Alternative Activation

If you do not have internet access or cannot automatically activate a product, there is an alternate activation method.

This alternate method will provide you with an activation file which you must copy to a specific folder to activate your product.
Follow the steps below to retrieve the file and activate your product manually.

If you already have a text file with the activation text in it and was asked to come here, scroll down to Website Activation and follow the steps there.
If you have the activation text itself copied to your clipboard and was asked to email it, scroll down to Email Activation and follow the steps there.

  1. On the computer you wish to activate the product at, make sure your internet connection is disabled (see how below) and start the application (ie: WindowBlinds).
    To disable your internet connection, follow these steps:
    1. Win8/Win7/Vista: Click on Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Wizard. Select "Manage network connections" on the left pane.
    2. XP: Click on Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections.
    3. If you are on a wired network, right click on "Local Area Connection" and select "Disable."
    4. If you are on a wireless network, right click on "Wireless Area Network" and select "Disable."
    5. You may re-enable the connection after this process is done (we will tell you when).

  2. When the application starts, it will ask for your username and serial number. Type them in now.
    The only serial numbers accepted are of the following forms:
    • 35 digit string with dashes (containing characters from A-Z and 0-9, be careful not to mistake O for 0 or l for 1).
    • 28 digit string without dashes (containing characters from A-Z and 0-9, be careful not to mistake O for 0 or l for 1).
    • "OD-1234567-OEM-123456789" (This particular number will not work to activate)

  3. Product activation will fail. This is expected, please continue on. At this point it will ask you to do one of 2 things: Active by email or activate through a website. Depending on which one it asks, follow the steps in the proper section below (Email Activation or Website Activation).

Website Activation

  1. The application will write a file to your documents folder. The name of the file is XX.txt where XX is a number. The folder should open automatically, but if not, the file is located at:
    Win8/Win7/Vista: C:\Users\[Your Name]\Documents\
    XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[Your Name]\My Documents\
  2. Copy the file to a an external device (USB Stick, network drive, CD, iPod, etc.) and take it to a computer that DOES have internet access.
  3. Click on the Browse button below and locate the txt file. Select it and choose Open. Then click on Submit.


  4. In the colored box below will be a link to download the file (or a message if an error occurred). Right click on the link and select "Save As." Save the file somewhere and transfer it back to the PC you wish to activate the product at.

    5. Waiting for file submission.

  5. Copy and paste the file to the following directory at the computer you wish to activate the product at:
    Please submit a file to see the directory.
  6. Done! You may re-enable your internet at this time.

Email Activation

Note: You will not actually email anyone. This is an older method of alternate activation. If you get email activation, you will instead be copying the string given to you in the text box available below.
DO NOT EMAIL THE TEXT TO THE ADDRESS IT TELLS YOU! Follow the steps below for instructions on what to do with the text string given to you.

  1. The application will ask you if you want to activate by email, select Yes.
  2. The application will then ask if you bought product directly from Stardock or from a 3rd party.
    • If from a 3rd party, select No then fill out the information in the next window as best as you can.
  3. In the next window, copy all the text from the window.
  4. Transfer the copied text to a computer that DOES have internet access. You may paste the text into a file, save it, then transfer it over to another computer. Once you get it to the other computer, open the file and copy all of the text again.
  5. Paste the text into the text box below. Click on Submit.

  6. In the line below will be a link to download the file (or a message if an error occurred). Right click on the link and select "Save As." Save the file somewhere and transfer it back to the PC you wish to activate the product at.

    7. Waiting for text submission.

  7. Copy and paste the file to the following directory at the computer you wish to activate the product at:
    Please submit activation text to see the directory.
  8. Sins of a Solar Empire - Trinity: Please save the file to C:\ProgramData\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\License\trinity.bin
  9. Done! You may re-enable your Internet at this time.