Activation

For quick access to required information, please click on the relevant links below:

• General information
• Company policy
• Revokation
• Completely removing T@GES from your system
• Troubleshooting guide
• Need help?

  English:	TAGES support contact information
  Deutsch:	Kontaktinformationen TAGES-Unterstützung
  Français:	Information de contact du support TAGES
  Español:	Información de contacto de asistencia de TAGES
  Italiano:	Informazioni per contattare l’assistenza TAGES

General information

TAGES™ protects software products for online distribution. Typically, the online activation process of a protected software product is performed on the first execution, with our activation software, TagesClient.

The only information that will be transferred from the client's PC to the activation server is the necessary activation request code calculated from a hash value of the client PC configuration. The information that will be sent is completely anonymous, no data from a client PC other than the hash value will be sent.

TagesClient support three activation modes:

• Automatic mode, TCP
  This mode uses the TCP connection, port 1100. The user only has to enter a serial number (if not automatically entered) and press a button to activate the product.
  
  
• Automatic mode, HTTP
  This mode uses the HTTP connection, port 80, with proxy dealing. This mode is triggered by the failure of the TCP mode after a 30 secondes timeout.
  
  
• Manual mode
  In case none of the automatic modes succeeded or cannot be used, when for example the client PC does not have any or restricted Internet access, a manual activation mode is available. TagesClient will create an activation request HTML file that can be saved and opened in a web browser on any PC that has Internet access. With this HTML file, a user can use any PC with Internet access to complete the activation process and retrieve the activation code file.
  

All required information to carry out the activation process are stored in the CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\Tages directory. You can then safely remove this directory, but this will mean you will need to perform a brand new activation if you want to use the software again.

Company policy

No compromise on security with full respect of the end-users' privacy: nothing stolen, nothing hidden.

Revokation

T@GES does not -and will not- provide this service. Please find the reasons that forbid us from doing this below:

• The basis of the revokation is to hide some information on the end-user PC in order for him to be unable to copy it. Whilst revoking, this information is modified (i.e. deleted) then the activation count is decreased. This behavior is unethical and is clearly against our company policy: every Copy Protection’s companies who has implemented it had to use rootkit’ technics and this is not acceptable from our point of view, for end-users, publishers, and courts.
• Revokation is useless when the hidden information can be saved by very simple and common means, like a restoration point or a ghost.

The following points may also be taken into consideration and illustrate the reasons that render revokation obsolete and explain why it is not needed:

• 10 to 20% of end-users activate their software more than once, and for the very few who reach the limit, the publisher's hotline can very easily increment the activation count.
• A time based incremental activation count can be used to re-credit the SN without requiring the end-user to bother about his activation count.
  
  We provide three possibilities: first activation, last activation and each activation time based auto-increment. The publisher can choose any type and define the number of days after which the auto-increment will be effective.
• In many cases, when the commercial lifetime of the product is ended, a patch that is not protected is released.

Completely removing T@GES from your system

This process is very easy to perform:

• Activation
  
  All information were stored at the application data repository, as defined by Microsoft and compatible with the "Game for Windows" requirements: the CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\Tages directory.
  
  CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA is a generic name and stand for:
  • Prior Vista: XX:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
  • Vista and upper: XX:\ProgramData

  Where XX is the drive letter where Windows is installed (on most PCs, the letter is 'C')

  The CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA directory may be hidden by default. Once you have located the CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\Tages directory, removing it completely removes ALL T@GES activations from your system.

• Drivers:
  
  Please download our installer/un-installer at Drivers and run it.
  
  if you would like to ascertain that everything IS removed, our two "level 3" drivers - atksgt.sys and lirsgt.sys- are located in the system32\DRIVERS directory. After un-installation, all registry keys that were created during the installation using the standart Windows' APIs are removed, as well as the two files (atksgt.sys and lirsgt.sys).

Troubleshooting guide

A complete end-users guide is also available for download : T@GES activation users' guide  (PDF format).

For a quick troubleshooting guide, please find below the most common problems you may encounter and the associated solutions:

• Unable to communicate with server:
  
  
  
  The activation client was unable to communicate with the server. This is a problem with the Internet connection that might be caused by a firewall or a proxy server.
  
  Solution: Change your firewall or proxy server settings to allow direct Internet communication, or use the manual activation mode to avoid the problem (please see T@GES activation users' guide  for guidance if needed).
  
  
  
• Invalid serial number:
  
  
  
  The serial number you entered was incorrect. You may have entered a wrong letter or number.
  
  Solution: Please enter the correct serial number – if possible, copy and paste the serial number from the e-mail you received from your distributor into the activation dialog.
  
  
  
• Activation limit exceeded:
  
  
  
  The number of possible activations on different PC configurations has been exceeded.
  
  Only the distributor and/or the publisher of a game have the right to increase the number of allowed activations
  In some cases, when we do this on their behalf, this will be acknowledged on their website, inside a F.A.Q or a troubleshooting guide.
  
  Solution: Please contact their support.
  
