Scrivener License Issue

Jason

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I've got a ticket in with Literature and Latte, but on the off chance someone here as seen this, here's my issue:

"Scrivener does not have a valid activation. Scrivener's activation is no longer valid. This may be because the order has been returned, because the license has been blacklisted, or because it was deactivated remotely. YOu can also try to activate Scrivener again using the Help->Buy Now menu item. "


I've done the following:
1. Re-entered my email/activation key and it works temporarily
2. Checked for updates
3. Un-installed and re-installed

No fix as of yet from L&L...any ideas?
 

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Are you using a proxy server or firewall app that might stop your computer communicating with L & L.

Also try downloading a new installer from L & L, if you are using a previous installer.
 

Jason

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No proxy server. I do have a WAF and my laptop sits behind that but otherwise is at the edge of my WAP which is essentially tapping directly to my ONT connection to my ISP. No malformed packets either inbound or outbound from a port mirror using Wireshark, and nothing alarming on my IDS either. I’m also still solidly at a full gig connection right at the WAF, and only slightly lower inside obviously, so don’t think it’s a network issue. The laptop OS (Win10) is current and fully patched. My re-install was inclusive of grabbing the new installer off L&L directly. Just odd that it’d halt so suddenly as I’m in it almost daily.
 

MaeZe

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Not sure how this affects anything I have in Scrivener. I have a purchased copy. Just closed my open files and reopened them with no problem.
 

Scribhneoir

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I've got a ticket in with Literature and Latte, but on the off chance someone here as seen this, here's my issue:

"Scrivener does not have a valid activation. Scrivener's activation is no longer valid. This may be because the order has been returned, because the license has been blacklisted, or because it was deactivated remotely. YOu can also try to activate Scrivener again using the Help->Buy Now menu item. "


I've done the following:
1. Re-entered my email/activation key and it works temporarily
2. Checked for updates
3. Un-installed and re-installed

No fix as of yet from L&L...any ideas?


This sort of thing has been going on with Windows Scrivener since June 2019 when L&L switched ecomm platforms from Esellerate to Paddle. You'll have to get it resolved by L&L, but it's nothing you did and you're not the only one this has happened to. The underlying problem is that they put a license lock code in the Windows version (but not the Mac or iOS versions) and after 6 additional updates (from 1.9.11 to 1.9.16) to remove it, it still seems to affect some people. (Just not everybody, like it did at first.) I've seen a couple of people report the blacklist message on the L&L forum; more people seem to get reverted to trial mode.

I hope you get some help from L&L.
 

Jason

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They’re just telling me to try using the new installer.
 

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They’re just telling me to try using the new installer.

It's working a a number of other users with the issue. I would suggest a clean uninstall first, removing all Scrivener app files, including preferences etc.
 

Jason

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Just revisited this for the Nth time and I am still having the issue...it's becoming something of a deal breaker because while I can still do a setup after installation is complete and point it to my cloud storage of my sh*t (an apt description :) ), I have done it a crazy number of times now and L&L is becoming more standoffish and "meh" about it with each successive email.
 

Scribhneoir

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Sounds like the typical L&L customer service, at least for Windows users. Perhaps they're more helpful to their preferred customer base -- Mac users.

I just got the blacklist message myself. Entering my serial number solved it. At least for now. One thing, though. Today was the first day in a long while that I fired up Scrivener while connected to the internet. Usually I stay internet-free while writing. I wonder if that's why I've gotten the license code lock errors only twice instead of routinely. I don't use a cloud service, so there's no need for me to be connected to the internet at all times. However, this long unresolved issue and L&L's total inability to finish v3 for Windows has me thisclose to going back to using WordPerfect full time. (I loathe Word.)
 

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Alternatives that are not identical to Scrivener but have some of the same functionality for Windows include Dabble (https://www.dabblewriter.com) and Novlr (https://app.novlr.org — entirely cloud-based), StoryShop (https://www.storyshop.io) and SmartEdit (https://www.smart-edit.com) which is partially free; add ons for use with MS Word are purchased.

These are all Windows targetted, and while I know writers using them, I have no personal experience. Try before you buy!

Scrivener is a tiny company, and I am sympathetic, but they keep shifting the delivery for Scrivener 3 for Windows, to the point where I'm embarrassed for them. Very not cool.
 

Scribhneoir

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Alternatives that are not identical to Scrivener but have some of the same functionality for Windows include Dabble (https://www.dabblewriter.com) and Novlr (https://app.novlr.org — entirely cloud-based), StoryShop (https://www.storyshop.io) and SmartEdit (https://www.smart-edit.com) which is partially free; add ons for use with MS Word are purchased.

Thanks! I'll check those out.


Scrivener is a tiny company, and I am sympathetic, but they keep shifting the delivery for Scrivener 3 for Windows, to the point where I'm embarrassed for them. Very not cool.

It's too bad they're not embarrassed for themselves.

I'm fed up with L&L. Scrivener is nice, but I'm tired of being a second class citizen offered the opportunity to either continue using the nine year old version and risk being thrown into trial mode because they won't acknowledge my legitimate license or using a beta that they keep claiming is totally stable and perfectly fine to use for important work but they aren't willing to release. What significant and/or catastrophic flaws does it still have? They won't say and asking any question or making any comment that contains the merest whiff of criticism or frustration leads to being fiercely attacked by the loyalists, attacks that are fully condoned by L&L. Who needs 'em?
 

Jason

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The answer for me came from forcing the application installer to launch as administrator when entering the license key - now it seems to be persisting.
 

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The answer for me came from forcing the application installer to launch as administrator when entering the license key - now it seems to be persisting.

That suggests a problem with file/folder permissions in Windows.
 

Jason

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Agreed, that was my thought too, but it's not like I went in and actively made changes to the installation folder. Something bizzare happened and L&L is not being abundantly clear about it.

Oh well...it appears to be fixed now.