patpat Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Getting rid of Microcat date issue... MCLifeX results handy to extend Microcat’s database and program expiration date. It does not replace the dongle nor its software replacement (altered mg16.dll) either. It does not implement the typical "auto date adjust/launcher" approach but it really modifies MC expiration date; user instructions contained in the attached rar file. http://www.landrovertec.com/showthread.php?p=382 comments welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cipx2 Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Don patpat, the only thing I can comment is that you need to register on that forum in order to download something hosted there. Not to mention that from my neck of the woods that server looks like being on dialup. So I suggest uploading the archives on a more accessible hosting server (not here) - rapidshare, mediafire, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patpat Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Don patpat, the only thing I can comment is that you need to register on that forum in order to download something hosted there. Not to mention that from my neck of the woods that server looks like being on dialup. So I suggest uploading the archives on a more accessible hosting server (not here) - rapidshare, mediafire, etc Don’t you think your comment is unnecessarily unfriendly? If downloading the 7kb file is such a pain for you just ignore my message... have a nice day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Pat thanks for the info lots on here will find it useful I am sure thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cipx2 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Don’t you think your comment is unnecessarily unfriendly? If downloading the 7kb file is such a pain for you just ignore my message... have a nice day. "Unfriendly"? No, I really do not think so. But since you asked, how about me thinking that was just a trap to get people's e-mail addresses and IPs? I'm old enough in this business to serve you more conspiracy theory scenarios if you want This is the rule respected throughout the world, don't give links to forums/whatever for other people to see pics, download files etc if they'd have to register to use the links. What pain is it to you to click your mouse button 4 times and upload the files somewhere else? You want be helpful? That's great. But don't offer someone a cup of tea and send him to the supermarket to get the sugar and the milk... Well, it was just a suggestion. Good or bad I'd do it again. I don't need any of the files/info there as everything I have or will have already starts on the button without date mambo jumbo or other issues so no more comments/feedback from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patpat Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 "Unfriendly"? No, I really do not think so. But since you asked, how about me thinking that was just a trap to get people's e-mail addresses and IPs? I'm old enough in this business to serve you more conspiracy theory scenarios if you want This is the rule respected throughout the world, don't give links to forums/whatever for other people to see pics, download files etc if they'd have to register to use the links. What pain is it to you to click your mouse button 4 times and upload the files somewhere else? You want be helpful? That's great. But don't offer someone a cup of tea and send him to the supermarket to get the sugar and the milk... Well, it was just a suggestion. Good or bad I'd do it again. I don't need any of the files/info there as everything I have or will have already starts on the button without date mambo jumbo or other issues so no more comments/feedback from me. Hosting and traffic mean money and considering there are people that download compulsively things that really do not need, it results that the registration requirement is a good strategy for getting rid of them and save some money… You said your Microcat does not suffer the date issue; well If you do not need the tool why where you trying to download it? The regular Microcat has several places where the date is checked out, The Program, The Database, The Pricing info. Every release is meant to work for 3 month after that you are in trouble. If you turn back the clock before to start MC everything will be fine but the Pricing info. If you want to solve the thing you need something like the program I’ve mentioned when I started the thread. About steeling e-mail addresses, time ago I also published here another tool for freeing Rave and many people from this forum got it without a single complain about getting spam or anything like that… this time your conspiracy theory scenario was wrong despite how old you are in this business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cipx2 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Then my suggestion to upload the file on a different server was actually providing a better solution for your traffic/money issue, wasn't it? Spam?! That's for the kids to play with. Obviously you don't know or don't have access to what it can be done with an e-mail address and an IP. No, I won't tell you or give other people ideas. I'm not telling you that this is what you meant. Not at all. I was following your judgment in seeing things where they are not. I was planning to compare your method with mine (mine looks much simpler at the first glance) and give you suggestions if my way proved to be simpler. In other words I was trying to help if I could and the case might have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_a Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I must admit when I looked through I never searched much further than the DSET file for a date info, I guess if they have multiple places that contain the date it would be a good way of setting it to not expire. Had to laugh about the development of microcat in VB 3.0, I was amazed that it was running loads of 16bit portions and ended up doing crazy stuff like win 3.11 in VMWare to debug it. I'd be interested in hearing about any info you or cipx has about the protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patpat Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Then my suggestion to upload the file on a different server was actually providing a better solution for your traffic/money issue, wasn't it? No, it wasn't. I'm responsible for the files attached on "my" thread. I cannot be responsible for a link on rapidshare, megaupload, etc. sites where I do not even have an account. I must admit when I looked through I never searched much further than the DSET file for a date info, I guess if they have multiple places that contain the date it would be a good way of setting it to not expire. Had to laugh about the development of microcat in VB 3.0, I was amazed that it was running loads of 16bit portions and ended up doing crazy stuff like win 3.11 in VMWare to debug it. I'd be interested in hearing about any info you or cipx has about the protection. There are many places where the expiring date is stored; 2 DSET.DAT files the mclang.03.dll, mclang.04.dll, mclang.05.dll files and the *.dat files contained at the Pricing directory. Actually MC cannot be easily set for not expiring, what MCLifeX does is to set the program