Reg Key Expired

[briankb]

I did not do anything to any software on the computer in my shop which is connected to my shark cnc machine I just booted it up so I could cut out a profile for a project box and got the error.

Thanks for all the info guys. I will email the NWA and see what happens, will just keep using v1 for now.

[EdThorne]

I am up and registered using Ver 2.01 Release001
After installing, I was able to automatically register my software and all devices. You need to remember your serial numbers for the CNC Control Panel and all of accessories like the Shark, touch plate, and probe, if you have these.

This was the first time that I have used this automated registration process. It seems to work well as long as you have all of the serial numbers. That took me some time to find all of them. I now have them stored in a place where I can easily locate them.

Hope all of the rest of you get up and running soon. Thank you to NWA Tech Support for taking time out of your Saturday to help. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

[TomTurner]

I just fell victim to the reg key expired trap on a Friday afternoon. Looked like an automated registration process but at the end No automated registration just a box that says look for email. No email after 6 hours so likely down for the weekend. If they can check that it is expired why don't they do it a week in advance and give a warning or show how how many days until expiration. Really poor form to just neuter your machine with no warning. Come on NWA this has been around a while and there is very little evidence you are concerned about your customers experience with your product.

Tom

[rsetina]

I started another post before seeing this one. Seems this is happening to quite a few other people too. I wrote:

I'm having a problem with registering or re-registering an expired reg. key. I sent an email to NWA via their website and got a response telling me I had to upgrade to the newest control panel, I did, and everything seemed fine. It worked until I closed the program, and when I again opened the program to use it, I received the same message, that the reg. key had expired and to contact NWA.

I did and was told to reinstall the software again, because perhaps the upgrade didn't take. So I did, and all seemed well until I closed the program again, and again I received the same message, the reg. key was expired. I the second email the tech said that I might have to change a few files in order to get the program to run. I asked a couple of days ago what files I needed to change and still, I'm waiting for a response.

Tonight, I was able to reinstall the upgrade and get it to run, but again I got the same problem if I close the program. Any ideas? I have a couple of jobs I need to run this weekend, and no machine. I'm a UPS driver and time is precious during the Christmas season. I can't get much done during the week.

[EdThorne]

Hi Rick,

I used the online registration feature after installing the newest controller software [SCP 2.01]. I entered all of my serial numbers for my controller, SCP 2.0 upgrade, probe, and touch plate. [Great if you know all of these numbers .. I keep mine handy in a text file] I then pressed the <Submit> button and within a couple of seconds all of my devices were registered and new registration key codes stored in my system. I didn't have to call customer service to ask for new registration keys. I do like this registration method better than the old method.

After this, there is another button that allows you to save a copy of your registration file. NWA asks that you send a copy of this file to them; which I did.

I haven't encounter any further expiration notices.

This shouldn't be necessary but you may wish to uninstall the old version just to make sure that no old configuration files exist before installing the new controller software. The install folder {located in "Documents" folder} is: "CNC Shark 2.0". You may wish to be sure that this folder is empty after the uninstall before installing the newest controller software. Also, kill off all of your shortcuts that you may have created on your desktop so they aren't around to launch some older version of the controller software.

THE GOOD NEWS
1. The new control panel display updates smoothly while running a toolpath. Great improvement.
2. It appears that NWA is linking in some controls to support the 4th axis. [This may happen before I expire]
3. Registration is quick and really easy if you remember your serial numbers.
4. Everything, including virtual zero, appears to work as well or better than the previous SCP2.0 version except as noted below.

THE BAD NEWS
1. The 2D view does not always zoom out to view your entire project. You may find that you are zoomed into a small area of your project. This doesn't happen for all toolpath files but is not very useful when it does. Customer support suggests that this will be fixed in a future release. I can live with it the way that it is until they fix it.

I hope that this works for you,
Ed

[TomTurner]

Update to my post above. No email from NWA as was promised by their software. (3 days ago multiple times). Went to their website and found the only way to contact them is via an email form on their contact page. Seems strange to have a company that does not list a phone number on their web page or at the minimum a customer service email address. (Probably too busy on 4th axis and other future/near term products to worry about current customers). Any suggestions on how to get their attention? Luckily I still had prior control panel installed so I am not dead in the water but that was my foresight not theirs.

[studio-n]

yes you would think it would make sense to put the phone #/contact info under the contact us tab (kinda like everyone else does!!).
But it is located under their store. Here is the link: http://shop.nextwaveautomation.com/shop ... px?catid=6

But in short: SUPPORT (419) 491-4520

[EdThorne]

Update on my above post with a correction:

I have been using Virtual Zero which all worked well in Version 2.0.

Version 2.01: The first Tap file that I tried worked well. I find that sometimes the SCP doesn't ask if I wish to use the existing, saved virtual positions. When this happens, the gantry moves to the wrong initial position to find the corner. This can be anywhere including locations beyond the working range of the gantry. Exiting SCP sometimes works but not always. Power cycling the controller will of course delete the stored virtual positions and you can start from scratch. This is a pain but maybe the only way to handle this problem until NWA decides to fix 2.01.

I haven't found a reliable work-around so I am pretty much stuck without using Virtual Zero. Is anyone else seeing these problems? I don't see any other issues except when using Virtual Zero. Then again, that's what we paid for to get Version 2.0; isn't it?

Ed

[rsetina]

All is well. I called NWA tech support and they walked me through what I needed to do. Follow the steps on the first page of this thread where you delete icy.* reg.* and download the new software. I didn't delete my shortcut at the bottom of my screen so the one I was using opened 2.0 not 2.01 sending me through the loop of having to install the update every time I wanted to start the program again. I deleted the shortcut, opened the application from windows explorer, and pined the 2.01 version to my task bar at the bottom with my apps and it works fine. Thanks NWA for the help. Now I can get started on projects again.

[TomTurner]

Update to prior post - did get an email with link to latest version of control panel. I have downloaded it, successfully installed it but had to depart for the holidays before I could see if the registration process works.

Thanks to NWA but wish the whole process was smoother and less cumbersome.

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday for those in the US.

Tom