Deactivating Railmaster

[Gary NZ]

I am tring to deactivate Railmaster as I am changing to a new computer, have done this once before and no problems. This time an error message pops up.

Unable to enter resource

12029

Help please

[Chrissaf]

Going by your user ID you are based in New Zealand. Your error message is saying that RailMaster can not establish an Internet connection to the HRMS server in the UK.

Normally this is commonly attributed to the Security configurations of the local PC, both Firewall and Anti-virus plus the security enchancements that Microsoft have made to Windows 10. Anti-virus packages that replace the Windows Firewall with their own Firewall seem to be particularly affected with this error message. If you have not yet selected an AV package to install on the new PC, then I would advise that Norton and McAfee branded packages are avoided and definitely any AV product that replaces the Firewall with its own.

There have been quite a few reports of this issue before, particularly from Australia a near Internet neighbour to NZ. AUS forum members have somtimes been able to circumvent this block by taking their RM Laptops to work or a friends location to successfully use a different ISP Broadband service.

You will have to resolve this issue as there is a very high likelihood that the Activation process on the replacement PC will fail with the same error message.

I suggest you pre-test the replacement PC for this error by going through the installation process of RM on the new PC. If you then get a "this key is already in use" message, then that would infer that your replacement PC is not, in its current configuaration, blocking RM.

If you get the "key in use" message above, then you can follow the 'on-screen' links to open a within RM form to request your previous PC to be deactivated. I highly recommend that you use the "my PC has failed" reason for requesting the deactivation.

This process will also fail if you do not submit the exact same data in the form that you originally submitted the first time you activated your original RM on the previous PC.

To ensure the submitted data is the same, use Windows Notepad to open the "activate.dat" file located in the RM Program folder on the previous PC, this file will display the previously submitted data. Alternatively, If you copy this file into the RM folder on the new PC before trying to activate it, then you should find that the within RM form will be pre-populated with the data. This is the method I used to recently transfer my RM to a new Laptop when my RM Laptop motherboard failed as I could still access the RM Program Folder using a USB caddy for the original hard disk drive. Due to the failed motherboard, I could not deactivate RM using the official process. However, I have never had any HRMS server connection issues with my PC security configurations on both my previous and replacement RM Laptops. If it helps, I use ESET NOD32 anti-virus on Windows 10 Home edition, but my RM usage with ESET NOD32 history goes back to Windows 8.0.

Regardless of the information above. I highly recommend that you download the very latest RM version (1.74.5) from the sticky link at the top of this forum for your new installation. It is believed that this latest .5 version has improvements aimed at resolving your issue as reported.

This is an extremely long detailed reply, please do not use the 'blue button with white arrow'. This is not a 'Reply to this post' button. Scroll down and reply using the 'Reply Text Box' and click the green 'Post Reply' button.

[Gary NZ]

Thanks I will have a go today.

[Gary NZ]

Hmmmm nothing worked so I took my laptop to my daughters (about 6Kms away) but nothing changed I will have to get a friendly it man to have a look I guess

[Gary NZ]

Hi Chrissaf I have tried just about everything to activate railmaster, support said the have rest the codes but still comes up wrong codes etc. I got the activat.dat file and checked the details ok logged onto windows a sadministrator, check firewall railmaster selected ok, turned off firewall still no luck. I am going round to friends house tomorrow to try his connection tried the other day but no good hope it works tomorrow. I am 76 and getting stressed with this never had a problem in the years I have used railmaster. Just emailed support again !!!!

[Gary NZ]

Thanks to the long suffering support team I have finally deactivated and reactivated Railmaster. My IP finally admitted there may be a problem with my router, went to friends place this morning and activated including Pro easy as. Up and running again.

[Chrissaf]

Glad to hear it is sorted. My original reply suggested that using a different ISP might resolve the issue.