Sick of restricted reinstall limits

[guzler]

Please excuse my rant....

I am having a nightmare reinstalling UT2 and UTX on my new PC. I have exceeded the no. of installs on UT2 due to playing around with Beta updates and I have lost my code for UTX purchased in 2008.

Also my email has changed since purchasing them, but when I went to a Flight1 page to update this, it asks for a password which neither the last 4 digits of my card or my current password is recognised (which it says will be one or the other).

They also ask for the order No. for both, I have the UT2 one, but not UTX.

I have paid good money for these products and now have had to send a request to them and awaiting a reply. I know they are trying to prevent piracy, but the only ones who are enduring these issues are the ones that payed for the bloody things.

I am having to go through hoops here to use a product I bought. This is rediculous and I don't even know when I will get a response.

Very dissapointed. Whilst I am at fault with losing my code from 2 years ago with UTX, I am at no fault by having to reinstall UT2 several times because I was using Beta updates whilst it was debugged.

Come on Flight 1, make it easier for your customers.

[falcon409]

I feel your pain. I finally quit purchasing from Flight1 over those very issues. I understand they have streamlined the process and everybody just swears by this "wrapper" system they use, but since I'm no longer a customer I can't say for sure exactly how much it has helped. Basically they are a good company with good people who happen to be using a less than perfect system (IMHO). Hang in there, you'll get an answer.:salute:

[rvn817j]

I had very similar problems to yours recently. It seems Flight1 'wiped out' my access to get re-install information automatically from its website.

It took a couple days to get things straightened out, but in the end all was well. I will say that Flight1 was responsive once I determined I had to get support from a 'real' person.

With all that said, in an ideal world there would be no piracy of people's work and these sorts of protections would not be necessary. It is not, however, an ideal world, so we all need to think about that and work on making it better.

[MCDesigns]

With all that said, in an ideal world there would be no piracy of people's work and these sorts of protections would not be necessary. It is not, however, an ideal world, so we all need to think about that and work on making it better.

Well said!

[guzler]

Fingers crossed then. I have been going through the process of reinstalling all my stuff, and come accross a few where I have not retained the number which is a pain. I am sure my details have been wiped as I have never changed my password, but it would accept it. I have already updated my email on their website some time ago, however this information does not play accross their system as they require the original email to send the new key to, which I no longer have access to.

Still,:ernae: enjoying going from a single to a quad, no more blurries super fast load times

[harleyman]

I feel your pain..I have been there and sonr that with them too. Bottom line is its just a pain....

But hopefully it will get resolved for you soon, and all will be well in the clouds again...

[jmig]

I do a couple of things.

1. I have a txt file where I copy the serial numbers or confirmating numbers of every add on.

2. I make a text file of the email recipt. I add this to the zip file the of the downloaded add on.

So far, *fingers crossed* I have had no problems.

[ryanbatc]

Hmmm. I've never had issues reinstalling from F1....

Even when I was in college and had multiple IP's yearly and my email changed, there were no issues.

Sometimes you have to write up a ticket describing the issue:

http://www.flight1.com/ticket.asp

[Dain Arns]

There was an automated way to retrieve order numbers and passwords a while ago when I had to reinstall.
I know I received all of that info in an email and saved it.

I've never had any issues with Flight1, they've been very good to me despite numerous computer issues over the past few years.

[modelr]

Same here, had some loses over the years due to crashes, especially during defrags. Screws things all up!!! Filled out a ticket, and soon was talking to a real person and had things fixed quickly. Flight1 system has always been better than FSD system.

[Francois]

I know it's a pain..... so is having 'our' stuff stolen on a daily basis and not getting any revenue.

Also, the customer has a responsibility himself TOO for keeping his paid-for goods safe. If you buy an expensive mobile phone and forget where you put it, I doubt you'll head over to the Vodafone office and demand a new one?

I know I am guilty myself..... download a great new add-on and am so keen to 'kick the tires' that I forget to make a backup right away. Then later I forget where exactly on all my 4 Terabytes of disk space I downloaded it..... etc.

But still...... ranting goes both ways I reckon

[guzler]

Well an update, filled out a ticket last night and got UT2 sorted (I think, will have to try it later). Their system hasn't brought up my UTX record, so have reopened the ticket. Francois, you are absoulety right, I should have kept the key on a text file as I normally do(I thought I had until the reinstall). That said, I didn't lose UTX, I had it and used it every time I flew since 2008 when I purchased it, so not quite the same as losing a mobile phone.

With the .exe file for UTX, there is a file which as far as I'm aware has the code embedded into it, so not sure why it isn't using this to detect my number.

Quote:
I know it's a pain..... so is having 'our' stuff stolen on a daily basis and not getting any revenue.

I totally sympathise, however this system is putting me off buying more purchases as I'm sure many others, so that can't be helping revenue either.

[IanHenry]

I've always found Flight1 to be one of the best systems there is and they are very helpfull.

Ian.

[guzler]

OK, I have realised thatn the key is in fact a file I click on following getting the key file for UT2 which I have now installed. So i have done that for UTX as I have the key file (was looking for a text file that I would of kept). However it asks for a password and I have tried that using my F1 password and card number, but it doesn't recognise any of them, probably because the wrapper was version 1, not version 2.2. No reply to my email from Flight 1, so I guess I won't hear anything until Monday.

[n4gix]

I can't think of a single thing Flight1 could possibly do to make the process easier...

...because there are numerous ways to retrieve the information you need...

The only time there will ever be a delay would be in the case where you've changed your email address since your original purchase(s). In that one case, you will need to request a live person manually change your email address.

