Vista UAC Blocking Registration
 

I have a registered copy of Marine Aquarium 2.6 and have been very pleased with it. I have come to reinstall it on vista following an upgrade. Tech support have offered advice that I have followed. Downloaded clean file, virus checker off, carefully cut and paste code (no spaces) - still prompted to buy.... If I turn UAC off shows as registered without any further action. Turn UAC back on and registration prompted again. Help much appreciated.

I am (thankfully!) NOT a Vista user. And hopefully never will be. - I have however heard a little about this problem. Hopefully someone here with Vista will be able to give some help, but things around here are very dead at the moment! - All I can advise is to search in Google for Vista UAC. One glance there seems to suggest that you are not the only one suffering from the 'Vista UAC' problem!

.... Not very much help I know, - but I sympathise!

I have! I have my users accounts turned off. If you have a good firewall and running Windows Defender with virus protection, you should be fine. Windows makes you think you need this but if you and family are the primary users and it is not a public PC, there is little reasons for enabling this. For kids, use the parental controls.

Windows Vista is a pain. For those who don't know, there is a kernel burried within Vista that gathers information/data on the user/system and sends it to Manassas Va. to a huge database there. This same kernel is also within the latest version of Office and it does the same thing. So far it can't be removed as it replicates itself and will return or shut everything down.

Personally I wouldn't have Vista if someone gave me free copies. Between that and all the UAC junk, I'll stick with XP Pro as long as I can and hope for something better in the future, if not I think I will be using XP for a long long time.

Thankfully, Microsoft is hard at work on its next OS. :D

Or better still, stick with something that you know works! - The 'next' or 'latest' can't be guaranteed to be better, or even work!

... It's all change for change sake! ... And to make Microsoft even more money...

I'm not likely to buy Microsoft's 'next OS', either!!!

In this case you are definitely correct Cliff, at least IMHO. Vista is a huge step backwards.

But.. unless Microsoft has a change in its philosophy the next version will have the same or even more invasive UAC. The world has given MS the right to redefine trojans / spy ware... take it or leave it:)

Thanks for the sympathy, it does help.. I searched under Vista UAC and got lots but nothing that would suggest why this particular problem is occurring. We do seem to have strayed off topic a little here lol, though I appreciate that there are very diverse views about Vista across the board. Personally I have found it really slick and have been pleased with the speed and general interface - I agree that the security features can be a pain but they do say... no pain no gain. Any ideas on the point in question guys, why won't the registration stick ? :)

As I don't run Vista ( supprise supprise ;) ), I don't have a definative answer for this one. I will start by asking if you have already installed other programs and had them work fine without any problems?

This might be a Jim or Edgar question, but we do have some people here on the forum running Vista, so if they don't get back to you with some suggestions after the weekend, then maybe one of our other forum members running Vista can give it a shot and see what response they get.

Don't worry, one way or another we will get you figured out. :)

Yep, no other problems with programmes not loading or with any registrations. This is a strange one I would consider myself quite familier with computers but this has me stumped. Thanks again for the support is is appreciated - I note that the code it taken as it moves to the fish screen when entered but after a few seconds the 'buy now' sign appears on the rock and it clearly does not accept this as bought. I though I would be smart and even bought the upgrade today (even though I have 2.6 thinking that the new code would be worth the $5 or so and would sort this out). Frustratingly the new code (and a new download) does exactly the same thing......?

Which version of Vista are you running? You can of course turn all that stuff off, but from what I have read it might be better to set it to elevate without prompting and see what happens.

Look here, towards the bottom of the page and it tells you how to do this. Maybe it would have something to do with what is going on and solve it.

I have read allot of other places where this is a better solution than turning it off totally. This is just the first one I found with a quick search telling the process. I can't remember if this works for all versions of Vista, seems like I read somewhere else that this works best, or maybe only with the Ultimate version. But it doesn't hurt to check if it will work with yours.

Vista Home Premium - it seems this only applies to Ultimate and beyond as you say.

I do have one Vista machine (Home Premium) to test the program on, but I'm not very familiar with it.

All I can think of is somehow the machine is seeing you as a different user when you try to run MA. It doesn't seem to be saving the Key Code in the proper Registry entry. Edgar might have some ideas.

You should not have bought the Upgrade. What you actually downloaded is still the same v2.6. The Upgrade just looks for a v2.0 Key Code and brings it up to a v2.6 Key. Make sure that Customer Support knows that you purchased an Upgrade if you decide to get 3.0 when it's done. They will give you credit for the Upgrade. Send me a Private Message if you have any trouble.

Thanks for your prompt response much appreciated.

I have checked the ownership/permissions and audit notes with UAC on and with it off they both seem identical. I am getting a little frustrated and am stumped.

If you want to use UAC, you will need to install per user.

