RailMaster reverting to evaluation copy

[kiwirail]

I am hoping someone can help me with the following problem.

 For the last few years I have been using RailMaster with no problems, but recently when I use it, it has started displaying an error message and reverting to an evaluation copy. Attempts to reactivate it have proved unsuccessful.

 RailMaster starts as usual by checking for updates and connecting with the elink controller. After about 90 seconds the following error message appears:

“This software does not appear to be registered properly. You should contact your vendor or send an email to support@rail-master.com. This program will continue as an evaluation copy.”

 Once you click on the green tick to close the message box, the thumbs up activate button appears at the top of the screen. I clicked on it to reactivate RailMaster. I checked my details, ticked the check box, and clicked on the green tick. The message “connecting to activation gateway” appears, followed shortly by “submitting activation request”. After about a minute the following error message dispalys:

“Key was not downloaded correctly. Ensure you have entered it correctly. If you have you may have a problem with your internet connection or RailMaster does not have access rights (administrator) to your hard drive or internet connection. You must ensure you are logged into windows as administrator.”

 I contacted the technical support line only to be told that they don’t give out RailMaster support over the phone. They suggested I email RailMaster support which I did. I explained my problem and received the standard deactivate/antivirus/firewall/admin rights/latest version/not read only reply – namely all the things that are outlined in the guides and manuals. Although I am not a computer wiz I can find my way about a computer and had no trouble activating RailMaster in the first place.

 Background information which may be relevant:

None of these problems occurred until I tried to install RailMaster onto another computer. I didn’t deactivate the original copy as I wasn’t trying to reinstall that copy on the other computer. I had 2 different discs with 2 different activation keys. I was unable to activate the copy on the 2^nd computer. The problems on the 1^st computer didn’t start until after the unsuccessful activation on the 2^nd computer.

 Living on the opposite side of the world (NZ) and being a Hornby fan for 40 years, I am feeling somewhat disillusioned with RailMaster. Can anyone help me play trains again down under?

[96RAF]

I have three licenced copies, one of which is Pro and the only time I ever had problems deactivating/reactivating was due to finger trouble,on my part. I entered the Pro code wrongly but HRMS gave me a clue as to where the error was without actually telling me the whole code. All three of my copies are registered to the same email address on separate PC/laptops.

 

I would persevere with the email support taking it step at a time.

Rob

[Chrissaf]

I'm afraid that the only option I see, is for you to keep pestering HRMS (Hornby RailMaster Support) via email (the email address you have indicated in your post). This time, ask them to log onto your PC and interrogate it remotely themselves.

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The issue for you is your NZ location. You have to be sitting at your RailMaster PC to assist HRMS during this logon process, they can not do it on an unattended PC, and the 11 to 12 hour time difference between NZ and UK means that either you or HRMS or both will be doing this activity outside business hours. Ideally, HRMS need to be logged on to your PC during UK AM hours which would equate to late evening NZ time.

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The actual process is fairly straight forward and works something like this (recalling my own experience of a remote HRMS log on).

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HRMS send you an email saying that they will log on and in that mail it gives a small number of  tasks for you to complete first.

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The mail gives a link to a small utility to download and run on your RM PC (some version of PC Anywhere type software if I recall).

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A 'code number' is provided that identifies your PC location for the utility to use to connect to HRMS.

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You follow the screen prompts and initiate connection to HRMS whilst you watch your screen activity. A two way message text box is part of the utility. In my case, HRMS connected to my PC after waiting less than 2 minutes. They were expecting my connection request, because I had also sent them a mail confirming that I was 'ready to go'. Whether that had any bearing on their quick connection I couldn't say. I believe, when you initiate the connection request using the utility, the utility at your end generates an 'incoming call' type alarm that registers on their system at their end.

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From then on, HRMS took control of my screen and keyboard and I just sat and watched what they were doing. Meanwhile keeping one eye on the text message box looking for messages that were asking me a question to answer or perform a physical action that they could not do remotely. For example, unplug controller USB lead or reboot controller and the like.

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In my case, HRMS were logged on for a total of about 2 hours to correct my issue (not related in any way to yours).

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I'm sure that once HRMS are logged onto your system they will be in a position to correct the error for you. The key to persuading HRMS to log on remotely, is to articulate in your request mail an extensive concise description of your issue. A variation of the text that you submitted in your post above would be ideal.

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This is the first time that I have ever seen this exact issue reported on the forum. The nature of it does not relate to using it to control the layout, but one of activation database errors between your PC and the HRMS servers. And as such, probably outside the scope of 'RM users' on this forum to give you a solution that you can implement unilaterally at just your end.

