Lost installation entirely while trying to upgrade.

I tried to upgrade yesterday from 3 to 3.1.
First the download assistant had “corrupted files,” then the direct download from the “download Dorico” page on Steinberg’s site had “corrupted files” (“checksum error”). At the advice of Steinberg Phone tech support, I reset Windows (thereby hosing all my other apps, including my alternate software, Sibelius 7.1).

I still have checksum errors, no matter how many times I redownload.

I tried completely uninstalling and reinstalling the download assistant, which also didn’t work.

I’ve tried booting into safe mode with network access,

I’ve tried disabling ALL firewalls, including the one on my internet router, as well as ALL of Windows Defender (firewall, virus scanning, etc,).

I’ve tried redownloading after I reset Windows, while in safe more with all the firewalls and antivirus disabled.

I have tried checking and repairing my hard drive using chkdsk /f and chkdsk /r from the command line, and then re-downloading while in safe mode with all firewalls and antivirus disabled.

I still can’t reinstall Dorico (“checksum error”), and of course, the reset wiped my original installation.

I think the checksum itself is the issue, or perhaps Microsoft’s checksum checker.

I lost an entire day of productive writing time, which would have been billable at my normal hourly rate. I have lost access to the last 15 years of intellectual property I created in Sibelius before I switched. I have had to drop a commission that I could have had finished by deadline otherwise.

Someone please help me.

What version of Windows are you using?

Windows 10, latest update as of yesterday morning. And yes, I did repeatedly run Windows Update and reboot throughout this process, until it told me multiple times in a row that my computer was up to date. I did the same updating procedure after the Windows reset before I redownloaded.

My current hypothesis is that somehow, the latest Windows updates (which may have been rushed) somehow broke the checksum checker itself… Does Dorico use its own checksum checker, or does it call one from Windows?

I installed the upgrade successfully, but it was only when I went to restart the computer after installing Dorico 3.1 that the OS gave me the mssg to update Windows & restart. Perhaps I slipped in just under the wire.

Hope the Dorico Team can get you sorted and back to work soon.

A google search describes the most likely causes: Corrupt BIOS, depleted CMOS battery or other hardware failure…

You were given bad advice from Steinberg support, I’m afraid.

Yeah, I’m no computer genius, but I can’t imagine suggesting a fresh install of Windows that early in the troubleshooting process…

It wasn’t early in the troubleshooting process. It was about 38 minutes into the phone call. But it still really hosed me. Like, I am EXCEEDINGLY upset that I’ve lost access to all my Sibelius work due to the results of following this advice, even though it was well-intentioned.

… maybe… My googling didn’t turn up anything like that… I’ll see if I can find a BIOS repair tool.

There were apparently some glitches with the Sibelius license servers yesterday, but I’ve successfully deactivated Sibelius on one machine and activated on another machine in the past few hours. Have another go…

Thank you. I’ll try that! Do you know if the license servers work with Sibelius 7.1?

Thank you, pianoleo! At least Sibelius is working again. I’m updating my BIOS now too, and hopefully that will get Dorico up and running.

Currently, I am re-trying to download and use the Steinberg Download assistant. Apparently, it’s missing a DLL it needs to actually launch, and that DLL is supposedly contained in the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015, 2017, or 2019 redistributable. So I’m downloading and installing all of those, in hopes that I can get it to run.

Download assistant fails to open with following error messages:
“Error invoking method.”
“Failed to launch JVM”

FURTHERMORE: RE-downloading the Dorico 3.1 Application Installer direct from Dorico 3 Updates and Downloads | Steinberg and running it STILL GIVES ME THE SAME CHECKSUM ERRORS, AND FAILS TO INSTALL.

This is TOTALLY unacceptable for software I PAID GOOD MONEY for. I VERY MUCH need help.

This thread may help with your Steinberg Download Assistant woes. Read it carefully - some of it applies to mac rather than Windows: Steinberg download assistant can't start - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

I’ve just read a long thread about “checksum errors” with regard to Cubase, here: https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=283&t=171341
It looks like there was something afflicting the servers used by Yamaha/Steinberg in Australia.
The fact that no-one else appears to be having this issue with Dorico 3.1 leads me to think that, in this case, it’s probably something to do with your computer, but just in case it’s a problem with Steinberg/Yamaha servers near you, I’ve uploaded the Dorico 3.1 Full Installer via WeTransfer - this link should work for a week: https://we.tl/t-83yjDEHJ6Z
You’ll have to trust the providence of the file; I downloaded it from the direct link you posted above and installed it successfully on my Windows 10 machine (which is running 1903; I can’t see an obvious way of updating it to 1909).

I guess in theory I shouldn’t be putting Dorico installers on a file-sharing site, but if you bear in mind that theoretically anyone should be able to use the direct link on Steinberg’s own site, I can’t see the harm.

Thanks. Unfortunately, I have already found that thread and tried all possible solutions presented there, except that I haven’t gotten a DM from a Steinberg employee that I know of, and I can’t reasonably expect that to happen until the next business day anyway. I will try the download you have posted here and report back. Thank you!

“JVM” is the Java virtual machine" - i.e. something that you need to run programs that use Java, which I guess includes the Download Assistant.

Go here https://www.java.com/en/download/ and click the “do I have Java” link. If you don’t, then install it with the link on the page.

Java is not part of Windows and some people have security concerns about installing it, which might explain why your clean install of Windows doesn’t have it. (But the last time I did a clean install of Windows was so many decades ago that my memory doesn’t go back that far).

It’s the weekend and I’ve been out at a conference here in Salzburg all day so I am only seeing this tale of woe now. Unfortunately at this point I don’t know what to suggest: I’m very sorry to hear that our colleagues at Yamaha in the US ended up giving well-intentioned advice that has cost you a lot of time. I’ve never come across this checksum error issue before, so I don’t have any good ideas at the moment. Hopefully the installer provided by Leo will help, but if not, I’m sure you’ll let us know.

Thank you for checking in, Daniel.

I heard about that conference. I would love to have come if I were anywhere near there, but alas - 5,000 miles is a high barrier.

In the meantime, I also saw your post elsewhere for those with similar issues about downloading from a different machine over a different internet connection, and then transferring via flash drive and installing on your own machine, so I’m on my way to a friend’s house to try that.

Daniel et al., Success!
I have been able to use pianoleo’s WeTransfer link to download Dorico onto an external usb drive on a friend’s mac over a different internet connection, and I have been able to install Dorico 3.1. Now for the sounds!

In the meantime, I still don’t know if I will be able to use the Download Assistant on my own machine in the future, so that’s a little disconcerting… Thanks, all for the help. It’s a shame I had to drop a commission, but at least I can get back to it Monday…