For those of you struggling with Byteshield Activation Issues

My response from Byteshield:

I am sorry that you are having troubles with activating Football Manager 2011.

Let’s try this:

1. RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR

ByteShield require that the game is run from an account with administrator capabilities. Football Manager 2011 will not run if you start it without administrator capabilities.

1. For Windows XP Go to Control Panel, select User Accounts, select your account and change your account type to administrator, for Vista: Left-Click on fm.exe and in the Compatibility tab, select 'run as administrator' and then click Apply and for Win7: Right Click on FM icon and select 'run as administrator'. See also http://www.byteshield.net/supportfaq.html#administrator.

2. Now run FM2011 using the shortcut or by double-clicking on the fm .exe file.

3. In the first window click “New User”.

4. In the “New User Registration” window, create a new user name (cannot be any you tried before with FM2011) and password (only letters (a-z + A-Z), numbers (0-9), and underscore (_) are allowed). Then click “Ok”.

5. In the next window, enter the Digital Activation Code (DAC) which you received at the time of the purchase. The DAC format is LLLL-nnnn-nnnn-nnnn-nnnn where L is a letter and n is a number. Enter it, click “Ok” and Football Manager 2011 starts up.

2. RESTORE BYTESHIELD FILE IN QUARANTINE

If you continue to have problems, please check your Internet Security (anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall) quarantine for the ByteShield fm.bbz file. If it is in there (We have reports of this happening in Kaspersky, Norton and Zone Alarm), then restore it by selecting 'exclude this file from future scan'. In case that doesn't work, we suggest disabling your Internet Security briefly when activating and starting FM2011. However, please remember to re-enable once you have activated and/or started FM2011. We are working with the Internet Security vendors to rectify this problem. See also http://www.byteshield.net/supportfaq.html#firewall.

You may also want to check out the Sports Interactive Community Forum at http://community.sigames.com where Football Manager 2011 is discussed.

Please let me know how this works out.

Tried this, still does not work. My fm.bbz file is in the FM11 directory in "program files" but byteshied stops working after downloading a file

Got the same base email, replied to it.

only thing im not happy about is im not able to run fm through steam like i did with fm10 =/

I have no problem playing the game, but I have one big question:

Is Byteshield meant to run EVERY time I play, connect to the internet EVERY time, download a 250kb file EVERY time, and thus introduce a 30-s time waster EVERY time? It has an "offline mode" sometimes, whatever that is, but it's wonky.

And if so, contrary to FM2009, this was hardly advertised anywhere, forums, buy screens, wherever. I like paying for my games properly and I don't regret buying it but if this is by design, we are hard done by.

It doesn't work. stop fiddling with DRM every single year, and please offer a way to get rid of it. Not everyone has flawless, never-failing, fast internet and even so it's a pointless inconvenience.

Got the same base email, replied to it.

I also replied which they then came back asking about operating system and firewall. I replied to that too but still waiting to hear back.

Gamersgate is waiting for Sega to contact them...

Hi

We are waiting for more info from SEGA about this...

Best Regards

Andreas

Customer Support Manager

GamersGate

Gamersgate is waiting for Sega to contact them...

Hi

We are waiting for more info from SEGA about this...

Best Regards

Andreas

Customer Support Manager

GamersGate

Think I will fire off an email to Direct2Drive. What did you say to Gamersgate?

I sent an e-mail to direct2drive about half an hour ago. Still waiting for a response but I couldn't find an e-mail address on their sight so had to use the online form no idea whether that is any good though!

In the e-mail I outlined the issues I had been having and asked for a refund under the consumer rights act cause I am sick fed up of this and could easily pop out this afternoon and get a boxed copy.

I'll keep you posted.

For the digital download version of FM 2011 purchased from Gamersgate, they have supplied a Serial Key for the PC version but not for Mac (trying to use the PC serial key to activate on the Mac doesn't work).

When launching the game on a Mac, the esellerate window launches everytime, encouraging my to buy the game again. I can cancel this, and finally launch the game without problem.

Having asked Gamersgate how I can activate the game on my Mac so that I don't have to keep getting pestered by the esellerate window (and because I'm concerned that not activating will have some negative consequence), I got the response below. Not sure what to do now actually. The game can't be activated, but *maybe* it doesn't matter, except it's a pain to be pestered by esellerate every time I play the game.

"The Mac version is DRM free.

SEGA made something strange though. There is some kind of security popping up, but just delete that and the game will run as normal.

Best Regards

Andreas

Customer Support Manager

GamersGate"

I just told them everything I know about the problem from reading the boards and what I myself did to try to resolve the problem

Just phoned IGN who run Direct2Drive. Spoke to someone who said they could push my problem further up the list but then said to phone back if I haven't heard anything for 5-6 days! Hoping its not going to take this long but you never know with these kind of things.

Gamersgate and Direct2Drive have no involvement in the activation program Byteshield, I don't think either of those two companies will be able to add anything further at this stage.

guess that because the game uses the code through byteshield, there is no way to get it to run through steam? =/

Neil, has there been any progress made with Byteshield with regards to these issues further than that above. I understand that fixing things like these isn't instantaneous but an update on the communication with byteshield would give at least some encouragement to us awaiting the resolution of this issue.

Cheers

I'm working with Byteshield now, I'll post if I find something new to try.

Received a response from Direct2Drive:

Hi there!

