SFP 4.0 Installation issues...:-(

GlynH · Post by **GlynH** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 4:32 pm

I recently replaced my PowerSampler with a Pulsar2 after first uninstalling the PowerSampler hardware from Device Manager in W2K.

I rebooted with the Pulsar2 and installed the new drivers - Pulsar2 is then
recognised in Device Manager and SFP 3.1c loads and recognizes the Pulsar2.

Obviously my PowerSampler plug-ins won't work as I have been waiting all week for Creamware to sort out the transfer even after shelling out 55 Euros for the board transfer...but that's another story...

I previously registered the Pulsar2 and on My Page I have both boards listed.

I thought I would take this opportunity to install SFP 4.0 as I had downloaded it some time ago for the PowerSampler so I registered and activated v4.0 for the Pulsar2.

When I unzipped the archive and ran the setup program it told me my existing
driver was unsuitable (huh?) so it installed a new one and I rebooted.

Upon restarting the SFP 4.0 installation window came up and I went through the four steps before I get to the setup screen proper - Language, ReadMe, License Agreement & Installation Folder before it tells you to choose from;

Home
Project M
Project S
Professional

Which Project do I choose?

To the best of my knowledge I have neither the Mix 'n' Master nor Synth 'n' Sampler Packs unless they consist of the following;

Pulsar ProPack
Synthesizer Pack 1
Synthesizer Pack 2
Mixer Package 1
Effects Package 1
Effects Package 2

Pulsar2 is recognized in the list of currently installed cards and I had already downloaded the latest allkeys.skf from Creamware - this included both boards, PowerSampler & Pulsar2.

I see most of the keys already installed in the Key/Product window anyway apart from the following;

GraphEQ
Mixer Package 2
Vectron
Vinco
SB404
EDSI16i
Arpeg02
Modular III
OptiMaster
MasterVerbPro
PSYQ
VDAT

At this point the Next button is ghosted so I import the allkeys.skf file but that is where the trouble starts - after importing the Import button goes red for a second or two (while the import takes place I guess) but the Next button is still ghosted and I can't proceed any further!

Any ideas?

---
Thanks & regards,
-=Glyn=-

Post by **garyb** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:36 pm

i would use professional oreither project. any devices that you don't have keys for will just not work.

what keys are in that allkeys file?(not the numbers just their names)

GlynH · Post by **GlynH** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 3:48 am

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the reply - I have tried them all to no avail...

The devices in the latest allkeys.skf after I registered the Pulsar2 so it appears on My Page as Registered Hardware looks like this;

# LTC9A0M0X Poison
# LTC9A0M0X SCOPE 4.0 Software
# LTC9A0M0X Pulsar Software
# LTC9A0M0X Scope Fusion Platform
# LTC9A0M0X Main Studiotools Package
# LTC9A0M0X Mixer Package 1
# LTC9A0M0X Effects Package 1
# LTC9A0M0X Effects Package 2
# LTC9A0M0X Synthesizer Package 1
# LTC9A0M0X Synthesizer Package 2
# LTC9A0M0X Elektra/Modular2
# LTC9A0M0X VolksZämpler SFP
# LTC9A0M0X STS-2000P
# LTC9A0M0X STS-3000
# LTC9A0M0X Pulsar Software
# LTC9A0M0X STS-3000
# LTC9A0M0X Elektra/Modular2
# LTC9A0M0X Pulsar ProPack
# LM5BZ000C Main Studiotools Package
# LM5BZ000C Luna
# LM5BZ000C Luna3
# LM5BZ000C VolksZämpler SFP
# LM5BZ000C Scope Fusion Platform
# LM5BZ000C B-2003
# LM5BZ000C Prodyssey
# LM5BZ000C proTone
# LM5BZ000C Luna
# LM5BZ000C Sampler
# LM5BZ000C STS-3000
# LM5BZ000C STS-5000
# LM5BZ000C STS-2000P
# LM5BZ000C STS-3000
# LM5BZ000C PWSampler
# LM5BZ000C MINIMAX
# LM5BZ000C SCOPE 4.0 Software
# LM5BZ000C Vocodizer

For some reason the Next button remains ghosted so I am unable to proceed with the installation no matter what I try.

