Serial number not sticking? - Page 2

Ralph · 02-24-2019, 10:51 AM

Time for me to add to the frustrations of Windows 10. New laptop with Windows 10 Home installed 2018-12-08 with OS build 17763.316
So first "issue".. It came as a surprise that there is NO link to download the SS from this forum (that I could find). So ran to the Google and searched for Serene Screen.. Wow.. you get a lot of hits. picked one that seemed legit and downloaded the program.

Installed it as one would.. added my key code.. all seems well. Shut it off.. turned it back on.. and.. needed to add my code again. Several times, including logging off altogether.

Okay.. uninstall and install as an administrator. Now get an error message. Try again.. same error.. ignore and SS installs and appears to work.. but is still asks for my code every time I start it.

To be continued...

Jim Sachs · 02-26-2019, 09:39 AM

Win 10 has been nothing but a headache for me too. It took me literally months to get the latest update to install and run in any sort of stable fashion, and now it sometimes doesn't recognize that I have Administrator privileges.

The unrecognized Key Code problem is probably only going to get worse. I'm wondering if it isn't time to get rid of Keys entirely, and go with a Shareware business model, with a suggested donation of $10.

Ralph · 02-26-2019, 06:00 PM

I would vote to get rid of the keys.. or change it to phone home periodically. Shareware "might" work but there has to be a way for nagging messages to be turned off once a donation has been made.
But, I think the days of computer screen savers are kind of past..

Jim Sachs · 02-26-2019, 11:47 PM

Well, turning off nagging messages once a donation has been made is...a Key Code.

You are right about screen savers being a thing of the past, though - sales have been near zero for several years. I've been paying $250 per month for a Facebook ad campaign for the past 6 months with no effect whatsoever.

Jav400 · 02-27-2019, 06:38 AM

Most of the things that sell today are made for everyone's phones. The downside for Jim is that running his phone version takes battery time, and unfortunately that's the one thing most phones need more of and everyone is trying to conserve it, not just let it run so they can watch something nice.

IMHO Jim you would need to redo some aspects with more interaction by users to have a decent shot with that. ie. make it more "game like" in some respects to get more attention.

Jim Sachs · 02-27-2019, 08:09 AM

Yes, that would be the plan for the Unity version. A VR interactive tank that you could walk all the way around.

CJreef · 03-17-2019, 01:48 PM

I too have to reenter my key code periodically. The difference is that the screen saver works except for the eel. When I reenter the key code the eel shows up again till I need to reenter the code again.

Ralph · 03-19-2019, 09:14 PM

Originally posted by CJreef:

I too have to reenter my key code periodically. The difference is that the screen saver works except for the eel. When I reenter the key code the eel shows up again till I need to reenter the code again.

My eel shows every time.. but I need to type in the key code each time I engage the SS. The code never sticks..

Oddly.. it is installed in two places C:\Windows\System32 and in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 There are also two references to the SS
MarineAquarium3.scr.26020.dmp (9.8 MB) and MarineAquarium3.scr.1584.dmp (1.1 MB) in C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Local\CrashDumps

And a reference to the icon for both users on this laptop. C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Wi ndows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\AppIconCach e

Activating the SS by clicking on either MarineAquarium3.scr files make no difference to requiring using the key code.. nor changing the extension to an exe. All very strange.. but this is Windows 10 and lots of things are confusing to me and resolving the SS key issue is way down on my list of things to fix.

dtomega · 04-24-2019, 02:04 AM

had the same issue, just bought today. quick registry check and was aslo missing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScre en\MarineAquarium3 registry entry. added manually and viola

Ralph · 05-08-2019, 09:12 PM

A post at https://feldoncentral.com/forums/sho...359#post158359
This worked fine for me:

You will find MarineAquarium3.scr here:
C:\Windows\System32\MarineAquarium3.scr

Make a copy of MarineAquarium3.scr to your desktop and rename it MarineAquarium3.exe.

Now right click on the MarineAquarium3.exe that copied earlier and select "Run as administrator"

Enter a valid keycode. Then you can delete the desktop exe and your short cuts will work without asking anymore reg entry

I thought I had tried this but not from a copy on the desktop.. Anyway worked for me.. so far.

otisjenn1@gmail.com · 05-17-2019, 10:28 PM

Hi, I am having the same problem except mine wants me to re-enter my code every time the screen saver comes back on. The colors, clock, and calendar stay at the same settings I use but the fish are changed to the original fish. I have tried to make new sets of fish and the same thing happens then when I click on the set I chose it shows the original fish set and not my fish set. I paid 14.95 for this and it is really annoying.

Jim Sachs · 06-03-2019, 11:15 PM

Have you tried following Ralph's suggestions?

Ralph · 06-04-2019, 05:58 AM

Really strange that by installing (as administrator) from a desktop copy (renamed to MarineAquarium3.exe) should work.. where none of the other attempts I tried did. But that is Windows 10 for you.
Credit goes to Alex Themelis for this information.

F34R · 07-16-2019, 09:56 PM

Originally posted by Ralph:

A post at https://feldoncentral.com/forums/sho...359#post158359
This worked fine for me:

You will find MarineAquarium3.scr here:
C:\Windows\System32\MarineAquarium3.scr

Make a copy of MarineAquarium3.scr to your desktop and rename it MarineAquarium3.exe.

