Common Problems

Help>Common Problems

Menu

Home

Products

Services

Info

Help

Pad Files

FAQs

Company

About Us

Contact Us

Press Releases

Resources

Sites

Submit URL

Log In

Common Problems

This is a list of common problems that some developers encounter.

Error Renaming Files:
This is caused by the backup of the output folders while you are accessing an item in the folder. Make sure you are not in any output folders. Copy your setup.exe files elsewhere and close before you re-compile. Go back to the Program Files folder above the ShareGuard folder to eliminate this error message or close ShareGuard Locksmith and then re-open if problem persists.

Unlocking Problems (Old Issue Resolved):
Download ShareGuard Key V3.5 filename: ZSSGK-V35.ZIP This new 2005/06/01 key makes unlocking much easier. Replace the existing ZSSGK.EXE module with this new one. Using this new module should prevent the necessity of using the old reset procedure below.

I am still testing this module as of June 1, 2005. This new module appears to work very well under all circumstances and should provide a good user experience in unlocking their software. NOTE: If the software registration form says ERROR: INVALID SYSTEM, from using the old key module (ZSSGK.EXE with a date older than June 1, 2005 5:58 PM), then you still must use the Reset Product Key procedure and then use this new key to unlock the software.

Reset Product Key:
The process for resetting the product id is as follows:

Download ZSSCRUB.ZIP
Unzip the file and extract ZSSCRUB.EXE.
Run ZSSCRUB.EXE
Enter the 8 character product id e.g. DEMOSG01 or A00001234
Press RESET
It should say successfully reset. If it says product not found then the product id is wrong.
Now open the application. The registration form should now say DEMO: ... instead of ERROR: INVALID SYSTEM at the bottom.
When you open the application a new key is generated based upon the installation date. Any old keys, using method 2, that you have will no longer work.
Display the new key on the target computer, send the displayed product key to the software vendor and the software vendor will generate a new key using method 2.

Invalid System: This INVALID SYSTEM is caused by the user entering the certificate number too many times or trying to hack the system. This can also occur when using Single User Key (method 2) when dates have been changed or a reboot was not performed after product key installation. This is a program to scrub the product key to eliminate this error. Please distribute this to your paying customers only. Download ZSSCRUB.ZIP You must supply your customer with the product key to reset.

System Migrated: This SYSTEM MIGRATED is caused by the user running the key program twice and ignoring the warning messages. This is a program to scrub the product key to eliminate this error. Please distribute this to your paying customers only. Download ZSSCRUB.ZIP You must supply your customer with the product key to reset.

DLL Not Working: This is a new DLL to help those that are having problems in trying to get ZSSGCRC.DLL (Function CRC32FileCheck) to work with their application. This new DLL overcomes the deficiency of OLE automation in not being able to handle a string being returned by a DLL. This function modifies the third parameter and returns a boolean value to overcome that deficiency.
NEW 2003/02/25: Download the DLL for Visual Basic, MS Access and any other language that is having problems with the other CRC32FileCheck function in ZSSGCRC.DLL. This also includes a source code example for VB and/or Access. You can use this code as pseudo-code for other languages.

Working directory path not set correctly: Ensure that your 'Start In' parameter of the properties for your executable is set to the application path. Left click on your desktop icon and check this field. If it is set to root then you did not setup your installation program correctly.

Changing to a different directory: When your program starts up it will use the working directory path that you set. See above. If you change the directory during program execution then that will be the current directory or the working directory. You must ensure that you have either not changed the current directory or that you change it back to the application path before you load the DLL and call the ShareGuard Lock program.

Understanding how load a DLL: Please read the documentation for your language and ensure that you understand how to dyanamically load a DLL. If you do not understand this process or cannot get it to work then comment out this code for now and contact me.
See the NEW Download

Understanding how call an executable using Windows API: Please read the documentation for your language and ensure that you understand how to call a program using the Windows API. If you do not understand this process or cannot get it to work then contact me.

Debugging: Just before you call the ShareGuard Lock you should display a message box with the current directory. Check this directory and ensure that the ZSSGL.EXE and ZSSGCRC.DLL both reside in this directory.

Not Using ShareGuard Lock During Form Load: Sometimes developers want their program to run forever in a trial environment but do not want an integral piece of code to run unless the customer pays for the software. If you intend to use such a scenario then place your call to ShareGuard Lock prior to that code that you wish to protect. If you are not using ShareGuard Lock during form load but during a call to an integral piece of code then you can use this procedure. Save the current directory, set the directory to the application path (where the EXEs DLLs reside), make the DLL load, make the API call and then set the directory back to the saved directory. This scenario is applicable to applications that may allow the continued reading of files but not the writing to those files after the demo period has expired.

CRC Errors: If you encounter a CRC check error then either your program has changed or you are running a different version of ShareGuard Lock. There are 2 different CRC checks. The most common problem that you will encounter is the CRC error when you modify your program executable. ShareGuard actually records the original CRC of your file. NOTE: This only happens if you set the CRC check on in ShareGuard Locksmith. The loading of the CRC DLL is for checking the CRC of the ShareGuard Lock program. This CRC is always dynamically computed when you generate your parameters. If you receive a CRC error then just reset the Product Id from the Tools page of the ShareGuard Locksmith. The ShareGuard Lock will then automatically re-compute a new CRC for your program. This CRC value will always be enforced until you reset the Product Id. This is something that your customers cannot do but protects your software from cracking. You will always create a new product id so that a new CRC value will be computed for your next version release.

If your problem is not listed here then contact me and I will try to resolve your problem and list it here.

Written by William H. Bradshaw

Get The FREE Software:

Download ShareGuard

Downloads are in ZIP format

Problem Summary:

- Invalid System: download ZSSCRUB.ZIP and run ZSSCRUB.EXE with the product key

- System Migrated: download ZSSCRUB.ZIP and run ZSSCRUB.EXE with the product key

- Working directory path not set correctly

- Changing to a different directory

- Understanding how load a DLL

- Understanding how call an executable usinnng Windows API

- Debugging using Windows Message Box

- Protecting Other Pieces of Code

- CRC Errors

Products and Services for Windows and IBM