As the PowerSampler is not installed I even snipped out the references to it in the allkeys.skf file just in case the installer is looking for it...but the Next button is still ghosted.

Thanks & regards,
-=Glyn=-

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:03 am

you've removed the Luna from your system, right ?
you've paid for transfer the Luna keys to the Pulsar 2, right ?

your allkeys data doesn't reflect this change yet - there's still the hardware reference to the Luna (the LM... board).
the file should only contain LT... references.
with this file Scope will still be looking for a hardware item with LM...

I haven't installed version 4 myself, but even the previous installer isn't such a bright piece of software (imho).
I never had problems with it on the PC (under Win98 though), but I once tried it to use it with a Mac, which completely failed - similiar to your experience.
I mention this because the SFP 3.1 installer on Mac is a CWA original work, while it's predecessor on Mac uses an adapted 'standard' installer, which works flawlessly...

I assume the handling of error conditions in the current installer isn't very robust, but since there are still hardware refs to the Luna board it wouldn't work as expected anyway. Contact support (Ralf) with the hint that you've paid for something...

good luck, Tom

GlynH · Post by **GlynH** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:53 am

Hi Tom,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Yes I have paid the (IMHO) extortionate fee of 55 Euros to transfer _MY OWN_ plug-ins from _MY OWN_ PowerSampler board to _MY OWN_ Pulsar2 on _MY OWN_ computer in _MY OWN_ studio...

I would have little problem with the fee if I were selling the plug-ins to A.N. Other but they are mine, I bought them in the first instance and I want to keep them to use with my Pulsar2 that I purchased in addition to the PowerSampler that I also purchased...

While I am in whinge mode I have been trying since last Sunday - now a bloody week - to transfer those plug-ins...

Sunday - initial email sent to Creamware

Tuesday - reply from Jens advising me to purchase the transfer so begrudgingly I paid the 55 Euros and sent a copy of my email invoice in as requested

Wednesday - reply from Ralf (originally addressed to Olive Pailler for a single 35 Euro transfer)

Tried it and got an error so I emailed Ralf immediately and by Friday had not had the courtesy of a reply

In the meantime I thought I would take this opportunity to upgrade to Scope 4.0 but you can see that I am unable to do so hence my original post.

As if paying 55 Euros to transfer my own plug-ins from one of my boards to another of my boards was not bad enough here I am a week later still bloody waiting - do I sound frustrated?

Regarding the allkeys.skf file I even tried snipping out the references to #LM5BZ000C so it only referred to the Pulsar2 #LTC9A0M0X but still no joy.

So I have two issues here - the problem of not being able to install SFP 4.0 which was the reason for my original post and the second problem that I only hinted at in that same post of waiting all week for Creamware to pull their finger out and re-register my plug-ins.

IMHO Creamware (when they finally get around to sorting out the transfer of plug-ins) should credit me the 55 Euros for the dubious privilege of waiting a week.

Many of the freeware/shareware packages that I have either downloaded for free or registered give better (and cheaper) support than Creamware do for users who have paid thousands of dollars for their hardware/software combination.

Mind you they are in good company - I remember paying 650 UKP for MS Windows NT4 Server and coming up against the 4GB installation barrier which was unknown to me at the time and upon ringing Microsoft was told that I would have to use my credit card for access to their technical support!

Do I sound angry & bitter?

Yup.

Regards,
-=Glyn=-

Post by **garyb** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:11 am

there is a file that you can delete, but i don't remember which one.....

best to back up all presets, projects and devices and start over, although i know you don't want to hear that. the installer normally works fine even with the card situation you describe. have you tried manually entering the keys? another solution is just to install to a different directory, but personally i'd rather reinstall windows...

i think that the problem file is a log file so, a complete uninstall and registry cleaning with a program like easycleaner would probably fix the problem.

Ralf will reply normally, but he does get swamped. i don't know what european rates are but you might phone. at any rate at least try email again, but please don't hurt Ralf...i've generally found him willing to help if sometimes slow...

Ralf · Post by **Ralf** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:56 am

Hi Glyn, i'am at home now because we have sunday. I cannot check out from here, what the problem is, but we will take care tomorrow early in the morning.

