Thank you, John.

I haven't had any messages about "no Internet connection" or "Antivirus program blocking". It tries to connect to somewhere, but then says "Activation failed. If you have limited user rights, try activating with admin rights." And, as I said, I get the same message when I try to do it as admin.

F-Secure does have a folder protection feature. It seems that all the user file folders (e.g. Mika\Videos) are protected. And MEP is installed in one of them. But for some reason, I can't remove any of those folder from the protected list. I'll try to figure out a way to do that.

But at least some part of MEP does have an Internet connection, because every time I start the program, it reminds me that my (one year?) update service is just expired. I hope that THAT isn't causing my problem? I should be able to use the older features of the program even without renewing the update service, shouldn't I?

@MikaS

Hi

. . . . It seems that all the user file folders (e.g. Mika\Videos) are protected. And MEP is installed in one of them. . . .

Did you do a custom install of MEP, the program that is, if so which folder did you instal into ?

John EB

Sorry, I was wrong about the location of MEP. I got confused, because Magix also has some folders under Mika\Documents.

I don't remember whether it was custom install or not, but the actual program is installed in C:\Program Files\Magix. That folder is not in F-Secure list of protected folders. But the Magix folders under Mika\Documents are in F-Secures protected folders.

C-drive is an SSD which has Windows and some often used programs. Then I have another drive (HDD) which has most of the programs and files (including the video files).

I found some new information:

1) I seem to have the same problem that GermanGreed and raj-z had in this topic and terrypin had in this topic. In the first topic, GermanGreed seemed to get his problem solved by changing his preferred codec in the Program settings, Import/export tab. When I go into that tab, I have an option to change the preferred codec for MPEG-2 between Default and MainConcept (default is chosen), but I don't have anything about MPEG-4. In the second topic, terrypin somehow got around the problem by starting MEP in admin mode, but that solution does not work for me.

2) I first noticed this problem when I tried to start a new project by dragging an MP4-file to the timeline (which didn't work). But now tried to load a previously saved project with MP4-files. I first got the same message as before -> tried to activate it free online -> failed, but after that I got another message, which said "Couldn't find the Path\xxx.MP4-file attached to the movie". But the MP4-file IS in that folder, and it is working fine when I play it with VLC.

3) And now I tried to drag an MPEG-2 file to an empty timeline, and I get the same messages that I get with MP4s.😟 The AVI-files still work, though.

With this information, do you still think that the problem could be related to F-Secure? The MP4-file that MEP failed to find is NOT under the protected folders.

Could my problem be related to the fact that my update service has recently expired? I think I should have the right to use the program as before, even if I don't renew the update service. But could it be that when Magix "cut" my update service they simultaneously (accidentally?) also "cut" my access to MP4 (and MPEG-2)?

The program has worked beautifully for more than 3 years, and now it suddenly has become useless.

@MikaS

Hi

. . . . The program has worked beautifully for more than 3 years, and now it suddenly has become useless. . . .

The sudden onset of the issue would certainly suggest that the issue is not with the program and the 2 most likely candidates are F-Secure or a Windows update/upgrade for the cause of the issue.

Magix are aware that Avast and AVG are causing issues with their heuristic algorithms and it is possible that F-Secure is doing the same.

I am not familiar with F-Secure however it does have an Exclusion tab, to add programs/files/folders to, in order for the DeepGuard (their name for the heuristic algorithm scan) not to scan them.

. . . . tried to activate it free online -> failed, but after that I got another message, which said "Couldn't find the Path\xxx.MP4-file attached to the movie". But the MP4-file IS in that folder, and it is working fine when I play it with VLC. . . . . The MP4-file that MEP failed to find is NOT under the protected folders. . . . .

I think this is a follow on error from the mp4 codec not being activated - no codec - file cannot be read.

. . . Could my problem be related to the fact that my update service has recently expired? . . .

Unlikely as the mpeg and mp4 codecs are a separate activation for licencing purposes.

HTH

John EB

I found the DeepGuard settings, but it doesn't have any programs blocked. So that propably isn't the reason.

What about the protected folders i F-Secure? As the program is installed (=MEP itself on a non-protected folder, but some other MAGIX related folder on protected folders), do you think I should look deeper into that, and find out how to de-select folders from the protected list?

As I said, everytime I start MEP, it reminds me that my update service is expired. So if the reason is F-Secure, it does allow MEP to connect to their servers.

edit. I also checked the Windows Defender Firewall settings, and Magix Movie Edit Pro Plus is allowed to get through.

@MikaS

. . . . but it doesn't have any programs blocked. So that propably isn't the reason . . . .

It won't, you add an exception for it not to scan MEP in my AV I put a folder exception for the Magix install folder and everything within it.

