Re: Software activation codes and storage, your thoughts please
From: Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP] (mvp_at_spam.guard.caspershouse.com)
Date: 03/24/05
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Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 15:00:37 -0500
Joe,
Your only option here is going to be to use the registry. You should
probably store it in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive, under the software key.
This is the only thing that one could guarantee would work on windows 98.
Honestly though, I don't know how much longer 98 is going to be around,
and I personally wouldn't target an app for that OS. Then again, my needs
are different =)
If you could eliminate 98 from the picture, I would recommend using
Isolated Storage, as it would give your application a space that it could
read/write files from/to, without having to worry about access rights and
whatnot.
Hope this helps.
--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- mvp@spam.guard.caspershouse.com
"Joe_Black" <JoeBlack@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:u$Y1f1GMFHA.1396@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
>
> I have an app that I want to have activation codes for, it has plugin dll
> files each of which have an activation code as well. I need to generate a
> unique code that is specific to the machine that the software is installed
> on, when the user contacts the registration server the key that they get
> to activate there software will be unique to there machine as it will be
> generated from the code above. Please could you look at these possibles
> and advise on which you think is the right way to do this, or if you know
> of a better way I would appreciate any links/code samples you may have.
>
> I could create a GUID the first time I start the app, this would be stored
> in the registry, when validating codes I would read this value from the
> registry, check it and activate the software if all is OK.
> BUT, I hear that the use of the registry is not a great idea any more,
> Microsoft recommends XML files, I must store this value outside of the
> apps directory in case the user simply copies the entire directory to a
> new PC and all would work, maybe I could store it in Windows directory in
> a .cfg file or something.
>
> I could use WMI to get the serial number of the mother board, I would not
> need to store this value as it would be available through WMI at any time.
> BUT I want to the app to run on Win 98 upwards, I have heard that WMI is
> not supported on Win 98, also I can't find any examples of how to retrieve
> the mother board serial number.
>
> This app will be developed in VS2005, the Beta2 has a Go Live license with
> it and the development time will be 6 - 12 months, Is there something in
> VS2005 that would negate the need to do either of the above?
>
> Is there another way?
>
> And why do my posts always seem so long :-)
>
> Thanks Joe
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