Cheers
Ralf

On 2004-09-12 06:53, GlynH wrote:
Hi Tom,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Yes I have paid the (IMHO) extortionate fee of 55 Euros to transfer _MY OWN_ plug-ins from _MY OWN_ PowerSampler board to _MY OWN_ Pulsar2 on _MY OWN_ computer in _MY OWN_ studio...

I would have little problem with the fee if I were selling the plug-ins to A.N. Other but they are mine, I bought them in the first instance and I want to keep them to use with my Pulsar2 that I purchased in addition to the PowerSampler that I also purchased...

While I am in whinge mode I have been trying since last Sunday - now a bloody week - to transfer those plug-ins...

Sunday - initial email sent to Creamware

Tuesday - reply from Jens advising me to purchase the transfer so begrudgingly I paid the 55 Euros and sent a copy of my email invoice in as requested

Wednesday - reply from Ralf (originally addressed to Olive Pailler for a single 35 Euro transfer)

Tried it and got an error so I emailed Ralf immediately and by Friday had not had the courtesy of a reply

In the meantime I thought I would take this opportunity to upgrade to Scope 4.0 but you can see that I am unable to do so hence my original post.

As if paying 55 Euros to transfer my own plug-ins from one of my boards to another of my boards was not bad enough here I am a week later still bloody waiting - do I sound frustrated?

Regarding the allkeys.skf file I even tried snipping out the references to #LM5BZ000C so it only referred to the Pulsar2 #LTC9A0M0X but still no joy.

So I have two issues here - the problem of not being able to install SFP 4.0 which was the reason for my original post and the second problem that I only hinted at in that same post of waiting all week for Creamware to pull their finger out and re-register my plug-ins.

IMHO Creamware (when they finally get around to sorting out the transfer of plug-ins) should credit me the 55 Euros for the dubious privilege of waiting a week.

Many of the freeware/shareware packages that I have either downloaded for free or registered give better (and cheaper) support than Creamware do for users who have paid thousands of dollars for their hardware/software combination.

Mind you they are in good company - I remember paying 650 UKP for MS Windows NT4 Server and coming up against the 4GB installation barrier which was unknown to me at the time and upon ringing Microsoft was told that I would have to use my credit card for access to their technical support!

Do I sound angry & bitter?

Yup.

Regards,
-=Glyn=-

valis · Post by **valis** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 2:00 pm

You can install SFP 4.0 alongside of SFP 3.1c. The installer checks the driver version and will require whatever version its presumably checking for, but once installed you can change the driver to the 4.0 one and the 3.1x software works fine. Not sure if this would let you get some work done until your keys are sorted out but just a thought...

soda · Post by **soda** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:19 am

hmm this is Creamware documentation that may help:

If despite all measures the installation still does not proceed, try installing from drive C:. You can also try renaming the file “allkeys.skf” in “scope.rgy” and copying it into SetupBin of the installation directory. If you then start the installation all the activation keys should already be registered when the Key Input dialog appears.

If you own optional CreamWare Devices that are not installed with the selected software package - e.g. STS 3000 (PowerSampler), Modular2 (Elektra), or devices you purchased separately - you should select your software package and enter / import the keys you have. All devices you entered a key for will be installed then.

It is also possible to install optional devices after the software installation. In this case simply run the corresponding OXE file from the 'Shop Plug-Ins' folder of the CD and follow the instructions, or manually copy some files from the installation CD (or from the downloaded installation files) into your SFP directory:
The device files (*.dev) are located in the device folder and must be copied into one of the sub folders of the ..SFPdevice folder, the preset files (*.pre) must be copied from the preset folder into the ..SFPpresets folder, and the XTC plug-ins (*.dll) must be copied from the VSTPlugins folder into your folder for VST plug-ins (the one you have selected in the installation).

GlynH · Post by **GlynH** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:24 am

Well I finally made it...eventually.

The _ONLY_ way I could install SFP 4.0 under W2K or WinXP on my system was to uninstall SFP 3.1c first.

Once this was done using the Uninstall option from the Scope menu I had to manually delete the SFP folder from the root.

