Microsoft Forgot to Include Activation Menu Option in F...

[Guest westes]

I have not been able to play FSX for about three months now due to an activation problem, and I would like to know if there is a solution to this problem that does not require re installing from scratch and starting over.I'm not sure if it was a memory upgrade, or a system restore that I did to remove a badly behaved FSX add-on, but suddenly one weekend when I turned on my PC, FSX starts up in "demo" mode and says I must activate. This after two months of it working fine. My FSX is legally purchased at a local game shop, and my Windows XP is also a legally licensed OEM version that came with a Dell Precision 370 workstation.The problem is Microsoft FORGOT TO INCLUDE A MENU ITEM TO REACTIVATE FSX!! Microsoft's activation feature apparently was programmed to only appear on the initial installation and activation. They didn't anticipate any circumstance where an activated version of FSX might suddenly fail activation and require re-activation. As a result, I am going through a living h*e*l*l trying to get this product reactivated.If I reinstall from scratch, I fear that I lose all of my mission accomplishments, not to mention maybe 10 hours of installing terrain, configuring things, installing add-ons in, etc. I'm not willing to lose my time invested.The phone numbers included with FSX are less than worthless. The phone based activation insists on your feeding it your product key, and it wants to spit back and activation code. That does no good for my case. I cannot re-run the activation dialogs.The 800 number for phone based support simply gives fast busy or disconnects in the U.S.So, in order of preference, my questions are:1) Does anyone know of an undocumented interface I can use to force the activation dialogs to re-appear, in the hopes that I can restore my activation by the ordinary methods?2) In absence of this, does anyone know which Microsoft 800 number I should be calling to open up a tech support case? I don't object to paying $35 for a support ticket, if they can actually do something to help (I am skeptical that they will know anything about the product).Finally, can someone with an interface to the Microsoft development team please point out to them that they need to add a menu item "Activate This Product" to FSX?!! This is the same menu item you find in Windows XP, Microsoft Office, and any other Microsoft product that requires activation. If you are already activated this feature confirms that fact. If you fall out of activation, this feature gives you a normal path to restoring your activation. The failure to include such a menu item was a horrible oversight on Microsoft's part.

[Geofa 108]

Have you tried "repairing" instead of reinstalling? http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Guest westes]

>Have you tried "repairing" instead of reinstalling? >>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgI didn't even know there was a repair until I read your post, but running it gives an error 1722 "problem with the windows installer package". I get this as it gets into disk 2 of the install.I'm logged in as local administrator, and it's the same DVD drive I used for the original install, and same DVD I use weekly with other applications.

[Gypsy Baron 10]

>>Have you tried "repairing" instead of reinstalling? >>>>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg>>I didn't even know there was a repair until I read your post,>but running it gives an error 1722 "problem with the windows>installer package". I get this as it gets into disk 2 of the>install.>>I'm logged in as local administrator, and it's the same DVD>drive I used for the original install, and same DVD I use>weekly with other applications.> Search the forums for "error 1722"...it's been a commonissue and discussed in depth. There is a workaround for itdetailed in at least one thread. Paul

[Geofa 108]

I don't have an answer but I googled this possible answer:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829359Hope it works for you.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Guest firehawk44]

According to the ReadMe in the main FSX folder, you will be reminded everytime you start FSX to activate it until you activate it. There's no menu item installed. Once activated, the activation messages will stop.Best regards,Jim

[Guest westes]

> Search the forums for "error 1722"...it's been a common>issue and discussed in depth. There is a workaround for it>detailed in at least one thread.I downloaded MS KB 928080 and ran resetsldl /All. That fails with HRESULT 800700005. I then tried resetsldl /LicenseStore. That succeeded. I then tried resetsdl /TrustedStore. That fails with the same HRESULT as the /All, so one assumes it was the TrustedStore operation that was reported by /All.I guess the TrustedStore reset is required for this fix to do its thing, because I re-run setup for FSX and still get error 1722.Plainly spoken, this new activation feature didn't get enough testing, and it's an unholy terror. Microsoft, take it out until you can get it right.

[Geofa 108]

I assume you read this?http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/927007http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

[Guest westes]

>I assume you read this?>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/927007Yes, and I had followed these steps with no change in the outcome:1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then OK. 2. Expand the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCURRENTCONTROLSETCONTROLCLASS{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} 3. After you find the folder, double-click Upperfilters on the right side. 4. Change the value from 0 to PartMgr, and then click OK. 5. Close Registry Editor, and then try to use the activation wizard.

[Mace 1,908]

>>I guess the TrustedStore reset is required for this fix to do>its thing, because I re-run setup for FSX and still get error>1722.>Well, actually, you have simply gone through what I went through a few months ago. And I sort of kind of know my way around the Windows block.The only sure-fire way to fix the 1722 error is a complete uninstall and re-install.Using the KB fix and other things you tried with the TrustedStore risks corrupting your XP licensing/activation, too. But you know that now. :)>Plainly spoken, this new activation feature didn't get enough>testing, and it's an unholy terror. Microsoft, take it out>until you can get it right.>Agreed.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[Guest westes]

>According to the ReadMe in the main FSX folder, you will be>reminded everytime you start FSX to activate it until you>activate it. There's no menu item installed. Once activated,>the activation messages will stop.If I didn't make it clear in my first post, I DID ACTIVATE FSX and I did run it in an activated state for two months.Suddenly, after some system changes, it reverted to a deactivated state. Therefore your advice does not apply. There is no longer any activation dialog to respond to. If there were, I would not be posting and would handle activation by the normal methods.

[Guest westes]

>The only sure-fire way to fix the 1722 error is a complete>uninstall and re-install.And if it comes that I am going to be a real unhappy camper. What is the point of investing my time into this activity if it is so easily betrayed by the manufacturer. You cannot just dump people's time and make them start from scratch because you didn't have the budget to test your licensing feature. I value my time too much for that. Which is why I have sat on my hands for three months, and I'll sit on my hands for another three months rather than cave in to this kind of thuggery.>Using the KB fix and other things you tried with the>TrustedStore risks corrupting your XP licensing/activation,>too. But you know that now. :)Yipes, it would have been nice to have gotten that warning in the knowledge base fix before I ran it. :)

[BobP 56]

You have traded 3 months of use against your unwillingness to lose completed missions and 10 hours of install time? From my experience, re-installing FS took much less time than I had estimated. I don't think you will find a solution that does not include the word re-install. But I do admire your patience. :)Bob..

[soaring_penguin 428]

I don't think you will lose your safed flights, your settings (sceneries included) or completed missions by tempting a re-install.The biggest issue I see is the 1722 error, but there is a solution for this, as you already found out.To be safe, move your scenery add on folder so you can pput it back if needed. Your settings should be safe as well as they are in the application folder, but again, not a bad idea to make a backup first.regards, Jan

[CPEPE 0]

Hi, Just so you know you are not alone, This is a major problem that Microsoft has not or will not address themselves. but expect everyone to master. The only key I found is the Microsoftkb928080 fix that works when it wants. I got the first clean reinstall by reformatting my SIMMS hard drive ( I use a seperate drive for my simm)and running the fix and now I'm holding my breathe. good luck Tony