If you want to bypass this, and want install it once for all users, the following instructions may have to be followed:
1. Uninstall MA2.6.
2. Right click on the MA2.6 installer and select "Run as Administrator" to reinstall MA2.6.
3. Copy the Windows/System32/MA2_6.scr somewhere as MA2_6.exe. Vista won't let you run a .scr file as administrator so we are fooling it by creating a .exe copy of the executable.
4. Right click on MA2_6.exe and select "Run as administrator".
5. Enter the keycode.
MA2.6 should now be installed for all users.

Maybe on the next update of the installer, we can add a step to enter the keycode during the installation.

The instructions I wrote should work but I am the only one that has tested it.
I myself, runs Vista with UAC off to stop all the nagging.

Thank you Edgar (and others) for the prompt and really helpful responses. This works wonderfully - the only change was I had to go into folder options and change the view setting because the first couple of times the file still had a hidden 'scr extension. I now have a fully working fish tank which is very restful but will have to forego the screen saver function (or read up on the per user account functions in Vista which I have not yet used). Major steps forward and I am impressed by your techinical skills - well done ! :):)

The screensaver function should work if you right click on the MA2_6.scr and select install. I assume you have a 64 bit Vista?

No I have Vista 32bit. The screen saver shows in the list and can be selected but it shows the 'unregistered' version. The .exe file runs great as a stand alone.

I am running 2.6 just fine on Vista!:confused:

nigelh,

Are you sure you uninstalled MA2_6 according the first instruction?

Are you saying that running the .exe does not ask for the registration key but when the screensaver starts up, it asks for the key?

I think I followed the instructions OK and they do make the exe file work fine. The screen saver shows the buy now and when you try to use the settings button on the screen saver tab it shows as unregistered. That said this problem is now in the past...... I have finally given up on UAC (sorry for all of the hassle but I thought it was worth it). Today UAC also denied me the right to delete a folder as it said I did not have permission even though I am administrator on my own machine !!! - that was the last straw and so it had to go. Thanks for all of the support and advice and sorry to be so stubborn admitting that UAC was an intrusive monster - I have joined the ranks of the UAC sceptics and look forward to unmolested computing. Kind Regards.:)

Funny how many people like to bash Vista here who also happen to *not* be users of said OS. Much like XP was the one to pick on on this forum as W2k was *so* superior a few years back...

Easy to bash when said OS will not run software (or hardware) you know will run in XP. By any objective measure it would seem that Vista will / has established a ranking similar to Window ME. I would "still" be an 2K user but new software I use would no longer would work on 2K. Part of the conspiracy to get people to move (read purchase) new stuff. And.. in time the same process will apply to Vista... if Windows 7 is not forced on us first

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Form an IT persepctive I absolutely love Vista. I hated it for about 2 hours when I first installed it, but that was just shock. There are still some things I would change in it, but they are just minor little nuisances, and XP had some of those for me too.

To clarify (as I said earlier) I think that Vista is great, fast, smooth and an excellent OS and I am sticking with it. The UAC is what had to go and is now turned off as I have a Fire Wall, Virus and Malware cover and no other users are on my machine. For networks and multi users I can see the point. I will read into the multi user account concept but for me at this point in time it counts as "things I would change".

UAC is fantastic for non-power users. I have yet to clean a single virus or spyware off a Vista machine running UAC.

My shop sees a lot of problems with spyware and virus problems. Last week we saw our FIRST spyware problem in Vista. Considering we get 30-40 systems a week for cleanup, I think that's a stellar ratio.

I'm not a Microsoft fan, but I have to admit that I do like Vista. I've been running it in one form or another since the beta tests. Now all my systems at home (including my notebook) are running Vista. I just simply don't have problems with it.

I haven't run into the issue with MA 2.6 not installing properly under Vista. I keep UAC enabled, but I have a single user account on most of my systems.

Sorry, but that crap doesn't fly with me. I have used Vista for over 20 hours. Every time I use it, I want to tear my hair out. They randomly and with no thought to usability or convenience rearranged all the control panels and split things up that were perfectly fine. It is extremely obvious to me that they realized if they had just done things in the most logical arrangement possible, it would have not been much of a change over XP and people wouldn't buy it. So they had to fool around with the whole OS, even if there was no real benefit.

I find some of the most basic user interface features of Vista to be a nightmare. For instance, in XP if your wireless network gets confused, you can right-click Repair. It disconnects, reconnects, and gets an IP address. Vista insists on bringing up a massive diagnostic and troubleshooting utility which takes about 30 seconds to come up and most of the time will say "No problems with the Network Adapter were found. Goodbye."

In every thing I have seen in Vista, it takes LONGER and MORE CLICKS to accomplish the same tasks. I cannot think of a single situation in Vista where any productivity or repetitive tasks have been streamlined. Everything is MORE complicated and takes more ram, more hard drive, and more time to do the same things.