Because your game is non-refundable we strongly recommend you contact game support to obtain expert help. If they are unable to help you, please provide a copy of the support they provided so we have this record and can address this. Only at that time can we consider a return for a possible store credit as some games are non-refundable. We are unable to refund for any displeasure with the game or any technical issues where official support has not been provided an opportunity to assist you.

Thank you !

Kind regards,

Rich Metcalfe

Lead Technical Specialist

Digital Distribution

I have since responded and attached a copy of the e-mail I received from byteshield outlining the possible solutions. I have indicated that i have tried all the solutions but the problem remains. I have also indicated that store credit will not be an acceptable form of compensation and that in the case of compensation being given, I expect to receive a full refund to my account.

Is there any other way? I don't want to have to enter my administrator password every time. Shouldn't the DRM activation program be a one-time process anyway?

buy the DVD version I suppose.

Hello there, I bought the game from gamersgate for MAC and it keeps asking me for an activation key, I can't use the game. The people at gamers gates never answers my emails and they cash my money, so what do I do???? Please help!

i have also contacted byteshield regarding windows 7 64 bit problems. Cant believe i wasted £30 for this.

Gamersgate answered my emails fine, did you fill out the form on their contact page and send it properly?

boxed Version for me comes out the 16th, so I'll give help to friday to fix it before asking for a refund and buy the boxed version.

I brought FM from Game. I have also contacted them directly.

Hi All,

Please accept my utmost apologies for the frustration and aggravation you are experiencing.

Whilst of little consoloation to you, we have been working round the clock to reproduce these issues and try to identify a fix.

I have a set of files with a couple of fixes in - Ideally I'd like a few of you to test this for me - if you are interested please PM me and I'll supply the link (give me around 30 mins to reply though, just making the link live now)

Thanks.

Thanks Muzchap. I'm interested, just sent you a PM.

Thanks Muzchap. I'm interested, just sent you a PM.

As have I also.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks Muzchap. I'm interested, just sent you a PM.

Yeha. Ditto.

I'm here too, ready to try it, sent you a PM too

Yep, Im up for it

Sick of playing on my lappy now...

This man is a genius. I am gaming as we speak.

All credit to mazchap.

saints...what did you do???????

This man is a genius. I am gaming as we speak.

All credit to mazchap.

Sorry can't claim to be a genuis - the problem shouldn't have occured in the first place - but glad you are up and running I'll be here for the next few hours, then back again from 8am if anybody else is experiencing problems.

I have a pretty good idea of the reasons behind 99% of the issues now and I am working with ByteShield to produce a patch very soon that will address all of the issues.

Just need to spend a little more time on the 1% to figure out those issues

Thanks for being so patient and willing to try out my suggestions - it really is helping

Wait for the PM from muzchap. He has some files that solve the problem. He might not be testing them anymore but they have worked for me and one other as far as I know so I think they will be getting released pretty soon.

Great to hear we're getting people up and running

I'll just wait patiently then...

Progress is being made

I think the great thing here is that the developer is actually getting involved on a personal level to try and resolve its issues...

I have been very critical upto this point but Im impressed by the interaction and genuine desire to help that I have seen from Sega here....

The weekend made things worse, business days is when things happen.

Games industry always used to release on a friday, but logic dictates that its probably the worst day to do so for a title of this magnitude because if there is a problem you have unhappy clients for 2 days before anything happens...

I agree fully

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd put my two cents in.

I've been having the same problems as everyone and finding no solutions. By chance I had to uninstall my entire Zonealarm Internet Security Suite just now and thought I'd give FM2011 another try while it was uninstalled - AND IT WORKED!

It's a pain in the arse but try it - uninstall your security software and launch the program. Then reinstall the security software. I am yet to see whether it will work next time following the reinstallation. Will post when I know.

I would be surprised if simply turning it off would of been quicker and work. I have zonealarm as well so I'm wondering why the need was there to totally uninstall it.

I would be surprised if simply turning it off would of been quicker and work. I have zonealarm as well so I'm wondering why the need was there to totally uninstall it.

Well you think so Dave, but alas I tried the former and it had no effect. Uninstalling, however, did.

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd put my two cents in.

I've been having the same problems as everyone and finding no solutions. By chance I had to uninstall my entire Zonealarm Internet Security Suite just now and thought I'd give FM2011 another try while it was uninstalled - AND IT WORKED!

It's a pain in the arse but try it - uninstall your security software and launch the program. Then reinstall the security software. I am yet to see whether it will work next time following the reinstallation. Will post when I know.

Thanks, this method seem to work for me. For the first time I am in the FM11 start screen. Seem to be a major conflict between Zone Alarm and Byteshield.

Gotta say its just something I've never seen with Zone Alarm since I used it way back in the 90s. Amazing I am speechless its that incompatible, Kudos on that fix.

After 2 more days of testing, i think you can add Comodo to the list. If I completely uninstall it, I am able to play. If I install it, I am not unless I disable it.

Morning,

Yes - we are experiencing some issues with AV programs - that was part of the fix I was testing.

I'll get back to you later in the day with some 'firmer' news on when we will have this fully resolved so that the files work with your chosen AV provider.

Thanks

No problem, thought i'd inform.

:=)

I've followed other peoples leads and tried totally un-installing AVG Security Centre and tried to launch FM but still not happening