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Help installing RailMaster Evaluation Version 1.2


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Have downloaded CD & I am trying to activate the software. After entering activation key and clicking on green tick a box appears saying "unable to enter resource - 0". Click on the green tick in this box which returns me to the software activation box with message "error connecting to gateway".

I am running windows 10. App has been added to firewall permission.

I have also tried to add software to a brand new laptop(running windows 10) using the evaluation copy on the hornby website. Web unable to contact rail-master.

Hopefully there is someone out there that can assist me. All my research claimed what a simple process railmaster was.

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I am not really sure where you would have downloaded version 1.2 from, 1.2 is a very old version of RailMaster [RM]. You mention a CD, so I assume you mean you are actually installing from a physical CD and not a software download.

The current version is 1.74.5 and is downloaded from this Hornby website. See sticky thread at top of RailMaster forum.

If you have definitely run the installer for version 1.2, then you are in trouble because if you update this version to 1.74.5, then the software WILL very likely trigger the '90 Day Evaluation period has expired' error message and prevent the RM software from running until a valid key is authenticated.

Any key you have, will work with the current latest version provided it has never been used before. RM keys can ONLY be used by one original purchaser and is very actively policed by HRMS [Hornby RailMaster Support]. The key can not be passed on to a new user, once it has been activated.

The RM CD has not been sold new for some considerable time, and any second hand ones are likely to be previously key activated and of no use to you if they have.

Either way, whether the version you are installing 1.2 or 1.74.5, the error message you have documented indicates a connection to the Internet problem. In the top right hand corner of the main RM screen, there is an icon of the World globe. This needs to be showing bright green and not a dull green [greyed out]. If the icon is dull, activation of any key is not possible. The icon will be dull if your PC security settings [both anti-virus software AND/OR Firewall] are blocking RM.

If your icon is bright green, then there is something else causing your issue, possibly because the 1.2 version is too old and well out of date, in which case try again with 1.74.5, but note my earlier comment about the 90 day expired error. Once this 90 Day error message is triggered, the RM software will only offer you the option to enter a valid key and nothing else. Once the key is accepted, then the RM software will then open and be functional.

At the top of the RM forum is also a sticky thread for a RM Help Site. This site documents information regarding installing RM and resolving security issues.

EDIT: Your revised nickname indicates that you may be located in Australia. For some reason some Australian ISPs seem to be configured to block RM communication to the UK RM servers. Which ISP are you using? This Australian key activation issue is something that comes up quite regularly on this forum. So if you have a bright green World icon with this error, then your issue may be with your ISP and not your local PC security configuration. It has been reported that the activation will go through if you have a smart phone that can be configured to create a Wi-fi 'Hot Spot' internet connection. Internet via mobile does not seem to be affected by this ISP issue.

It is rumoured that HRMS are aware of this Australian ISP issue and are looking into it. You can contact HRMS to explain your situation and mentioning your physical location if it is Australia using email address "support@rail-master.com" but it has also been reported that email may get blocked too because of the rail-master.com domain part of the mail address. So again, use mobile phone mail if you can.

This is a very long reply. It would therefore be appreciated if any reply is made using the Reply Text Box at the bottom of the page and not by clicking the within post blue button.

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Note that when running the RM installer on Windows 10, right click the installer file and choose "Run as an administrator". This is an important step, did you do that?

Note also, that when upgrading from one RM version to another later version, there is no need to uninstall the previous version first. This is particulary relevant once the key is activated. Just run the installer 'as administrator' over the top. You can also downgrade to an earlier version by running the earlier version installer. This is at odds with many other software packages which do not allow downgrading. The ability to downgrade with RM is a useful feature as new RM releases can be buggy, and a downgrade allows reverting back to a stable release.

Thus it is worthwhile saving to disk historical RM installers, mine go back to version 1.5.

To uninstall a key activated version of RM [say transferring to a new PC for example]. The key first needs to be deactivated, see Page 132 of the RM manual. This, of course, needs working Internet communication to the HRMS servers.

With regard not getting email replies from HRMS. Many reporting this issue have found later that the HRMS mails has been sitting in their 'Junk / SPAM' mail folder on their ISP Webmail interface. So check yours if you are not getting any replies to your mail. One of the Australian ISPs that have been reported as having HRMS communication issues is "Telstra".

