Football Manager 2009 patch download details (was authentication and update)

[champlodge]

Absolutely ridisulous. I bought this game 3 and a half hours ago and can't play it because SI have put this stupid activation nonsense in place. This is not something that can be brushed off anymore. SI have completely ballsed this one up, no doubt.

[ChrisNUFC]

Chances are SoftAnchor can't cope with the amount of people trying to activate and their servers have went offline due to the stress.

[Muzchap]

Hi Djemba-Djemba - you are misinterpreting your key - please would you PM me and I will assist you

[caleyon]

mine got authorised through softanchor then wouldnt load game, absolutley pathetic. I don't know what more i can do!!

[bcooper]

Hi guys, this is in the Activation sticky, but to try to help you have a look at the below and see if it helps

Persons experiencing an Error [-51] or [-52] when trying to activate their copy of the game should follow the instructions below.

The error messages relate to a failure to create a licence [-51] and failure to read from a licence [-52]. Therefore, the problem lies with the file system access and is not contributable to firewall programs. Anti-virus programs may be a contributing factor, this is still under investigation - we would ask that you follow the process below 'with' anti-virus on and if you are still failing to activate, please reboot and turn off antivirus.

1) On receiving the error, please uninstall the game

2) Please navigate to the following directory:

XP users: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009 Certificate

Vista users: C:\Program Data\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009 Certificate

3)Please ensure that it is the \certificate directory you are located in

4) Delete all content

5) Reboot the machine

6) Re-run the installation programme and retry activation - ensuring you have 'verified' your key using the following website: http://keylookup.fm2009.softanchorinsight.com/

7) You should now be activated

If you are unable to activate, please try the following:

A)**VISTA USERS ONLY** Re-run the process above, when at Step (6) - try running the installer under Adminstrator privileges (you need to locate the Setup.exe file, right click and 'Run as Administrator)

B) ALL USERS - Re-run the process, but before Step (1) , please disable your Anti-virus software

If you are still receiving errors, please post them in this thread and we will fix on a first come first served basis.

Please accept our utmost apologies for any inconvenience caused during this period - our aim is to get you playing as quickly as possible.

[azzy_red_devil]

i now have the internet connection problem too after previous problems

so should we do the above if we having problems connecting to the internet through activation?

i was previously experiencing an Error [-51] but now its the connection to internet one

[RuDi]

Chances are SoftAnchor can't cope with the amount of people trying to activate and their servers have went offline due to the stress.

doubt it ive been trying to activate since last night when they opened activation and tried it till 3 in morning and then from 9am this morning and mine still says connection problems ......

[bcooper]

i have been trying since about 9.30 this morning to get on,

Constantly typing in different verations of the keycode, i know its correct, although its not finding the code on the:

http://keylookup.fm2009.softanchorinsight.com/

site, it just keeps saying: Unable to find your key

done all of the above, certificates/viruscheckers/firewall/reboots/updates.... everything!

can you shed anylight on this at all?

where are you based?

thanks

Ben

[Muzchap]

Absolutely ridisulous. I bought this game 3 and a half hours ago and can't play it because SI have put this stupid activation nonsense in place. This is not something that can be brushed off anymore. SI have completely ballsed this one up, no doubt.

Can you please post YOUR specific problems so that we may assist.

Uniloc servers are running at 5% load - the problem is not Uniloc, nor DRM - it is that the keycodes are illegible...

We can and will assist each and every one of you - but please be patient and as factual as possible when posting.

Regards,

Murray

[dimitris antonoglou]

Ok,

don't shoot the messanger, those on Vista with the error that you are not connected to the internet can you / have you tried running a windows update from windowsupdate.microsoft.com

then checking that your clock is set to the right time, and day,

then restart?

This has fixed this error on Vista machines before

Thanks

Ben

What do you mean by right time? How do you find the accurate time in each country?

which specific updates do i have to download from windows update?

[JamsyLFC]

I've loaded it up and it gave me the key code and told me to enter it when asked. The thing is it hasn't asked me and i've still been able to play the game. I've just played one friendly against coventry?

Anyone else had this problem?

[incredible 19]

hi new to this so dnt really know what im doing. why do u need to download the patch? and i cant find pound sterling? and also the picture isnt 100% i cant see the bottom beacuse of the bar like where the start button is. any help please?

