Registration Cease Date

[Monman]

This question is not directly related to SD5 but to Spyware Doctor software in general - how can I find out when my registration with PC Tools for Spyware Doctor ceases/ends? I have had an email to renew my registration but I don't really want to renew until very close to the cease date of my existing registration. :confused:

[jwsolve]

In version 5 it tells you on the main status page in SD under system status, subscription expires in XX days.

In version 4 I think it's under "about SD" and Smart Update tab I think.

[Keith Warner]

I've wondered about that, too. I have v4, and it used to give days remaining on Status, but after a past upgrade all it says is "Subscription Active ". I just looked in Help > About - nothing there. I don't know about v5. I didn't keep it long enough to find out!

Keith Warner

[Monman]

In version 5 it tells you on the main status page in SD under system status, subscription expires in XX days.

In version 4 I think it's under "about SD" and Smart Update tab I think.

I am totally confused - I have Spyware Doctor 5 loaded on my PC - well I think I have? (Product Version 5.0.0.0169, Database Version 5.06900. Intelli-Signatures 425,436) but under System Status it only states Subscription Active. How do I get the screen where it shows the remaining days of my subscription?

Please see attached screen

[Cutter]

Just request your product key from the main sites support, they will send you an email with your product key and the date of purchase in an email, been a while since i've done that, but i can't see them changing it.

Cutter.

[Monman]

My Spyware Doctor registration is still active till August 2007 - all I want to know is how to change 'Subscription Active' to show the number of days left on my subscription.

[arden42]

It's probably not something you can change in the program yourself - I'd say they've changed it internally in the program.

But if you renew your license, it will add a year to your existing expiry date, regardless of how long is left on it currently. If it's not due till August and you renew now, it will take it to August next year.

[Saxel]

I seem to remember reading something about this before but its a while ago so forgive me if I'm wrong.
I believe it works like this now:
If when you bought SD or renewed your subscription you agreed to the option - automatically renew my subscription - then your subscription is just shown as active as it never expires and its one less thing to worry about.
On the other hand if your subscription is just for 12 months then it indicates the number of days remaining.
If this is correct then a cynic may say by not reminding you of the automatic renewal date you are less likely to cancell, but I could not possibly comment.
No doubt support will tell us if this explanation is total incorrect.

[Keith Warner]

I'd like to know more about this. My SD4 shows "Subscription Active" and I never agree to auto-renewal on anything. It just appeared on my other machine after an upgrade in the middle of my last subscription. I got a renewal notice, but let it expire as that machine got damaged, and I only use it as a back-up, running freeware. The sub on this machine is about six months along, and has said "Subscription Active" from the start. Where do I make sure of the status of my sub?

Keith

[misery]

After this horrible experience with version 5 of the Spyware Doctor, I don't want to continue using this product much longer. But it seems that my subscription lasts till november 2007 !!!

I don't want to continue that long with an outdated version of the Spyware Doctor, and besides, version 5 is supposed to have about 450,000 signatures, and version 4 about 180,000 !!! I don't understand this difference in signatures.

But I'm not likely to try version 5 again, after that horrible experience (see elsewhere on this forum).

I had not expected PCTOOLS to screw up/downgrade their product. I don't think I'll be using it for much longer :mad:
Thinking I'd be able to get part of my money back is probably not realistic, but trying doesn't hurt I suppose. It's not my fault PCTOOLS screws up so badly.

[misery]

I think I should addd that automatic renewel was just THE (only?) option to continue using this program. I don't remember subscribing for a new year. It probably came with one of those smart tools or whatever they are called.

[Keith Warner]

Most of the posts I've read are from people who hold PC Tools in high regard, they're just disappointed with v5, and are confident of a solution coming soon. I feel the same. SD v4, and earlier, has been a great tool for IE. I can't wait for v5 to be fixed as it's supposed to protect Firefox as well.

As long as you don't have great expectations of a partial refund, you might as well hang in there, keep following these forums, and hope for the best.

http://ganjataz.com/css/sigs/reason1-firefox-notIE.gif

Keith

[wrongworld]

I think I should addd that automatic renewel was just THE (only?) option to continue using this program.

I remember clearly to have not opted for the automatic renewal, but I just took advantage of a discount that PC Tools offered for some days (how strange, they offered it just when the disgust for the version 4 slowlyness was starting to ramp up among their customers). Nevertheless, I too have the "Subscription active" message in the main window, and no way to have displayed the end of subscription date.

