Hangs when entering license

[Andrew Kulin]

I've downloaded the software and installed the game. When I try to run the game, I am asked to type in my license key.

I copy and paste the code from the e-mail and submit via internet connection. I get a three messages:

checking internet connection

connecting to internet

getting license

(messages disappear - hourglass forever)

Windows task manager indicates program not responding.

Tried off-line method too, but program hangs when I try to enter the saved text file I received.

Users directory is empty of files at this point so nothing to delete there

What to do?

Core2 Duo (e6600)/680i MB

2 GB Ram

8800GTXC

XP Pro (fully updated)

ZoneAlarm Int. Sec. Suite (ver 7.0...)(3rd party headers unchecked in Privacy settings)

[Moon]

Hi Andrew,

you need to disable ZoneAlarm first, even when doing the offline license. The FAQ describes how:

http://www.battlefront.com/elicense_faq.html

What is important is that you first disable ZoneAlarm and then do a whole new license request, scrapping the request and license files you already got (they already have the zonealarm info encoded in them so you will keep getting the same results).

Makes sense?

Martin

[Andrew Kulin]

I did try that(on-line-license method) with ZA completely shut-down with no change in result.

Also tried what you suggested. When I click on the install from file button, nothing happens but a hang-up again. I don't even get a pop-up screen that asks me where the file is sitting.

Any other suggestions? Can you fly up to Toronto to help out?

[Moon]

Heh, would love to. I'm checking with the eLicense core team right now for additional ideas. ZA is especially nasty, it seems to be shut down but really isn't.

For the moment I would suggest to try the DEP exception settings listed in the FAQ I mention above.

Martin

[jhmorneau]

Hi,

I'm afraid I've got the same problem here : getting a -9 error message when trying to get a license. I disabled windows XP firewall, but it did not change anything. Never installed zone alarm either, so what is going wrong?????

Is there an issue with Spywareblaster / Spybot ?

Please help us out quickly because it's incredibly frustrating to achieve a 8 hours download for peanuts !

JHM

[Moon]

j_morneau, -9 error is indicating a firewall problem, different than the other one here. For you, the solution is to do the off-line license procedure. You might want to disable anti-spyware software while doing it.

Martin

[whaco]

I'm afraid I have the same problem Moon. I have read your suggestions and am trying to shut off Zone alarm. Being comp illiterate, I am not sure how to shut off Zone alarm. I tried last night to get this game going for 8 hours before kids started waking up for school in morning.

[Moon]

whaco, have you tried the off-line procedure?

Martin

[Moon]

By the way, one important piece of the off-line licensing procedure which may be throwing people off (we're going to add it to the FAQ shortly) is that you need to generate a new license request after disabling the firewall. You can also not reuse an older request file. You will keep getting the same errors/problems/hangups, because the request file encodes your "state" when the request is made. So in order to see any difference, you have to first make changes, launch the game to bring up the eLicense screen, and then start the off-line request anew by generating a new file.

Some of the problems people are seeing have similar symptoms but not the same cause it seems, which is making it so difficult for us to work out the fixes, but I have been able to help several people online doing the off-line licensing procedure in the way I just explained and it worked, even though it hadn't before.

So please make sure that you create a new fresh request first. In the meantime we're still working on a clear set of instructions for the various issues encounterd. Thanks for you patience!

Martin

[Vergeltung]

I wonder if Andrew ever got it going. I have the same issue, but instead with Norton Internet Security. Going to try again when I get home from work tonight.

[Vergeltung]

well, even with Norton disabled, neither the live license, nor the off-line one will work.

sadness.

:confused:

[Moon]

Patience. We'll figure it out. Some oddball Windows function is throwing a wrench into this whole thing, and lacking proper docs from MS we're narrowing it down one by one.

Martin

[Andrew Kulin]

Andrew here.

Went to work, skipped early (beautiful day in T.O.) picked up kids and went for a walk in the valley/woods (Spring finally!). Just got back.

Got it to work. At least I can get the game started (exited to report back to you guys).

