Jump to content

Cakewalk Activation Error (20)


Recommended Posts

Ok that indicates that it's not related to the release and is environmental. Nothing has changed with the activation process in over a year.

Which version of windows are you running? It's possible that some windows update impacted this, or for that matter one of the Microsoft, redistributables.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/24/2022 at 1:09 AM, Noel Borthwick said:

Which version of windows are you running? It's possible that some windows update impacted this, or for that matter one of the Microsoft, redistributables.

Hey Noel - Same issue here , it happened after I installed Wavelab 11 ( 30 day Trial ) and it updated a bunch of redistributables

Using the rename workaround for the time being.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the workaround. I have been using Cakewalk since it came out and this just popped up on my work computer. Tried everything. Renaming the EXE works, but I wonder what is causing the problem. I am going to install the update at home and see if it happens on the computer where I do all my recording.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,
I had the same Cakewalk Activation error.

I tried to rollback, no success.
I installed the newest update again and excluded Cakewalk from beeing checked by defender, no success.
I installed the latest Cakewalk_by_BandLab_Redist_Setup_1.0.0.001, no success.

I renamed Cakewalk.exe to Cakewalk1.exe, success, finally

but the following message popped up,

attached picture


I confirmed private networks and now everything works as usual.
This message never popped up when I made the first three tries.

thank you for this helpful workaround.

Firewall.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/11/2022 at 7:23 PM, Bernd Seidel said:

but the following message popped up,
I confirmed private networks and now everything works as usual.
This message never popped up when I made the first three tries.

 

Same here - I think the message only popped up because the program is now called " Cakewalk1.exe"  and the existing firewall rules are for "Cakewalk.exe" 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who was having this problem please install the latest 2022.06 Update 1 EA that we released.
Even though the error 20 is caused by something completely external to Cakewalk, I've added some defensive code to the application that should prevent it from deactivating the application. (Something was causing the windows API's that read certificates to stop working. and this is what lead to the issue.)

Please check it and report back ASAP if it solves the issue. 

Attn: @Wong Jian Ming @Mark MoreThan-Shaw @Illogistical Resource Dept. @mesabassman @Lombardi

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Unfortunately, the same activation problem appears with the newest update version 2023.09.

Renaming the cakewalk.exe did not help. Turning off all firewall also did not help.

If I try to sign in via Help menu, but no feedback happens. After some time, a message Message see attached file. Before  there was a message like "Error 20 ...", which got replaced by the red message (s. attchmt)

Help is VERY appreciated. Thanks!

Clipboard02.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should have started a new thread you’ll be lucky if anyone makes it this far.


And the solution is not uninstalling. The solution is patients.  


I just installed the update to a extra laptop and I got the message too. I  clicked on the activation in help menu and noticed that nothing happened.  I ignored this and distracted myself with tuning my guitar and miking my amp. About 5 minutes went by and I got the green light. This is normal.
You uninstall now you have a bigger mess to clean up. Good luck. It’s beyond me why the first thing people do when troubleshooting is re install the software. It’s rarely the solution. Software is spread all over your system when it installs. It’s very tricky to totally erase ever last tidbit.  

Edited by JohnnyV
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got the nerve to install the Pine Box version of Cakewalk on my main DAW. I’ve finished everything important so if it blew up I’d just dust off my 8 track. 
It did the same thing and I got the activation message. 
Once again it was not exactly clear but I just figured it out and left it sitting for a few minutes and  it updated. I even read the liner notes. Good job team.
Only weirdness was my start screen of recent projects was blank? Oh well. It isn’t anymore. 
  

All I can say is they better get Sonar going soon because I’m slowly spending my Summer Gig money on other things. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Klaus M said:

Unfortunately, the same activation problem appears with the newest update version 2023.09.

Renaming the cakewalk.exe did not help. Turning off all firewall also did not help.

If I try to sign in via Help menu, but no feedback happens. After some time, a message Message see attached file. Before  there was a message like "Error 20 ...", which got replaced by the red message (s. attchmt)

Help is VERY appreciated. Thanks!

Clipboard02.jpg

If you're not seeing the sign in page, check if you have your default browser running somewhere. It sounds like there's something stopping the webpage launching with the sign in. Note that you have to use a sign in page that was opened by Cakewalk for it to work. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Klaus M said:

Unfortunately, the same activation problem appears with the newest update version 2023.09.

Renaming the cakewalk.exe did not help. Turning off all firewall also did not help.

If I try to sign in via Help menu, but no feedback happens. After some time, a message Message see attached file. Before  there was a message like "Error 20 ...", which got replaced by the red message (s. attchmt)

Help is VERY appreciated. Thanks!

 

Error 20 means something on your PC is tampering with the system used to check the digital signature of the app. Most likely caused by running cracked software or your PC has been hacked by something. 
Look in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
Check for a value DevOverrideEnable set to 1 for that key. If its there delete it and reboot your machine and try again.
Also sheck if cakewalk.exe is listed as a sub key underneath there with a value "debugger" or similar.  If so, delete that as well. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks!  The problem is solved, but after  some other manipulations:.

The key 'Image File Execution Options' does not exist on my registry.

As an  emergency solution I tried to  launch my old working Sonar X3 Studio Version and I could open even newer cwp files.
After I tried again to sign in to Bandlab with the new 2023.09 Bandlab version (still changed to "cakewalk1.exe" and it worked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...