MS Reader activation question...

[cab124]

I just loaded up the latest version of MS Reader onto my new Dell Axim x50v. When I go to the MS Reader activation page, it asks for me to enter my MS Passport userID and password. But each time I do, it takes me back to the same page. The userID and password are definitely valid, but it won't progress through the activation process.

I am getting burned out on the whole MS Reader activation process. I am beginning to think that I have wasted aot of money on Reader eBooks that I probably won't be able to read again.

[Don't Panic!]

Well at least your request for activation wasn't outright denied like mine was. I've got to much invested in MS Reader books to give up now though. Trust me cab124, I feel your pain.

[ironguy]

Clear your cookies and try it again.

If you look around the PPC forums, there's a post somewhere on which files to save so you don't have to re-activate.

[Don't Panic!]

Thanks ironguy but I'm 3 computers and 2 ROM updates away from my last activation. I'm just going to ask for a new activation. What's going to happen when I ramp this puppy up to WM2005 is bothering me though. If ROM updates snafu the system, what's a new OS and activesync going to do? :devilboy:

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Just curious, but did you install reader onto a storage card or in the default location? If the former (while installation is ok) activation will not proceed.

[baker]

1st. Try deleting all of your cookies then try activating again.

If that doesn't work, search these forums for 'screp'. These files have something to do with activation and I've used that post in the past when I had the same problem.

[cab124]

Thanks for all the input!

I installed to an SD card. This might be my problem. The other thing that I noticed is that the MS Reader shortcut icon is broken.

I will uninstall and reinstall to the default location and then try reactivating. Hopefully, this will also fix the broken icon problem.

Yes.....I do remember reading something in the forums about some files that can be backed up and restored which will restore activation to a new installation. I completely forgot about this. I will need to do a search. Anyone remember which files these were? Does this still work with the latest version?

Just out of curiousity, asaide from all the DRM hassles, how do most of you regard the MS Reader app as compared to some of the other popular eBook readers? I have always liked using MS Reader and I would like to continue to use it. But the DRM issues are a huge disincentive!!!

[Jorgen]

how do most of you regard the MS Reader app as compared to some of the other popular eBook readers?

Slow, bad userinterface but the text is beautifully formatted and displayed. I like it very much despite its faults and have many ebooks made in that format. I don't like their DRM.

iSilo is my preferred ebook reader on both Palm and PPC: fast, good userinterface and best compression rate making the books real small - however, you have to buy it to get features like adjustable fonts, HTML links ... iSiloX that makes the books is free.

UPDATE: MS Reader uses a lot of memory. iSilo uses very little memory.

Jorgen

[ctmagnus]

1st. Try deleting all of your cookies then try activating again.

If that doesn't work, search these forums for 'screp'. These files have something to do with activation and I've used that post in the past when I had the same problem.

'secrep', as screp returns exactly one hit: The quoted post.

;)

[baker]

My bad! :oops:

[Nurhisham Hussein]

The reader activation thing has been floating around what seems like forever. I won't claim the following text as my own, just copied it from Brighthand, I think:


1. On your desktop, click on the Activesync icon which is in the system tray on the Taskbar to pop up the Activesync window.
2. Click on the "Explore" option in Activesync to navigate the folders on your mobile device.
3. Go to the /Windows directory of the Pocket PC and copy the following files:
- secrepid.dat
- secrep.dat
- secrep.dll
- secrep.xml
- Microsoft Activation.unload
4. Create a folder within the My Documents folder on your desktop PC. You can name this folder anything you want (just remember it).

5. Paste all the files listed above into this folder.
6. That's it! Now whenever you do a hard reset on your Pocket PC, you can copy these files back into the Windows folder of your Pocket PC and your Microsoft Reader application will be activated automatically.
Note: Make sure you have your Windows Folders Options set to let you see hidden and system files or you won't see the files you need to copy.


@cab124

Yeah, that's what I did too, and MS was good enough NOT to post that particular requirement on either the Reader website, or in installation readme. I found out about it through Fictionwise, which has some good tutorials on this and other readers. A tip that I got from Menneisyys - after installation and activation, save the activation files as above, uninstall reader, then re-install to the location of your choice. The activation should still be valid, and you got reader where you want it.

[cab124]

Thanks for taking the time to post that info, hishamh. I appreciate it.

[Jorgen]

1. On your desktop, click on the Activesync icon which is in the system tray on the Taskbar to pop up the Activesync window.
2. ...

He, he, I wrote this years ago (though it has been cleaned up a little bit) from various stuff I had found on the Internet, and it keep showing up various places. I am not sure it works with the latest MS Reader as I didn't get a feedback last time I posted it here at PPCthoughts.

Jorgen

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Now I know who to properly thank!! :lol:

and, yes it does work with the latest Reader.

[ironguy]

I believe there is some confusion regarding activations. MS nominally allows 6 machine activations per user account. That means that Reader can be activated ANY NUMBER OF TIMES on 6 different machines.

I've run into that due to my 3rd PPC, 4th PC and what not. You can email/phone MS to get more added, but getting a new ID is much easier.