Ef, king Steinberg

Steinberg just convinced me to switch to other notation software. I need to work, not constantly “fight” with amazingly riddled “features”.

What exactly is not working for you?

I get this pop-up too but everything runs smoothly.

It is only Dorico 4, that is not starting. I assume, you were not able to get it from attached picture?

I don’t use Cubase. I get the same notification that you get but then it disappears after 10 seconds. Does this happen to you as well or does it stop you right there.

Do you have the current version of SAM? Also, have you tried signing in and out? Some people have reported that deactivating and then reactivating has solved the problem.

Daniel, I want to use Dorico 4 (that was working two weeks ago without problems). Now - it does not start, asking to activate. But (as you see on the screenshot) - activation manager confirms it is already activated.

I am using Steinberg products (mostly Cubase) since 1991. It was rock solid product (products). Since Yamaha bought it, it goes down.

I am on holidays, with my MacBook only, and I am pissed, as I have to write and send notes to my team (double pissed, as Dorico is not working because of a reason some Yamaha engineers can only know). I will not waste time to solve idiotic problems with Steinberg products. I bought Sibelius. Not a big fan of Avid, but it works.
I have no time to play with buggy Dorico. Case ended.

So, at least we can confirm that it’s not actually running…

I’m assuming you have but have you tried any of the suggestions I’ve made?

Yes, Daniel, I tried basically everything before. I went as far as to uninstall and reinstall it.
Dorico is a bug in my opinion. Not worth a penny.

I disagree and I hope someone here can help you out.

Yes, Avid - Sibelius helped me out.
I loved Steinberg - the solid German quality. I love also Japan, and Japanese quality. Unfortunately Yamaha is none of them (I already did stop using great products from other companies, as they totally changed - dropped down quality - after Yamaha bought them). Now - looks like the same story - quality degradation - goes with Steinberg. Bravo Yamaha.

Luckily many of the helpful team from Sibelius are working here now!

Would you be happy to share some of the “degradation” that you’re referring to? (I mean that in a nice way!). Most of the users here are very interested to hear about others’ Dorico experience.

Daniel, the “degradation” was not related with Steinberg, was guitar-related companies (Guitar, like piano, shall have the infinite lifespan, right? Yet, after Yamaha bought the manufacturers, they went obsolete in very short time - I do not want to use names here, but those guitars were requiring firmware updates to work). So, dozens of instruments went hm, trash, and I am sure, I was not the only one who had such experience. Same story with some other things, that by definition shall live “infinite” life. Well, I did managed NOT to upgrade one device (after Yamaha bought the manufacturer), and it still works, and I am happy with that (strangely) :slight_smile:

But - my post was and shall stay Dorico 4 related.
And with Dorico 4, I was extremely dissatisfied.
If the software was activated and working, and just after some update did stop working, as it did not see it was activated - it is useless to me.
I am charging money for my work. And I HAVE to be reliable. So have to be all tools I use, otherwise I will not be able to properly support my customers.
Today - because I need to deliver and be supportive to my customers, I did drop Dorico forever. I am not a giant, and I cannot afford glitches. I must stay reliable to earn money and live, and so must be the tools I use. Surprises are not welcome at all. :wink:

(Daniel, thank you for the conversation. It helped a much to unload my stress!)

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It shouldn’t need to be said, but you hearing about Yamaha acquiring Steinberg 17 years ago isn’t the cause of a random lock-up. Steinberg is still Steinberg. Dorico is primarily developed by the original team behind the modern incarnation of Sibelius.

First, make sure that you’re running the latest version of Dorico (4.2). For most people, this issue is fixed by simply restarting your computer. You can also try following the advice provided by the Steinberg staff in this topic:
https://forums.steinberg.net/t/activation-issues-after-update-to-dorico-4-1/789124

I’m sorry to hear you have had problems with Dorico not running, even though it appears to be activated correctly according to Steinberg Activation Manager.

I wonder whether you have restarted your computer? That is a reasonably certain way to be sure that any spurious Steinberg License Engine processes that might be sticking around and causing a problem with running the software have been ended.

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You are probably right.

Yet - I did all I could do - restart, reinstall, doing a glass of wine, swear, talk, ask questions, followed suggestions. It did not work.

Does not matter if that is one day or twenty years. Fact remains the fact.
Software must work.

The argument that Dorico is developed by some programmers who left Avid - failed. Shall they be so good, they will be still there, developing the software that works. Or, in other words - Dorico is not working properly, because some programmers… (yes, you finish the sentence).

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Yes sir, I did restart, reinstall.
Cannot reinstall the whole OS, as I am on holidays and my internet connection here sucks. But anyway - I shall not be forced to reinstall the whole operating system, just because software that was working two weeks ago suddenly went south :wink: Right? :slight_smile:

I’m sorry but I think is a ridiculously unkind thing to post from a person who couldn’t possibly have all the information about how it all went down. I do know that I can see Daniel replying right now at midnight about to try and help you.

If you had provided your customer with a faulty product (in their case) would you want the customer treating you this way?

If you’d like to get to the bottom of why Dorico isn’t running on your computer, we’ll be pleased to help.

If you could zip up the Activation Manager folder found inside /Users/your-username/Library/Application Support/Steinberg and attach it here, we might be able to get an idea as to what is preventing Dorico from realising that it is indeed activated.

Can you also check that you have the most recent version of Dorico 4 installed? If you look in the Applications folder and select the Dorico 4 bundle, then type Command+I, you’ll see the Get Info window, in which the Version field should read 4.2.0.1092.

Right, Daniel. I must be ridiculous.
Sadly, I am not only musician. I have my degree from University of Liverpool in Software Development and Management. I was working for over 20 years in software development business. I can tell, when sh…t happens. And definitely, I do know, what and why I am doing on my computer.
The same I do expect from other software developers, that ask me to pay money for they work. Actually - I do expect more from them than from myself. Less frameworks and politics, more in-depth knowledge.
People, who are not good enough go to other companies that are in need of hiring “professionals” - that looks like the Dorico team that left Avid.

Geez, this forums starts to sound like Apple fan boys club. Logical arguments and facts thrown away because of “this products is so good”. No, it is not. And it’s normal.

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I’ll do that.

Here you go (in case, I did reinstall Dorico again - nothing changed, it is not starting, and still asking for activation).
Activation Manager.zip (95.3 KB)