'Unlock key already active' - nightmare!

Hi

I have read through the other posts to try and get to the bottom of this.

I bought the game via steam online. And - as I've now seen to be commonplace - experienced problems activating the game. Initially using the 'online' option I 'failed to connect' which was frustrating, but little did i know what was to come!

After fiddling with routers and Virus scanners etc i decided to take the plunge with the 'phone' option. It was tedious and problematic, but eventually it told me i had done it. When i attempted to launch the game it took me back to original 'softanchor' window with 'online' and 'phone' activation options. Even though i'd seemingly done the phone activation.

Steam support told me I was 'running into an issue with the internal DRM' and should look at SEGA support. That is where i discovered the 'activation fix' tool. which involved uninstalling and deleting the certificate etc. I followed all the stages and once again upon completion i thought I'd done it.

When i attempted to launch the game it took me back to that dreaded softanchor window again. But this time when i put in the key it says, worryingly 'unlock key is already active'.

What on earth can be done from here? It is incredibly frustrating.

Look at this thread - http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=130550

I don't know if it tells you anything about the game being purchased via steam, though.

For the record I purchased the boxed game and the activation basically dies on me at least once a week. It's fine as long as I have access to the internet, but I play on a laptop so when I'm out and about with no net access I get a wee bit bothered. The people who I really do feel incredibly sorry for are the Football Manager 2009 owners who do not have net access, as per usual they are screwed.

Anyway.

Good luck.

Thanks for your efforts on this.

Although it appears to a slightly different problem. I haven't come across a similar problem to mine on here as yet. I haven't ever managed to get into the game.

I first started playing the series back in '95 with the Italiano game and then the legendary cm9798. Since then I have played every year.

This year is the first time I have bought the game online with Steam and for a laptop. And Ive got to say I'm absolutely apalled with process. just reading through the hundredsnmupon hundreds of problems people hve encountered has permanently stained the once reputable brand. I will NEVER purchase another game in this manner. And if I'm feeling this what about the newcomers to the game?

I genuinely feel it would been more beneficial to me to get the game illegally. Not only for the obvious financial aspect but also because of the time/stress taken on this ligitimate process. Once again if I am feeling this others surely are and Steam/sega/sigames should be very worried.

I'm not sure what the relationship is between sigames and steam but it is not a relationship that instilled any trust in the loyal fan base that fm has developed and should be seriously questioned. So too, the complete lack of response from various parties when our troubles have been raised with the game developers/distributors.

I'm not really a Mary Whitehouse figure but I feel like reporting this debacle to some standards authorities. Do you know where I could lodge a complaint? Or even direct me towards a petition or something?