[testspecimen]

Muzchap: I think the main issue for alot of people is that the SoftAnchor part of the installation is saying that we're not connected to the internet, so cant activate.

[isuckmoreatfm]

Muzchap, can you assist me bfore i snap this disk in half and bin it.... i have bought every fm or cm as it were since the 1st one back in the early ninties..

Its an absolute disgrace..........

Steam validates BUT I DO NOT WANT TO USE STEAM.

Yet uniloc seems to think the EXACT same code which works in steam doesnt work in uniloc.

[ChrisNUFC]

doubt it ive been trying to activate since last night when they opened activation and tried it till 3 in morning and then from 9am this morning and mine still says connection problems ......

Hmm well that sucks, think I'll give this an hour or two and try again later. I'm pretty sure SEGA know how much this will affect SI's loyal customers who have bough their games for over a decade without having to resort to James Bond security to get it working.

[Phwoar]

Can you please post YOUR specific problems so that we may assist.

Uniloc servers are running at 5% load - the problem is not Uniloc, nor DRM - it is that the keycodes are illegible...

We can and will assist each and every one of you - but please be patient and as factual as possible when posting.

Regards,

Murray

Have you checked the phone activation setup? Is that working correctly?

When I do manage to get through, the line goes dead every time I enter my activation code.

[The Smudge]

Why do people have to constantly look for ways to overcomplicate everything I was quite happy with the old system and would have bought game every year. First thing i wanted to do was uninstall steam now looks like i have to keep it as i activated it on it. Soon as i think finally installed load up game and i get some more activation crap only this time it won't accept the key and not connected to net message. Complete and utter farce imo. Im installing on vista and the advice offered doesn't even apply to me as all updates are installed and time is correct. Also restarted but still nothing. Usually happy customer of the game series seriously ****** off.

[Jazzmasterfan]

Can you please post YOUR specific problems so that we may assist.

Uniloc servers are running at 5% load - the problem is not Uniloc, nor DRM - it is that the keycodes are illegible...

We can and will assist each and every one of you - but please be patient and as factual as possible when posting.

Regards,

Murray

It's more than just the codes being wrong. Alot of us are going to the link provided to check the code, putting it into soft anchor and then being told we aren't online.

[bcooper]

Can all the people new to the thread please check http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=61131 and make sure they have tried the suggestions in there. If youhave and still have issues can you please be as specific as possible with your issues. We will get round to you all, and I know it is hugely frustrating for you.

Thanks

Ben

[dmayne07]

How do we activate it through the soft anchor after doing it through steam?ON XP as well

[Daze]

Yeah, I'm having the same hastle. Everything is fine on PC, running XP SP2. I've never expierienced anything like this before. I play plenty of games on my PC and have never seen anything like this where so many people can't install.

My guess as soon as it goes past 5 when people start getting home from Work/School then we'll see thousands if not tens of thousands of people on here with the game not working.

I always pay for games and dissaprove of people who hack them but I think in this case, the sooner someone comes up with a bypass to the activation the better.

[ChrisNUFC]

This was in my activation text file:

"SI Activator: Activating license failed with code: -10"

[hyperpringle]

"We were unable to process your unlock request. To receive a new key, please visit sigames.com.

Error (-703)"

Can anybody help. originally had the same issue with no internet connection.

[testspecimen]

Hi Ben.

I'm in the same boat as many others here.

SoftAnchor is saying that I am not connected to the internet, so cannot activate the game.

I think thats a large issue with a large portion of the posters.

Hope you can help.

[MPN]

This has to be the worst gaming week of my life EASILY. Firstly this whole installation is like cracking the modern day enigma code , and I almost feel under qualified to install this game. Straying off the topic slightly, this time last week I bought Gears of War 2, quickly followed by Red lights on the 360, so I saw this game as the salvation but NO, kick me when im down....

[isuckmoreatfm]

Ok,

Factual Problem it is.....

Using windows XP fully updated.

Clock and date settings correct

Installed correct

activation key now correct

uniloc says it was unable to activate as im not connected to the internet....

please help

[RuDi]

This was in my activation text file:

"SI Activator: Activating license failed with code: -10"

yeh mine is exactly same.

