I whacked my dongle... Thread poster: RieM
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RieM 
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Japanese
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Hi,
Some things are meant to be broken... but this really hurts. Has anyone out there who has ever asked Atril to exchange a dongle? How long did it take?
It's probably my fault -- I pulled it a tad too late while rebooting my machine. Now it doesn't get recognized as a sofware security dongle any longer. I tried uninstall/reinstall with no success....
Don't do this what I did.
Meanwhile, I requseted an evaluation code so that I can continu... See more Hi,
Some things are meant to be broken... but this really hurts. Has anyone out there who has ever asked Atril to exchange a dongle? How long did it take?
It's probably my fault -- I pulled it a tad too late while rebooting my machine. Now it doesn't get recognized as a sofware security dongle any longer. I tried uninstall/reinstall with no success....
Don't do this what I did.
Meanwhile, I requseted an evaluation code so that I can continue to work. sigh.
Very very regretful
Rie ▲ Collapse
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| Not to worry... | Sep 28, 2008 |
Atril is pretty cool about this sort of thing. One of my dongles died a few years ago, and I got a code to work with temporarily until the new dongle arrived. I think the replacement fee was 60 or 70 euros.
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RieM
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Japanese
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TOPIC STARTER | Thank you, Kevin | Sep 28, 2008 |
A big sigh of relief...
I still cannot believe I did this. I was a bit frantic trying to transfer data from my laptop, which is soon going to a repair depot as well (motherboard/GPC is, well, fried). As an ex-IT, I've seen enough disaster and so I'm not worried about the machine, but I cannot do anything with a little dongle... A big lesson learned.
Thank you again, Kevin
Rie
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| Good deal for Atril | Sep 29, 2008 |
Kevin Lossner wrote:
Atril is pretty cool about this sort of thing. One of my dongles died a few years ago, and I got a code to work with temporarily until the new dongle arrived. I think the replacement fee was 60 or 70 euros.
Actually, the dongle is entirely for the benefit of Atril. The company could have also used a different security system that was far less trouble for the user.
Memory sticks (blank dongles) are extremely cheap, and if Atril is really charging that much for a replacement, that just rubs salt in the wound.
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| A procedure... | Sep 29, 2008 |
Rie Matsuda wrote:
Some things are meant to be broken... but this really hurts. Has anyone out there who has ever asked Atril to exchange a dongle? How long did it take?
It's probably my fault -- I pulled it a tad too late while rebooting my machine. Now it doesn't get recognized as a sofware security dongle any longer. I tried uninstall/reinstall with no success....
I experienced a similar problem some years ago.
Let's try another time.
If you used the setup /u command, it's not enough.
I assume you have XP but the procedure should be the same for Vista.
Put your dongle back in the USB slot.
Go to the Control Panel, Administrative tools, Computer management, Device manager.
If you don't see a yellow exclamation mark, probably you have no chance and the dongle is dead.
If you see a yellow exclamation mark (good news) or an unrecognized USB device (bad news), right click it and uninistall the device.
Repeat it for ALL USB slots you used for the USB dongle.
Reboot and log on.
Plug the dongle.
If the dongle is not broken, it should work.
If possible, don't use USB hubs.
PS.
A stupid question.
Have you checked the dongle on other machine?
Cheers
GG
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| Atril & benefit | Sep 29, 2008 |
MSBerlin wrote:
Actually, the dongle is entirely for the benefit of Atril. The company could have also used a different security system that was far less trouble for the user.
Memory sticks (blank dongles) are extremely cheap, and if Atril is really charging that much for a replacement, that just rubs salt in the wound.
Rubbing salt in the wound? That's more what SDL does with its annual bleeding for "upgrades" that are usually (at best) bug fixes. I bought my DVX license in 2000 and that dongle replacement fee is the only other money I've put out since then. Consider also the administrative time involved in the transaction, € 60 or so really isn't unreasonable. That's about what I charge customers for transactions which I expect take about the same time when every little step is added together.
I frankly prefer a dongle to the oddball check-in/check-out online BS others use. There are a few licenses I haven't bothered to migrate to a new computer, because I consider that too much hassle.
[Edited at 2008-09-29 11:31]
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| Dongles... SDL.. | Sep 29, 2008 |
Kevin Lossner wrote: MSBerlin wrote:
Actually, the dongle is entirely for the benefit of Atril. The company could have also used a different security system that was far less trouble for the user.
Memory sticks (blank dongles) are extremely cheap, and if Atril is really charging that much for a replacement, that just rubs salt in the wound.
False.
The dongle is not a memory stick.
It's a highly specialized encrypting processor.
It's not so cheap as you think.
Rubbing salt in the wound? That's more what SDL does with its annual bleeding for "upgrades" that are usually (at best) bug fixes.
The oldest Trados bug I remember is 7 or 8 years old.
Still proudly not fixed.
I bought my DVX license in 2000 and that dongle replacement fee is the only other money I've put out since then. Consider also the administrative time involved in the transaction,
Seconded.
And the shipping fees.
€ 60 or so really isn't unreasonable. That's about what I charge customers for transactions which I expect take about the same time when every little step is added together.
I frankly prefer a dongle to the oddball check-in/check-out online BS others use. There are a few licenses I haven't bothered to migrate to a new computer, because I consider that too much hassle.
Me too.
I switch PC's up to 5-6 times a day.
In 2004, when I purchased my first SDLX, even a SDL sales employee said the activation/desactivation licensing schema makes no sense for me and charged me 50 € for the dongle and shipping, AFAIR.
It's a normal price.
A year ago I spend 25 or 30 euro for the Passolo dongle replacement (only shipping fees because the dongle was physically OK but needed to be replaced due to a programmation error).
You see...
Cheers
GG
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Kevin:
I don't like the activation system of Trados either.
