License Question

[mightyt]

OK, it all started when I downloaded and installed a trial version of SageTV and created my server. Everything worked out well so I downloaded the trial version to test on my son's 600Mhz PC. Well I installed the client but got an error trying to watch LiveTV. At the time I didn't know that you could not view LiveTV on a Client when the server is recording unless you have a second tuner card. So, I used XP's System Restore the same hour to take me back to a pre-SageTV Client state.

Fast Forward about 3 weeks. I now own a license to one SageTV server and one SageTV Client. My Server is keyed and set up. Before I use my client key I wanted to test LiveTV without the server in a recording state. So, I installed the Trial version and bam ... when launched, I was told my 15 day license expired. Huh? I used it one hour and did a system restore. I am not going to potentially waste my Client key on a system that I may not like the results, performance, stability or otherwise. I tried doing an uninstall through Add/Remove Programs and reinstalled with the same result.

What's up ... I just want to try it out before I commit. How, can I do this? I tried removing all registry entries to Frey and Sage when I did the uninstall and even searched for Sage files to delete before reinstalling, but the bottom line is I kept getting prompted to buy a key.

So, how can I do this? And Format is not an option. Not gonna go through a system rebuild just to test this out ....

Thanks in advance ....

[kny3twalker]

go back and undo the restore
then stop using windows restore
it causes all kinds of problems like this
I turn it off on my computers

[mightyt]

Personally I have never had a System Restore issue before so don't have a bad opinion. I don't mind going back and undoing the restore back to when I had the original Client install 3 weeks ago, but I suspect the license checker Sage implements will still come back as expired and want me to enter a key. How can I successfully clean the Client out and start with a fresh 15 day install?

[kny3twalker]

reformat

[Opus4]

As far as I know, you can't clear out the trial countdown -- that's the whole point of allowing only a 15 day trial. If it could be easily cleared, people would be tempted to keep clearing it.

I haven't read the license very closely lately, but I recall that you are allowed to use it on one computer. I hope I haven't got my understanding of this wrong, but if you install & register it on your current client, you would have to be sure to permanently remove it from that system before permanently installing it on a a different system. You have to be able to switch systems or else you could never junk an old computer & replace it with another w/o having to buy a new license. So....

You now own a registered/licensed copy of the client, right? I would install it on the client & use it. If you decide to switch computers pemanently, use the REGISTER (all uppercase) command line parameter (see this FAQ entry), but don't enter the license when it is requested. That should effectively remove the license from that system, rendering it unusable & allowing you to install & use the software elsewhere.

Anyway... that's my personal take on what should be allowable.

- Andy

[mightyt]

Thanks for the quick feedback ... It sounds like a bummer to me. I understand the desire to prevent illegal software usage, but gee how many people are going to want to install, uninstall and install again over and over and over forever just to save $30 for the Client? This is more painful for the honest people. Anyway, I'll stop complaining ...

Another enhancement Sage should consider is using uptime for the trial. Sage can track it's up time, give me 15 days of that instead of by date and time. Example, I set my server up and two days later had to break down my family room for floor tile installation. Six days later I set it back up again, but lost the six days, thus I only got an 9 day trial. That was enough for me to decide to buy, but it seems like it would be a great value to get 15 days of full Sage uptime.

I am not going to reformat to do the test on my son's 600 Mhz. Sage just won't get the purchase and my son will have to wait until I upgrade him to get it ...

Too Bad ...

[Opus4]

Um... did you start writing that post before I wrote my reply? I understood you to say that you bought a client license already. Have you already used your 1 client license on a 3rd PC & you wanted to trial it on your son's PC before buying a 2nd client license? If you haven't used the license yet, you don't have a problem.

- Andy

[mightyt]

Hmmm ... my last post was 20min after yours ... Sorry.

Yes, I have a key for my server and one for a client. I have several PC's on my net that are higher performing, but I wanted to trial test this PC before applying the key. The way this has gone thus far, I am not sure I want to enter the key unless I am absolutely sure ... Guess I am now gun shy.

I sent this link to Frey Support asking if they can help as well. Hopefully, they can see this is on the up and up ...

Thanks ...

[Opus4]

Well, they will certainly be able to say whether what I said is allowable. I don't believe it is wrong, since the server will not allow the same key to connect from 2 clients simultaneously anyway & as long as it gets unregistered & uninstalled if you decide to switch machines, then no one else could use it with another server either w/o buying another client license. If Frey says otherwise, please let me know!

- Andy

[mightyt]

Thanks will do ...

[sleight42]

So, if I understand right, I'm boned as well? I installed a client license on my laptop, for testing purposes (although I don't use it anymore). I then installed the same license on a live client box that sees regular use.

Is there no way to wipe the Sage client license off of my laptop? No, I'm not trying to rip off Frey. In fact, I just purchased two more client licenses: one for the laptop and one for a stupid lil machine that's going on our home gym.

However, even uninstalling and reinstalling SageTV Client doesn't seem to wipe the currently installed license key. Help?

[Opus4]

Originally posted by sleight42
Is there no way to wipe the Sage client license off of my laptop?

As I said in an above post:

Originally posted by Opus4
use the REGISTER (all uppercase) command line parameter (see this FAQ entry), but don't enter the license when it is requested.

Or: DO enter a new one, since that seems to be what you want to do.

- Andy

[sleight42]

Actually, found the REGISTER command in the troubleshooting docs. I'd RTFM more often if the manual wasn't so sparse.