[hyperpringle]

and clicking back so i can re-enter my product key says "your trial period has EXPIRED!"

what?! i bought it from the shop an hour ago

[Jazzmasterfan]

Hi Ben.

I'm in the same boat as many others here.

SoftAnchor is saying that I am not connected to the internet, so cannot activate the game.

I think thats a large issue with a large portion of the posters.

Hope you can help.

Me too...how many others out there with the same problem?

[A.D]

That is complete, and utter, rubbish.

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=61298

You can apoligise to me now Miles, As I advised, Steam was indeed playing up. now wether this bug has been fixed or not is a different kettle of fish. Maybe in hindsite I should of said for Australians but as I gathered, I thought some UK people were also having issues.

[iolo09]

this is just ridiculous. i've been buying football manager for years now and i've never seen anything like this. firstly steam doesn't work at all for me, then i tried the other server and it doesn't accept any combination of the keycode at all, plus it doesn't connect to the internet! i don't even want to play the game online so is there a way to bypass this at all? by the way i'm in uni so im connected to the un's network so does this affect my connection at all?

[jasewood]

Ok,

don't shoot the messanger, those on Vista with the error that you are not connected to the internet can you / have you tried running a windows update from windowsupdate.microsoft.com

then checking that your clock is set to the right time, and day,

then restart?

This has fixed this error on Vista machines before

Thanks

Ben

Hi guys, this is in the Activation sticky, but to try to help you have a look at the below and see if it helps

Persons experiencing an Error [-51] or [-52] when trying to activate their copy of the game should follow the instructions below.

The error messages relate to a failure to create a licence [-51] and failure to read from a licence [-52]. Therefore, the problem lies with the file system access and is not contributable to firewall programs. Anti-virus programs may be a contributing factor, this is still under investigation - we would ask that you follow the process below 'with' anti-virus on and if you are still failing to activate, please reboot and turn off antivirus.

1) On receiving the error, please uninstall the game

2) Please navigate to the following directory:

XP users: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009 Certificate

Vista users: C:\Program Data\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2009 Certificate

3)Please ensure that it is the \certificate directory you are located in

4) Delete all content

5) Reboot the machine

6) Re-run the installation programme and retry activation - ensuring you have 'verified' your key using the following website: http://keylookup.fm2009.softanchorinsight.com/

7) You should now be activated

If you are unable to activate, please try the following:

A)**VISTA USERS ONLY** Re-run the process above, when at Step (6) - try running the installer under Adminstrator privileges (you need to locate the Setup.exe file, right click and 'Run as Administrator)

B) ALL USERS - Re-run the process, but before Step (1) , please disable your Anti-virus software

If you are still receiving errors, please post them in this thread and we will fix on a first come first served basis.

Please accept our utmost apologies for any inconvenience caused during this period - our aim is to get you playing as quickly as possible.

Before I try all this is this the same for those who bought through steam? I have un-Installed the game and I am in the process of re-installing just now.

Cheers.

[1980Dan]

sorry if this has been asked already, but I won't be getting my boxed copy of the game until tonight, can I download the patch now in the normal way, and still activate the game with steam and then update with my downloaded patch, or do I have to let steam download/install the patch?

[Jazzmasterfan]

and clicking back so i can re-enter my product key says "your trial period has EXPIRED!"

what?! i bought it from the shop an hour ago

I've been getting that also! I bought mine from Amazon and it will be going back there at this rate!

[Djemba-djemba]

bcooper,

i am based in cheltenham, UK

[Tony7]

My game worked last night it has installed and updated says 100% ready but now asks me to insert the code but says it is already in use which it would do because I activated it last night via stream.

I went to my football manager 2009 certificate it said this

SI Activator: Activating license failed with code: -10

When I go to launch the game it says this is your key you need to enter this key after the game has been launched.

[moneyhero]

Ok,

don't shoot the messanger, those on Vista with the error that you are not connected to the internet can you / have you tried running a windows update from windowsupdate.microsoft.com

then checking that your clock is set to the right time, and day,

then restart?

This has fixed this error on Vista machines before

Thanks

Ben

we shouldent have to do all this **** to play the game its a ****ing joke 3 hours now and im still no closer to playing!!

Poor Poor Poor customer service

[caleyon]

Can someone help?

