Failed to activate FreeFile Donation Edition on Mac

Posts: 1 · sometimes 16 Jun 2018, 12:11

Hello,

I am on MacBook Air macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 and I cannot manage to activate FreeFileSync 10.1 Donation Edition. When I click on the app, a window opens and says:

Failed to activate FreeFileSync Donation Edition.
Invalid HTTP response:""

When I try the offline activation, I am given a key, but I cannot write anything in the "Enter activation key" area.

Thank you in advance for your help, and for this great app.

Posts: 7212 · Zenju 16 Jun 2018, 13:40

Invalid HTTP response:"" sometimes, 16 Jun 2018, 12:11

This could be a firewall blocking internet access.

but I cannot write anything in the "Enter activation key" area. sometimes, 16 Jun 2018, 12:11

Why not?

Posts: 14 · bobjtx1 21 Jun 2018, 18:36

Zenju, not sure if this is the same issue, but I downloaded the Donation edition for Mac and installed it on OSX 10.10.5, and the donation version is not being recognized. The "About" shows this is the non-donation version. I did receive a key file along with the donation version of FFS, but don't see any way to associate the key with the app.

I did check my Little Snitch FW and it is allowing the FFS app to connect to any connection on freefilesync.org. (Additonally, it allows CURL to connect as well, which I am assuming had something to do with installation process?).

Regardless, I can not get the App to activate the donation features. Thoughts on how to address this?

Thanks,
Bobj.

Posts: 7212 · Zenju 21 Jun 2018, 19:27

Regardless, I can not get the App to activate the donation features. Thoughts on how to address this? bobjtx1, 21 Jun 2018, 18:36

Did the installation procedure run smoothly? Did you move the app manually to some other location?

Posts: 14 · bobjtx1 21 Jun 2018, 20:03

Wow - that was fast!
The install went smoothly, with no issues. It installed in the Apps folder. I did rename the app from FreeFileSync.app to FreeFileSync10_1.app. Note that the .key file is located in the download folder. Not sure where the .key file should be located for the app to read it.

Posts: 14 · bobjtx1 21 Jun 2018, 20:30

One other point. On OSX you are offered three ways to install the app:
1. On a specific disk
2. For all users
3. For a specific user
I first installed the app using option 1 above (specific disk), but after installing it, I could not find the app in the APP directory. (Could have just been an oversight on my part as I have a previous (donation) version named FreeFileSync8_8.app.) I then installed the app again, but this time selected option 2 (all users). After this, the I did see the FFS app in the APP directory.

In reviewing the Library/Application Support/FreeFileSync directory, I do see a file named Registered.dat. Other than this, I did not have any issues with the install, and the normal sync program seems to be working fine, just not recognizing the "donation activation" features.

Posts: 14 · bobjtx1 22 Jun 2018, 13:03

This morning I deleted the version of the FFS donation version I downloaded and installed yesterday, and re-downloaded the software again. This time when I ran the installer I was not presented with 3 different install options. Instead, the installer defaulted to a "basic install on the "standard" disk (standard is my primary MBP drive), with no option for me to select anything differently.

Not sure what is happening, but the FFS Mac installer acted differently this time. Perhaps there may be an issue in the installer, as it was able to determine its own choice of install and blocked the user from selecting any other option this time when it did not do so previously. Regardless, it now appears to be working for me. Hopefully others that run into this issue will be helped by these posts.

Posts: 7212 · Zenju 24 Jun 2018, 15:43

I did rename the app from FreeFileSync.app to FreeFileSync10_1.app. bobjtx1, 21 Jun 2018, 20:03

That was the problem! I've fixed this so that future FFS versions can be renamed without issues on macOS.

This time when I ran the installer I was not presented with 3 different install options. bobjtx1, 22 Jun 2018, 13:03

Strange, must be some peculiarity of the macOS packages software.

Posts: 1 · earlthesquirrel 3 Sep 2018, 22:08

I'm encountering this problem with Mac OS 10.13.6 with the Download of the 10.3 edition. Matches exactly the same behavior. The "free" aka non-donation version installs and starts fine. But has features de-activated. The donation version gives the dialog and won't start. Didn't do anything in particular odd. Just clicked the install package. It completed fine. I've tried removing the files, re-downloading, etc. Nothing works. So I feel somewhat frustrated, I donated to start with and can't get it to install or work. Thoughts?

Posts: 2 · Edcovington 15 Sep 2018, 21:17

Exact same problem as "sometimes" noted on 6/16/18. Couldn't type into activation box - nothing happened when I tried. Sought help, no helpful reply. Tried re-installing, etc.
Finally gave up and downloaded the free version, which works fine.