Need to enter serial number after restarting PC

[Splashy]

I'm running MA 3.2 on Windows 8.1.
I have a problem, every time I restart my PC, I have to enter the serial number again (it asks for the serial number after every time I restart my PC).
Is there any fix for this? It's kind of annoying to have to enter the code again after every restart.
Your help would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

[Jim Sachs]

If it's a valid Key, the system should remember it. Can you think of any reason that your system would not be able to save something in the Registry, such as no Supervisor abilities?

[Splashy]

The key is valid, I purchased it a while ago.
My Windows account has administrator abilities.
Maybe I should run MA3 as an administrator after a restart?
Thanks for your help.

[marcusgi]

I have this same problem. I have uninstalled it and reinstalled it by clicking on the the executable and selecting run as administrator. I have windows 8 64 bit and this never happened on windows 7. Is there any setting I need to change? Is it possible that Norton has something blocking the registry?

[marcusgi]

I think I finally figured out what is causing me to have to put in registration information after I reboot. Norton products. I permanently disabled Antivirus and Firewall, entered the code and rebooted with Norton off, then restarted once more, turned them back on. Seems to work since. Logic is that Norton is not letting MA write to the registry.

[philosopher]

Jim,

I've been seeing a very similar problem. But mine doesn't occur on every restart. I've identified that I need to re-enter my key on Windows 8.1 after most Windows Updates. Also, whatever fish-list I am currently using gets reset to the default non-key entered list.

For now I've been backing up my preferred list of fish by creating a second set.

I don't know what process during the update is wiping out the key and I haven't tried investigating the registry after this happens.

If you would like me to check any particular registry entries before, during, and/or after the problem occurs just let me know what to check or what other testing would be helpful.

Sincerely,
Justin

[Jim Sachs]

Thanks, guys. I'm not sure what I can do about that, but I'll look into it.

[feldon34]

Originally posted by marcusgi:

I think I finally figured out what is causing me to have to put in registration information after I reboot. Norton products. I permanently disabled Antivirus and Firewall, entered the code and rebooted with Norton off, then restarted once more, turned them back on. Seems to work since. Logic is that Norton is not letting MA write to the registry.  

Norton makes the worst antivirus/firewall/etc. software imaginable. Sorry you had difficulty.

[philosopher]

I am also using Norton.

The weird thing for me is that this doesn't happen on every re-boot. Just every so often and seems to be when I install windows updates.

But I'll try turning off Norton, entering my key, and then waiting for the next set of updates and we'll see.

It could certainly be the same thing!

Thanks for the heads-up on Norton.

[marcusgi]

Well, it turns out Norton is not the problem. It is still making me reregister after several reboots, could be that windows update as you said. I suppose it could be a policy setting. What I have been doing in the mean time is hibernating the PC instead of shutting it down completely.

[TimnShaz1]

I am having this issue as well. I'm running Windows 8.1 on a new Toshiba P75-A. I don't think Norton's is the issue here. Knowing how much I hate it, it was one of the first things to go when I was purging all the junk that comes on a new computer. Can't remember if I've done a hard start since the last time it's happened but it has done it multiple times. If you find a solution it would be appreciated. I'll check back regularly.

[marcusgi]

Well, I was fine for a week or so until Windows Update came from Microsoft. philosopher, I think you hit the nail on top the head when you said its the windows update. At least I have my favorite fish saved, so all I have to do is put in the serial number each time Microsoft wants to do an update, worth having my fish back. Thanks!

[Socrates]

I just came in here to report the same thing in 8.1 pro. I haven't narrowed down WHEN exactly it asks me to enter a new key, but it asks pretty often. It's no fun resetting the fish list constantly.

No Norton. I won't touch their stuff. IT sometimes happens when the computer hasn't been either put to sleep, hibernated, or rebooted. It just seems to randomly happen.

Oh other nots on my pc that may or may not be relevant. It's a laptop with discreet nvidia graphics mixed with the built Intel. I run the aquarium both on the single laptop monitor sometimes, and other times on the laptop monitor + a landscape monitor + a portrait monitor. When I pull up the "S" key information it claims it's running this on the Intel HD graphics rather than the nvidia.

Everything else is great, the only issue I have is the key code problem. .

[Jim Sachs]

I still don't have a clue on this one.

[henemly]

Could you find the reg key branch in the registry (in xp it's under
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SereneScreen\MarineAqu arium3])
export it when it's working, then import the saved xxxx.reg everytime
before running the SS.

[Socrates]

Hey Jim,

Must be a windows 8 thing, Jim, just not sure why it does it. I don't know if this will help or not. I'm glad to do whatever tests you need or dump whatever registry info might be helpful to a PM.

Just a little while ago it asked me for my key again. so I did a search on the windows 8.1 registry for serenescreen, it came up with these:
__________________________________________________ _______________
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wo w6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (This one has an entry in REGCODE, but it looks like .testfish c c c etc)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MA CHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAqua rium3 (this one has the same testfish code in regcode)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SereneScreen\MarineAqua rium3 (also has testfish code)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SereneScreen Marine Aquarium 3_is1 (no regcode key, just uninstaller info)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScre en\MarineAquarium3 (THIS ONE HAS 00 IN THE REGCODE)

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-...\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Wow6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (This one has the testfish code in REGCODE)

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-...\Software\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (also has testfish in regcode)

__________________________________________________ __________________
***Then I put in the key and then re did my search.***

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wo w6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (now has the correct encrypted regcode)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MA CHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAqua rium3 (now has the correct encrypted regcode)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SereneScreen\MarineAqua rium3 (has the corr3ect key in REGCODE)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SereneScreen Marine Aquarium 3_is1 (No regcode key, just uninstall)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SereneScre en\MarineAquarium3 (still just has 00 in REGCODE)

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-...\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Wow6432Node\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (has the correct encrypted key in REGCODe)

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-...\Software\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (has the correct code in REGCODE)

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-..._Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432N ode\SereneScreen\MarineAquarium3 (Has the correct regcode, but did not appear in my search when it was unregistered)
__________________________________________________ ________________

The user serials are shortened up. That last key didn't show up in a quick search of the registry the first time, but that my be my fault. The next time it fails, I will check to see if that key is gone or if I just missed it this time.

Would it help at all to paste the regcode from one of the ones that has it to the one that has just "00".

If I wanted to backup one of these keys to restore it faster next time, which one do I need? OR does that give away the farm on the activiation process? If it does, no problem, I always have my key handy to copy and paste.

[Jim Sachs]

Prolific handles the Key Code stuff. There's a lot going on there. The raw Key will not show up in a search, because the entry is munged before being stored. It's also stored in a second location in case the first one gets messed up.

[marcusgi]

Love the comment "does that give away the farm on the activation process"... That might be the problem, in order to fix it they would have to tell you how to break their encryption... The only time I have to re-enter the code is when windows updates, like once a week and takes seconds. Just an annoyance when I have paid for the registration.

[Time Crystal Pilot]

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

[...] It's also stored in a second location in case the first one gets messed up.  

And that other location is listed in Socrates's posting above as well. Let's not hope the registry path is hard-coded, because in that case it cannot but fail with virtual 32-bit registry entries on 64-bit Windows 8, especially if the program checks the backup entry periodically. (I don't know if MA3 does that. MA2 used to.)

[EricW]

I am also having the same annoying problem with having to re-enter the code. Have not been able to pin down what triggers this.

Running Windows 8.1, 64-bit.