Why is it is impossible for me to install the Wavelab Elements 12->13 upgrade?

WaveLab
1

This is on Windows 11.

I have been running Wavelab Elements 12 for a couple of years and bought the update to Wavelab Elements 13. I received an E-mail that says this:

Follow these steps to download, install and activate

  • Download and install Steinberg Download Assistant for Windows or Mac if it is not already installed
  • Launch Steinberg Download Assistant and sign in with your exiting Steinberg ID or create one
  • Click on ‘Redeem Code’ and enter the Download Access Code(s) shown below
  • Select the software under ‘My products’ to get a list of download options on the right
  • Click the Download or Install/Install all button to continue

I did the first two steps, and on the “Redeem Code” step I entered the download code they sent me. The result is this dialog.

image
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If I pull up the Steinberg Activation Manager it says I’ve activated the Wavelab 13 Elements License:

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image875×205 28.3 KB

What’s the deal here. Is Steinberg just really bad at this?

2

The error message typically appears if you bought the wrong update.

From the Activation Manager screenshot I think you already own and have activated Wavelab Elements 13 previously, because you did this update already some time ago. Login to your Steinberg online profile and check the activation there, it shows a date.

So assuming you already have Wavelab Elements 13 the error message is correct, because you are trying to update from Wavelab Elements 12 and you do not have it anymore (even if you can still run it), it has been updated already.

3

This seems to be activated on your picture.
If you run WaveLab Elements 13, what happens?

4

Well I tried another permutation of how to do this:

  1. Uninstalled Wavelab Elements 13
  2. Installed Wavelab 12
  3. Re-installed Wavelab 13

Now it works.

Honestly this should not be as difficult as it was. The instructions are misleading, there are 2 different programs (licensing and downloading/installing) and I only got it working by taking a “drunkard’s walk” around the problem.

5

Now you have both versions installed.

Did you try to run Wavelab 13 before this deinstall and reinstall steps?

It was activated so it was ready to run before.