Affinity wants me to register but it's saying it can't write the license file to the location it wants.

[rsmcguitar]

Ok, so I bought Affinity (all 3 from the Affinity store) awhile ago and everything has been working as expected. I recently changed the name of my computer, but ended up changing it back because it led to software registration issues. I now seem to be having that problem with Affinity.
When I start any of the Affinity programs, I'm met with a registration window. I enter the info from my Account and get an error that the license file can't be written. Within my account I can see that my computer is showing up as registered, but it won't work on my computer. If I run the program as administrator it works as normal and doesn't ask for registration.
I saw some people in other posts suggesting to run as administrator and register that way, but the registration window doesn't appear when I run as admin.
I would obviously prefer not to be stuck running in admin and I feel like I should be able to register properly.

One thing I don't understand is why I can't unregister a device from the Account section of the Affinity website. I use a lot of audio software and typically I would just unregister from my account page and re-register after doing that.

I'm really at a loss here as to what else I can even try. I haven't completely uninstalled yet and I'm hoping that isn't necessary. I've searched the forum for other answers. I've seen posts with the same issue, but they aren't answered.

ETA: the folder that it wants to write to exists on my computer.

[walt.farrell]

From the FAQ section of the forum:

Note: Providing your Product Key and Email is a different function from Registration. Providing the Product Key prices you are the rightful owner and (in a sense) validates and completes the installation. It is needed only for users who purchased directly from Serif, not for users who purchased from the Microsoft or Mac App Stores.

Registration is part of the new 1.9 My Account function, and is optional for all users. It connects your copy of the application, wherever you purchased it, with the Affinity Store do you can automatically download resource content purchased from the Affinity Store.

You do not need to Register to use the application.

[rsmcguitar]

It says this: "If you're getting the below message when validating your product key, please run the app as an Administrator by right clicking the app's shortcut and selecting Run as Administrator. You should now be able to validate your Product Key."

If I run in administrator mode, it doesn't enable me to validate my product key. The program opens normally and there is no validation window. If I close and reopen again normally (i.e. not in admin mode), the validation pops up again.

I guess I was mixing up the language because there is another form of "registration." What I really want to do is validate my product with my key so I'm not asked to do it every time I start the program.

[emmrecs01]

@rsmcguitar

I wonder whether this is a case of Windows Protected Folders preventing access for writing the licence file? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/controlled-folders?view=o365-worldwide#windows-system-folders-are-protected-by-default gives more details, including how to check exactly which folders are being “protected”.

Jeff

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, rsmcguitar said:

It says this: "If you're getting the below message when validating your product key, please run the app as an Administrator by right clicking the app's shortcut and selecting Run as Administrator. You should now be able to validate your Product Key."

If I run in administrator mode, it doesn't enable me to validate my product key. The program opens normally and there is no validation window.

That should mean that it has already been validated, and by running as Administrator the program was able to update licence.xml.

2 hours ago, rsmcguitar said:

If I close and reopen again normally (i.e. not in admin mode), the validation pops up again.

That seems odd, and I cannot explain it.

[rsmcguitar]

1 hour ago, emmrecs01 said:

@rsmcguitar

I wonder whether this is a case of Windows Protected Folders preventing access for writing the licence file? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/controlled-folders?view=o365-worldwide#windows-system-folders-are-protected-by-default gives more details, including how to check exactly which folders are being “protected”.

Jeff

I mean that might have something to do with it, but it was working fine before. I don't know how new that protected folder stuff is?

 

 

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

That should mean that it has already been validated, and by running as Administrator the program was able to update licence.xml.

That seems odd, and I cannot explain it.

Yeah, it works as though that is the case when running as admin, for sure.
It is rather odd.