What is the deal with the KEY?

[cypherpunkscribe]

So at what point do we start discussing MakeMKV alternatives? This whole situation reminds me of Winrar except way more frustrating.

[Midnight_Freak]

I have a fresh install I performed with the Windows 11 system date set to July 1st and it opened just fine, but when it tries to decrypt the disc it says the evaluation period is over, and fails so the suggestion to start with a new install with the system clock set to July does not seem to work at least with Windows 11.

You will need to go into the registry and delete the makemkv subfolder and reinstall the whole program again while also following the other steps.

[topstan]

Nice work-around with the "back-date the system" fix. Hopefully the problem can be solved. However PayPro Global is not down. If you go there (without using the register link) and search, they do not show MakeMKV on their system. That's probably why the purchase link does not work.

[LurkerSteve]

At this point I have to assume he's got a work or family emergency / obligation, and just can't get to this. Might be time to find a mod you trust to generate keys. Either way, I hope all is well. The age of the product doesn't lend itself to some kind of sell and vanish tactic, even if I'm new to it.

It just kinda stinks because my plan was to rip BSG and watch it on my PC this weekend. C'est la vie.

Possibly but this isn't the first issue in recent months. About 1-2 months ago the forum was completely offline for awhile. Luckily someone on Reddit had cached the beta key for that month before it died.

[ak1978]

I have a fresh install I performed with the Windows 11 system date set to July 1st and it opened just fine, but when it tries to decrypt the disc it says the evaluation period is over, and fails so the suggestion to start with a new install with the system clock set to July does not seem to work at least with Windows 11.

I'm on Windows 11 as well, and had that same issue... it took me a while to understand, but when it happened, I felt kinda stupid.
What happened is: When you opened the program in August, the registered beta key expired in the program, meaning, there is no active key in the program... do you know where I'm going?

You just have to take the old beta key and register it in the program while your system clock is in July, then you can rip like usual.

[maczrool]

You will need to go into the registry and delete the makemkv subfolder and reinstall the whole program again while also following the other steps.

Thanks. What other steps? The system date stays in July during installation and operation with the MakeMKV registry folder deleted but it still won’t decrypt, saying the evaluation period is over.

[ak1978]

You will need to go into the registry and delete the makemkv subfolder and reinstall the whole program again while also following the other steps.

Thanks. What other steps? The system date stays in July during installation and operation with the MakeMKV registry folder deleted but it still won’t decrypt, saying the evaluation period is over.

Just read what I wrote above... no need to go into the registry and such.
You only have to make sure that you won't start the program while the clock is in August, otherwise, the key will expire again. Only start it in July.

[Terron1]

You will need to go into the registry and delete the makemkv subfolder and reinstall the whole program again while also following the other steps.

Thanks. What other steps? The system date stays in July during installation and operation with the MakeMKV registry folder deleted but it still won’t decrypt, saying the evaluation period is over.

Just read what I wrote above... no need to go into the registry and such.
You only have to make sure that you won't start the program while the clock is in August, otherwise, the key will expire again. Only start it in July.

If he is anything like me than it is actually cheaper to not stream. I don't buy everything, only the things I want to watch. It seems more expensive because of the upfront costs, but when you're talking about 2-3 streaming services charging you at least 15 a month, you can get away with buying more than you normally would. Oh sometimes it may be more than streaming, but I always look at it as a value proposition. With streaming you can watch a couple of shows you like (maybe) and are stuck with a crazy amount of bloat you'll never watch. When you run your own media server you are basically removing all the fluff and only stuffing it with stuff you and your family genuinely enjoy. And if push came to shove you can always resell some of it and get part of your money back. Unlike with services you have something that actually retains some value.

[Coopervid]

Thanks. What other steps? The system date stays in July during installation and operation with the MakeMKV registry folder deleted but it still won’t decrypt, saying the evaluation period is over.

Just read what I wrote above... no need to go into the registry and such.
You only have to make sure that you won't start the program while the clock is in August, otherwise, the key will expire again. Only start it in July.