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The message that HRMS initially issued you with is a 'standard one' relating to users who have difficulty 'activating their key'. Did you make it clear that your RM installation was originally activated successfully without issue and that this error has just inexplicably happened on a previously successfully activated version. If you didn't make this very clear in the opening sentence of your first mail to them, then they may have just 'scan read it' as another general 'activation issue', hence the standard reply.

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EDIT:

PS...could there be any possibility that the error was on your part and that you selected the wrong CD key to activate on the second PC and actually tried to re-activate the key already in use on the first PC. This could potentially account for your observed issue.

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During the 90 seconds or so whilst RM is still in 'activated mode', review the key it is trying to use. I think this is displayed somewhere in the 'Help' screen area of the application.

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TIP: As this is your very first post and my reply is an extremely long one, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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[kiwirail]

 Thanks for your advice Rob & Chris. I will persevere with reactivation/HRMS and let you know the outcome.

[kiwirail]

Chris – further to your edit comment about checking the activation key on the help screen:

 

It is displayed as a row of zeros. I’m sure when it was working correctly that the activation key was displayed here.

 

Perhaps this is the basis of the problem. When my copy is checked for registration, the correct code isn’t found and so it reverts to an evaluation copy. Whatever the cause, I have put in a request for HRMS to remotely access my computer in order to fix the problem.

[Chrissaf]

Most definitely a symptom of the problem.

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A high risk strategy....but whilst you await some form of response from HRMS....you could try this.

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With reference to the RM manual page 131. You will have to be quick and utilise the 90 second window of opportunity before RM reverts to evaluation mode. Follow the 'Deactivation' process on page 131 to deactivate your copy of RM. This will officially revert it back to an 'Evaluation' copy. Then go through the 'Activation' process again to 'reactivate' it. You must submit the same details you used the first time in the activation request proforma because if they don't match, the reactivation is likely to fail.

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The risks to trying this process are:

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1. The deactivation doesn't go through at all......in which case nothing gained but equally nothing lost.
2. The deactivation does go through OK, but the reactivation fails and you are stuck with RM in 'evaluation mode'. Then after 90 days, the evaluation period expires and RM will not run at all until a valid license key is activated. Note that each time you run RM and it switches to 'evaluation mode' you are running down the 90 day timer. If you do not get this issue fixed you will end up without any RM application at all, not even the evaluation version.

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I ask again, is there any possibility that you used the wrong key on your second PC and the HRMS activation servers detected this as an attempt to illegally activate the same software key on two different PCs. Thus their servers have blocked your original activated copy on the first PC. The all zero display could easily have been set in your software by the HRMS server as part of their key detection routines.

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PS - Save copies of your 'Track Plan' and 'Loco Roster' files somewhere safe. The files to copy are listed on page 132. You should also save a copy of the "railmaster.ini" file as well which is not listed on page 132. Should you end up completely removing all traces of RM from your PC and reinstall from scratch, then reinstating those previously saved files will recover all your custom user settings and configurations.

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I for one would love to know where HRMS store the software key and the 'evaluation period status' in the Windows file system. It does not appear as plain text in the Windows registry as I have looked for my own. It is almost certainly tucked away in an obscure file and protected by encryption to hide it from prying eyes. Only HRMS will know this information and what to do to reset it back to the original key.

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[96RAF]

A note about completely uninstalling...

When your evaluation copy times out and asks you to buy a licence, you uninstall it in the hope of reinstalling a new evelauation copy but you will find RM has left a tag on your PC which knows you already had a timed out evaluation copy, hence it refuses to let you proceed with a new installation without buying a licence.

 

The PC savvy folk will probably know where to look to find and disable this tag.

[kiwirail]

Spent 3 hours last night with HRMS logged into my computer. (Friday morning UK time) The problem was eventually tracked done to a corrupt file on my PC. It was the file that had all my registration details in. That’s why RM was telling me it wasn’t registered properly and reverting to an evaluation copy. Once HRMS restored the file to its original state, RM worked fine again.

[Chrissaf]

Glad to hear that my advice to get HRMS involved via remote access paid off. Is there any chance that you can remember anything about the file name / location. It would be very interesting to know. Even a vague recollection that you might have could give clues to this files indentification.

[kiwirail]

 I think it was called rmstatus.dll and was located in the windows folder rather than the railmaster one.

[Chrissaf]

Thank you.....that is very useful to know.