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I did "run as administrator" when downloading. My ISP would have to be the one you mentioned as one that HRMS have issues with. I will sift through all the info provided and have a crack at the solutions offered. I now know I am best to work on getting 1.74.5 version downloaded somehow. I have also been contacted by the Australian supplier of my railmaster. Their tech expert is currently on leave till 4/2. My issues are now being looked into by him as well. Thanks again for your further info.


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At the top of the RM forum are two sets of stickies for downloading RM 1.74.5 one of them is from my own ISP Cloud storage in ZIP file format, the other is an alternative download HRMS server which is not rail-master.com and also offers a ZIP version.

The ZIP versions should be immune from download issues.

Only use the red download links not the blue ones, the blue ones in the top of page sticky are for something completely different. I have just tested the red download links and they are still working for me.

The image below shows where my ZIP download link is located in the second lower sticky thread.

forum_image_61fa44b75adf6.png.500278a5fa93296f26b7f022d091bf13.png

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Hi Chris, for your future info, Telstra is the largest ISP in Australia. Their domain names for email are either @bigpond.com or @bigpond.com.au, not @telstra.

I think they are the equivalent of your BT having evolved from the originally government-owned monopoly telephone provider back in the pre-internet dark ages and they still own the Australia-wide copper network, although that has mostly been replaced now by a hybrid fibre to the node network, then Telstra copper to individual residences (don’t get me started on the political idiots who thought that one up to make it cheaper and quicker than the original all fibre plans, and the voters fell for it).

Telstra is also the biggest provider of 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks.

HRMS certainly need to resolve their issues with them as it will be affecting a very large chunk of their Australian customer base. Not me by the way, I avoid them like the plague.

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My email address is with Virgin Media and HRMS cannot send email directly to me. It doesn't end up in Spam or Junk, it just cannot be sent. Apparently Virgin Media refused to do anything about it. (In the UK this affects virginmedia, blueyonder and ntlworld email addresses, all part of the same company).

I got around it by using a gmail address.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Chrissaf,

Have done a lot of reading & made some progress.

Using the red links in your first railmaster sticky thread I have been able to install Railmaster version 1.74 (evaluation copy). This has allowed me to use the system with my elite controller although in a limited manner(2 engines & 4 points). I have attempted to activate the software over the internet from the "thumbs up" icon using the activation key I received when purchasing the old version 1.2 disk. Message appears "connecting to activation gateway" & then changes to "submitting activation request"

Message box appears:

"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 have entered the key correctly, have good internet connection(telstra) and logged into windows as administrator.

Any ideas to get me over the next issue???

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Contact HRMS [Hornby RailMaster Support] in the first instance using the "contact support" option in the 'Help Menu'. Include all the information you can regarding your issue. Using the internal reporting system will send files from your RM installation to help HRMS diagnose your issue.

You should recieve an automated "your submission has been successful" message from within RM, followed by an auto email confirmation. If you do not recieve these auto messages, then your help request has not got through. In which case try a direct mail to HRMS using support@rail-master.com

HRMS have the ability to log onto your RM installation to resolve your issue. They can not do this on their own, you need to download a utility that HRMS will advise about, and give a code number generated by the utility to HRMS via email to establish access. You have to be sitting at your RM PC and follow guidance that is given through a "text box" interface. Being in Australia, may require this activity to be done during unsocialable hours at your end.

Note that HRMS is not part of Hornby despite "Hornby" being in the name. HRMS is the software developer of the RM software product.

Something else to check.

Use Windows Notepad.exe to open the "activate.dat" file in the RM program folder. The contents in this file must match EXACTLY the info that you might have used when trying to activate the earlier 1.2 CD version. What might be happening, is that the earlier activation request logged info on the HRMS server which doesn't match with the information submitted when trying to activate the 1.74.5 version. The HRMS server may be triggering the "this key has been used before" routine. If this is the case, then HRMS will need to reset your key on their server. Thus you will in either case need to establish dialogue contact with HRMS to resolve this issue.

EDIT: Also, as Rob suggests in his reply on the next page. Double check the key entered with regard zeros and letter Os and/or lower case L vs 1. Case [upper lower] might have a bearing on the key being recognised as well.

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Did you actually install RM as Administrator (right click on the file and select run as admin) and not rely on being logged in as such.

Simply download the latest copy from the link(s) provided and reinstall over the top of your demo version. The demo and full versions are actually loaded by that file, with the restriction taken off by the product key. I found I had typed my key code in error even though it looked right, worth checking for lower case L and 1, upper case O and zero, etc.

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