Downgrading issue – still cannot activate my license
Q: I changed OS on my computer and tried to reinstall Xeoma and use it with my Xeoma Lite license that I has purchased a year ago. The license didn’t activate on the latest version of Xeoma and I got the error message with information which version of Xeoma I should use. I tried to downgrade to the version that my Lite license supports but still have issues activating it. Can you help?
A: First, let’s check if you did everything right on the license side:
a) First “untie” your license from the previously used machine (even if you changed only OS and the rest of the machine ). We call this process a ‘reset’. You can do a reset with this page:
b) Then, when you’re trying to activate your license that is quoted below on a new OS you must see the error:
“You’re trying to activate a license after its free updates period has expired. Activate the license on an older version of Xeoma or purchase updates renewal.: Version is too new (purchase date: 2021-10-01, current version: 2022-10-12, max allowed date: 2021-11-01)”
Actually, the error message is quite informative and tells you what the issue is and which version of Xeoma you can use! Follow its recommendations.
Unfortunately, with Xeoma Lite you cannot use latest versions of Xeoma but you can use an older Xeoma version that fits your license. In the case above it’s Xeoma 21.10.13.
! Download the version that suits your Lite license from our History of changes page.
! Make sure to download one fitting to your OS.
! Follow these recommendations on downgrade
And then use this ‘older’ version with your license.
c) (See downgrade guide) If the newer version of Xeoma is running in the background (a.k.a. “installed to autostart” ) you need to uninstall it. You can see in the Xeoma window title what versions it uses.
If it’s so, we need to uninstall the newer version first, and then try the “older” version of Xeoma with your license. Here’s the steps breakdown:
1) Launch any version of Xeoma and go to Xeoma’s Main menu – Install.
Inside, it should have a menu item that goes simply “Install” and an “Uninstall” option below.
If instead you see “Install (Xeoma is not installed yet)”, then Xeoma is not installed and you don’t need these steps.
If however you do see a simple “Install” option and there is an “Uninstall” option below, select “Uninstall” and then “Uninstall except for archives and settings”.
2) The program will ask for permissions (both installation and uninstallation are both requiring admin rights) so please grant the permission and wait a couple of seconds.
Xeoma will close. It will not be re-launched automatically.
3) After Xeoma closes, please launch the ‘older’ version, and try to activate your license once more. The license must be accepted and you can go on with settings, etc.
If you’re more comfortable with using console commands, you should go for the “-install -removeexe” command. Here’s a video of uninstallation: https://youtu.be/tV_e33hOSCU?t=389 (warning: music video)
Valid as of December, 6 2022