Windows Vista: Frequently Asked Questions

Many software products using Macrovision’s ActiveMARK software are compatible with the Windows Vista operating system. Whether the product is supported will depend on the product’s general compatibility with Windows Vista and the version of our ActiveMARK software the product is protected with.

Be sure to thoroughly check system requirements before you buy any software. You can usually find the system requirements on the product description page.

If you do encounter trouble that may be related to Windows Vista, it is often easy to fix. The following information will help resolve several common issues that have been reported.

A. Installer Launch

You may encounter a delay between clicking the installer icon and the installer program starting. This has to do with how Windows Vista analyzes the file for security. Be patient, the file installation program will start after Windows is finished. The length of this process is determined by the size of the file and the speed of your computer.

B. Windows Compatibility Mode

Some product compatibility issues are easily fixed by changing a setting in Windows.  If you are having problems with the program installer, you can apply this to the .exe installer file which is usually found in C:\Downloads and named with the product title. Otherwise, if the product installs but you have problems running it, you can apply this to the program shortcut on your desktop.

1. Right-click the program icon on your desktop or the shortcut on the Start menu for the program you want to run, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Compatibility tab.
3. Check the box that says: "Run this program in compatibility mode for:"
4. Choose Windows XP (Service Pack 2) from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Apply.
6. Click Ok.

Note: Depending on the program, you may need to try a different version of Windows for compatibility or check the box labeled, “Run this program as an administrator”. It may take you several tries to get the best results.

C. Product Activation
ActiveMARK uses Internet Explorer for its connectivity. Some security settings can interfere with the product download and activation.

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools and then click Internet Options.
3. On the General tab under the Temporary Internet Files section click Delete Files. On the dialogue box, check Delete all offline content, and then click OK.

Note: It may take several minutes for the files to finish deleting.

4. On the Privacy tab, move the slider to Medium and then click Apply.
5. On the Security tab, click Trusted sites then click Sites.
6. Uncheck the “Require server verification” box.
7. In the “Add this Web site…” box type or paste:

fe.trymedia.com

Click Add. Once the entry has been added, click Close.
8. On the Privacy tab, move the slider to Medium and then click Apply.
9. Click OK and then exit Internet Explorer.

Note: If the activation is successful after performing these steps, you can reset the settings to their previous positions.

D. Gameplay Issues - Video Drivers

Sometimes video drivers are not yet optimal with new operating systems and you may encounter gameplay issues as a result. These difficulties can often be resolved with updated video drivers.

We recommend that you check your computer manufacturer’s web site for information about driver updates. If you have aftermarket video hardware, you may find the appropriate updated drivers at the hardware vendor’s web site.

The links below are for the two most common manufacturers of video hardware.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/home.html

http://www.ati.com/