. . . . As I said, everytime I start MEP, it reminds me that my update service is expired. So if the reason is F-Secure, it does allow MEP to connect to their servers. . . . .

It is not a case of letting/blocking MEP to the Internet - you would be getting a different message - Error code 1 if it could not connect to the activation servers.

Something is blocking making a change to a setting or registry key thus giving the activation failed error message, this could be F-Secure, Windows UAC or a corrupt, or misconfigured permissions, registry key

I would suggest taking this up with Magix Support

John EB

I found the exception tab in F-Secure, added the MEP installation folder from C-drive and other MAGIX-related folders from my user account, but that didn't help either.

Thank you for your help, John. I'll try the Magix Support next...

I have made contact with the Magix Support, but so far their support hasn't solved my problem. Their first suggestion was to de-activate and then re-activate the program, but that didn't change anything. Then they asked me to uninstall and install the whole program. That didn't help either, but now got some new error messages to send to them.😒

While I'm waiting for a proper solution from the Support, a couple of questions have come to my mind:

1) Why does MEP have such a strange codec activation procedure? Why can't the codecs be activated automatically when the program installs? And if I have successfully activated the codecs when I first started using the program (although I have no memory of that), how has activation now been de-activated? If the codecs need an Internet connection to somewhere, does that mean that MEP doesn't work offline?

2) John, you said that most likely causes for my problem are F-Secure or Windows update. Could you specify why you came to that conclusion?

@MikaS

Hi

. . . . . most likely causes for my problem are F-Secure or Windows update. Could you specify why you came to that conclusion . . . .

I actually said more than that - to repeat some of what I said in previous posts:

The sudden onset of the issue would certainly suggest that the issue is not with the program.

Something is blocking making a change to a setting or registry key thus giving the activation failed error message, this could be F-Secure, Windows UAC or a corrupt, or misconfigured permissions, registry key.

These are the major causes of changes being blocked, as other users can register.

There is one more possibility, something has prevented MEP from saving a setting on close and it has corrupted a program start up file.

I had this happen 2 days ago, MEP froze due to an issue with a image file, and I had to crash shutdown the computer, Windows would not respond either. This resulted in having to do a reset of MEP.

Try a total reset of the program - note doing this will reset any program setting customisations you made eg folder paths etc.

1. With MEP closed use Windows File Explorer to browse to
   
   C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MAGIX\Videodeluxexxxx - where xxxx = the version you have.
    
2. locate the videodeluxe.ini file, it will be some 10's of kB in size, and rename it or move it to a temporary folder.
    
3. start MEP

John EB

@johnebaker@johnebaker

As far as the optional codecs are concerned.

They do not belong to Magix and are under licence from the relevant developer and their contract with the supplier. I think they are bonded to a program and users computer ID in this instance with a one off key per instance of use. Once bought you can ask for a new key if for any reason it won't reactivate. I have asked for new keys twice so far.

Ray.

John: Thank you for your patience with me. 👍 It's getting a bit too "technical" with me and I have trouble understanding all the things you say. But I'm confused with you saying that "Something is blocking making a change to a setting or registry key...". What change? I haven't made any changes, and I was happy with the way things were. So ”who” was trying to make a change, what change and where?

I tried your trick with videodeluxe.ini-file, but it didn't work. Although I'm not sure if I got the right version of Videodeluxe. Since I uninstalled the program yesterday, I re-installed it using my original DVD, with version 16.something. I have been trying update it one update at a time to get back to the 18.0.3.261 I had before uninstall. But then I got stuck with version 17.something, perhaps because that's when I bought an upgrade. So I can't get higher than that, and I'm not sure which videodeluxe version I currently have installed.

Ray: Are you talking about the MainConcept-codec? Because that is not what I’m missing. I haven’t bought any codec, so propably they can’t send me a new key.

@MikaS

Hi Mika.

Yes it was but only because of the first paragraph of your first post. Sorry if I've misconstrued which codec is not working.

You can find the version of the program under Help / About.

Ray.

@MikaS

Hi

. . . . But I'm confused with you saying that "Something is blocking making a change to a setting or registry key...". What change? . . . .

When you activate a program, or in this case a codec, the program has to know that this has been done so as not to ask you again and it does by changing a setting, a 'key' in the registry or creating a small file.

By analogy - it writes itself a note saying the codec is activated and can be used.

The registry is like a catalogue of information for Windows and programs and also holds some settings for them - it is not a good place to start making changes as you can quickly disable your computer.

HTH

John EB

@MikaS

If there are corrupted (system) files these might get corrected/fixed by issuing the following commands in a commands window running with administrator priviledges.

