Ashampoo® Anti-Malware - A three and a half year licence

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Ashampoo® Anti-Malware - A three and a half year licence

(19 posts) (7 voices)

Started 13 years ago by Whiterabbit-uk
Latest reply from Whiterabbit-uk

Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

I discovered that I'd mistyped my Email address for one of the Ashampoo® Anti-Malware licences yesterday and though because I'd missed the deadlinme I'd lost the chance to take advantage of the giveaway, but discovered about an hour ago that the offer was still valid (though not via the giveaway project). I visited the page we were originally directed to yesterday and re inputed the correct Email, not expecting it to work as the deadline ended 13 hours ago, but it worked. (I'd kept a copy of the web address that we were directed to for some reason)

I was also surprised to find that the software wasn't just a years subscription but valid until the 25th Feb 2014. That's a 3.5 year licence. Very generous of Ashampoo to give us such a long licence.

I won't post the link to the request page just in case the page was particular to the giveaway project, (I don't want them to get in trouble) but for those who missed the deal yesterday it may be worth going over to Ashampoos site to see if the offer is still valid globally.

Posted 13 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

Every once in a while with that sort of thing you might also get lucky with Google's cached copy of a web page. A week or so ago Wondershare had a giveaway themselves that wasn't well advertised -- if I remember correctly it was only posted by someone at fatwallet.com at the very end of the giveaway period, & I 1st read it a few hours after deadline. It might have been because it was during the weekend, but I was pleasantly surprised when it worked.

Posted 13 years ago #
copmom
Member

Just got an email from Ashampoo that they had given the incorrect registration key for Anti-Malware. Here's the email and instructions to follow:

Dear Ashampoo Kunde,

Unfortunately, a small error occurred during the registration
of your full version key for Ashampoo Anti-Malware.

In order to correct the error and for you to be still able to
use the full version free, we need your help.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Select START -> All Programs -> Ashampoo -> Ashampoo Anti-Malware
and click on 'Uninstall Ashampoo Anti-Malware'.

2. Please follow the instructions during the uninstalling process
and confirm those by clicking on 'Next'.

3. Restart your computer and check whether the installation folder
was removed completely.

4. Download and install the latest version via the download link below.

******************************************************************
Please click below:
http://r.ashampoo.com/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

******************************************************************

On the first launch of Ashampoo Anti-Malware you will be given
the opportunity to request a new full version license key again.
You will then receive it immediately after email registration.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause

Posted 13 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

That's yet another very generous offer by ashampoo.

To be honest I've tended to avoid Ashampoo over the past several years despite having used their security software happily for a few years previous to that and had never had cause to complain. When it was time to resubscribe I'd managed to get a free years subscription to another security software called Panda which was given away with a new motherboard I'd purchased. I though "why not" So didn't bother re-subscribing to the Ashampoo software. When the Panda licence expired I was going to re-subscribe to Ashampoo's software but had read several articles about how Ashampoo's reputation had been tarnished or something along those lines (by this time I was on opiates so my memory of that time is rather dim). Anyway, I ended up going with F-Secure for a few years before changing to Kaspersky, which ran out last year. Since then I've been using free offers . So far I'm very pleased with Ashampoo (though it's early days yet). :)

Posted 13 years ago #
copmom
Member

I had switched to Comodo firewall and AV based on recommendations from this forum and have been pleased with that. Ashampoo does mention not having 2 different AV's running as that would create conflicts.

Posted 13 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

Yeah, so I've yet to decide which to keep as i do have two running at the moment. however one only has until January before I need to resubscribe so i think that will go. Afterall ashampoo's reputation isn't bad and they have been around a long time. three and a half years of updates is great. I can just forget about it now until 2014. :)

I'll just have to see what other offers come along in the mean time. :)

Posted 13 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Hmmm - sounds strange.

Just to say "a small error occurred during the registration" and then advice to completely uninstall the programme poses the question, why you have to completely uninstall the programme and download the whole package again.
Wouldn't it be just enough to send some code to correct the registration?
Couldn't they do it with their updates?

I didn't install this programme, but I wouldn't do anything now and wait for their next step.
Having in mind, that Ashampoo was hacked recently, a paranoid could think this direct download link could be a trojan - therefore I deleted the link.

I was a long time user of several Ashampoo programmes, but this "performance" was not one that makes friends.
They didn't attend the comments on the day of publishing, it seems no mails were answered, and now such a recall campaign?
Strange.

graylox

Posted 13 years ago #
DJ
Member

My Ashampoo license is from the other day and when I check the license period under the internet menu, it says my key for signature updates is good until 2/23/2023 (4203 days left).

Maybe that's why they want it uninstalled then reinstalled? ;-) Just sayin'...

Posted 13 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

12 years? wow - LOL

Yes of course they had massive problems that day, I don't know if there are 2 users with the same license period.

Nevertheless, why can't they just correct the programme with a string of code?
And then, how many users gave them a "real" mail address?

graylox

Posted 13 years ago #
delenn13
Minbari Ambassador

I am gonna say.."Good eye, Lady Gray!" I think it smells "phishy".

The "R" in the address given is throwing me for a loop...

https://picasaweb.google.com/100811122572511905018/ForumPics?authkey=Gv1sRgCN_U4Nan7ML8nQE

Trying Picasa..hope this works..because of Google+..You get unlimited free photo storage...or you do until they change it. LOL!

P.S. Let me know if you can see it.. I can't figure out how to embed the darn thing!!!! This is the first pic I have tried..Learning experience here!

I didn't get the Ashampoo program. I find most of their programs but Snap, their burning program and Clipfinder to be substandard. But each to their own.

Posted 13 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

Got the e-mail copmom mentioned, downloaded the new version... Extracted all the files from the setup programs, using Microsoft's Windiff to compare new & old -- there are 147 differences, some files in the old version were newer, some not, & some were unique to each version. Monitoring install to fresh XP Pro 32 & win7 ult 32 VMs, it seemed the same for new & old, though I didn't go line by line through the registry adds. The old GOTD had a bug where unless you updated the signatures before registration they wouldn't update after, showing license expired -- that's now fixed. OTOH going to the help tab, then checking license duration in the internet menu now shows 2/18/12.

If they were a US company, I'm no lawyer but I think the prior version's license expiration date could be considered a commitment -- Microsoft says that's why they don't provide real help files with Betas, because once a feature's *in print*, they can face legal action if it's not in the final released product. That said, having given everyone the chance to update, Ashampoo could very well end all signature updates for the 1st version they gave away.

Purely FWIW, *If* I were running Ashampoo Anti-Malware I think I'd download the new version, install it in a VM so I'd get the new license, then continue using the older version in my regular Windows to see what happened in the future -- if they stopped updating it I'd uninstall & add the newer version then.

Posted 13 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

... Ashampoo does mention not having 2 different AV's running as that would create conflicts.

There are some things Windows only has one of -- the Overlay layer for video that was commonly used a few years ago comes to mind. Otherwise unless there's a specific incompatibility between app "X" & app "Y", running 2 apps that do the same thing doesn't cause any problems for Windows or the apps themselves, e.g. I can run Libre Ofc & MS Ofc at the same time. AV software I think is a bit of a gray area... what happens if both try to scan the same file at the same time for instance? It may work fine, or you may have to turn off real-time scanning in one of the AV apps/suites, which I *think* is how most do it anyway if/when they run more than one -- it does make for a handy 2nd opinion when you do a manual scan. I don't know that anyone recommends running two firewall apps, but again one can always be turned off if it's part of the package install.

If Ashampoo is worried that they might have to honor a license to 2023, telling you not to run a 2nd AV app might be the same sort of CYA move so they don't have to provide support? Running more than one AV app will slow things down if both are always monitoring everything, so most people don't run more than one, & so there's not this big expectation on the part of users that different AV apps should play well together... IOW they have & can get away with it.

At any rate, if there are 2 or more AV apps you want to install to the same Windows system, Google/Bing to see if anyone's doing it already, & if so, how things work out. Then if you want give it a try but only after a full backup that you can restore to put things back as necessary. Personally I check most everything out in VMs 1st, so I get two AV *opinions* there, & can always run a Clamwin scan too -- there's a portable version at portableapps.com.

Posted 13 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Thanks mikiem for bringing some enlightenment in this muddy water.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think there is reason enough to rap someone's knuckles.

Posted 13 years ago #
Robert
StrayCat

The original version was 1.21.8557 , the new one seems to be version 1.21.9313.
I noticed the registration was removed from the ashampoo license account.

In order to correct the error and for you to be still able to
use the full version free, we need your help.

Obviously they want people to download the new version so the program has a free signatures update period that is limited until 2/18/12,just like it was announced on the day of the 'giveaway'.

IMO a one year period would have been more worth the hassle...

But Anti-malware seems to recognize a zipped eicar.com test file. :)

PS @Delenn13 :no problem to view your picture
Hi Damian. :)

Posted 13 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

Hmm, I will have to see how things pan out on this one. I'll keep the version I downloaded for now and see if it's still valid after the new cut-off date next January.

As for the licences; all of the licences I applied for were the same even though I applied for them with different emails and names of my family members (My wife and I have different surnames as she didn't want to change her name when we married, so the kids have a double barrelled one) I wanted to install the program on all of my families computers. I was surprised when Ashampoo gave this away, but I'd forgotten about the hacking incident (there's been so many now from loads of respectable names), in any event, that incident shouldn't affect me as it's post hack. I’m sure they have reviewed and revised their own security since that incident.

They are probably trying to claw back customers who left after the hacking incident. All in all they are still a good bet in my books. Money is tight so I've got to make the best of the free deals that are around at the moment.

Posted 13 years ago #
DJ
Member

Hello back at you Robert!

Posted 13 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

As for the licences; all of the licences I applied for were the same even though I applied for them with different emails and names of my family members

Hmmm...
I got one license originally testing in XP Mode VM, & reused that for a win7 ult 32 SP1 VM when the XP Mode install wouldn't update. I monitored installation of the newer version in both VMs, getting a license for each using the same e-mail address + one other email address on the same [Roadrunner] service. All 3 keys are different.

Not a problem as I assume yours is working -- just chiming in in case someone else says: "Hey, all mine were different". :-)

Posted 13 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

Money is tight so I've got to make the best of the free deals that are around at the moment.

There's a comic strip called "Pickles" featuring an older couple, & they recently did a few days worth on being cheap or frugal or whatever you want to call it -- I call it necessity BTW... Anyway, loved the line that she even took her glasses off when she wasn't looking at anything.

Posted 13 years ago #
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru

Strange re: the licences???

Posted 13 years ago #

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