Old software Corel help.

[AYWM]

Corel is no longer supporting many of their software line, and they seem to have closed their forum section. So I figured I would try here.

I love Corel Motion Studio 3D, but for some reason it stopped working with Windows 10 Pro. I think it has to do with an update Microsoft made that affects some 32bit software from working entirely within a 64bit system. I was thinking that I could just install Windows 10 32bit and run the program from a virtual machine.

However, I heard rumor that Corel ended support for software activation with Corel Motion Studio 3D. I am uncertain because Corel Support wouldn't even touch base on that, or much of anything regarding MS3D during a chat had with them.

Also, the update feature still downloads when you click on those from within the app. So, I don't know what to think.

I know it is very outdated software, but I still love it, and I have a lot of unfinished projects I was working on. I am also aware that Windows 10 is coming to an end in 2025, but I can install the virtual machine on a computer without internet and/or backup the drive.

Basically, I would love to finish my work with MS3D before I let it go.

If anyone knows a solution, thanks so much for your help.

[AYWM]

No takers?

Well, ok...

[handrawn]

I was thinking that I could just install Windows 10 32bit and run the program from a virtual machine

try it and see - I have some software that requires this; in fact I had some software that fell over after 4 weeks or so when the trial ended but I could start again from scratch, it depends how the activation works; and, thankfully I no longer need this now at all, so I'm spared the hastle

It depends how much you need the program does it not ?

If Corel cannot help I don't see what else you can do...

EDIT - should add, for the avoidance of doubt, that I had purchased said software, but the activation no longer worked

[AYWM]

I am thinking of just trying the virtual machine option while I still can.

I imagine that if I can get it working then I will just finish my projects and then simply consider other options.

I just want to finish my projects, LOL.

[handrawn]

I just want to finish my projects

which will never happen if you never begin...

[Sophus]

I just read your post and since I also have a full version of Motionstudio 3D I simply tried it. It works fine on Windows 10 for me. Of course, it seems like it wants an online activation after 30 days and cannot connect to the activation servers any longer. But it looks like it works with all features until then. No watermarks.

So, after 30 days you can basically reset your computer or virtual machine and start again. Or maybe some tool like RunAsDate will let the software always start inside the 30 days time window.

[Acorn]

Or maybe some tool like RunAsDate will let the software always start inside the 30 days time window.

Sophus, I appreciate you did not directly tell anyone to use RunAsDate. There are three issues with using RunAsDate to extend a trial period. One, it is not ethical and probably not legal. Two, most program writers can detect such a kernel change and would block the trial immediately. Three, you always have to be sure that the download you get is free of malware.

We tried or built such tools for Y2K testing and found you had so many spawned processes and dependencies that you still had no guarantee that a system would not fall over.
I quickly learned of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Acorn

[Sophus]

I'm pretty sure it's perfectly legal if the user paid for the full license but the developer no longer offers activations, which I find much more problematic.

Some time ago, music software developer Native Instruments tried this. They said, that they will no longer allow activations of very old software they released 20 years ago. Back then their EULA stated, that they will offer an alternative way to activate the software if this happens. They tried to get around this by sneakily changing the EULA, but you could still read the old one on archive.org. This caused an outrage and they had to backtrack.

I also decompiled software I bought a long time ago and changed it, so it still runs under modern systems, which is completely legal under EU law.

[handrawn]

I also decompiled software I bought a long time ago and changed it, so it still runs under modern systems, which is completely legal under EU law.

I wouldn't bet on that depending on what it says in the EULA; it depends on what you bought: the actual code, or just the right to use it as supplied....

[Acorn]

I'm pretty sure it's perfectly legal if the user paid for the full license but the developer no longer offers activations, which I find much more problematic.
Some time ago, music software developer Native Instruments tried this. They said, that they will no longer allow activations of very old software they released 20 years ago. Back then their EULA stated, that they will offer an alternative way to activate the software if this happens. They tried to get around this by sneakily changing the EULA, but you could still read the old one on archive.org. This caused an outrage and they had to backtrack.
I also decompiled software I bought a long time ago and changed it, so it still runs under modern systems, which is completely legal under EU law.

I think we are hitting the buffers over this.
I am not a lawyer but an engineer and there is a difference between reverse engineering (allowed by EU, US et al) and decompiling and altering.
The latter is probably excluded in most EULAs.
EU Directive 2009/24/EC Article 5 allows reverse engineering but Article 4 assigns the exclusive rights of the author, including the rights to translation, adaptation, arrangement, any other transformation and reproduction of the program. Akin to copyright.

I was more focused on extending a trial period. This is not fair use and probably in breach of the EULA.
A paid-for full licence, where the product can no longer be activated, is different. You probably can decompile and rework but this has to be for your own use otherwise you may have to accept the company could claim copyright infringement and then big money passes onto to lawyers.

Simplest approach is to contact the company and get them to agree the program is 'abandonware' and change its licence to GNU-GPL or similar. Till then it is still copyrighted and worse the program itself has to adhere to its used third parties' licensing conditions.

Acorn