Temporary Workaround Until New Beta Key

[Colimear]

Hi all, I'm a huge fan of MakeMKV and put together a little AHK script to launch the app with the old beta key. Hopefully the developer will be back soon with a new key. I sincerely hope nothing is wrong.

Since the old beta key can still be used if the system time is before the expiration date, this script sets the system time to before the key expired and then sets it back to get the time automatically. This can also be done manually, but it's much quicker to use a script.

What You'll Need

• A PC running Windows
• AutoHotkey installed on your system. If you don't have it, you can download it here: https://www.autohotkey.com/

Step 1: Get the Script
First, copy the entire script below. Always be cautious about running scripts from the internet. You can carefully read each line of this script to see exactly what it does.

(Note: If your MakeMKV app is not installed in the default folder, please update the line in this script where the folder is defined)

Code: Select all

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
#Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.

; --- Function to check for and request administrator privileges ---
If not A_IsAdmin
{
    ; Relaunches the script as an administrator.
    Run *RunAs "%A_ScriptFullPath%"
    ExitApp
}

; !! CHANGE THIS PATH if your installation is in a different location !!
makemkvPath := "C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV\makemkv.exe"

; --- Step 1: Set the system date to July 30, 2025 ---
; "date 07-30-25" is the command used to set the date.
; "RunWait" ensures the script pauses until the command completes.
RunWait, %ComSpec% /c date 07-30-25,, Hide

; --- Step 2: Open MakeMKV ---
; This command launches the application.
Run, %makemkvPath%

; --- Step 3: Immediately reset the system time to automatic ---
; This happens right after launching MakeMKV, without waiting for it to close.
; We stop and then start the Windows Time service (w32time) to force a resync.
RunWait, %ComSpec% /c net stop w32time,, Hide
RunWait, %ComSpec% /c net start w32time,, Hide

return

Step 2: Save the Script
Paste the copied code into a plain text editor like Notepad. Save the file with a .ahk extension, for example, makemkv_launcher.ahk.

Step 3: Run the Script
Once you've saved and edited the file, double-click it to run.

Optional Step 4: Add to Start
Save or copy the script to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs. Then open the Start menu, find the script, right-click it, and click Pin to Start.

This is meant to be a temporary workaround. Please be respectful of the developer's intention with the beta key system and use the appropriate key once it's updated. Thanks

[boe_d]

I'm using an elephant gun to kill a mouse but I created a hyper-v guest, turned off time sync in integration services and changed the time on the guest VM. The only reason for this is so I never have to worry about my time being off as I use my PC for work and time for emails is important.

[Provable9375]

Longtime lurker...I created a batch script (with the help of AI) that will do the same thing but without requiring installing autohotkey- basically does the same thing, sets the date to July 30, launches MakeMKV, resets date to automatic after. Just paste the code into a new text file, rename it "LaunchMKV.bat" or something like that, and double click. The script will also provide feedback/errors if they occur:

Code: Select all

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

:: Elevate to admin if needed
net session >nul 2>&1
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] Admin privileges required. Relaunching as admin...
    powershell -NoProfile -Command "Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList '/c','\"%~f0\"' -Verb RunAs"
    exit /b
)
echo [+] Running with administrative privileges.

:: Define MakeMKV path
set "MakeMKV=C:\Program Files (x86)\MakeMKV\makemkv.exe"

if not exist "%MakeMKV%" (
    echo [!] ERROR: MakeMKV not found at "%MakeMKV%"
    echo     → Please check the path and update the script.
    exit /b 1
) else (
    echo [+] MakeMKV found at "%MakeMKV%"
)

:: --- Step 1: Set the system date ---
echo [*] Temporarily setting system date to July 30, 2025...
date 07-30-25
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] ERROR: Failed to set system date.
    exit /b 1
)
echo [+] System date set.

:: --- Step 2: Launch MakeMKV ---
echo [*] Launching MakeMKV...
start "" "%MakeMKV%"
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] ERROR: Failed to launch MakeMKV.
    exit /b 1
)
echo [+] MakeMKV launched.

:: --- Step 3: Restart Windows Time Service and Resync ---
echo [*] Restarting Windows Time service...
net stop w32time >nul 2>&1
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] ERROR: Failed to stop w32time service.
) else (
    echo [+] w32time service stopped.
)

net start w32time >nul 2>&1
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] ERROR: Failed to start w32time service.
) else (
    echo [+] w32time service started.
)

echo [*] Forcing time sync...
w32tm /resync /force
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo [!] ERROR: Time resync failed. Check your NTP settings.
) else (
    echo [+] Time resync initiated.
)

echo [✓] Script completed.
pause
endlocal

[Colimear]

I'm using an elephant gun to kill a mouse

I love the imagry

Longtime lurker...I created a batch script (with the help of AI)

Excellent! I don't know anything about bash, but that makes this solution waaaaay easier for anyone who doesn't have Auto Hotkey installed. Thanks!