Occasionally, companies will also go bankrupt or just stop the activation system. MSN Music recently tried to do that, but then agreed to continue license activation for a few more years.
[Edited at 2008-09-29 15:39]
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RieM
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Japanese
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TOPIC STARTER | Thank you GG, but I have done that. | Sep 29, 2008 |
Grzegorz Gryc wrote:
A stupid question.
Have you checked the dongle on other machine?
Cheers
GG
Hi GG,
Thank you, but I have tried them all and more, and I have tested with two other machines as well. It used to work beautifully.
As for the discussion of whether the replacement fee is a rip-off or not, it is hard to say, but here is a snip from Atril's support site:
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FAQ: Why Déjà Vu X uses dongles instead of a software protection mode (as serial numbers or passwords)?
Last updated: Monday, January 28, 2008, 19:20
Applies to: DVX Standard, DVX Professional, DVX Workgroup
Because dongles are the most transparent way (for users) to implement copy protection. They allow you to instantly move your Déjà Vu X license from one computer to another, to reformat your hard disk, upgrade your computer, etc., without requiring Atril's intervention.
Dongles save users the hassle of registering, re-registering, having to format a hard disk at 5:00 AM and not being sure that we will be available exactly at that time, etc. If you have a Déjà Vu X dongle, you can take it with you. You are in control.
*********************
With all the things you can do with DejaVu, (multiple instances on a single machine, handling multiple files at ease, sorting units, SQL, xml filter, etc....), I don't mind the replacement fee as long as I can continue to work.
Regards,
Rie
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Alice Wolfe, DDS (X)
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Danish
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I managed to actually break my dongle in July of this year by taking it out of my laptop in a less than straight manner. Some of the pins broke off, and I ordered a new dongle from Atril. I believe the total cost was in the neighborhood of US$ 105.00 which I paid gladly. After all, I have used my old one for almost 10 years!
However, my new dongle can't be recognized by my computer. I have tried all the fixes I could find, and have had Atril's best and brightest trying to help, but ... See more I managed to actually break my dongle in July of this year by taking it out of my laptop in a less than straight manner. Some of the pins broke off, and I ordered a new dongle from Atril. I believe the total cost was in the neighborhood of US$ 105.00 which I paid gladly. After all, I have used my old one for almost 10 years!
However, my new dongle can't be recognized by my computer. I have tried all the fixes I could find, and have had Atril's best and brightest trying to help, but to no avail. At this point, they keep supplying me with new temp codes whenever the old one runs out, but I find that a bit unsatisfactory. Perhaps I should ask for a replacement dongle.
I know this is of no direct help to you, and I apologize, but I sure feel better having shared. 
Regard from soggy Boston,
Alice ▲ Collapse
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RieM
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Japanese
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TOPIC STARTER | Hi from another Bostonian | Sep 29, 2008 |
Hi Alice,
Didn't we have enough rain already!
Did you receive a USB dongle as a replacement of the broken parallel one? I've heard a similar story from my friend who first introduced DejaVu to me. In his case, the dongle was fine but he neeeded the USB. I will check with him whether it was solved.
Regards,
Rie
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| Some hints... | Sep 29, 2008 |
Alice Wolfe, DDS wrote: I managed to actually break my dongle in July of this year by taking it out of my laptop in a less than straight manner. Some of the pins broke off, and I ordered a new dongle from Atril. I believe the total cost was in the neighborhood of US$ 105.00 which I paid gladly. After all, I have used my old one for almost 10 years! However, my new dongle can't be recognized by my computer. I have tried all the fixes I could find, and have had Atril's best and brightest trying to help, but to no avail. At this point, they keep supplying me with new temp codes whenever the old one runs out, but I find that a bit unsatisfactory. Perhaps I should ask for a replacement dongle. I know this is of no direct help to you, and I apologize, but I sure feel better having shared.
Upgrade DV3/DVX to the last build.
Try to follow the procedure I posted above.
Try the dongle on another machine.
Don't use USB hubs.
I vaguely remember some problems like this on a very old notebook.
Cheers
GG
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Alice Wolfe, DDS (X)
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Danish
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| Thank you Grzegorz and Rie, but... | Sep 29, 2008 |
...it was and is a USB dongle, so no change there, and I did upgrade to the latest build as per Atril's suggestion.
Right after I posted my previous post, I received an email from Atril in England, offering to replace the dongle. I think I'll take them up on the offer.
Have a good week,
Alice
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 22:19
German to English
| Get a postal receipt when you mail the broken dongle | Sep 29, 2008 |
A number of years ago I replaced my parallel dongle with the USB device. Atril graciously sent me the new dongle before I mailed the old one (charging my credit card for the new dongle). Unfortunately, even though I mailed the dongle air mail to Spain, it took over a month to arrive. A few weeks after sending the new dongle I received an letter indicating that I would be billed an additional amount for the second dongle (and license!). Fortunately I was able to produce a receipt indicating that ... See more A number of years ago I replaced my parallel dongle with the USB device. Atril graciously sent me the new dongle before I mailed the old one (charging my credit card for the new dongle). Unfortunately, even though I mailed the dongle air mail to Spain, it took over a month to arrive. A few weeks after sending the new dongle I received an letter indicating that I would be billed an additional amount for the second dongle (and license!). Fortunately I was able to produce a receipt indicating that I had indeed mailed the device, and the matter was resolved amicably. ▲ Collapse
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RieM
United States
Local time: 22:19
English to Japanese
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TOPIC STARTER | on my way... | Sep 29, 2008 |
to post office.
Thank you, Kevin and all posters. I received the 30-day code, and the faulty dongle is going to the UK office shortly.
And, I will make the envelope tracable or at least receve a receipt.
Cheers!
Rie
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