Now right click on the MarineAquarium3.exe that copied earlier and select "Run as administrator"

Enter a valid keycode. Then you can delete the desktop exe and your short cuts will work without asking anymore reg entry

I thought I had tried this but not from a copy on the desktop.. Anyway worked for me.. so far.

This worked for me. Win 10 64bit 1903.

Just wanted to again thank Jim for the absolute best screen saver I've ever owned. I've used this for so long, and it's the only one I do use.

02-26-2019, 09:39 AM	#22
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Win 10 has been nothing but a headache for me too. It took me literally months to get the latest update to install and run in any sort of stable fashion, and now it sometimes doesn't recognize that I have Administrator privileges. The unrecognized Key Code problem is probably only going to get worse. I'm wondering if it isn't time to get rid of Keys entirely, and go with a Shareware business model, with a suggested donation of $10. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-26-2019, 06:00 PM	#23
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	I would vote to get rid of the keys.. or change it to phone home periodically. Shareware "might" work but there has to be a way for nagging messages to be turned off once a donation has been made. But, I think the days of computer screen savers are kind of past.. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.

02-26-2019, 11:47 PM	#24
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Well, turning off nagging messages once a donation has been made is...a Key Code. You are right about screen savers being a thing of the past, though - sales have been near zero for several years. I've been paying $250 per month for a Facebook ad campaign for the past 6 months with no effect whatsoever. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-27-2019, 06:38 AM	#25
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Most of the things that sell today are made for everyone's phones. The downside for Jim is that running his phone version takes battery time, and unfortunately that's the one thing most phones need more of and everyone is trying to conserve it, not just let it run so they can watch something nice. IMHO Jim you would need to redo some aspects with more interaction by users to have a decent shot with that. ie. make it more "game like" in some respects to get more attention. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

02-27-2019, 08:09 AM	#26
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Yes, that would be the plan for the Unity version. A VR interactive tank that you could walk all the way around. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-17-2019, 01:48 PM	#27
CJreef Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1	Key code problem limited to eel I too have to reenter my key code periodically. The difference is that the screen saver works except for the eel. When I reenter the key code the eel shows up again till I need to reenter the code again.

03-19-2019, 09:14 PM	#28
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	Originally posted by CJreef: I too have to reenter my key code periodically. The difference is that the screen saver works except for the eel. When I reenter the key code the eel shows up again till I need to reenter the code again. My eel shows every time.. but I need to type in the key code each time I engage the SS. The code never sticks.. Oddly.. it is installed in two places C:\Windows\System32 and in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 There are also two references to the SS MarineAquarium3.scr.26020.dmp (9.8 MB) and MarineAquarium3.scr.1584.dmp (1.1 MB) in C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Local\CrashDumps And a reference to the icon for both users on this laptop. C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Wi ndows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\AppIconCach e Activating the SS by clicking on either MarineAquarium3.scr files make no difference to requiring using the key code.. nor changing the extension to an exe. All very strange.. but this is Windows 10 and lots of things are confusing to me and resolving the SS key issue is way down on my list of things to fix. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.

04-24-2019, 02:04 AM	#29
dtomega Registered Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 2	had the same issue, just bought today. quick registry check and was aslo missing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScre en\MarineAquarium3 registry entry. added manually and viola

05-08-2019, 09:12 PM	#30
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	A post at https://feldoncentral.com/forums/sho...359#post158359 This worked fine for me: You will find MarineAquarium3.scr here: C:\Windows\System32\MarineAquarium3.scr Make a copy of MarineAquarium3.scr to your desktop and rename it MarineAquarium3.exe. Now right click on the MarineAquarium3.exe that copied earlier and select "Run as administrator" Enter a valid keycode. Then you can delete the desktop exe and your short cuts will work without asking anymore reg entry I thought I had tried this but not from a copy on the desktop.. Anyway worked for me.. so far. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for. Last edited by Ralph; 05-08-2019 at 09:13 PM. Reason: changed color of pasted text

05-17-2019, 10:28 PM	#31
otisjenn1@gmail.com Registered Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Pacheco CA Posts: 1	Me Too!! Hi, I am having the same problem except mine wants me to re-enter my code every time the screen saver comes back on. The colors, clock, and calendar stay at the same settings I use but the fish are changed to the original fish. I have tried to make new sets of fish and the same thing happens then when I click on the set I chose it shows the original fish set and not my fish set. I paid 14.95 for this and it is really annoying.

06-03-2019, 11:15 PM	#32
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Have you tried following Ralph's suggestions? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-04-2019, 05:58 AM	#33
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	Really strange that by installing (as administrator) from a desktop copy (renamed to MarineAquarium3.exe) should work.. where none of the other attempts I tried did. But that is Windows 10 for you. Credit goes to Alex Themelis for this information. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.

07-16-2019, 09:56 PM	#34
F34R Registered Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 52	Originally posted by Ralph: A post at https://feldoncentral.com/forums/sho...359#post158359 This worked fine for me: You will find MarineAquarium3.scr here: C:\Windows\System32\MarineAquarium3.scr Make a copy of MarineAquarium3.scr to your desktop and rename it MarineAquarium3.exe. Now right click on the MarineAquarium3.exe that copied earlier and select "Run as administrator" Enter a valid keycode. Then you can delete the desktop exe and your short cuts will work without asking anymore reg entry I thought I had tried this but not from a copy on the desktop.. Anyway worked for me.. so far. This worked for me. Win 10 64bit 1903. Just wanted to again thank Jim for the absolute best screen saver I've ever owned. I've used this for so long, and it's the only one I do use.