Window popping up...SkyMaxx Pro Cloud Engine (log on...) WTH?

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

I just started XPX.31, and have a window (I have never seen this) that keeps popping up, requesting my X-Aviation log on (email and password), with the window stating it is the SkyMaxx Pro Cloud Engine that is requesting this.

 

There is a button for 'activation'.

 

I have not entered any information until I find out why this all of a sudden has appeared.

 

Has anybody else seen this...and could this be a malware/virus.....seeking you to post your above two credentials?

 

The window keeps popping up, and will not go away.  SkyMaxx Pro comes up for the configure window as normal, but this window keeps seeking this information....

[James Britnell 9]

Hi, this sounds like the standard X-aviation product activation box to me, but it is curious that you haven't seen this before. A product activation box appears the first time X-plane 10 is started with a new addon from X-aviation installed, eg. SkyMaxPro, LES Saab 340a etc. You didn't see this box when you first installed the product?

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Yes...when first installed...but never there-after . This window is now popping up on its own which makes me suspiciously nervous about it.

[mtaxp 666]

I remember a thread like this in X-PILOT , try there (there is an official support forum for SMP) , though developers are also active at avsim.

IMO it's NOT a virus or something , try just to enter the information again and see what happens.

[James Britnell 9]

Ok, a few suggestions about what might be triggering the re-activation. When you upgrade SkyMaxxPro  it will require re-Activation. If you happen to delete you Preferences folder, which contains you licensing information, you will need to re-activate the product. If you shift your X-plane 10 folder to another machine.. possibly even another location on the same machine, you will need to re-activate the product. Although X-plane "out of the box" will allow you to shift the X-plane folder pretty much with impunity, the addons are a very different matter. I would imagine this is a genuine "request" to re-activate the addon, but if you are still uneasy about it perhaps send an email to Cameron at X-aviation and I'm sure he can allay any concerns you have.

[ohsirus 241]

I got it too this week. I hope its not some pre-timed DRM.

[benrussell 20]

Your license expires every six months to allow for a rolling hardware update.

 

By default you are given 3 hardware "slots" to allow for upto 3 installs.

 

Each of these will expire every 6 months.

 

This allows for a relatively painless transition between new hardware, or a multi-OS install, or a 3 machine sim-pit, or whatever.

 

(You are NOT given 3 installs to allow people to "share" product costs between a group of friends. Yes, this happens.)

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Ok, a few suggestions about what might be triggering the re-activation. When you upgrade SkyMaxxPro  it will require re-Activation. If you happen to delete you Preferences folder, which contains you licensing information, you will need to re-activate the product. If you shift your X-plane 10 folder to another machine.. possibly even another location on the same machine, you will need to re-activate the product. Although X-plane "out of the box" will allow you to shift the X-plane folder pretty much with impunity, the addons are a very different matter. I would imagine this is a genuine "request" to re-activate the addon, but if you are still uneasy about it perhaps send an email to Cameron at X-aviation and I'm sure he can allay any concerns you have.

Thanks for that, James.   I wonder if SkyMaxx Pro 'parses' the file content count in the XPX folder, for just before I fired up XPX, I had gone to Carenado, and downloaded all my planes for XPX, FSX, and FS9, to get all their v3 versions. I had been running with them all at V2.  I wonder if that might have 'sprung' the DRM routine...as now V3's were in the Aircraft folder of XPX, and that might fool SkyMaxx Pro to thinking it was another 'installation'. I wonder....

[James Britnell 9]

Well there's you answer Sesquahtoo, straight from the horses mouth, so to speak. Thanks very much for the information Ben.

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Your license expires every six months to allow for a rolling hardware update.

 

By default you are given 3 hardware "slots" to allow for upto 3 installs.

 

Each of these will expire every 6 months.

 

This allows for a relatively painless transition between new hardware, or a multi-OS install, or a 3 machine sim-pit, or whatever.

 

(You are NOT given 3 installs to allow people to "share" product costs between a group of friends. Yes, this happens.)

I entered the requested info...and all is well.  Thanks for the input...

[benrussell 20]

Glad to hear you're up and running again!

 

 

Some further information:

 

Your "Machine ID" string is an anonymized hash token generated by asking the OS for a unique serial number and passing that through an MD5* function.

This machine-id is visible in the activation GUI for diagnostic/support purposes and to show you clearly exactly what information we use to ID your machine.

(* Yes, I know MD5 is "broken". In this instance it represents no threat. MD5 is fast and easy to use for multi platform work.)

 

Your activation is NOT affected by:

- The location of your X-Plane folder. You may move it around on your disk as you wish.

- The number of items in your X-Plane folders.

- Your internet connection. You only need to be connected during the activation process.

 

Your DRM activation IS affected by:

- Re-formatting or possibly re-installing your machine OS. A re-install for repair may alter the serial number we draw on. A re-format will definitely alter the serial number.

- Moving your X-Plane folder to a different machine.

- Multi-booting your machine and using the same X-Plane folder.

- Timed expiration. As explained above. Default is six months but duration can be configured by Cameron if required.

- Deleting X-Plane Prefs folder contents because I was silly enough to store the license file in there.

( The file is called "X-Aviation License Database.lua" and can be backed up and restored as you like. )

 

 

On my wish list:

- More information in the GUI regarding which products you have installed and what the state of their license is.

- Moving the license-database OUT of the prefs folder so we stop getting zapped.

- Smarter "garbage collection" for expired items in the license-database with removal based only on expiration date so that you can easily share one license file across all your machines if you so desire.

 

 

It is possible to re-activate an existing hardware ID without using any additional slots.

If you delete your prefs folder contents and have to re-activate you will not use any additional slots. The server will detect a re-used machine-id.

Your license duration WILL be extended six months from the date you activate though.

This can be useful if you're going on holiday with your laptop.

The GUI could be smarter about handling this use-case.

 

 

I have also considered an activation scheme similar to Apples iTunes Content DRM which allows you to activate and de-activate upto 5 machines yourself.

This approach requires access to your internet connection though and because of that we choose not to use it.

 

If anyone has any special needs regarding their license please contact Cameron at X-Aviation through the support channels.

He is able to forcibly expire a machine ID and/or provision more activation slots on a case by case basis.

[James Britnell 9]

Thanks again for the indepth explanation Ben. It saves a lot of spiff balling from people like me. Cheers!