Unregistered version. Monitoring stopped

Christiane · Post by **Christiane** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:22 am

Hi,

we are currently testing the trial version and consider to buy the Enterprise version of HostMonitor. The requirement is that there is absolutely no downtime of HostMonitor during our test period (should be up to 30 days??).

Unfortunately monitoring (windows service) stopps from time to time and in the HostMonitor logfiles are no reasons to find for this. Therefore, we almost apart from the purchase.

Luckily we found at least the message above in the windows application log and later this statement in the faq. Therefore, we have now hope again that the program still meets our requirements. Is there a possibility to test HostMonitor without these failures?

Without such failures a very great program!!

Christiane

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:27 am

Yes, evaluation version may stop monitoring.
If it is running as application, it shows registration dialog and continues monitoring when you click "Close" button.
If it is running as service, it adds record into NT Event Log and service should be restarted.

Normally "fresh" installation should work without pauses for about a week, then it may pause monitoring within several days, then it makes intervals shorter and shorter.

Perhaps you can test evaluation version in application mode?
Or send request to sales@ks-soft.net, may be we will find some other solution...

Regards
Alex

Christiane · Post by **Christiane** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:27 am

I don't think it is a good idea with this "stop-monitoring-feature" in an evaluation version. We had searched for days for the reason and were concerned that the program may be as unreliable as our monitoring tool that we want to replace.

And no - application mode is no solution. Nobody sees e.g. at night such registration dialog and so again HostMonitor stops working.

Today I saw by chance the registration dialog but always when I clicked the close button a new registration dialog appeared and so on... I had to kill hostmonitor.exe...

I am sure some less patient people get frustrated becouse they don't know why that happens and go away.

Anyway - thanks for the offer with sales@ks-soft.net. I will try...

Regards
Christiane

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 2:54 pm

Today I saw by chance the registration dialog but always when I clicked the close button a new registration dialog appeared and so on... I had to kill hostmonitor.exe...

We cannot reproduce this problem.
What version of HostMonitor do you use? Windows? Service Pack?

Regards
Alex

Christiane · Post by **Christiane** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:33 am

Version 9.02 (beta) on Windows 2008 R2 Standard.

We tried to go back to verison 8.86 but the config file is already converted...

Regards
Christiane

KS-Soft Europe · Post by **KS-Soft Europe** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 8:47 am

New HostMonitor version upgrades HML file format and asks if you want to create backup file (.~hm file).
If there is .~hm file in HostMonitor folder, you may rename it to .hml and use it with previous version of Advanced Host Monitor.

don@net1media.com · Post by **don@net1media.com** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 7:20 pm

I also hate this "feature". I know this is an evaluation. I don't mind the "nag" screens, just don't stop working.

I am an existing customer looking at your new version. While doing my evaluation, I installed the new software and stopped using the old version. Relying on the evaluation worked to my detriment. Twice, the same customer called my attention to something that I should have been alerted to by HostMonitor and was not due to the "nag" window being opened.

Please rethink this strategy.

By the way, I will purchase the upgrade.

xcentric · Post by **xcentric** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:06 pm

While doing my evaluation, I installed the new software and stopped using the old version. Relying on the evaluation worked to my detriment.

With all due respect, you should never use evaluation software in a production environment.

Regards

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:15 pm

Displaying registration dialog without pausing monitoring does make much sense, especially when HostMonitor running in service mode. You will use evaluation version for a year and you will not know it is still evaluation

Also, normally HostMonitor should check your registration codes and warn you when you need new codes BEFORE actual update, unless you have disabled "Update check" option that is located on Misc page in the Options dialog. In such case you may use menu Help->Update check to verify license before update.
Also, we increased "working" intervals in version 9.04 (not available for download yet)

On the other hand, you are right. When already registered customer wants to test new version using his configuration files, new version should work and show registration dialog or some warnings BEFORE monitoring pauses. Not sure how this can be done

But I have added task into "to do" list.

Regards
Alex