Currently Unable to Activate (Error Code -205)

from Stardock Forums

Exactly as title says. So far I've tried the following:

- Renaming PC just to make sure there's no foreign characters, thinking this might be a problem.
- Installed the game on two separate drives.
- Ran the game as admin from both drives.
- Tried to activate with a Stardock account but then I remembered I had signed in and purchased this by logging in via Steam.

At first I assumed I was just trying to activate it too early!

15,421 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Ive had the same thing, I have tried to send a support ticket but havent heard back yet :(

EDIT: I am a Steam user too and thats how I login to Stardock aswell.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Contacting some folks in the know - will get this resolved ASAP.

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

I cannot activate it either.

 

I get to the activation page, my unlock code is there.   I enter my email.   When I try to choose the offline file it just displays empty folders with no file to select.

 

I tried online as well but had no success!

 

 

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

For both of you, the activations are happening with your email addresses and keys, and successful, here  It leads us to believe that, for some reason, the activation file is not being able to be written to your local PCs:

\ProgramData\MadScientist\The Video Game Machine\license.sig  (you can check to see if its there please, likely not).

Perhaps a permissions issue - perhaps disabling AV software for the install?  

If that fails, we would like to see an activation log file each of you should have:

\Users\yourWinAccountName\AppData\Local\MadScientist\The Video Game Machine\SASLog.txt.

If you could post them to a cloud service (GoogleDrive, OneDrive, DropBox, PasteBin) with a shared link here, we will take a look at them.

----------------
Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

 

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Can confirm, no "license.sig" in the location you mentioned. Never used Google Docs before so I HOPE this link is working: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FwZPS0IjrLcaYAALqm5YMtrc2Z_KTtYm/view?usp=sharing
Reply #7 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Do you happen to have any firewall or anti virus installed besides Windows defender?

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Hey guys,

We think we figured out what it is.  Give it another shot and let us know please.

Again, sorry for the trouble and thanks for your patience.

----------------
Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Reply #10 from Stardock.net Forums Top
Morning, Rohan. Just turned it on a few moments ago and attempted to activate one more time. Initially got a "email is incorrect for product key" error but then I tried a few more times before it let me through. Dunno what you folks did but you've my thanks for figuring it out. That or I brute forced it enough the activation process gave in! Can't wait to get playing around with this. Thanks again, Stardock.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Xeranarth2638, reply 10

Thanks again, Stardock.
End of Xeranarth2638's quote

You are most welcome - enjoy.

----------------
Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting keet11, reply 12

Thanks for the help!
End of keet11's quote

You are welcome. 

----------------
Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager