Please help - Can't Install Videostudio

[Hammer2002]

I've just gone out and purchased Videostudio 9 from the local store, after using the trial version for the last week and being happy with the software.

I've uninstalled the trial, and gone to install the retail version.

When I get to the screen asking for the serial number I hit a problem.

The sticker on the cds has a few numbers, two Master numbers of the form;

???-???-???-??????

and one at the top in bold in the same form.

The boxes onscreen seem to want a serial number in the form of:

?????-?????-????????

So which number do I use?

I can't even register online with Ulead to get technical support as I keep being told my serial number is invalid!

How can a retail version have an invalid serial number?

So basically I've purchased a legal retail copy of the software, to not be able to install and use it.

Anyone have any suggestions as how to enter the correct serial number?

Thanks

[2Dogs]

Hi Hammer2002,

My VS8 certainly uses a serial number in the form ?????-?????-????????, which appears on the sticker on the CD sleeve. Above the serial number I see the following:

S/N UVS V8 (E) RET NA
and the sticker itself is watermarked with lots of Ulead logos in light blue on a sort of beige herringbone pattern. The sticker is 3" wide by 0.6" deep.

There's a small sticker on one end of the box, however, that has another number in the form ???-???-???-?????? then a space and ????????-? followed by the same S/N UVS V8 (E) RET NA

Below this it shows MASTER ???-???-???-??????colon???-???-???-??????
and then a date, and "Made in Taiwan". This sticker is 2" wide by 1" deep.

The sticker on the outside of the box obviously can't have a valid serial number on it - otherwise unscrupulous people might simply go into a store and copy the details for their own nefarious purposes!

I would go back to the retailer.

Good luck!

[michaelj1968]

I purchased Ulead MSP7 for over $500 and mine didn't come with a serial either nowhere in or on the packaging was there a serial number. I made several calls to Ulead and they referred me back to Frye's, where I bought the product. When I called Frye's they referred me back to Ulead and wouldn't even refund my money because I'd opened the package. They won't refund money for opened software.
I had to make several calls to various levels of Frye's management and had to actually threaten them with a lawsuit to get any movement. Frye's finally called Ulead and was able to obtain a Serial # for me. Even then Ulead only wanted to give me a "temporary serial#" that would allow me to install the software but not good for warranty or tech support. It took considerably more battling to get a permanent serial# from Ulead.
All along the way they acted like I was some kind of low life scum up to something underhanded.
Now I have 2 copies of Ulead Video Studio 6 that I got free with some capture cards and again, no serial anywhere for either copy in either package. Aaarggh
I'm starting to see a pattern here...I think I'll have to start researching a different brand of editing software...
If you have to go through all this too, I wish you luck my friend. Be prepared for a fight!

[2Dogs]

Hi Michael,

it sounds like quite a battle you had with Frye's there - and all credit to you for persisting up to a more or less satisfactory conclusion.

I hope Hammer2002 doesn't get as much hassle from his retailer!

I don't suppose you'll put Frye's at the top of your list of favourite stores from now on, huh?

Regarding the two free versions of VS6 - were they perhaps the cut-down VS6 SE variants? One such (VS7 SE Basic) I had bundled with a cardbus firewire card needed no serial number, but also did not qualify me for any upgrade rebates. At least it was my introduction to Video Studio, which I still use.

[sholom88]

I just purchased a "USB 2.0 high quality video creator" that includes the Video Studio v7. I found the S/N on the watermarked label in the format of "?????-?????-????????". But when entered, I get the message "The serial number you entered '?????-?????-????????' is not valid. Please verify and try again."

[sjj1805]

Watch out for zeros that look like the letter O, fives that look like the letter S and other such anomolies.

As for the earlier poster, sometimes the serial number is embedded in the installer - if so you will not be asked for a serial number during installation.
Once installed you should be able to see your serial number within the program.

[2Dogs]

Is this a record bump? It's almost two years!!

[sjj1805]

He cannot be accused of not searching first !!

[Wynner3]

I just purchased a "USB 2.0 high quality video creator" that includes the Video Studio v7. I found the S/N on the watermarked label in the format of "?????-?????-????????". But when entered, I get the message "The serial number you entered '?????-?????-????????' is not valid. Please verify and try again."

I just bought a firewire card that has VideoStudio 8 SE version 6 on it and the darn serial number isn't accepted even though it's on the packaging.

Update: I found the serial number on the disk in a text file named SN. It had two serial numbers. Yay!

[heinz-oz]

My SE versions never needed a Serial number. These SE versions have the serial number embedded as far as I know.

[Wynner3]

Well, like I said, I found the serial numbers on the disk but when I went to register the software it said it had already been registered. Fantastic! Lol. they really don't want me to have this software do they?