I started the SFP 4.0 installer and this time when I had imported the same allkeys.skf file the Next button was highlighted and I was able to proceed...

Just in case this was a fluke I uninstalled SFP 4.0 and reinstalled it half-a-dozen times on WinXP and a couple of times under W2K and it all installed perfectly.

Also a week after I paid the princely sum of 55 Euros (that still hurts) I have a new allkeys.skf file that I downloaded from My Page courtesy of Ralf...thanks Ralf.

This still contained references to the PowerSampler so I simply cut them out and imported the allkeys.skf file that contained only the references to the Pulsar2 including the transferred plug-ins.

Excuse my scepticism here but was all that aggro, delay, grief & cost worth it?

I mean if this is supposed to prevent piracy what is to stop me selling my PowerSampler with the plug-ins originally generated for it along with the previous allkeys.skf file I had been using succesfully with it for some time?

Have I missed something fundamental here guys?

Thanks & regards,
-=Glyn=-

Post by **garyb** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:39 am

THAT's the file! scope.rgy
the power sampler info was NOT the cause of the problem.
relax, sh*t happens....
computers by their nature are a pain in the rump.

very glad that you got it going.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:14 pm

On 2004-09-13 11:24, GlynH wrote:
... I mean if this is supposed to prevent piracy what is to stop me selling my PowerSampler with the plug-ins originally generated for it along with the previous allkeys.skf file I had been using succesfully with it for some time? ...

exactly that entered my mind when thinking about the process you've decribed.
The Powersampler will still work with the old file as you didn't use the 'erase and rebuild software' that's usually applied if one is gonna sell a board.
Either CWA overlooked something or it's intended this way...

cheers, Tom

GlynH · Post by **GlynH** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:57 pm

Hi Tom,

Even if I had gone down the 'erase & rebuild' road I would still have had the 5 plug-ins that I generated for the PowerSampler archived on my server, backed up to tape & burned to CD-ROM along with each & every version of allkeys.skf that I have ever downloaded.

This was done purely for safety reasons but can it really be that easy to defeat the copy protection?

It seems to me an awful lot of trouble to go to in the name of 'copy protection' if it is so easy to get around it.

I am still smarting at having to pay 55 Euros to transfer my own plug-ins from my own PowerSampler to my own Pulsar2 on my own computer in my own studio and having to wait a week for the process to have taken place.

And here was me thinking I might buy the 14/15 DSP to replace my 6 DSP Pulsar2...not after this bloody fiasco I won't...it has even put me off buying more plug-ins for the Pulsar2...even though they are still half-price!

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Post by **garyb** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:34 pm

does everything work o.k. now?
do you have burger king where you live?
it seems to me that alls well that ends well. you could have tried an uninstall days ago and been up and running....

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Tue Sep 14, 2004 4:26 am

On 2004-09-13 17:57, GlynH wrote:
Even if I had gone down the 'erase & rebuild' road I would still have had the 5 plug-ins that I generated for the PowerSampler archived on my server, ...

the 'erase and rebuild road' is a one way and dead end

you receive what's needed to proceed only if the execution of the previous step is confirmed by data you have to send to CWA.
It includes at least 2 mail exchanges (afaik) - and it IS pretty sophisticated in efficiency.
The 55 Euro fee is justified for the amount of work it would take (imho), but in your case this obviously didn't happen at all.

You just received a bunch of extra keys for free (hmmm for 55 Euro

maybe it's the sequel of the 50% shop bug ?

... and I would not sell this Powersampler as it allows you to arbitrate some important devices over 2 computers, just in case...

honestly - I still find this system extremely cheap, considering 99 Euro for the STW Classic plate reverb, even including a chorus/delay freebie of at least the same value, 79 for Mehdi's Echo3 is a shame for something that outperforms any SpaceEcho (except emotionally...), 199 for Solaris, my virtual Adat for 99 Euro as a registration bonus, the latest Wavelength Bundle...

Just yesterday I've tried the Crystal VST softsynth, obviously considered one of the better ones - but compared to Scope sound quality ???
No chance - sounds good and very interesting, but always the same thin basic tone, as NI, as Virsyn, as...

you do have a very good system at hand...

cheers, Tom

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-09-14 05:51 ]</font>