I find it maddening that there is no "UP Directory" button anywhere in Vista File Request windows. You pull down File to Open and you are browsing a directory and there is no obvious way to go UP one directory. Instead you have to use the little popup directory menus at the top. Again this seems like a huge step backwards to how some of the DOS windowing environments from the 80's worked.

I also find the Start menu to be a total freaking joke. Is this 1981? Now we have to type in the name of the program or document we want to use? Sounds like MS-DOS to me. I guess after 12 years Microsoft has given up on the Start menu and instead of making it even easier to reorganize it (I bet most users have no idea they can right-click on the Programs area of the Start Menu and Alphabetize the programs), they have just done away with any semblance of organization and expect us to type the name of what we want. Instead of allowing us to organize the Start menu into larger categories like Games, Productivity, Utilities, etc. or something smart, they just said "you know, we should just make the whole computer searchable and just let people type." Brilliant! The Start menu in Vista is a HUGE step backwards.

So I call bullshit on your idea that the only reason people hate Vista is because they just "haven't given it a chance".

I'm still waiting for someone to list a single feature that Vista has that XP doesn't that I'll actually use.

I agree on the part that hardly anyone realizes you can alphabetize the start menu with a single right click in XP. Also I hardly ever see anyone organize their start menu. They just choose the defaults of the install programs and let it be. I'm in the keep it neat and organized camp.
I disagree with the statements you made about the start menu in Vista. Vista's start menu still has all the installed programs listed in the start menu, same as it did in XP. Yes there is a search bar in the start menu but you don't have to use it. IMO I like how the start menu in Vista stays the same size and if need be adds a vertical scroll bar compared to the start menu in XP than can grow and grow and grow.

But do any of these things that some people like because they are "different", - warrant the introduction of yet another whole new OS system, that they expect we will all buy? - Do they think we are mad?

I said at the start of this thread, - it's all change for change sake, IMO! ..... And no, I'm not a user of said OS. - It doesn't follow that you always have to purchase and use a product to establish that you don't need it!

I've read much over the past year or so along the same lines as is said here, and I've yet to be convinced there is anything in Vista that we really 'need' and that can't be accomplished at a fraction of the cost in previous versions of Windows.

I'm not a Microsoft lover, and I shall 'bash' Vista if I think it deserves it. - That is my prerogative.

Everybody to his own. I use Vista and I like the new interface and I like trying new things, learning new stuff. It's like a puzzle that I must figure out.

I did not like it at first, mainly because I tried it way too soon before my drivers for hardware and software could be updated to be compatible with Vista. Once I became familiar with it, I found I really do like it.

But heaven forbid that I would condemn or ridicule anyone for not liking it or using it. To each his own. The world is big enough I think and there's alway Linux. :silent:

If I want puzzles, I've got Everquest II on my PC and Sudoku on my iPhone. I don't like fighting with my computer especially trying to get work done. Just my opinion of course.

20+ hours? Wow, that's really a lot. That's like a couple of days worth of use so I can see how you feel you should be an expert on the system and everything should come natural then. After 25 hours with XP I knew it inside out... :rolleyes: My post wasn't (believe it or not) specifically directed at you so you go ahead and call whatever you want bullshit, crap or bajs if it makes you happier.

I agree there are lots of unnecessary changes in the UI, but in your example, why not just click on the name of the folder in the horizontal list at the top of the window? – if you want to go two levels up you can even click on that folder name directly and save yourself a click. Personally I prefer using the keyboard, but since Ms changed [Backspace] from "Up" in XP to "Back" I have to press [Alt] + [Up arrow] in Vista instead, but it's still manageable.

I'm a fanatic Start menu organiser in XP and suspect I will keep it tidy when I migrate to Vista later. Besides, the fact that people tend to have XP start menus the size of Nebraska doesn't really make Vista bad, does it?

Works for mee too
 

I use Vista Business 32 bit and UAC with no problems as well. I will offer some install tips though because I have been through this more than once (Not specifically with MA). Whenever I install something that wasn't specifically designed for Vista, I right click on the installer and do Run as Administrator. This does NOT always work though and in those cases, I uninstall the misbehaving program and then actually log in as administrator. (You may have to "activate" the account) and then install it that way. I don't think I had to take any extra measures like that when I installed this. (always be on the lookout for an option that asks if you want to install for just this user or all.)

Just my 2 cents. No one had mentioned Business version. There is a weird "feature" in Vista that won't allow you to run a program as Administrator that is in the program files directory that wasn't put there by an installer. (I.E. take a program that works without an install and then put it in the program files directory, it will still ask for permission.) There is a workaround but it is a bit obtuse and shouldn't be an issue here. I only mention it in case you played with directories.

Welcome to the forum, Blackbear, and thanks for your input. :)