Cannot boot The software anymore

Majed-Anani wrote on 3/21/2021, 5:46 PM

I purchased Photostory Deluxe in Nov2020. Installed it on my iMac on a PC partition that I created by using Parallels software. I created many movies and photo stories successfully. I am not sure if Photostory stopped booting after I installed MacOS 11.1 Big Sur or not, but now I cannot boot Photostory. Nothing comes up when I click it, no errors at all. Multiple reboots, updating Parallels, updating and registering Windows 10, also did not help. I wanted to uninstall Photostory Deluxe and re-install it again, but it does not seem that I have the installation file or the activation code. Please help restore Photostory Deluxe for me.
Majed Anani

San Jose, California, USA

Comments

emmrecs wrote on 3/22/2021, 6:16 AM

@Majed-Anani

Welcome to the Magix user to user forums.

My understanding of this (I don't have a MAC) is that successful running of a Magix app on a MAC requires the use of Bootcamp, not Parallels, and hence a full install of Windows on the Bootcamp partition. PS is then installed on the Bootcamp partition.

However, since you have updated to Big Sur, I wonder whether this has, as you surmise, effectively "killed" PS within Parallels? Do you have the option/space to install Bootcamp and test it with PS?

As to re downloading the software and serial key, go to your Magix account, log in, go to My Products and you will find the installer and key listed there. You should also see the option to deactivate the current install; do so and then there is no danger of you receiving the error message on attempting the new activation that you have exceeded the maximum number or permitted installs.

HTH

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Majed-Anani wrote on 3/22/2021, 2:58 PM

Hi Jeff. As it turned out Parallels uses Bootcamp "elements" when installed on a Mac. Since I wrote my post here on Magix, I have worked hard and fixed the problem on my own. Here are some steps I took:

1. I purchased a key from Microsoft for my Windows10 (the one that gets downloaded with Parallels is a generic inactive Windows 10 version. It works but it is unstable, used to crash, but now after Windows 10 activation, Photostory does not crash).

2. I reinstalled Photostory Deluxe again. As you mentioned I went on my Magix account and was able to access my product key which allowed me to reinstall the Photostory Deluxe. Thank you very much.

3. The biggest problem after Windows activation and after Re-installation of Photostory deluxe was the inability of Photostory to recognize my Mac hard drive or external hard drives with tons of pictures on them. Photostory recognized only the Windows partition.

4. After Googling, viewing videos on YouTube, and following other people's advices, I still could not fix the problem. On Parallels, I had all the configuration correctly setup, explicitly telling Parallels configuration menu to access all Mac disks. But s till could not fix the problem.

5. I then went to Parallels website, and kept searching until I found the solution. The solution was simply to re-install Parallels tools again. This did it.Now on my Windows partition I se the same desktop as in my Mac. When I started Photostory, I now see all the hard drives, Mac HDD, external hard drives. I. checked that I can access my iTunes music from Photostory GUI.

I hope this helps Magix, and others who, like me, have trouble with Photostory after either upgrading to Mac OS Big Sur, or after activating a Windows 10 version (purchasing a key from Microsoft).

I would like to thank you again for your prompt response.

Best Regards

Majed Anani

San Jose, California, USA

emmrecs wrote on 3/22/2021, 3:12 PM

@Majed-Anani

Excellent news, and thanks very much for the detailed explanation of how you resolved the problem. Should there be other MAC users experiencing similar problems your post should prove invaluable.

Jeff