Error on program launch - non-admin user account

strat62 wrote on 11/12/2007, 8:33 AM
I recently upgraded to Vegas Movie Studio 8.0c build 142. I built up a new computer with a fresh install of XP Pro SP2 and am having difficulty getting Vegas MS 8 to install and register properly.

I logged into the machine as an administrator (not the "Admin" login but another account with admin privilege) and installed MS 8. It went out and downloaded the Visual C++ 5.0 and .NET framework stuff and subsequently proceeded to install. I started up the app and entered my serial number and other information and it seemed to register fine.

However, when I logged in as a non-admin level user, the splash screen popped up and I immediately got an error box with the following message - "Please run this program from the administrator account so that it can set up your license. Once the license is set up, you can run it from any account."

Even though I had set it up as an administrator, it seemed to think otherwise. So I went back and logged back on to the administrator account and re-registered but it did not seem to help. It will run without error from any admin level account login, but not the non-admin account.

I installed DVD Architect the same way as described above and it has no problems. I can run it from admin and non-admin accounts and no errors.

So I uninstalled Vegas MS, deleted the directories from the hard drive, and cleaned out the registry (deleted all keys with the word "Vegas") to the best of my ability. I re-installed the program - this time from the actual "Administrator" login. I still have the same problem - the same error pops up every time I launch the program.

Has anyone seen this problem before? I searched both the knowledge-base and the forum but have found nothing that helps. There was something about a similar problem with Vista but that had to do with levels of adminstrator. I don't think XP Pro works this way.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

originalbob wrote on 11/12/2007, 10:11 AM
Yes, I have the same behavior since probably VMSP v 8.0b; Win XP home, SP2. Tried basically same things you have to resolve with no luck. When I start VMSP from the admin account, then there is no error message.
Bob F
strat62 wrote on 11/12/2007, 10:30 AM
I actually got through to tech support. They sent me a procedure to completely remove both Vegas MS and DVD Architect from the machine and reinstall from scratch. Unfortunately, it is pretty much what I have already done twice so far but I will give it another shot.

Actually, I did not take DVD Arc off also - maybe that will work.

Another option is to go back to a previous restore point prior to the initial install. After setting up many machines and having lots of install issues over the years, I have become real anal about creating restore points at every step. I can probably uninstall the apps, delete the remaining directories, and then go back to the restore point just prior to the first installation.

That should work as well...
discdude wrote on 11/12/2007, 2:05 PM
I wonder if the activation is per user and not per machine.

Might be worth it to try adding your non-admin user account to the admin group, activating VMS as that user, then removing the user from the admin group.

Otherwise, I would say it's a bug that Sony should definitely fix.
Kennymusicman wrote on 11/12/2007, 4:11 PM
It's a registry issue. There is a key string that specifies whether a program is licensed to run under an "admin" authorization for all users, or just the admin.

I can't be any more helpful than that at this stage - but it's just a matter of finding & adding the necessary key.
strat62 wrote on 11/13/2007, 12:16 PM
Thanks for the response. I'm pretty sure that the license is per machine because they say that it should work with multiple accounts in the FAQ and other documentation.

It is definitely a bug and I have written up a fairly detailed document for them to go off and investigate - not sure what will come of it but we can hope that they will fix it in a future build.

However, I finally did get it to launch from a non-admin user account with no error based upon your suggestion. The following are the steps that I had to do to get it to work (after many, many tries):

1) start with a totally clean system - uninstall ALL Sony apps, delete ALL Sony related folders (there are many of them strewn around after the uninstall), and clear out the registry of ALL Sony related keys (lots and lots left over as well).

2) restore the machine to a "restore point" that hopefully was created prior to attempting to install any Sony apps.

3) log into an admin level account and promote the non-admin (limited) account (that you want to run the app from) to admin level using the "User Accounts" applet in the Control Panel.

4) re-boot the computer (full reboot to be sure) and log in to the newly promoted admin account.

5) install the Vegas Movie Studio 8 program (along with any .NET or VB framework that it prompts for). Be sure to check the "Add Shortcut to the Desktop" box.

6) launch the Vegas MS 8 program from the desktop shortcut (icon), enter the serial number and registration info. Once the registration is complete and the program launches for the first time, exit out of it.

7) re-boot the computer again (full again, not just log-off) and log onto the original admin level account (not the one you used to do the install and registration).

8) demote the account used for the install back to the "Limited" of non-admin status using the Control Panel as before.

9) re-boot the machine once again and log into the non-admin account.

10) now the program should launch without the error message even though it is not running under an admin account.

So for now, it seems to be working. The limitation is that only one non-admin level account can run the program without error since you have to pick one to do the install. This is no problem for me at the moment though.

Thanks again

Kennymusicman wrote on 11/13/2007, 2:15 PM
Can't you just run the program "as adminstrator" though? - hold down shift when you right-click the icon. You should be able to provide admin credentials and that would solve it too?

(been a long time since I've had to do this - so key modifier might be wrong)

Ken
originalbob wrote on 11/13/2007, 6:08 PM
WHOAAAA !!! It is much easier to click 'OK.' I click the 'OK' after the admin error message & VMSP runs happily.