Computer crashed...cant access flexi to move to a new computer

[vinylink0331]

Hi, my computer that had flexisign8.5 installed on it crashed after hurricane Florence. I don't know what happened but my hard drive is no longer spinning and therefore OS will not boot when computer is turned on . As you know, Flexisign is only supposed to be installed on one computer at a time. I cant access it to deactivate it so it can be installed on a different computer. Any advice on how I can get around this? Christmas is here and I have a lot of jobs I need to get done. Thanks for any help.

 

[dypinc]

Call Flexi. They can deactivate it for you.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Call Flexi. They can deactivate it for you.

With it being 8.5 though, I can see them saying: "Sorry that version is no longer supported, but you can upgrade for xxx."

Doesn't hurt to call and ask if they will, but I wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't.


To the OP: I'm reading your post is that it's just the HD that is the problem. If that's so, did you happen to have an backup of your HD to where you can load that on to a new HD in that computer?

 

[Sindex Printing]

Have you tried talking to a data recovery expert?

 

[Bert Wondervan]

Hi, my computer that had flexisign8.5 installed on it crashes after hurricane Florence. I don't know what happened but my hard drive is no longer spinning and therefore OS will not boot when computer is turned on . As you know, Flexisign is only supposed to be installed on one computer at a time. I cant access it to deactivate it so it can be installed on a different computer. Any advice on how I can get around this? Christmas is here and I have a lot of jobs I need to get done. Thanks for any help.

What is your Windows version of crashes pc?
What is your Windows version of different pc?

 

[visual800]

Why do you not have that flexi on a disc? You had to install it on there somehow, I know there are a few for sale on ebay and they are cheap if you get no help from flexi

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Why do you not have that flexi on a disc? You had to install it on there somehow, I know there are a few for sale on ebay and they are cheap if you get no help from flexi

I don't think the install media is the issue, it's deactivating an existing install that is. It would be like having CS5 on a computer that crashed before you could deactivate it to put it on another computer (providing, it's already on 2 computers). Doesn't matter if one has the disc or not.



Speaking of discs and I know this is beyond the original question, but I thought I would mention it.

I would start creating backups of those install discs (only the ones that one would want to have a backup of) as ISO images. Most any disc burning software would be able to do this. I wouldn't suggest compression software even though most can create ISO files. The reason why is that compression software will truncate certain file names without warning and truncated names on an install disc is no bueno. It won't work at that point. Disc burning software do give you a warning and you can tell it to keep the original file name as well.

Most OSs as well, will recognize ISOs as virtual discs and mount them just like they would if it was in a physical disc drive.

There are 3 reasons why I would suggest doing this, but the biggest one is that based on what family members have bought very very recently, it seems like the optical drive is on it's way out, (going the way of the floppy drive I reckon) in this internet/download centric computing environment that we are in, combined with cheap(er) HD storage.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Ere]

I have flexi 12 and when I go to SAI cloud and try to deactivate from there, there is a spot you can click if you dont have a deactivation code just for this reason.
You can also replace hard drive load OS or swap hard drive with another computer that is working update drivers.
Good luck. I hope this helps

 

[E Coloney]

If it's an old machine (and an old hard drive) it's worth 15 minutes of your time to:
1. Open the box.
2. Remove the hard drive.
3. Look for where the center of the drive's disk(s) are. Older drives had a sticker on one side that covered a bearing there. Gently peel the sticker back part way without destroying it. Apply some warm air with a hair dryer - that may help soften the glue. Newer drives don't have the sticker and bearing access.
4. Apply ONE DROP of sewing machine oil to the bearing and cover it back up with the sticker.
5. Hold the drive level in you hand and "twist" the whole drive back and forth a few times. The disks will tend to remain stationary due to inertia and the drive case will rotate around them. This is only in case there is some "stiction" and maybe it will break free. Stiction was much more likely with old drives than with newer ones.
6. Reassemble.
7. Nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

 

[jimdtg]

Flexi version 8.5 is no longer supported by SAi that you can not activate product now if your license is Softkey type. You should contact with SAi directly, I think they have some good options for you.

 

[tnprospector]

Hi, my computer that had flexisign8.5 installed on it crashed after hurricane Florence. I don't know what happened but my hard drive is no longer spinning and therefore OS will not boot when computer is turned on . As you know, Flexisign is only supposed to be installed on one computer at a time. I cant access it to deactivate it so it can be installed on a different computer. Any advice on how I can get around this? Christmas is here and I have a lot of jobs I need to get done. Thanks for any help.

