Stardock consumering

It has to be "validated" twice because there's a difference between downloading and activation.

Without the activation on install, in theory you could download a component, archive it, and then attempt to install it on any number of computers. The need to activate on each computer makes this a tad harder. You now have to crack every version of program that you wish to distribute as well, so that it doesn't check for the unique activation code (which it won't be able to get because it can't activate).

If you need to re-install programs after your subscription lapses, then normally that would be no problem. If, perhaps, you reinstall several times in a short space of time then you will likely reach a point where it says "hey, there's something up here" and does not allow further activation. In that case you will need to contact support and get them to reset the counter. The fact that you are no longer a subscriber will not be relevant, because you still paid for what you have, and it is still our job to ensure that it works.

Though, why is there the second "activation" procedure on some products and not on others ?
ODNT serial acount should be the only one to validate ANY product ...

Activation is in effect on most of our products. As I noted previously, you just hit the WindowBlinds limit sooner because it is more often pirated and therefore has a lower limit before the software gets suspicious.

The "act of activating product X" (what happens when Stardock Central tries to activate WindowBlinds on a specific computer) is separate from "has a serial number used to download and activate products X, Y, Z" (your Object Desktop serial). I believe it is actually your Stardock.net account that is used as the determinant for whether or not you've bought something, rather than the serial, though I could be wrong.

A good rule to follow with any software is to backup, backup, backup. All the ObjectDesktop programs can be installed from backups using the latest archive. This would save having to wait for a reset during a weekend.

C:\Program Files\Stardock\SDCentral\BACKUP

i copy/past the folder in an other harddrive before at all

Yep guys don't forget to backup, but if by bad luck you had reached one of the thresholds for the maximum number of times you are allowed to activate [copy here the name of program which in the OPDNT avaible list has to be "activated" once more] in a given time period, your backup won't help you

What, you didn't know about that new rule ? me neither ...   

It is right here. Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

However note that if you really have backed up everything, including the operating system, then this should not be a problem because when you restore it, the machine ID will be restored as well. If you do a clean install, it will cause re-activation, because your machine ID changes.

May i say, that i find this law really illogical for ODNT consumers ?   and what will happen if once have given up subscription to ODNT, and need to reinstall his PC from scratch ??? his backups won't help him i think ... Am i right ?

You are welcome to do so, but be aware that it makes perfect sense for us.

Activation does inconvenience some users. We apologize for this, and try to make it right where there are problems. However, we are not about to stop using it, as the system has a proven effect in fighting fraud, which is a significant problem for most online businesses. Without it, prices would rise, or the level of service we could provide would fall, because we would have more "customers" and less money to show for it.



No, that is not correct. His backups will provide the software, and it will still activate, because (as explained above) the ability to activate is not curtailed just because you are not an active subscriber. The customer just cannot download new versions.

Yep, i'm ok for a political secure plan against fraud, i'm just telling that system may be improved in case of ODNT users ...   

It still comes down to backing up "your" computer. There would have been no issue had this been done. It is the responsibility of each user to backup "his or her" computer and not Stardock's responsibility.  Stardock Central program has the ability to archive each application and it is recommended to do so.

There's backing up and backing up ... I get data backups but i always considered backing up the whole PC as a pure heresy just because if you have troubles on your PC (perhaps without knowing about them) you'll just restore the problems ... Though i much prefer when i found problems i can't solve even by a repair system, to do a full re install from scratch. Of course you'll tell me that it's my responsability and you're right, but it's surely the best way to be sure to bring in the right way with your PC.

And if i well understood the principe of activation (not sure in fact), even if i back up the "sig.bin" file of each Stardock software needing to be "activated" (which one are they in fact ?), it won't work after a new installation ...

Dont back up that file... its auto-generated by activation.  I had to delete that file in my wb directory after I had to reformat my windows partition (program files were on another drive).  Keeping it will cause an activation error.  Delete that file, attempt activation.  (At least, I think it was that file)

Just a quick question for clarification.

I make regular images of my primary drive (the one OD is installed on) with Acronis True Image. If I understand correctly, should I have the need to restore a drive from an image because of disk failure or other catastrophe, I wouldn't need to reactivate?

In theory, no you wouldnt... Your machine ID shouldnt change at all between images, since the windows install would still be 'the same'.  I'd presume that as long as Windows is seen as the same install, you'd be safe.

Thanks for the info, CerebroJD

pictoratus, I use True Image also and have never had to reactivate, and I've done a full restore quite a few times with no problems.

Good news to hear. Thanks, Boss!


(Of course, hopefully I'll never need to restore because of a hard drive crash, but ... you know the old saying .. wish in one hand and ....)