I have got my code activated from soft anchor

I have gone in to launch game and has taken me back to the same screen to put in my code again?

HELP!!

[guspjmh]

I have registered on steam and it accepted the product key (after I entered it into the box to get a correct key), when trying to launch I am now either getting error [-703] unable to process unlock request, or softanchor is unable to connect to the internet, check my connection.

This is a real joke - talk about putting customers interests last, as a big fan of SI I am really quite annoyed by this.

__________________

[Hayabusa]

I don't even have a link to uninstall the game, anyone on Vista who activated via Steam know where it is? This game is going straight back to the store and i'm getting my money back, i certainly will not buy any future versions after this.

[Muzchap]

yeh mine is exactly same.

Rudi - please PM me

Error code 10 is different

**ANYBODY WITH ERROR CODE -10 PLEASE PM ME***

if you PM me without error code 10, or me expressly asking you to - sorry I'll have to ignore you....

[Walter Duncan]

Sending Activation Request....... (been like that for last 10mins)

Is this normal?

[JJay]

SoftAnchor is saying that I am not connected to the internet, so cannot activate the game.

I think thats a large issue with a large portion of the posters.

Hope you can help.

This statement would appear true having read a number of threads about this. I have referred a number of people to this thread, but if you are new to this thread then ensure that you read http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=61131 prior to posting if your problem is related to your keycode or errors [-51] or [-52].

[Latimerinho]

I'm afraid I will need to jump on the bandwagon now.

I've used the 'verifier' to make sure my CD Key is correct, I've tried with the anti-virus and firewall switched off and still the same - I'm getting the "no internet connection" error.

I'm on Vista, logged on as an Administrator with the most up-to-date Windows Updates (installed some yesterday in fact), and my clock is synced.

I'd also like to mention I got the following error after about three tries, "We were unable to process your unlock request. To receive a new key, please visit sigames.com.

Error (-703)" - my attempt after this failed with the no internet connection error again.

Any help will be much appreciated, as I don't particularly want to go down the Steam route

*edit* Oh, and I've also tried the 'run as Administrator' option but to no avail.

[guspjmh]

I'm afraid I will need to jump on the bandwagon now.

I've used the 'verifier' to make sure my CD Key is correct, I've tried with the anti-virus and firewall switched off and still the same - I'm getting the "no internet connection" error.

I'm on Vista, logged on as an Administrator with the most up-to-date Windows Updates (installed some yesterday in fact), and my clock is synced.

I'd also like to mention I got the following error after about three tries, "We were unable to process your unlock request. To receive a new key, please visit sigames.com.

Error (-703)" - my attempt after this failed with the no internet connection error again.

Any help will be much appreciated, as I don't particularly want to go down the Steam route

I've registred with STEAM already and when i try to launch i get exactly the same problems as you.

[conway]

It keeps saying cant activate because of the interent, my internet is fine, whats going off

[dimitris antonoglou]

I'm afraid I will need to jump on the bandwagon now.

I've used the 'verifier' to make sure my CD Key is correct, I've tried with the anti-virus and firewall switched off and still the same - I'm getting the "no internet connection" error.

I'm on Vista, logged on as an Administrator with the most up-to-date Windows Updates (installed some yesterday in fact), and my clock is synced.

I'd also like to mention I got the following error after about three tries, "We were unable to process your unlock request. To receive a new key, please visit sigames.com.

Error (-703)" - my attempt after this failed with the no internet connection error again.

Any help will be much appreciated, as I don't particularly want to go down the Steam route

*edit* Oh, and I've also tried the 'run as Administrator' option but to no avail.

How do you sync your clock? Please help

[the blue ferret]

Not connected to the internet apparently, though fortuantely these forums lets you post without being online.

The only two games I want came out today, this and red alert 3, both DRM. I'm not getting Red Alert after this.

[mckissock]

My issue is like many others, softanchor doesn't accept that I am, infact, connected to the internet.

Has there been a response to this issue yet? (if so, please someone quote it) or has it just been skipped over, like I've seen for the past page or two.

[hyperpringle]

Latimerinho, i've used steam and that is not the issue, it is the softanchor part that is creating the errors. i activated with STEAM and now have to use the key again with softanchor. this is where i am getting error (-703)