Sorry, PC Tools folks, but this is starting to stink too much. In the last 6 months you have provided your customers nothing but troubles: first it was the hidden ad you put on your IM protection guard, then the product started to degenerate progressively given either an insane long startup time for version 4 (and an unjustifiable CPU load from time to time), or the complete mess that is actually the dreaded version 5. And finally, the automatic renewal thingy which many of us complained about (and the "curious" removal of the end of subscription date on the customer UI side).

Don't you think that it's time to start respecting your customer base? Best of all, don't you think it's time to give us the promised product (which we paid for!) instead of generally unuseful statements like "we are working on it", without of course NEVER giving an expected date?

Andrea

[allibear]

Most of the posts I've read are from people who hold PC Tools in high regard, they're just disappointed with v5, and are confident of a solution coming soon. I feel the same. SD v4, and earlier, has been a great tool for IE. I can't wait for v5 to be fixed as it's supposed to protect Firefox as well.

As long as you don't have great expectations of a partial refund, you might as well hang in there, keep following these forums, and hope for the best.

http://ganjataz.com/css/sigs/reason1-firefox-notIE.gif

Keith

Keith is right. It's barely a week from release, and it's been a bit of a disaster for most who tried it. I think the big problem has been trying to build it for Vista as well as the other Operating Systems. Other security vendor's are having the same issues, Zone Alarm don't have Vista compatibility with their products yet and Kaspersky released theirs at the end of January but there are still a few issues and still hotfixes coming in for it. Whether you are on Vista or not, all new releases of software are going to be incorporating the compatibility for it and it is now a new 'ball game'.

Sticking with V4 for a while longer isn't really a downgrade, it worked and you still get up to date signatures so there are no compromises on security. I think the reason why most people see it as that is because we all got excited about V5 and that it was going to solve the slow load times and be easier on system resources than SD4, which is what everyone was crying out for.

If your licence is good for while and you where happy with V4, stick with that and keep an eye on the progress of V5. From where it has started the only way is up for it, as far as I can see, but it may take a bit of time.

PS. Keith, I do believe more of the on-guard tools, are going to support Firefox In V5, I asked about this a while back.

[arden42]

version 5 is supposed to have about 450,000 signatures, and version 4 about 180,000

Where did you hear/read that? My understanding is that both versions use the same database, so should be identical in that regard.

I'm with allibear - SD5 has been a bit of a disappointment for a lot of people, and was probably released prematurely, but there are those of us for who it works perfectly, and I'm sure they'll iron out the remaining wrinkles soon.

[Keith Warner]

On the issue of "Subscription active" vs "Days remaining" and also "auto-renew", I have sent a PM to Support asking for details in a Sticky. Here's hoping we get the answers.

allibear - like the penguin

Keith

[allibear]

Where did you hear/read that? My understanding is that both versions use the same database, so should be identical in that regard.

I'm with allibear - SD5 has been a bit of a disappointment for a lot of people, and was probably released prematurely, but there are those of us for who it works perfectly, and I'm sure they'll iron out the remaining wrinkles soon.

Well as I'm on Vista I have decided to stick with SD4, for the time being, SD5 does seem to be more problematic with the Vista user's, it's only to be expected, it's a new operating system! It makes no difference to me whether I use SD4 for another few weeks, or another few months, it always kept my PC clean before, why shoudn't it now, it hasn't suddenly broken?

The main thing is there is a functioning choice available to everyone, SD4 works for me at the moment and SD5 is working for arden42, (am I picking that up right arden42?), and nobody is under pressure to jump to SD5 until they are ready to and they can keep an eye out here for developments and decide themselves when they want to try it again.

[allibear]

allibear - like the penguin

Keith

I'm trying to keep up with you, changing yours every 5 minutes! :D

Don't think I have enough 'in stock' to out do you though LOL.

[allibear]

I think I should addd that automatic renewel was just THE (only?) option to continue using this program. I don't remember subscribing for a new year. It probably came with one of those smart tools or whatever they are called.

You will get notice from Elements 5 a few weeks in advance of the renewal date.

If you don't want it to auto-renew, e-mail support@pctools.com, with your order no. and licence no. and it will be cancelled, you will then get a confirmation of this from Elements 5. Job done.