Can't run game after reinstall of OS

from GalCiv2 Forums
I reinstalled Windows XP, then reinstalled SDC and chose to install GalCiv2 in the same folder it was already in. When starting the game now I get the error message "The product appears to be validated but the serial number or the machine SID don't match". What is causing this? I'll try to install to another folder, but I can't see why it shouldn't work the way I did it.
4,834 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The files veryfying it may have been removed with the uninstall.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well, when you reinstall windows the Security ID (SID) is different even if you use the same CD-Key. I think Stardock marries serial numbers to SID, so this is probably what is causing your issue. Not 100% sure why this would be a problem if your registry was fresh and your directory was completely over-written unless it uses a common files folder to store the check against your SID. Good rule of thumb when reinstalling windows - back up your data, and do a CLEAN (format) install. If you did that, then not 100% sure what would be happening unless Stardock puts your SID on their servers to match to your CD-Key.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There is a sig.bin in your installationdirectory, delete this file and then reactivate your game.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Installing to a different folder worked. Maybe the sig.bin deletion would work as well (I uninstalled shortly after posting this report), but I can't see why that isn't something the game could do by itself once it discovers it is invalid for some reason. Or for that matter, why it's matching anything to the machine SID in the first place.

Draknost, I've installed the game on my work laptop as well as my home comp, with no problems, so Stardock does not marry the game to a given machine.

Now I'm anxious to see the results of all the betas .
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yes, deleting your sig.bin and re-activating would have resolved it. Activation is tied to your current installation of Windows, not to the hardware in your PC.