update of application by exchanging the executable: license problem

[Softterrier]

Hallo,
I would like to implement an automatic update for my distributed vb6 software (standard exe) by just exchanging the executable on the user's computer without a complete new installation.
But when starting the exchanged exe file now the message appears that there is no software license anymore for my program to start. Furtheron the internet connection of the msinet.ocx of my application is blocked now.
Does anybody know what else has to be done that the executable is accepted or 'registered' at Windows system again?
I suppose that anything like the CLID, UUID or GUID of my application has to be updated in the registry as well!?...
Remark: I thought this number would only be relevant in relation with activex components!...

Thank you very much for your help!
Best wishes, Softterrier

[DataMiser]

Normal Executable files do not require registration, nor do they require a license of any kind.

You'll have to give more details before I would be able to even offer a guess as to what might be the problem.

[Softterrier]

if a Windows application did not get the certificate of Microsoft then there appears at the beginning of the installation a warning message that this application is not certified by Microsoft and continuation of the installation will be on own risc!

So this warning appeared after the executable exchange at every start of the exe file!
When I recompiled it later and copied it to the other computer (where my program once was installed) the warning message did not appear again. VERY strange!
So unfortunately I cannot reconstruct this phenomena again.

But the problem with the last mentioned internet connection of msinet I found out why. It does not have any relation to the upper problem!! I supposed that at first.
And here I found out what is noted NOWHERE in vb documents:
An opened message box (MsgBox) behaves different in run mode and in an executable !!!!!
In run mode it blocks all events (like the one of timer or msinet) but in the compiled application the timer events are NOT blocked !! Did you know that?...
A fatal error of VB6 IDE !!

So this was the reason for the second problem. But as I have to trigger msinet processes by timer I will have to avoid opened message boxes. So the only chance seems to be a 'self-made' msgbox (based on a non-modal form).
Or do you have another idea?...

By the way, the same (non-avoided difference between run mode and compiled appl.) happens not only at MsgBox but also at modal forms. So do you know how I can avoid e.g. the opening of timer triggered forms when another modal form is opened (besides circumstancially by a flag variable)? There does not seem to exist e.g. a command/property that is set if the application is blocked, does it?...

[DataMiser]

So when you say license what you are actually talking about is a certificate and when you are talking about bound forms you seem to be actually talking about Modal forms.

Using the proper terms should turn up better results in a search.

I don't normally construct programs to open forms via a timer but if memory serves you will get an error if you try to open a non modal form while a modal form is open.

[Softterrier]

In advance... thank you very much for your time and feedback!!

And yes, you are right. bound = modal and license = certificate.
Sorry for that, I am German and I may have looked up the wrong words.

I corrected my last text now.
So do you think that you are able to comment it this time?...

Thank you!

[Phill.W]

I'm confused.

In your first post, you said this (emphasis mine):

I would like to implement an automatic update for my distributed vb6 software (standard exe) by just exchanging the executable on the user's computer without a complete new installation.

That says to me that you want to copy a new .exe file from "somewhere" onto the client machine, avoiding the need for an installer.

... at the beginning of the installation a warning message that this application is not certified by Microsoft ...

If you don't want an installer, why are you running one?

I would guess the problem is that you're initially installing the program into, say, C:\Program Files, which requires elevated permissions and then trying to overwrite it, which a "regular" user cannot do.

Either your initial installation needs to go elsewhere, where the user can overwrite it, or you need to use an Installer and that means paying cash money (every year) for a real Certificate, certifying your application.

Regards, Phill W.

[cobraide]

1: use hardware id
2: dont use hdd id it can be faked
3ut text file in website.com/text.txt with serial and ip what ever u can do
4:inet to that server if connection is successfull then check the textfile to se if that ip ,hardware id match and serial etc.
5: if inet gets blocked dont allow programme to run
6:do no make msgbox to show customers messages your programme can be cracked!!! , msgbox is a big no if u selling your software.

try and make multimul authentication trick if 1 fails do more checks if all fails disallow

if u want to update the programme just fine the exe name and delete it and put new exe in folder