Go to www.saicloud.com. Log in and follow the directions for a failed computer unable to get deactivation code. Worked for me.

 

[vinylink0331]

Thanks for all the help. Still trying to read thru the comments but I am going to try some of the advice that was given. Also, Wild West Designs is correct in the fact that having the disc doesn't help because I never got a chance to deactivate on crashed computer. I have tried getting out my hard drive to find out why it will not load. I did eventually discover that my hard drive is not spinning. I am currently trying to fix it. Wish me luck with that. Another problem I am going to have is that Flexisign 8.5 will not work with windows 10. Does anyone know where I could maybe get an update to Flexisign 10 for free. I think that works with Windows 10. I literally don't have the money to purchase the upgrade right now. I'm just now getting back into after my son was diagnosed with autism. So, I really need to get this going again for money reasons and sanity reasons. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Another problem I am going to have is that Flexisign 8.5 will not work with windows 10

You shouldn't have to worry about this. I have customers running all sorts of old software including Flexi 8.5 on windows 10. I would bet it even works without having to run it in compatibility mode but that is still an option. WildWest has some good advice on running old software on new operating systems though if it doesn't end up working.

 

[mfatty500]

FWIW, I use Flexi Letter 8.6v2 with windows 10, windows 10 did not allow me to use it one time, win. 10 wiped out my Corel Draw x7 as well, due to an update (my assumption) I just re-installed and no problems since. However, I just cut mainly text with it when we do onsite t-shirt printing. I have it installed on a dell inspirion 5000 with 8 of ram. If my memory serves me right i also had it installed on a win. 7 machine that crashed, & I believe it is still installed on another desktop that I no longer use. But I would have to get it out of storage to verify.

 

[vinylink0331]

just talked to a guy who seemed completely dumbfounded about what to do and said basically he couldn't help me at all. He also told me that I can no longer use 8.6 at all. He said that the softkey network was no longer available and impossible to run my program. So WOW, thanks. Is this guy full of crap or what? It's not true that I cant use it at all is it? Im trying to fix my harddrive now but I don't know if im gonna be able to use it or not. From what he says it wont matter anyways because it cant be verified. Is anyone that is currently running 8.6 have any problems with the program because of the softkey issue?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

He also told me that I can no longer use 8.6 at all. He said that the softkey network was no longer available and impossible to run my program. So WOW, thanks. Is this guy full of crap or what?

This was what I was talking about in my first post. I didn't think that they would get it up and running for you with that version number.

It's not new, quite a few posts on here about it.

I even got a few emails with resellers of Flexi that were offering upgrading pricing (it's based on those that were offering that I got emails from, at least officially). That would be the only up and up way of handling this or going to a competitor's software.

 

[Bert Wondervan]

FWIW, I use Flexi Letter 8.6v2 with windows 10, windows 10 did not allow me to use it one time, win. 10 wiped out my Corel Draw x7 as well, due to an update (my assumption) I just re-installed and no problems since. However, I just cut mainly text with it when we do onsite t-shirt printing. I have it installed on a dell inspirion 5000 with 8 of ram. If my memory serves me right i also had it installed on a win. 7 machine that crashed, & I believe it is still installed on another desktop that I no longer use. But I would have to get it out of storage to verify.

What is your Windows version of crashes pc?
What is your Windows version of different pc?

 

[Jburns]

I know it stinks. Do you have a backup of the files? If so, you can probably pay someone to convert them to .eps for you, and then any program can open them.

Or do flexi subscription for a month, - convert the files, and use another software if you dont want to keep it. if you are using RIP you may keep. If you are cutting vinyl, there are other programs.

 

[mfatty500]

What is your Windows version of crashes pc?
What is your Windows version of different pc?

Mine has only crashed using Windows 10, but it did freeze today while try to close the program, I have used it on Windows 7 Ultimate with no problems before putting it on my Windows 8.1, (Windows 8.1 has given me no problems) & Windows 10 computers I'm using Flexi 8.6v2 letter, not the pro version

 

[brycesteiner]

This is actually a great example of why a virtual machine is really the way to go no matter what OS you are using. It's a single file that can be backed up and transferred to another computer easily, not having the problems with computer upgrades and deprecated software.
I don't know how to fix the problem since the harddrive is not spinning. If you could get it to the point of being readable then maybe you would have a chance of copying it to another disk but activation seems to be the entire issue, which is no longer supported.