SFC /SCANNOW

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

I just got new instructions from Magix Support, where they instructed me to delete some registry keys. Before I do that, I'd like to know, that if I mess things up, would I be able to recover from possible mistakes, if I made a Windows restore point before deleting registry keys?

So:

1. Make a Windows restore point
2. Delete the registry keys
3. If something goes wrong, restore Windows

Right?

@MikaS

Hi

That sounds a good strategy before going into the registry.

John EB

@MikaS

Further to what @johnebaker says, if you open RegEdit you will find an option under File>Export which will allow you to create a complete Registry backup, i.e. export all registry data. Thus, if a subsequent problem does emerge you have the reassurance of a fully backed-up, and hence restorable, Registry. (You do that via File>Import.)

HTH

Jeff

@MikaS

I just got new instructions from Magix Support, where they instructed me to delete some registry keys.

Can you give us an idea of what keys they had suggested deleting, for future reference?

Peter

OK, I got the MPEG-4-problem solved, but the MPEG-2-problem remains.

These are the instructions I got from Magix Support:

The problem could be narrowed down by our developers and seems to be related to a defective registry key.
The solution requires you to delete a Windows registry key. Simply delete the entries you will find using the following tools.

Registrar Home V8

To identify the registry key: 

Click on "Start" and type "Regedit" in the search field. The Registry window will then appear.

Now delete the following entry with the registry tool: Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{7DC6E619-5C35-4371-9D2A-9CF021CB55D1}

So I downloaded and installed that tool, and then located the right key and deleted it with the tool. After that I started MEP as admin and dragged an MP4-file to the timeline. It asked me to activate the codec. I did that, and I probably got a message that said "activation failed", but the clip did go the timeline anyway, and I clicked the message away quickly, so I'm not sure if it really said "activation failed". But nevertheless, I can now import and export MPEG-4 files.

After the successful activation I went back to the registry, and the deleted key was back. So I assume the MPEG-4-codec activation is located in that key, and after my successful activation it is in proper form.

But the MPEG-2-files are still not working. Is there possibly another defective registry key, that's preventing me activating the codec? I mentioned also the MPEG-2-problem to Magix Support, but maybe they forgot that. I'll ask again...

So the problem was caused by a defective registry key. And the fault was at Windows, not MEP. Can someone explain, why that happened? And is there a way to prevent it happening in the future.

@MikaS

Yes, you should ask again as it seems likely it could be another registry entry problem but it might not be. Only Magix or Microsoft could probably know that.

As for registry entries corrupting, it can be random and happen at any time to any part of a program or operating system or be a coding bug that needs sorting at one end or the other.

This type of problem is very complex and these things happen for a variety of reasons so difficult to say whether it would happen again or not. Thankfully once an solution is implemented, the same thing happening again on the same instillation is rare.

The fact it doesn't happen to everyone's instillations probably points to a hardware difference somewhere.

It's really difficult to say with any certainty.

Ray.

Some new information:

I finally got instructions for my MPEG2-problem. I had to make a whole new request for Magix Support. After a couple of emails I got the following instructions:

Please use the already known tool Registrar Home and delete the following regkey to solve the MPEG-2 activation problem:

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{B34CD9F0-58BE-48A9-8F8F-002906E620EB}

So I started Registrar Home as admin and deleted the key, and then I started MEP as admin and activated successfully the MPEG2-codec. And now I have all the codecs working again!

But I'm still left with one problem. When these codec problems occured, I had version 18.0.3.261 of the program. Magix Support instructed me to reinstall the program. I did this with the original DVD I got when I first purchased the program in april 2017 (version 16.something). I then upgraded the program as far as I could get, but that ended with version 17.0.3.184. I asked about this problem in the same request where I asked about the MPEG2-problem, and Magix replied:

If the program is reinstalled, the version that was installed at the time of your purchase will be installed. Updates that have been made cannot be downloaded again.

This sounds ridiculous. I bought an upgrade service for MEP in 8.8.2018, and my order says that my update service was extended until 7.8.2019. I assume that 8.8.2018 = version 17.0.3.184, and 7.8.2019 = version 18.0.3.261. So I have paid money to get updates until version 18.0.3.261, and now they say I'm only allowed to get version 17.0.3.184 (after reinstalling the program according to their instructions).

I might have to contact the support once again. But before that, I'd like to hear your views on this: In my Magix account I can download an installation program for MEP. When I launch that, it gives an option to install version 17.0.1.128. So that is higher than the version I have in my DVD, but lower than the version I have now. Could it be that using that installation file would give me version 18.0.3.261? I wouldn't want to try that in vain, since reinstalling, updating, changing default settings etc. was a lot of work.