Big problems downloading updates

Skybird · Post by **Skybird** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 4:40 am

Hi, I am new to the group. I have been using Adobe Photoshop 7 since it came out. Also v.6, 5.5 before that. I purchased Focalblade a couple months ago and have been pleased with it's performance. I recently got an Email for a free upgrade to Focalblade v. 1.02 and have been having problems installing it.

I own 2 PC's that share the same dial up. One PC is only for graphics, which has Adobe, Focalblade and several other plugins. The other is for games, music, surfing. I tried to keep the graphics PC unconnected from the internet. However, I found that it was not possible to upload drivers, updates etc.
I thought I would be able to do these things from the internet PC and spare the high performance PC from all of the adware and viruses by not hooking up. (I can only get dial up because I have a mile long driveway). Well, I seem to get all of the upgrade notices on the beat-up computer. So I burn them to a disc or thumb drive, then transfer them over to the graphics PC but then the change in the IP address causes conflict (I think) Any suggestions?

Post by **HaraldHeim** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 3:58 pm

I don't know what you mean with "the change in the IP address causes conflict". From what I understand you download the FocalBlade update on one computer, put it on a CD and then install it from that CD on your other computer. What does that have to do with a IP address?

Does it not install on your second computer?

Skybird · Post by **Skybird** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:09 am

Yes, Think about it... The software co. sends out a copy of thier program on the web to a customer that has an Email address, IP adress and of course a real name and a house/office address. When that customer reports back with the registration key/code, everything is the same but the I.P. address. This variation gets picked up by the registration computer at the software co. and the computer will not always, but sometimes reject the registration.

Am I right? It is a lot of speculation. But with all of the program swapping and pirating that goes on, wouldn't they watch little things like that? I would think they are very particular about the smallest detail. What do you think?

I hope I get my response from Focalblade soon. I sent them an Email saying that the free upgrade to v. 1.02 they sent to my Email address didn't work. I tried both download sites that they gave me with no success, (another Email sent to the wrong PC!)

I tried to look up whether or not I should UN-install the v.1.01 first, then install v.1.02, or put the upgrade over the old program ? Or is the upgrade file a full program? If I uninstall the old Focalblade and find out I wasn't supposed to, it will be a long frustrating process getting it back in!

It's interesting, I have 2 PC's hooked up to the same ISP sharing one dial up connection and one address. But each one gets a different variety of Email. It seems like the beat-up PC gets all the graphics mail, updates and the graphics PC gets all of the junk mail, virus mail. A few days ago I fell prey to that bogus microsoft update. I swear it looked REAL! I thought the address even said Microsoft on it! It was the trojan virus, without a doubt!!

Post by **HaraldHeim** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 5:01 pm

Skybird wrote:Yes, Think about it... The software co. sends out a copy of thier program on the web to a customer that has an Email address, IP adress and of course a real name and a house/office address. When that customer reports back with the registration key/code, everything is the same but the I.P. address.

If you communicate via email you can't check for an IP address. That's only possible if you use a web form. As we don't use a web form, better forget about this IP stuff. Besides a software company would have to check for a IP range, because many internet provider give you a different IP address each time you connect to the internet. When you swap your internet provider, you get other IP ranges again. So checking for an IP address to identify a customer makes no sense.

Skybird wrote: I hope I get my response from Focalblade soon. I sent them an Email saying that the free upgrade to v. 1.02 they sent to my Email address didn't work. I tried both download sites that they gave me with no success, (another Email sent to the wrong PC!)

I just sent you the download instructions again via email. I have no influence on which of your PCs you get my email. I just use the email address you provide. If the download link doesn't work, maybe your email application cut it off. In such a case please copy and paste the whole link into your browser.

Skybird wrote: I tried to look up whether or not I should UN-install the v.1.01 first, then install v.1.02, or put the upgrade over the old program ? Or is the upgrade file a full program? If I uninstall the old Focalblade and find out I wasn't supposed to, it will be a long frustrating process getting it back in!

The update instructions said that it would be better to remove the old FocalBlade version to save hard drive space. But you can also overwrite the old installation. Or you can make a backup of it at fist and install the new version then. It depends on you. You don't need any previous version installed to install the new one.

Skybird wrote:It's interesting, I have 2 PC's hooked up to the same ISP sharing one dial up connection and one address. But each one gets a different variety of Email. It seems like the beat-up PC gets all the graphics mail, updates and the graphics PC gets all of the junk mail, virus mail. A few days ago I fell prey to that bogus microsoft update. I swear it looked REAL! I thought the address even said Microsoft on it! It was the trojan virus, without a doubt!!

Sorry to hear about your problem. I would recommend that you get an email account that features a built-in virus scanner or that you get a tool that lets you delete viruses directly on your email server. That way you don't need to fear that you are infected. Another important thing is to install a firewall to prevent worms from infecting your computer.

