serial number issue for upgrade

eplamondon wrote on 4/19/2004, 9:49 AM
Hi all - I know customer support is backed up a bit today, so I thought I'd see if anyone here had some thoughts.

I saw this mentioned a couple other places - buried in other topics, so I created this one specifically as I didn't see a clear answer yet.

I want to upgrade to V5 + DVD-A 2.0. I went to put in my serial number for DVDA 1.0 in the required screen and it keeps coming up invalid. Well first - it's too many characters - then I realized what I'm inputing might now be my serial number at all.

Let me explain my confusion. I always thought the number listed on the start up splash screen was my serial number. Since I bought this as a download, I do not have the manual - plus I cannot find my confirmation e-mail from a year ago. I just always thought my serial # was displayed if I ever needed it.

Perhaps I was wrong (and apparently I am). So I wrote customer service and it appears it may take more than a day to get a response. So I'm wondering - IS MY serial number somehow IN that mess of numbers I see ?

I also see those same numbers in the HELP dropdown menu under "ABOUT DVD Architect" But it is accompanied by yet another string of numbers (my computer ID perhaps ???)

Anyway - if there is a way to extract my correct serial number out of all this - I'd love to hear it so I can proceed with my upgrade.

Just wondering if any others out there have this same issue.

Thanks!

ED

Comments

jetdv wrote on 4/19/2004, 9:59 AM
The number on the Help screen is NOT your serial number.

If you purchased a download version, you should have received an e-mail with the serial number.

If you purchased the box version, it should be printed in the cover of the book (I think).
Jsnkc wrote on 4/19/2004, 10:02 AM
The number on the splash screen should be your serial number. That's the one I just used to buy my upgrade and it worked fine. Took a couple times of re-opening to program to get it all written down since it dissapears pretty fast :)
ScottW wrote on 4/19/2004, 11:27 AM
Help/About DVD Architect...

should also show you the serial number.
db wrote on 4/19/2004, 12:44 PM
the # you see under "about " .. is the activation # not the serial # ..
the activation # is based on a computer ID( # below act-code) that is created during the install= that activation code only works with that computer ID.
filmy wrote on 4/19/2004, 12:52 PM
Well this is a really great thread because after reading what seesm like a zillion other threads it seems many people are having issues of some sort or the other with sn entry. Some say "use your DVDA sn" - well, it didn't work when I tried it. Someone said "SN for Vegas 4 works fine" - nope. Others say you need to use your DVDA 1 sn for both Vegas *and* DVDA 2 - but that would be an assumption that there was a package for Vegas+ - but all I can see are 3 sperate downloads - Vegas 5, Vegas 5 - Demo and DVDA 2. And the page for Vegas+DVD has the cryptic message about DVDA runs in DEMO mode and you can not uninstall the DEMO.

In my case - I don't know. I have not installed DVDA 2 and I did not install the "upgrade" - because I just wanted the bloody demo is all - and in all of this the short version of what happened was I clicked on register online and suddenly I got a screen about sending my contact info to Sony. I said 'No' - than I get this pop up screen about contacting SONY to register my software. Next thing - poof - I get "Thank you." Screen and I have a 30 day trail of Vegas 5. I never had to get any email from anyone. I am kind of wondering what info just zapped over to Sony behind my back.
Drey wrote on 4/19/2004, 1:07 PM
I upgraded Vegas 3 to Vegas 5 using the serial number shown in Help>>About. Sony didn't seem to have a problem with that. However, after my purchase went through the automated system did not provide a link to the new product, and did not send me a new serial number via e-mail. I e-mailed customer support and was told the automated system had an error which they have now resolved, and was provided with the new serial number for Vegas 5. I then went to the update page and downloaded vegas 5a.

Hope this helps.
eplamondon wrote on 4/19/2004, 1:26 PM
Well, it seems like the consensus is that the number on the splash page is indeed NOT my serial number.

Someone above wrote that it's in my user manual. But I purhcased the download version so I dont' have that. Plus the only page I printed was my receipt of purchase - I don't have a copy of the e-mail they sent me last year, which apparently has my SN # on it. So it appears the only way I can go about this is to have Sony tell me what the bloody number is. So I guess I have to wait a couple days.

Odd thing is... I swear that last year when I upgraded from 3.0 to 4.0, that I used the number on the splash screen. At least that's what I recall. I think that's why I never placed a huge urgency on saving the printout from Sonic Foundry as I always believed that the number I was viewing on start up was indeed my Serial Number. Damn.

Perhaps this is common knowledge, so I guess I chalk that up to experience. Anyway - the purpose of starting this thread was to simply see if my serial number could indeed be extracted (in some way shape or form) from the string of numbers I see at start up.

I assume that since I registered my product, that getting my SN # should not be an issue.

But, am I the ONLY one here having this delay as a result?

Thanks for your comments so far,
ED
akaRadar wrote on 4/19/2004, 2:19 PM
I used the serial # from the DVDA 'Help/About' menu which is the same as the splash screen on my DVDA1 to get to the download page. After my purchase I was emailed the new serial #'s to VV5, DVDA, and Boris.
Bill
filmy wrote on 4/19/2004, 2:22 PM
Direct out of the Sony Vegas help file -

From the Help menu, choose About Vegas to display information about the application, such as the software license owner, copyright and system information, program version and serial number, and the sweet Vegas logo.
RedEyeRob wrote on 4/19/2004, 3:57 PM
This doesnt work, there is a # there but it is longer than the field allows and it doesn't take...
RedEyeRob wrote on 4/19/2004, 4:06 PM
Ok I have your anwer eplamondon...

I had the same problem so I was able to find the email SF sent me when I downloaded V4+DVD and that did the trick. However if you can't find that e-mail then you can find the serial # in the registry. Go into Regedit and look in the sonic foundry, DVD Architect, License folder. It is the # next to key1.
filmy wrote on 4/19/2004, 4:50 PM
Maybe it changed - but you used to have a SN and I checked in Vegas and DVDA and they both come up. In Vegas 5 it is actually a different number that shows up.

This is from th Sony FAQS -

Q-

So I think what you see in Vegas 5 when you choose 'about Vegas Software' is the activation code, not the SN. On the other hand, as someone from Sony said in another thread, the SN is 23 characters long - 20 without the dashes. The number that shows up does not have the dashes, but it is 20 characters long.
eplamondon wrote on 4/19/2004, 6:49 PM
To RedEyeRob !

I think you got it.....

I went into the registry and found the serial number. This post MAY be premature as I have not actually gone to grab the upgrade just yet - but the number IS indeed different than the one on the splash screen.

SO - if others are having the same issue, I'm copying RedEyeRob's comments once again and adding a couple specific comments of my own:

Ok I have your anwer eplamondon...
=====================
I had the same problem so I was able to find the email SF sent me when I downloaded V4+DVD and that did the trick. However if you can't find that e-mail then you can find the serial # in the registry. Go into Regedit and look in the sonic foundry, DVD Architect, License folder. It is the # next to key1.
======================

I went into regedit and spcifically found this all under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder - then in SOFTWARE folder, which is where the Sonic Foundry/License Folder was located.

Also included in that folder was the number on the splash screen - but of course, I wasn't looking for that.

So if I have issues, I'll post again saying this is a false alarm, but I was pleased to find something that looked RIGHT.

Just passing along my Thanks!

ED