I purchased the 430/530 GNS units for Prepar3D on the 3rd June.

Since then I have not been able to purchase a RealNavData database update due to a DB KEY error.

 

I have contacted Mindstar via E-Mail twice but have not had a reply.

Perhaps my expectations of a reply within 2 days is somewhat unrealistic for such a large company as Mindstar and while I appreciate that we are the minority, compared to Mindstar's commercial customers, I would still love to get a RealNavData subscription, so that I can use these units correctly.

Can anyone tell me how to get a RealNavData subscription when I can't see a DB KEY in the unit in the sim?
I appear to be stuck in a horrible loop - I can't get a subscription without a DB KEY but I can't get a DB KEY.

 

I have tried using the included RealNavDataUpdate but it either cannot contact the server or cannot verify my subscription... not funny.

 

Any help is much appreciated.

Toby

NavUpdate.exe  should display your DB Key. Even without a RealNavData subscription, the GNS 430/530 gauges are shipped with a DB Key.

 

It could be a corrupted install. Maybe you should try uninstalling and reinstalling the Mindstar gauges. It also might help to make sure the installer is run in Administrator mode.

Thanks for your suggestions but that didn't work either.
Uninstalling resulted in an error and reinstalling as Administrator and then running the RealNavData udpate.exe also resulted in an error...

 

Uninstall Error

 

RealNavData Error

I'd take a wild guess here and say that the original installer download was corrupted somehow.  

 

The first error is odd. oc30.dll is a built-in MS library that was usually used by legacy Visual Basic programs (The library dates back to 1995!). But maybe the Mindstar installer needs it.

 

The second error is just confirming your that original problem is still extent. The DB-Key has to do with Mindstar's copy protection scheme and it's odd that there is no DB-Key at all.

 

There's not much else that I can do to help you, as your only options are to:

 

1. Just wait until Mindstar support gets back to you.
2. Re-download the installation file. Uninstall the existing copy and reinstall with the re-downloaded version.
3. You can also check to see if oc30.dll actually exists in that folder, but if it isn't there, I don't suggest finding a copy from the web, because those types of "helpful" websites often provide you with files containing malware.

I called Mindstar and am now working with them to get this solved.

Thanks for your help.

Bit of an old thread I know but I've recently been trying to contact RealNav/Mindstar over an issue of a paid subscription to the RealNav data coming up as not available on the PC I bought it on.

 

Two emails over a week and a half period and ZERO replies.

 

Buyer beware...I'm not impressed with their customer service at all and the original author of this thread makes that two people.

Bit of an old thread I know but I've recently been trying to contact RealNav/Mindstar over an issue of a paid subscription to the RealNav data coming up as not available on the PC I bought it on.

 

Two emails over a week and a half period and ZERO replies.

 

Buyer beware...I'm not impressed with their customer service at all and the original author of this thread makes that two people.

First, we have support forums right here at AVSIM... might give that a try.

 

http://forum.avsim.net/forum/712-the-mindstar-aviation-forum/

 

Second, all of last week the entire team was at EAA's AirVenture in Oshkosh and we stated so in a post in our support forum.

I must post that, after numerous failed emails to RealNav, I got hold of Mindstar as my GNS430/530 product, after reinstallation, would not re-register due to a limit.

 

After emailing Mindstar, I was contacted within 15 minutes, permitted a Remote Desktop Session to my PC via TeamViewer, and all was FULLY up and running (including RealNav) within 5 minutes!

 

I stand corrected in regards Mindstar in my previous post. Excellent service and VERY prompt in helping. The guy running the TeamViewer session was also very helpful and friendly. I don't work for them but, as a software engineer in an unrelated industry, I was very impressed.

 

Apologies to Mindstar! Not sure where RealNav went though..they never did get back to me.

RealNav is a sister company of Mindstar. So they did get back to you.

 

Cheers,

 

Todd