For Cineform Support:

I will need to reinstall NeoHD 5 a system crash that seems likely to require a clean-reinstall of Win 7, followed by re-installing my editing software,

I did a quick search of the knowledgebase but, if there is anything covering this, I missed it.

So, when reinstalling NeoHD 5, can I use the activation key that I received when I got the upgrade last May or do I need to get a new key from Cineform? If I need to apply for a new key, will there be a problem using the automated links since I have not deactivated the old key? (Obviously, I cannot deactivate now because of the system crash). If there will be a problem, do I file a trouble ticket or is there somebody at Cineform I should e-mail directly to get my old key deactivated and a new one sent?

(If it matters, Win 7 crashed during a re-boot for a Windows Update. Whatever the update was supposed to do, it erased or corrupted all of the restore points and causes Windows to hang on-the splash screen during boot up. Windows still hangs even after restoration from the full system back-up. l have used another operating system (or a separate hard drive) to verify that the Win 7 hard disk is fully accessible and not corrupt. So, looks like a full system reinstallation. Oh joy. At least I only use the box for editing.)

Problem solved.

When doing a clean re-install after a system crash, you do need to request a new activation key.

For anybody else who runs into this kind of problem, you do this by filing a trouble ticket at the Cineform support website. In the trouble ticket, you tell them how you are having to reinstall after a system crash. The trouble ticket will require you to provide your Cineform product serial number, so have that handy. (You did store the serial number someplace other than on the computer that crashed, right?)

Cineform then verifies you as a registered user. It adds an activation for your serial number on the server. It then e-mails you to let you know you can now request a new activation key. You then go to the website, follow the activation key request procedure as per normal.

OR... if you know that you're going to be reinstalling your OS, you can deactivate the software prior to doing so.

Our TechBlog has deactivation instructions for both windows and mac:

windows: Cineform Tech Blog Blog Archive How to Deactivate your CineForm Software (Windows) (http://techblog.cineform.com/?p=3367)

mac: Cineform Tech Blog Blog Archive How to Deactivate your CineForm Software (Mac) (http://techblog.cineform.com/?p=3361)

then once you've deactivated and reinstalled, you can reactivate as usual.

deactivating prior to reinstalling your OS will make reactivating easier... as well as eliminate the need to contact support.

Those instructions are for planned re-installs. They make clear that something needs to be done to reactivate after Windows is reinstalled.

Unfortunately, my re-install was the result of an unplanned system crash. I simply had no way of deactivating and did not understand how to proceed.

Fortunately, I've again found that Cineform has good customer support. I got my answer for my particular problem. All is working well again.