Skybird · Post by **Skybird** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 8:18 am

Sorry for the slow response. I've been having so much fun with my FocalBlade 102 that I can't keep up with my Email.

I have Norton firewall installed. Norton antivirus 2004, and Norton Sytem Works. I use the Intelligent updater a couple times a week. Also Ad-Aware, Spybot, PC-Cillin and F-something. I think I still have a virus. How in the world can this guy get a virus you are wondering? My Norton Firewall disables sometimes when on the web. I think this is an indication of a parasite.

Norton did a scan of my PC and sent me a notice that my DDO may be infected. A virus can't be detected when they are in there. But they weaken the function of my Norton Antivirus and as a result I am prone to more viruses. Also my barebones coomputer kit came with a defective motherboard. It will only allow one RAM stick plugged in at a time. Two sticks will slow it down to a snails pace. I believe this is a motherboard driver problem.

So in a few days I may be without my PC while my Buddy works on it.

My appologies for rambling.

I have a question for anyone out there. How good do these plugin Managers work? I've got a ton uf plugins! What a pain fnding the program and then finding the plugin only to find out it doesn't like that particular plugin.

I'm looking for a program for searching the directory. Windows is so profoundly negligent for leaving us to have to serach that HORIBLE list. Also, my search program is almost useless. Anybody have experience in this area?

Here are most of the programs I have installed:
Focalblade, Focus Magic, Genuine Fractals 3, Ultra Sharpen, Resize magic.
Noise Fixer, Intellihance, Custom. Eye Candy, And many others that won't install because I think it's getting full.

I haven't quite figured out how this "Custom" focusing plu-in is adjusted. It looks like a grid with minus and plus numbers in it. It seems like it could be usefull. I have had real good results with Ultra Sharpen on occaision. Same with Resize Magic. But then there were times when they worked poorly. Having a large variety of plugins seems is good. One might not work on one situation while another that didn't work before will.

Does Anyone like Eye Candy? I haven't found any uses for it yet.
My favorites are FocalBlade, Etensis Pixel Smart, Intellihance, Gen Fractls

My camera is a Sony DSC f707 5.1 Mp.

I guess you could say I'm a plugin addict. I'm getting these terrible urges again..... I'm affraid I might give in and buy Photo Retouche!!

Help

Skybird · Post by **Skybird** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 7:19 am

It's been only 2 days without my Focalblade and I'm getting seriously depressed. I started setting up the kids PC with Photoshop7. It works pretty good. I got most of all of my favorite plugins in EXCEPT Focalblade! The reason is, the Focalblade 102 copy I had saved, turned out to be corrupted when I tried to open it. I still think I have a virus.

I found out that any software that I download from the web with my old backup PC is useless/corrupted! I must have downloaded the focalblade 102 copy on the old PC. I wish FocalBlade came in the mail on it's own CD just like Gen Fractls. I suppose I could download it to my work computer and burn it to a disk then take it home. But I'm worried about getting in trouble for using the work computer.

Does anyone know where I can get help for this virus problem? The computer techs at work are starting to talk to me like I'm thier psychiatric patient. " Hi Larry did you find any viruses today??" Now,"Repeat after me there are no viruses in my PC".

I've been to Norton's website scores of times. A lot of the viruses descriptions are close to the syptoms I have. Scattered files, Shrinking C: Drive. frequent freeze ups and crashes. Bogus dialogue boxes ordering me to do wierd things. Failing antivirus protection. I have ran a lot of Nortons special production virus scans with some results.

Post by **HaraldHeim** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 2:30 pm

Sorry to hear about your computer problems. You should also consider the possibility that your hard drive is about to die. Some of these mentioned symptoms also occure in such a case. However, that usually only happens with old hard drives and not with relatively new ones.

Concering your PC, if you are sure that the problem is caused by a virus (and not by a failing hard drive) and you or the techs can't fix the problem, then you should consider formating your hard drive and reinstalling your operating system and software. If the problem is caused by a failing hard drive, you need to replace the hard drive with a new one and install everything again. Good Luck!

If you want to order the FocalBlade CD (as a registered user) for $12, I can send you an order link.

Skybyrdd · Post by **Skybyrdd** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:44 pm

Thanks Harald,

That would solve a lot of problems!

Registered user for $12.00 sounds like a good Idea! What happens when version 1.03 comes out? Pay another $12.00 for another disc? Or free download?

Send me the link.

Lawrence, (Skybyrdd

Post by **HaraldHeim** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:52 pm

The $12 is for order processing, postage, packaging, material cost etc., so of course it costs the same for every new CD.

I would suggest that you waint until FocalBlade 1.02b is released at the end of this month. So if you order the FocalBlade CD on February 1, you will get the latest version. The CD also includes several older versions of FocalBlade if you should have problems with the latest version.

Of course as a registered user you will get updates as free downloads, so you are not forced to purchase a CD for every new update.

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