Ping Marc Vaughan

[MJ4H]

Having trouble with FM and email to SI support is bouncing for some reason.

The email I sent was:

I have recently upgraded to Win 7. I redownloaded FM 2009 from gamersgate.com. It installed successfully, but the activation cannot connect to the internet, despite my internet connection working fine. I have tried it with the Windows Firewall turned completely off with the same problem happening.

My activation key is:

--------------------- (removed since this is public-will supply if necessary)

Please help.

[Marc Vaughan]

Hi,

I'm afraid SEGA are in the process of upgrading their email system (no idea why its bouncing though - I'd have thought they'd just archive it all until the systems back in place) which is why the support email is bouncing.

That sounds somewhat bizarre - I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the activation system utilised in FM2009; but is there not a telephone activation option available for such cases? (there normally is with such things).

(if not then I'll try and look into it - if I get stuck please email on monday and you should find service is back to normal)

Sorry for any inconvenience,

Marc

[Marc Vaughan]

PS - You also might find the following thread helps you:

FM2009 Install/Activation Issues **FIRST POST UPDATED 17/11/08**

[MJ4H]

This page found at the link you gave describes my problem but the solution does not work for me:

IMPORTANT – IF your activation is unable to connect to the internet!!!!!!

I followed the steps by opening IE and doing the certificate import it mentions, but it still doesn't let me visit that site without problems, despite it saying the certificate was imported successfully.

[MJ4H]

Very frustrated, having zero luck here.

[stevew]

is it possible you have norton or something installed? I was having major problems recently cause it was running in the background, and disallowing certain applications to access the internet. Don't have a link, but if you google Norton Removal Tool it might help. Just a thought, anyways. I ended up having to do an offline license for FOF, and none of my FTP stuff was working for awhile. And when i turned off my firewall, it wasn't helping.

[stevew]

I literally went from wanting to motherfuck the world to a calm status once I removed it.

[MJ4H]

Nope. No Norton or anything similar.

[MJ4H]

It's very clearly a certificate error, it just doesn't get solved with the above procedure.

[Marc Vaughan]

Is there not a telephone activation number mentioned at all? (there should always be a backup phone method available just in case of odd issues or someone losing their net connection or similar).

[MJ4H]

There is some phone option. What would that entail? I won't have to call overseas or something will I? I figured I couldn't do that on a weekend so wasn't even considering it.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

There is some phone option. What would that entail? I won't have to call overseas or something will I? I figured I couldn't do that on a weekend so wasn't even considering it.

As a first port of call try 1-800-USA-SEGA; thats the number given for SEGA tech support in the back of the WWSM2009 box - they should be able to give you a local contact (ie. US) for the activation I'd expect with a bit of luck.

[MJ4H]

Phone activation won't work either. Everytime I try to call I get "phone number has been cancelled, goodbye."

And calling that sega number you recommended is a dead end or at least a maze I can't penetrate. Gonna need some actual help here.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Phone activation won't work either. Everytime I try to call I get "phone number has been cancelled, goodbye."
And calling that sega number you recommended is a dead end or at least a maze I can't penetrate. Gonna need some actual help here.

Ok thats the extent of my google fu/manuals I have available I'm afraid - I'll try and grab someone tomorrow morning who was involved in the online purchasing development and see if they have any suggestions (apologies for the delay but its not something I know anything about personally).

[Marc Vaughan]

Before tomorrow can you possibly use this site to verify your key:

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

Also using the phone number I gave you I was sent to:

SEGA West

Which contains a fair bit of 'gumph' which might be helpful?

PS - Can you PM me your name and a contact email and as much info about your situation as possible so I can pass it along to people tomorrow.

[MJ4H]

I understand. Thanks for trying.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Before tomorrow can you possibly use this site to verify your key:

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

Also using the phone number I gave you I was sent to:

SEGA West

Which contains a fair bit of 'gumph' which might be helpful?

