a seller says to you about a product with a pinch of salt that's OK with me. But I don't.

I also like to test something after I've bought it, which is what I'm doing here. So far there have been thousands of views of the topics in which I've been involved so I can only conclude that people are interested in them one way or the other. And I'm delighted to see that not everyone agrees with the comments I've made and the conclusions I've come to.

I've been around on this Earth for quite a while and I've found that there are always people like you who want to stifle discussion and other people's opinions, especially when they are at odds with their own. I have always treated

[RollerBall]

I also said that I'm never the first, but if the knives come out I ALWAYS respond.

That's what I've done here.

Frankly, I'm not that concerned about how much 'respect' you have for me one way or the other - you don't know me, but one thing you will know if you have been around here very long at all is that the one thing I do defend above anything else is free speech and the freedom of anyone to express their opinion.

As soon as anyone says 'I speak for everyone around here' and then go on to attack someone else in a personal way, as Politically Incorrect did, you know they speak for no-one but themselves.

And as far as I can see, in the bit of your posting that matters, you've said exactly the same as me. Activation, which was what this thread was all about until Politically Incorrect started barging about and sounding off, was quite easy and painless. It's other things that are more of a problem.

So you're allowed to say that and I'm not eh?

[Gunny04]

Can everyone play nice before the mods coming running in with a stick and beat you all?  ;D come on... Opinions welcome, Attacks are not, this should have ended with rollerballs last post, yet it didn't. I bet the mods will love this thread..... I thought Simviation was a happy place, well it used to be unless I missed something on my absence!

Gunny

[Mobayrasta1]

Gunny you are correct. i appologize. I have removed my post.  Some people just get under my skin. I need to learn to ignore......

Sorry again.