Here is what I did, runnning ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite.

Have Windows Task Manager running, showing process screen. Find zlclient.exe. (you don't have to do this first but I had it running for interest sake)

Find the ZoneAlarm icon at lower right of windows desktop, right click - choose the Shutdown Option and deal with warnings about being sure because you're not protected, etc. (this is what I did everytime before but w/o later success in the licensing).

Now work quickly because your leaving yourself wide open for all kind of potential attacks and crap from hackers, viruses, etc.

Notice on Task Manager that zlclient.exe is still running (hmmm...) so end that process now, and ZoneAlarm is finally completely off.

Start TOW, select Enter License and enter your key and select the off-line option.

Copy absolutely everything that is in the white box (including the on-screen instructions plus all the random stuff) and paste it onto the white screen at www.license.net. Submit that.

Next rather than save the stuff to a text file (which did not work for me before but may work now (I did not try, and won't try since I seem to be up and running now)) I copied absolutely everything that was in the output from within the white box at the www.license.net site.

Then back to TOW and I posted what I had copied into TOW's white box and hit enter/next, and success! TOW said I was good to go.

BUT FIRST (before launching the game), I IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED Zone Alarm so my computer was re-protected with firewall, anti-virus, etc. Probably helpful since one could be on-line for hours and hours ...

Then I hit Launch. And saw the start-up movie and so on.

And now I'm going to see if this thing actually works.

Andrew

p.s., this worked for me, individual results may vary.

[Madmatt]

Here is the exact offline license procedure that worked for Andrew below, listed in easy (hopefully) to follow step by step instructions. this should be a good work-around for those people that are getting the "Frozen eLicense Window" problem. (the #501 error message issue is different though and is related to a database issue at elicense that they are working on fixing!)

Launch the game, the Theatre of War license screen should appear (the one with the M3 Lee firing). Click the License button.

You should now see a Theatre of War - Install License Screen.

Make sure that your license key is in the License Key feild (36 digits including dashes).

Click the Get Off-line License button.

On the next screen, use your mouse and highlight everything in the white panel. From the very top where it says, "INSTRUCTIONS FOR GETTING AN OFF-LINE LICENSE" all the way down to the bottom where it says "-----END LICENSE REQUEST-----"

Now with all of that text highlighted (make sure you get that all of that top line, its easy to mis the first few letters!, right click with your mouse and select "Copy".

Now, with that window still open, you will need to launch your internet browser. Doesnt matter which one (IE, Firefox, Opera, they all work fine.) Once your browser is open, please go to www.license.net

Put you mouse in the big empty white box on that webpage and now right click and select "Paste"

Once that whole feild is filled with the text, click the Generate Off-line License button.

The page will refresh and you will see a message in green text which says: "YOUR OFF-LINE LICENSE HAS BEEN GENERATED BELOW:"

Again use your mouse and highlight all of the text in the text window begining with "-----BEGIN LICENSE REQUEST----- and ending with "-----END LICENSE REQUEST-----"

, scrolling all the way down so you get it all.

Right click and select "Copy"/

Now, return back to the Theatre of War Request Off-Line License program window. Click the "Next" button. You should again see a big empty white feild in the middle of the screen. Put you mouse into the white area, right click and select "Paste". The text field should fill up with the text from your browser.

Click the Complete Installation button. You should receive a message that your license is accepted.

Madmatt

[Vergeltung]

Originally posted by Moon:

Patience. We'll figure it out. Some oddball Windows function is throwing a wrench into this whole thing, and lacking proper docs from MS we're narrowing it down one by one.

Martin

i got it to work. i just disabled NIS and tried a fresh new off-line license request. it worked!

Thanks. game is hawt!

[jhmorneau]

Hi,

Thanks for your help !

I eventually managed to get the licence offline (oddly enough, the program hanged if I tried to "save to a text file", so I had to select and copy the stuff with the mouse).

Needless to say, you must solve those licensing problems asap, otherwise you will lose many many customers !

So good luck with bug hunting & keep on with the good work,

JH