PS - Can you PM me your name and a contact email and as much info about your situation as possible so I can pass it along to people tomorrow.

PM sent.

The page you linked doesn't appear to verify the license, it just makes the characters more legible. Since I was copy-pasting anyway, that shouldn't be a problem. Everything looks fine there.

I have no idea what gumph means.

[Marc Vaughan]

Sorry 'tis an English (well more particularly 'Norfolkian') term meaning 'stuff' basically ...

[Toddzilla]

I just wanted to point out that it speaks volumes for SI, FM, and Marc himslef that he's so involved in a customer support issue on a message board (one for American football at that), on a weekend, and isn't stopping.

That's why I will be buying FM every year it comes out, even if the list of changes is 2 lines long.

Customer 4 Life

[MJ4H]

It's typical. He has done it for me in the past, as well.

[MJ4H]

For the record, I still can't play this game I paid for. I'm starting to get pretty pissed off.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

For the record, I still can't play this game I paid for. I'm starting to get pretty pissed off.

You have PM.

[MJ4H]

Thanks. On top of a stressful week, too. Appreciate the help, again.

[MJ4H]

Needed to bump this to make sure everyone that read this thread knows that MV resolved the problem in a more than satisfactory manner.

Thanks M

[PilotMan]

Alright, I'm totally playing thread necromancer on this but I had a serious wtf moment with FMH 13.

I've taken Maidenhead from the bottom to the Premiership in about 10 years. I've met or exceeded expectation every season but 1, the first time we were demoted from Championship to League 1, but went right back and right to the Premiership the next season.

I qualified for EURO after my 2nd season and in my third qualified for EURO again, and lost in the EURO Final to Juve 0-1. I've been way, way under the wage budget and the team is now considered Rich, with a 19k capacity stadium and Excellent youth facilities.

My expectation this year was qualify for Europe again. We had just manhandled our group in EURO to the tune of 22/2 GF/A. Finishing with a 6-0 drubbing of M. Haifa.

Now....We had been struggling in the league and sitting around 13th place around Thanksgiving. I literally got 1 notification of "the Board is upset, and then around Christmas after a loss to Arsenal I was sacked. Five league titles, and a EURO runner up. Minnow to the Premiership and all that, and sacked.

Joke's on them though. Maidenhead lost to M Haifa in the first home/away on away goals. I would have crushed them.

What went wrong here? And how do they possibly have that short of a hook?

I'm in shock. Lol, what were they thinking?

[flere-imsaho]

This crops up here and there in all flavors of FM and I wonder if it's due to the club's reputation not being separate from the board's view of expectations. But Marc could shed more light.

The "problem", such as it is, is that as you achieve things with your club, your reputation increases, and so gradually instead of exceeding expectations (as you really still are for such a small club), you're just meeting them.

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Alright, I'm totally playing thread necromancer on this but I had a serious wtf moment with FMH 13.
...?

I'm afraid that is often the case with Soccer clubs - its not what you've done for them in the past its what you've done for them lately which is important.

By the sounds of it you'd been successful enough that they were 'expecting' European football each year and the thought of losing that was enough to make them panic and sack you, this often happens in real-life with teams unfortunately ... even managers like Arsene Wenger who has a HUGE track record has had to endure speculation and threats to his job despite having given Arsenal Champions League football on a budget every year for over a decade.

In your situation I think its harsh - but unfortunately not unrealistic, I could see the board thanking you for your contribution and saying "He was a great servant to the club, but unfortunately had probably taken us as far as he could. We're now looking for a manager with experience with big name players who can take us all the way to the top etc." ...

In the meantime, go for a drink in the bar I believe a Mr Moyes is in there and has a head start on you already

PS - FMH does actually give people 'more' of a slack if they've been at the club and successful for a long period (ie. taken them up divisions) - unfortunately this 'slack' gets eaten fairly quickly if you're a fair way off from the expectations ....