Just Trains installers crashing Windows 8

[JustRight]

Hi All,

I have recently upgraded my Windows7 64bit system to Windows8 Pro 64bit.

After lots and lots of work resolving security and authorisation issues I have mostly got the system bedded down and running TS2013 fairly well.

Until I had cause to try and re-install some of my Just Trains products! In some cases the installers just do nothing, despite setting various compatibility modes like 'Windows XP SP3' etc, or running as Admin. In other cases, such as the 'LMS Patriot Baby Scot' package, the installer will prompt for my login details, then display a small dialog saying "Checking. . .", and after a few seconds actually crashes Windows 8 with a MEMORY_MANAGEMENT eror, which causes a Blue Screen , a Dump and then a restart! No compatibility options help this installer, it crashes Windows every time. I have re-downloaded the installer, but it behaves just the same.

I have tried to find out how to contact Just Trains support, but that is like pulling teeth. Every time you click on a 'Technical Support' link, it simply takes you to their list of products, and the 'LMS Patriot Baby Scot' is not even listed! In the end I did find a 'Customer Support' email link, but have received no response or even automated acknowledgement to my cry for help.

Has anyone here tried using the Just Trains installers on Windows 8 64bit? Any suggestions?

Cheers.

[Trev123]

Probably because it is the middle of the night in the UK. Give them 12 hours to reply. A Just Trains staff member does visit these forms, perhaps they will read your post. The staff member from Just Trains on this forum is simuk.

[JustRight]

Thanks mate, it's good to know that someone from Just Trains does visit here.

I sent my support e-mail about 20 hours ago, early AM U.K. time yesterday.

Cheers

[JustRight]

The plot thickens

None of Just Trains products that use the 'ActiveMark' DRM management will install on Windows 8! I have tried virtually all of my JT products and none of them with ActiveMark will install.

A brief session with Google turned up other references to ActiveMark DRM not being compatible with Windows 8.

This is Not Good!

[Easilyconfused]

I think you will just have to be patient and wait for a reply.

In my experience Just Trains do reply fairly quickly - I had a response within 36 hours during the Christmas 2011 period when most of the UK was shut down for holidays.

The product pages do say it works with Windows 8 so hopefully they can help you get through the problems.

[JustRight]

The product pages do say it works with Windows 8 so hopefully they can help you get through the problems.

Thanks John,

Indeed, I hope you are right. I have now had a reply from them, but nothing positive yet regarding determining a fix for the crashing installer or the ActiveMark DRM issues.

Hell, this is almost enough of a reason on it's own to go back to Windows 7!

Cheers.

[Trev123]

That's why I never changed to Windows 8. Did run Windows 8 prerelease for 3 months though.

[JustRight]

OK, some good news on this topic.

I spent some time, and bandwidth, re-downloading the installers that had previously failed with the 'ActiveMark' DRM mechanism. In each case the version I obtained now used a completely different installer, that did not use ActiveMark! The products themselves have not been updated as such, but at least they run and install on Windows 8

Still cannot get the Patriot Baby Scot to install though, that one kills Windows 8 dead, like the proverbial doornail! Hopefully the guys at Just Trains will be able to work out what is going on with that one.

So, if you are using Windows 8 and find this ActiveMark problem like i did, just go you your Account on the Just Trains web site and re-download the product installers.

Cheers.

[simuk]

Our support team will help you the best they can if you have any problems with any of our products. If you've not already heard back from them, then hopefully they will reply within the next 24 hours.

It sounds to me as though you may have the older versions of our downloads, which we've moved over to the newer unlock system and anyone on the old system has access to the new installer from their account as you have noted, with no difference at all. I don't believe this is Windows 8 related, it was just a change of behind-the-scenes unlock system, to provide a better service to our customers with a fully managed solution that we've developed in-house using all new tech.

Thanks,

Simon
Just Trains
http://www.justtrains.net

[JustRight]

Thanks for calling by Simon.

You are quite correct that any of the installers that I have downloaded again from My Account have had 'ActiveMark' removed and use the newer 'in house' installer.

These all work fine, except for the "LMS Patriot Baby Scot", which crashes Windows big time!

I have indeed heard back from support. However I would be interested to know if anyone else with Windows 8 has tried installing the Baby Scot package?

Cheers, and thanks.