Once that's done, going here will instantly retrieve all the information for every purchase: https://www.flight1.com/view.asp?page=lostorder

To make things even easier, you can create a "Flight1 Account" and have all your purchases added to this account. From this account you can even "go keyless," meaning that you won't need to keep track of a key and order number/password!

All of this plus the no-BS 30 day refund policy makes Flight1 the clear winner in the "customer service" department, IMHO.
Crickey! Who else on the planet offers so many options? :ernae:

[guzler]

Quote
I can't think of a single thing Flight1 could possibly do to make the process easier...

I have changed my email address, but not my password. They have updated my email following my ticket request. When I go onto the relevant page, it only lists the orders I have made on their wrapper 2.2. I purchased UTX in March 2008 (I presume by the date on my key file) and this order is not listed. When I try tro install UTX, it doesn't recognise my password as mentioned above (even though it does on UT2).

So I can think of something they could do....have a system that remembers my order from 2008 !
If they aren't going to do that, then they shouldn't prevent me from trying to reinstall my product.

They could have all the options in the world my friend, but if their system doesn't recognise my purchase, all them options aren't really a help to me. If Flight One went bust, does that mean customers who paid for products may no longer be able to use a product if they had to reinstall it ?

They did get UT2 sorted for me as that was listed on my purchases and was straight forwards to resolve once my email was updated.

[guzler]

Had another reply from them. Gave me a link to a page to get an updated key file. I have already tried this but I keep getting sent round the same loop. Their system doesn't remember my order, I do not have my original order number and without it, I can't get a new key file. I have explained this to them in the ticket.

What happened to a world where you picked up a phone and spoke to someone ? This would be resolved in one conversation.

[hey_moe]

Boy can I feel your pain. I use to fight the install all day when I did a format. Now what I do is before I do a reinstall with them, I get a new key, reset everything and download the newest ver. and then install it...tis a pain in the bullocks but this way has worked for me fine so far. I love their work but go crazy on the reinstall

[n4gix]

So I can think of something they could do....have a system that remembers my order from 2008 !
If they aren't going to do that, then they shouldn't prevent me from trying to reinstall my product.

You can convert earlier wrapper versions to the current version as well. Note the following instructions for older wrapper versions:

Important! Passwords normally will be the last 4 digits of the credit card used for the purchase, a vendor issued password, or if the key is being upgraded from a previous wrapper version, the password will be the last 4 numbers of the telephone number used on the order, without spaces or dashes. You can retrieve your passwords via the Flight1.com Password Retrieval Page.

In the case of previous wrapper versions, the last 4 numbers of the telephone number used on the order will be the password...

[guzler]

The saga continues....

Got my order number off them today, so that let me get a new key file. So with that in my armoury, I went to reinstall today. Selected the key file and then it asked me for a passowrd which is either the last 4 digits of the card I used two years ago or a password given to me.

I have tried the card number I had, no joy. I have tried my current password (which has never changed), no joy.

I'm sorry guys, but right now I wonder if people who have obtained UTX by fraudulent means are having the same problems as me because I am frankly peed off and my response to them just now has changed tone.

[guzler]

Eureka !!!!!!!

Got there in the end. Don't know what they did, but my purchase list now shows everything I have bought, which was a bit of a shock !!! ssssh, don't tell the missus !!!

Anyway off to do some flying now !

[Mobayrasta]

I have also had many problems not just from Flight1 but from other companies also. My biggest complaint is a limit on how long you can download their programs. If I buy a digital download, I should be able to redownload it when ever I need to. I know that there are arguments about this also (bandwith cost and such).

I love Valves Steam solution. If I were an aircraft designer I would be working with Valve to somehow sell my wares on steam. Just seems like the way to go. Plus you can always redownload if you have any problems. First big reseller such as Sim Market or Flight1 that comes up with a system like that is going to be a big hit!

My biggest problem came when I changed ISP's and got a new email address and then had a system crash. It was a nightmare.

[raptor19]

As is usual the problem ends up with the user getting problems. I fully appreciate why software has to be protected and after a recent update when I updated from Vista to Win 7 I had to reinstall a few of my "Payware Aircraft". I did not get really get a problem with the Flight1 system or with another procedure but it certainly becomes a nuisance when like a friend of mine who had a graphics card fail had to go through an online procedure to reactivate an aircraft which hadn't even been uninstalled. Also my concern would be if a software house ceased trading and therefore online activation would be no more.

I don't pretend to know what the ideal solution would be but maybe someone will eventually come up with a very simple and effective one that does away with re-activation for relatively basic reasons

[guzler]

The flight one system works OK if you can remember your order number, password and have the same email address as from when you previously purchased the product and their system remembers your order. Their system did not recognise my order even after getting my email updated, getting my order number and trying the password that it turned out to be. They obviously rectified this after my last and much less polite email.

Anti-piracy has some way to go, because now their methods of buying and maintaining probably drive some people to piracy !!!!!!!!!!! How ironic

[raptor19]

Personally I can't understand why people who pay good moneyfor something (and that is not just flightsim add-ons) can then upload the item to bandit/pirate websites. I certainly wouldn't even consider doing so as it robs the developer who has spent a great deal of time and effort from getting his or her deserved renumeration. It would be a big bonus if these pirate sites could be closed down and I have absolutely no sympathy for those that have already had succesful legal action taken against them. Likewise no sympathy for the uploader who is the other reason for the protective measures that only cause problems for the genuine customer.

Another knock on is that I know several fellow simmers who will no longer buy off certain software houses due to niggling problems with reactivation etc. This is a shame as a great deal of the available add-ons that they are miffed with are really first class.