  
  
• Connection forcibly closed:
  
  
  
  The activation server does not reply to an activation request.
  The server closed the connection on purpose: this error message is the consequence of multiple failed activation attempts that have produced the exact same error (invalid serial number, activation limit exceeded).
  
  Solution: Please contact the support of your distributor, stating the INITIAL ERROR
  
  
  
• Manual activation, the activation file cannot be downloaded:
  
  This could be because it was blocked by your web browser and you may need to alter its settings temporarily in order to download it.
  
  Most likely, the protected mode of IE is active. It allows the upload of the request but blocks the download of the activation file; to disable it, select the Internet Options, Security tab then un-tick the concerned checkbox.
  
  
  
• Manual activation, the link http://tpamaint.tages-protection.com/register/ul.htm does not work:
  
  This is not an error: there is no direct access allowed, as the data for activation will be missing.
  
  
  
• Other errors:
  
  Please contact the support at TAGES directly – see contact info below.

TAGES support contact information

The TAGES online activation support can be contacted directly by e-mail to T@GES Activation Support. In your e-mail to us please provide the following information:

1. The name of the game.
   
2. The first 10 letters of your serial number (not your purchasing number).
   
3. Your IP address (this is needed to check the activation server log). Your external IP will be shown by websites like http://www.whatismyip.com/
   
4. The type of error or problem you have encountered - please quote the complete error message.
   
5. If relevant (depending on the kind of error), the name of your browser/proxy/firewall/pop-up blocker: we regularly test them and may have advice regarding their configuration.
   
   

Kontaktinformationen TAGES-Unterstützung

Die Unterstützung zur TAGES-Online-Aktivierung kann direkt per E-Mail unter T@GES Activation Support kontaktiert werden. Bitte geben Sie in Ihrer E-Mail folgende Informationen an:

1. Name des Spiels.
   
2. Die ersten 10 Zeichen Ihrer Seriennummer (nicht die Rechnungsnummer).
   
3. Ihre IP-Adresse (wird für die Überprüfung des Aktivierungsserver-Protokolls benötigt). Ihre externe IP wird Ihnen auf Websites wie http://www.whatismyip.com/ angezeigt.
   
4. Die Art des aufgetretenen Fehlers oder Problems – bitte die vollständige Fehlermeldung angeben.
   
5. Falls relevant (abhängig von der Art des Fehlers), den Namen Ihres/Ihrer Browsers/Proxy/Firewall/Pop-up-Blockers: Diese werden von uns regelmäßig getestet, sodass wir Tipps zu deren Konfiguration geben können.
   
   

Information de contact du support TAGES

L'assistance pour l'activation TAGES peut être contacté directement par courrier électronique à T@GES Activation Support. Dans votre courrier, veuillez nous donner les informations suivantes:

1. Le nom du jeu.
   
2. Les 10 premières lettres de votre Numéro de Série (pas le numéro d'achat).
   
3. Votre adresse IP (nécessaire pour vérifier dans les logs des serveurs d'activation). Votre adresse IP externe peut vous être montrée par des sites comme http://www.whatismyip.com/.
   
4. Le type d'erreur rencontré- merci de copier le message d'erreur complet.
   
5. Si pertinent (suivant le type d'erreur), le nom de votre explorateur internet/proxy/firewall/bloqueur de fenêtre intempestives: nous les testons régulièrement, il est possible que nous ayons des suggestions de configuration.
   
   

Información de contacto de asistencia de TAGES

Puedes ponerte en contacto con el departamento de asistencia de activación en línea de TAGES por correo electrónico en T@GES Activation Support. Proporciónanos la siguiente información en el mensaje:

1. Nombre del juego.
   
2. Las primeras 10 letras del número de serie (no el número de compra).
   
3. Tu dirección IP (es necesaria para comprobar el registro del servidor de activación). Puedes comprobar tu IP externa en http://www.whatismyip.com/
   
4. El tipo de error o problema que has encontrado (cita el mensaje de error completo).
   
5. Si es relevante (dependiendo del tipo de error), el nombre del navegador, proxy, cortafuegos o bloqueador de ventanas emergentes. Solemos probarlos regularmente y podríamos aconsejarte sobre su configuración.
   
   

Informazioni per contattare l’assistenza TAGES

L’assistenza di attivazione online TAGES è contattabile direttamente tramite e-mail all’indirizzo T@GES Activation Support. Accludere al messaggio le seguenti informazioni:

1. Il nome del gioco.
   
2. Le prime 10 lettere del codice seriale (non del numero di acquisto).
   
3. L’indirizzo IP (necessario per controllare il registro del server di attivazione). L’IP esterno viene mostrato da siti Web quali http://www.whatismyip.com/
   
4. Il tipo di errore o di problema riscontrato: citare il messaggio di errore completo.
   
5. Se rilevante (a seconda del tipo di errore), il nome del browser/proxy/firewall/blocco popup: li testiamo regolarmente e potremmo avere consigli in merito alla configurazione.