for expiring on 06-05-2020. About Visual Basic 3 I couldn’t believe it; a 16 bit application running on Vista and implementing their own “database engine” too crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 patpat, Thanks for the info and the utilities, especially FreeRAVE, that'll be useful I preferred Unicat/EPC to Microcat - so much easier to navigate. There's a good site (in German) that gives details on getting it running under XP, here - http://landrover.110.st/epc.htm I'm currently running July 2009 Microcat on XP Professional, using the 'fixed' mg16.dll and this script to start it - http://www.hubbard.nightmail.ru/Microcat/lrmc.js (the date in the script will need changing to suit the edition you're running) which I modified from a script that came with a Hyundai version of Microcat, that I 'found' (for my wife's car). I've been running various versions of Microcat with this script for 3 years and have had no problems so far. Although, I've discovered that if I try to look at the 'HST Body Kit' page on RR Sport Accessories in my current version, it Blue Screens my PC Do you have any info on cracking the Hexalock protection on the Heritage Motor Centre's - Original Technical Publications CDs? I have early editions of LHP1 and LHP2 (RR Classic) that have no protection and it's very convenient to have copies of them on the hard disk's of my computers. The other CDs I have are later editions with Hexalock protection - which means that they'll only run with the original CD in the drive - very inconvenient, especially as one of my laptops doesnt have a built-in CD drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patpat Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 PaulMc I also prefer Unicat/EPC to Microcat but for new vehicles there's not Unicat/EPC option I have it running on Vista w/o problems, English instructions on the same link I've posted before. The script you've been using changes the computer's date before launching MC and puts it back, it does not solve the Price option, with similar programs I've got e-mail problems; I’ve been “losing” e-mails for receiving them with an altered, far away in the past, date… big deal… About Hexalock, I never tried by myself but I consider it’s solved (You have to read the whole thing): http://club.cdfreaks.com/f80/hexalock-204559/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 About Hexalock, I never tried by myself but I consider it’s solved (You have to read the whole thing): http://club.cdfreaks.com/f80/hexalock-204559/ Thanks for the link, I'll have a read through that. I found Club CDFreaks a few years ago and tried all of the suggested methods in this thread - http://club.cdfreaks.com/f80/hexalock-4-0-a-193675/ but none of them worked for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sparkes Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Although it was someone else (in this Forum) who pointed me to the CD Freaks site, I have successfully used the method outlined in the link that PatPat refers to. There are two points that are generally missed. A/ What you end up with is a set of pdf files with names that do not describe their contents. There are many repeated file names, so as you unlock the files you need to ensure you replicate the Folder structure of the original CD. B/ There is no Index or set of Bookmarks pointing you to which file covers what. You have to create that yourself. This does push you towards reading each file, which has two consequences: 1/ You find the Descriptions in the Index on the Heritage CDs were sometimes misleading. 2/ You find information which you had never seen before. 3/ You find information that appears more than once under different file names. Of course, as you create an 'Index' in the format of your choice you may choose to give the files names which more accurately reflect their content. You can now move away from the Folder structure of the Original CD. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patpat Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 BTW I'd like to get the Heritage Motor Centre "Land Rover Defender 90, 110 & 130 1990 to 1998" if anyone knows where to download it please it let me know. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuko Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Pat, Many thanks for providing us with another link to your fine work of making viewing the cd's easier. It will come in handy to many users here. On the topic of Heritage Motor Centre cd's, if you can get your hands on the early versions they will allow you to copy the files over to your computer. The later are then protected with Hexalock but that is unlockable with the links provided above. But if your like me having a copy of a cd, the Hexalock on that copy is not unlockable. Todd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkinhead Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Anyone able to get past the expiry thing with Microcat North America? The MG16.dll seems to work with a current version, it even opens up the Europe vehicles but the date adjuster doesn't seem to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Microlaunch, all credit to Retro, who is on this forum http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2009/12/land-rover-microcat-november-2009/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkinhead Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Tried the Microlaunch & it still comes up as expired. Even if I change the dset file my self it comes back with the expired message Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briarston Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Tried the Microlaunch & it still comes up as expired. Even if I change the dset file my self it comes back with the expired message While I'm in no way qualified to write on this subject, with the aid of Retroanaconda, I now have the Microlaunch/Microcat working. However, I still had the "out of date" issue ocurring. As Microlaunch alters the computer date for a few seconds Windows 7 wouldn't allow it. I found that I had to appoint myself Administrator, and start Microlaunch as such. It then worked as it should. Hope this observation from a admitted computer numbskull my be of use! Edit Sorry about the gibberish, don't know how that happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Yes, try right clicking the Microlaunch.exe file and clicking properties. Select the 'Compatibility' tab, and then choose 'Run this program as an administrator' at the bottom. Then click OK. I can't take all the credit here either, I'm not sure who wrote the Microlaunch program but it obviously originated on here as the forum logo is featured! I put it on my site as it seems to be the most effective way of getting around the date issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkinhead Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Im running XP pro as the admin so thats out, tried loading the the DVD on a USB key & changing the dset file on the key to a date way in the future. On instalation it reports a CRC error between the dset file & the the setup cab file. Im a little mystyfied as to the location of this "setup cab" file PS: Im willing to share this 6gb DVD if anyone can help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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