If he is anything like me than it is actually cheaper to not stream. I don't buy everything, only the things I want to watch. It seems more expensive because of the upfront costs, but when you're talking about 2-3 streaming services charging you at least 15 a month, you can get away with buying more than you normally would. Oh sometimes it may be more than streaming, but I always look at it as a value proposition. With streaming you can watch a couple of shows you like (maybe) and are stuck with a crazy amount of bloat you'll never watch. When you run your own media server you are basically removing all the fluff and only stuffing it with stuff you and your family genuinely enjoy. And if push came to shove you can always resell some of it and get part of your money back. Unlike with services you have something that actually retains some value.

You are terribly off-topic.

[Terron1]

Just read what I wrote above... no need to go into the registry and such.
You only have to make sure that you won't start the program while the clock is in August, otherwise, the key will expire again. Only start it in July.

If he is anything like me than it is actually cheaper to not stream. I don't buy everything, only the things I want to watch. It seems more expensive because of the upfront costs, but when you're talking about 2-3 streaming services charging you at least 15 a month, you can get away with buying more than you normally would. Oh sometimes it may be more than streaming, but I always look at it as a value proposition. With streaming you can watch a couple of shows you like (maybe) and are stuck with a crazy amount of bloat you'll never watch. When you run your own media server you are basically removing all the fluff and only stuffing it with stuff you and your family genuinely enjoy. And if push came to shove you can always resell some of it and get part of your money back. Unlike with services you have something that actually retains some value.

You are terribly off-topic.

HAHAHAHA I logged in and must have went back to the wrong post. Now I have to go find where this was supposed to go and copy/paste it in. How embarrassing.

[maczrool]

Thanks! I just needed to renter the July key. It was my mistake to assume the most recent installer came with the most recent key. It’s not as though I install MakeMKV all the time.

[Coopervid]

Thanks! I just needed to renter the July key. It was my mistake to assume the most recent installer came with the most recent key. It’s not as though I install MakeMKV all the time.

Now keep it straight. Install Makemkv. Set you PC's date to e.g. 1 June 2025. Enter current beta key. Enjoy! Keep the date before August 2025 when you use Makemkv.

[seamus]

It's been a week since I started this thread. Unfortunately, nothing has been resolved yet wrt any updated keys - and the ability to purchase a key is now lost due to "Mystery Mike" being AWOL. I know I'm not the only one who is disappointed with this situation... it now seems to be the case that no one here (even the admins) actually know "Mystery Mike" well enough to confirm his status, or explain what to expect. Like everyone else, I hope that Mike hasn't succumbed to a serious accident, or been waylaid by the powers that be.

Beyond that, the only thing I have to offer in this post is confirmation that the "backdating" trick works w/ MakeMKV on the current version of macOS (Sequoia). A few "how-to" details follow:

1. System Settings, General, Date & Time: Switch the option button for "Set time & date automatically" to OFF
2. In the Date & Time option, click the "Set..." button
3. In the popup enter the desired Date and Time, click the "Set" button to set the time to the designated values.

I've not found it necessary to actually turn off/disable my network connections to have MakeMKV work properly.
Other than that, I'm looking forward to some stability in MakeMKV operations.
~S

[CrashDavis88]

It's been a week since I started this thread. Unfortunately, nothing has been resolved yet wrt any updated keys - and the ability to purchase a key is now lost due to "Mystery Mike" being AWOL. I know I'm not the only one who is disappointed with this situation.[/i].

No offense but some of you people need to stop being ungrateful BITCHES. I personally feel lucky we have this program and it has been free for so long to use. It will be a sad loss if Mike doesn't continue to maintain it but it has been a helluva ride. Anyone paying for these tools is a chump anyways!!

[CrashDavis88]

Now keep it straight. Install Makemkv. Set you PC's date to e.g. 1 June 2025. Enter current beta key. Enjoy! Keep the date before August 2025 when you use Makemkv.

That's great that we can still use it by changing the PC date but will new keys get added when discs come out? Anyone else besides Mike do that??