ACID 4.0 installation problem.

[NLAlston]

Some time ago, a friend of mine had grown fed up with his computer based setup, for musical creation interests, and opted out for hardware. He was 'giving' his software away, and I wound up taking the ACID Pro 4.0 program, and seven disks of loops, off his hands. At one point, I was able to install this program onto my computer - without the slightest hitch - a number of times (after having to reinstall it, a time or two, in the aftermath of formatting my, then, computer due to unrelated problems). But there came a point in time when the program just flat out refused to be installed. The key-generator - which had always provided usable serial numbers in the past - was now causing the message "Invalid Serial Number" to display. That computer has since been trashed, and a new - more powerful one - now sits atop my computer desk. Attempting to install that program, in even this one, has been problematic. I wondered if anyone might have experienced this situation, and - if so - share with me what was done to counter it.

I know that some of you might frown on what you may think this is to be, but I do assure you that there has been no wrong-doing here on my part. I got the program free, from someone who would have tossed it in the garbage had he not have been able to locate someone with an interest in it. That's just how set apart he had become with sequencing/looping software. It may be a done deal, and I just might have to wait until such time as I could afford to buy the program, outright - or purchase another looping program that would enable me to incorporate these seven disks of loops into it.


Nathan

[AlChuck]

Unfortunately ACID and other SONY products have a serial number validation scheme that involves the ID number of the computer, and if that changes you have to get a new registration key or activation code or whatever it is from SONY.

If you have the valid serial number they will give it to you no problemo.

[vestast]

It happened to me on my last upgrade. I had to complete a request on the Sony website to get it to register again. I'm not sure if it will work for you if you are not the original owner or not. I guess it couldn't hurt to ask them, since either way it wont work for you...

http://www.custcenter.com/cgi-bin/so...YWdlPTE*&p_li=

[NLAlston]

Thanks for replying, guys ~

You know, I had at first figured that there might have been an issue regarding the computer ID scenario, because there were two windows in the "Key generator" box: one for the generated serial number, and the other which showed a computer ID number. But my friend, at one time, had it on his computer, and then it installed on my previous computer with no problem. This program was not on a commercial CD, but contained as a zip file on a CDR. Now, I have to be honest and admit to the fact of my not knowing how he came about - and I didn't bother to ask. I guess that I just assumed that he may have purchased it online, and sonehow saved a backup copy, in that fashion, to CDR.

I will contact Sony (who, I understand, has bought out Sonic Foundry), and see if they will believe my situation enough to give me a properly working number for the program. If not, well - I will just have to wait until such time as I can afford to buy it outright.

I want to thank you again.

[NLAlston]

Well, I did contact Sony on the above matter, and here is the reply:

Customer Service Response (Brian) - 06/24/2004 09:34 AM
Hello,Thanks for writing. I'm not sure if your friend explained this to you, but using a key generator is an illegal act that is used to circumvent our copy protection and steal our intellectual property. So no, we would not be giving you any activation code until you actually purchase the software.

In a large way, I figured that this might be their stance on the issue - and I can't say that I blame them. Call it being extremely naive, or whatever, but I never really gave much consdideration to the program falling into a 'pirated' category. I really did think that the 'key generator' was the manufacturer's included feature. The given program was on a CDR disk, and I had just figured it to be a copy of the purchased program, made within the purpose of setting aside/safeguarding the original (which I had assumed he'd lost). No real problem, though. The short period of time that I had the program was enough to show me that it was one worth having. But I am going to check out Fruity Loops, also, and see which of the two I would rather have.

Thanks for the replies.