Problems with activation after upgrade to 1,45

Does it keep asking after you activate or has it only been a 1 time thing?

Many times. If I restart windows, Start8 ask me for a key

Do you have anything on your computer which might be deleting files on a shutdown?  Perhaps to delete application logs or recently accessed documents / apps / websites?

No

I have the same problem. Windows 8.1. I have to keep reentering the key. 

This problem did not occur with windows 8, only in 8.1 after updating to v1.45

I'm experiencing the same problem please fix.

In the following locations:

C:\ProgramData\Stardock\Registrations

Delete start8sig2267.bin (if it's there)

C:\ProgramData\Stardock\Start8

Delete the cache.dat and license.sig

After, try activating again and let us know if you are again prompted.

I was just advised by a member of Stardock staff to run my PC with the anti-virus software (Defender) turned off for a couple of days to see if that sorted the problem! I'm no expert but that seems --- highly dangerous, and irresponsible. 

I too am having the same issue. One thing I noticed. I too was using all of the Stardock tools that support Windows 8.1 and the only unit I am not being annoyed about is the first unit I installed on. Startdock allows 4 PC's on the one license. I am being pestered on the other 3. That to me says that the issue is on Stardocks certification servers and not on my PCs.

FYI, I have this problem (apparently) on Windows 8, as well.  (I have never upgraded to Windows 8.1).

We pushed a fix late Friday.  There is nothing for any of you to do or install; all the work was internal here.  We trust that the issue has been resolved; let us know if you see any different.

Dear sdRohan

I applied the solution mentioned, but the problem continues

There is no longer a solution to apply, it should just stop asking.

I have this problem too on 8.1 It just asked me again!

But the last I see you activating was the 4th?

That's right. I did not reactivate today. I was frustrated so came directly onto the forum without reactivating. Are you suggesting I do it one more time and that will be it?

I am.

I have had it happen to me multiple times both on Start 8 and modern mix ever since the last pushed upgrades. Just wanted it again today

You activated yesterday; the last time you had was the 4th; the fix was pushed on the 5th.  It would only still be an issue if it happened again.

I just installed the update. It insisted I enter the multidigit registration key into the dialog, but the dialog box blocked out my password keeper where I keep licenses. I couldn't see the reg key. The update is sloppy enough not to copy the reg key from the old installation. That's very bad design.

Moreover, the installation unility kept saying that it could not make the internet connection although my internet connection was excellent. The registration screen would not go into the background, blocking my view to any hints of the reg key, preventing me from copying and pasting it.

I tried to get a 30-day trial, but several attempts failed before I finally was able to succeed in that. Each attempt entailed another reboot.

At that point, I tried several other times to paste in my reg key. After 2 or 3 reinstalls and reboots, it finally worked.

Please do not ask questions designed to see if there was user error or something on my computer interfering with the process of installation. This is a new ASUS computer without much on it, 8 gigs of memory, and a 4th generation quad4 core intel I7 chip on a high-end motherboard. It is zippy, zippy, zippy!! I am uninterested in helping you troubleshoot this problem. I just want to kvetch and provide what I hope will be useful feedback. I'm not the only one with these kinds of problems as a short sojourn through this forum shows.

I found the entire upgrade process to be needlessly time consuming, maddening, and vastly irritating. I don't want to upgrade Start8 any more unless it starts failing. Owing to other problems I've had with this product (as well as the problems others report on this forum), I would not recommend others use this program without testing out the alternatives, especially the open-source alternatives. I suppose the price of this proprietary program is low, and I am getting exactly what I paid for. There are free alternatives out there and this program costs $4.99, and I'm wondering if the free programs so much more aggravation that the small fee is actually worth paying.

Sorry if I seem a bit snippy, but after the last 45 minutes of frustration and reading the responses to other posters' comments, a bit of a stiff rebuke is not entirely out of order.

If you openly concede the rollout of this upgrade was flawed AND fix the problem, I'll feel better about this.

Regards,

Alan

What should happen is during the update the activation is updated to the new format, but this requires server access and I believe the datacentre where the activation servers are hosted is currently experiencing issues (DDOS I think) which is causing some activation related problems.  The actual serial number is not kept on your computer which is why it couldn't pre fill the dialog for you, but as I say it should have transparently upgraded the license file without that prompt.

I can only apologise for this as it isn't intentional and it should have been seamless for you.

Last update is bad. I want to return to the previous version. Could you make it available for download? Please!

Thanks for the response and the explanation, Neil.

In my opinion, not storing the password locally is bad policy. One thing that can be guaranteed is that servers go down, sometimes for an unacceptably long time. That's true of any server, even ones designed to be "mission critical."

I've had licenses to other software that goes haywire because it "phones home" and home doesn't answer the phone on the 1st or 2nd ring. Usually, I get rid of such software unless there are no alternatives and the software is urgent.

In the case of Start8, there are several alternatives, and some of them are open source, thus free. There is a reason "phone home solutions" to piracy are so thoroughly disliked.

Stardock should ask themselves if the loss due to piracy outweighs the hit on the bottom line that failed "phone-home" schemes cause. They should understand that the ill-will an unusable $5 piece of software causes motivates the consumer to search for a possibly more robust solution.

Regards,
Alan

Sorry I think you have misunderstood here.

The license IS stored locally.  It is just the system changed in 1.45 and required it to ask the server for a new format license on upgrade.  Once done that license should remain valid for newer versions too without the need for it to upgrade the format.