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Warning - uninstall P3D BEFORE installing again on new drive

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Am annoyed. I had the whole weekend ahead of me to tweak P3D but I can't open it as the licence needs to be reset!

 

Don't make the same mistake as me.

 

If you intend to do a fresh install of P3D onto a newly formatted or other drive make sure you UNINSTALL P3D first before formatting the drive and installing again.

 

I didn't uninstall it - I just formatted the drive. Now I can't start P3D because it has to be fully uninstalled or the licence info won't be valid and you have to email P3D (2 business days response apparently) and wait for your P3D licence to be reset. Grrrr.

 

Yes my own fault for being hasty but thought I'd post so you guys don't get caught out..

 

Time to play some IL-2 instead :D

 

Adam

Chillblast Core i5 14600KF Liquid Cooled RTX 4070 SUPER 32GB RAM. Internet: 1 Gig Fibre. HoneyComb Throttle & Flight System.

UK PPL since 2006 current on PA-28, C-152, C172, Decathlon, C-42 based at EGHP.

  • Author

Ah, yeah, that sucks... Been there, done that and I actually also posted about this:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/429598-activation-tip-how-to-deactivate-p3d-and-keep-your-license-validated/

 

Maybe it should be pinned...  ^_^ Anyway, I am sure this won't happen to you again! Have fun with IL-2!

 

Damn wish I'd searched before I did the format Jeroen.

 

Yup should be pinned. Would save lots of us the frustration of sitting around waiting for an activation when we could be flying.

Chillblast Core i5 14600KF Liquid Cooled RTX 4070 SUPER 32GB RAM. Internet: 1 Gig Fibre. HoneyComb Throttle & Flight System.

UK PPL since 2006 current on PA-28, C-152, C172, Decathlon, C-42 based at EGHP.

  • Commercial Member

I'm just curious... is the totally lax licensing process of Microsoft that's luring you into thinking that you simply delete software and then reinstall it without issue of licensing? After all, your Prepar3D license is for exactly a single install on a single computer.

 

I'm just not understanding why someone would think that their license is 'free' enough to allow you to simply wipe the install and then reinstall without any issues.

 

A license that 'free' would allow you to install copies all over the place with just a single license. Which wouldn't be a license at all.

Ed Wilson

Mindstar Aviation
My Playland - I69

I'm just not understanding why someone would think that their license is 'free' enough to allow you to simply wipe the install and then reinstall without any issues.

 

Probably because MOST software simply works that way. Until P3D I never ever heard of a program that would automatically unregister an install on the servers of the developer! And I've used quite a lot of software in my life. Now I did actually have software that would require you to deactivate the license (for instance older versions of Adobe programs), but it would usually be an item in the menu's which you certainly would have come across one day. And btw most of those programs allowed the install on two or sometimes even more computers. P3D however contains NO message of any kind in its menu or manual or readme or whatever so when it comes to this it's not strange at all that people think they can reinstall the program just like that!!! In fact, I think your post is more surprising. ^_^ And I think LM should add this piece of information to the manual or even better the menu so you can deactivate an install manually. (I've uninstalled and installed P3D numerous times this year but everytime the moment of activating the license I got a bit nervous... I'd like to have a manual deactiation option!)

 

 


I didn't uninstall it - I just formatted the drive.

Not the smartest idea, but LM will help you out.

Spirit

This type of "uninstall to release the license" is common in "professional" software applications... most of what I use at work has the licenses managed like that.

 

It's not typical of "home-use" software, of course, but P3D isn't typical "home-use software."

  • Moderator

Maybe it should be pinned...  ^_^ Anyway, I am sure this won't happen to you again! Have fun with IL-2!

Your topic has now been "pinned" and a new post here in the general forum has been pinned and locked, with a link to your critical information.

 

It's the best I can do to hopefully bring this to everyone's attention... B)

Fr. Bill    

AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556


     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

Thank you, but maybe the title of the pinned thread could be clearer - like that on in this thread.

 

Harry

- Harry 

9800x3D (Strix x870e-E)  -  64GB RAM (DDR5 6000, CL 30)  -  RTX 5090, 34'' 1440p OLED HDR  -  Windows 11 Pro (1TB M.2)  -  MSFS 2024 (MS Store, 4TB M.2).

  • Moderator

Done.

Fr. Bill    

AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556


     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator

Just curious....what happens when/if your machine isn't connected to the internet at time of uninstall ??

Arnie....if it ain't broke, don't fix it...

Just curious....what happens when/if your machine isn't connected to the internet at time of uninstall ??

Maybe you'll be asked to connect?

Spirit

  • Moderator

Just curious....what happens when/if your machine isn't connected to the internet at time of uninstall ??

If not connected to the internet, then obviously L-M's authentication server won't get reset, and you'll have to email a request to have it reset manually.

Fr. Bill    

AOPA Member: 07141481 AARP Member: 3209010556


     Avsim Board of Directors | Avsim Forums Moderator
  • Author

Still waiting for mine to be reset. Four days now :(

Chillblast Core i5 14600KF Liquid Cooled RTX 4070 SUPER 32GB RAM. Internet: 1 Gig Fibre. HoneyComb Throttle & Flight System.

UK PPL since 2006 current on PA-28, C-152, C172, Decathlon, C-42 based at EGHP.

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