Problems with Downloading Registration Benefits

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Problems with Downloading Registration Benefits

There have been several reports of problems with accessing and downloading registration benefits.  We have investigated the issue and have news to report.  This sticky thread will be updated with additional information as it becomes available over the next few days.

Background
In order to negotiate deals with partners and authors to provide the highest value benefits, we must must be able to guarantee a secure download center that limits benefits distribution to those who have registered.  We use the Microsoft Connect site to provide our secure download infrastructure, which is why you are redirected to the Connect site from the registration email.

Why am I getting this error: "Error: The page you have requested is unavailable or you do not have access."
The Connect site lives on a different set of servers than the registration wizards. In order to ensure that we safeguard your private information, we have a rigorous system of protections in place.  These protections mean that propagating data across our backend servers (i.e. from registration to Connect) takes some time. Due to a few factors, some data has been subject to propagation delays of up to 10 minutes.  If people tried to access the Connect site before the data propagated, they would receive an incomplete list of benefits or a potentially the error message above.  In this case, all you have to do is try again after a few minutes, and you should be able to access the benefits.  You do NOT need to uninstall/reinstall the product.

We just pushed a fix into production that will put a hard ceiling on the propagation delay at 5 minutes.  This should significantly decrease the number of customers who encounter issues.  We are continuing to work to reduce the latency further.  I'll report back here with news of additional progress.

There are also a very small number of people (fewer than 1%) for whom data is not propagating to Connect at all.  We are still trying to determine the cause of this problem.  If you still can't access benefits after waiting 5-10 minutes, please email me at vsrghlp@microsoft.com and I will manually add you to the appropriate security groups to access benefits.


Why am I getting "downloadDetails.aspx" when I try to download a benefit
Since it was originally designed to support very large product downloads for Beta programs and since many of our component downloads are quite large, the Connect site uses a smart download component called the File Transfer Manager (FTM) to assist in the download of benefits.  On Internet Explorer the user is automatically prompted to install the FTM. On FireFox and Netscape, you have to install manually.  This is lame, and we will work to improve the Firefox and Netscape experiences.  In the meantime, below are instructions for installing FTM (from the Connect FAQ: https://connect.microsoft.com/faq.aspx).

What is Microsoft File Transfer Manager (FTM)
Microsoft File Transfer Manager (FTM) is a client-side application whose purpose is to provide secure and guaranteed delivery when downloading or uploading large files over the internet. Users requesting downloads from Microsoft Connect must have FTM installed. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, you will be asked to install FTM with just a click the first time you request a download. Netscape and Firefox users must go to the following site and request FTM for their first download: http://transfers.one.microsoft.com/ftm/


Why am I getting the "VBScript: File Transfer Manager. There was a error launching the File Transfer Manager.  Please try again later or contact your help provider." dialog box
This is also due to the File Transfer Manager (FTM).  If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2, installed, then you must click the yellow bar at the top of the browser content window to install the File Transfer Manager ActiveX control or alternatively, use the instructions in the previous question to manually install the FTM.  After installing the FTM, downloads will work as expected.


Thank you everyone and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,
Scott Currie
DDCPX Program Manager
Microsoft

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Problems with Downloading Registration Benefits

  • ruben.a83

    Hi jfc kvdfhkgjvfhdsgjgchkfghjngfjk,

    I understand that you are frustrated about having to install a download manager.  As you point out, this is far from ideal for many users.  We are working to improve this experience, and you will see changes to the Connect site (and additional registration benefits added to your list) over the next several months.

    When you use IE, are you seeing an error message when you try to access something other than the Connections Home   What happens when you try to use the download link provided in the registration confirmation email

    Scott Currie
    DDCPX Program Manager
    Microsoft

  • Snorrk

     Scott Currie MSFT wrote:

    In this case, all you have to do is try again after a few minutes, and you should be able to access the benefits.  You do NOT need to uninstall/reinstall the product.


    up to now i'm waiting for 3 hours :(

  • Andreas Asterlund

    gli268,
    What do you mean by manual download   Do you mean that you manually downloaded the Expres CD image   If so, are you saying that using the Express CD image made it so that registration benefits download worked for you

    Thanks,
    Scott Currie
    DDCPX Program Manager
    Microsoft

  • adisingh

     thepaul wrote:
     Scott Currie MSFT wrote:

    In this case, all you have to do is try again after a few minutes, and you should be able to access the benefits.  You do NOT need to uninstall/reinstall the product.


    up to now i'm waiting for 3 hours :(


    Please send an email to vsrghlp@microsoft.com from the email address you used to register, and we will make sure that you get added.

    Thanks,
    Scott Currie
    DDCPX Program Manager
    Microsoft

  • citizenDAK

    Another problem with the registration benefits:

    I downloaded Visual C# Express Edition, installed and registered the product with no problems. However, I also wished to try out Visual WebDev Express Edition so repeated this process for this product. Again, everything proceeded as expected, although when I now access Microsoft Connect I can only access the benefits for WebDev. Has my second registration overwritten my first (both were performed via the same passport account) How do I access the Visual C# benefits - the ones I am most interested in

    Hope you can help,
        Andrew

  • brenmartin

    Scott,

    yes, that's how I did to make it work, download the CD image. 

    B. Regards

  • Boricwa

     Andy Wilkinson wrote:
    Another problem with the registration benefits:

    How do I access the Visual C# benefits - the ones I am most interested in



    I have the same problemm as well; as the VB.NET benefits are the ones that I am interested in but can't seem to find.

  • Sean Cromwell

    This is completely bogus. To "download" the Benefits programs, you have to load a download manager (which I don't need, I have one that works just fine, but I did it anyway), and all it downloads is the download.aspx file - which it insists on opening with VS 2003, and it's nothing but two lines of garbage. This is all with FireFox - if I use IE, it refuses to open anything but the Connections Home (even after I make all of the adjustments in the FAQ). If VS works as well as the Benefits web site, we're ALL in trouble !!!

  • al123

     Alright, look, I don't know about jfc kvdfhkgjvfhdsgjgchkfghjngfjk, but I can tell you what's happening for me.

    All I do is click on the link in the e-mail I received after registering C# Express. When I do that IE opens and I am presented with the standard Passport sign in and then I'm presented with a screen asking me to fill in my name, e-mail, age, screen name, and so on. However, when I press continue I get the following error...

    "Error: Object has changed on database since it was loaded and cannot be saved or deleted." 

    Am I supposed to wait at this point or is something else happening here No downloads are available at this point and none of the links to the left point me to anything of use. If this isn't clear enough, would a screen shot be helpful One way or another, there's a problem.

    Any help you can give is most appreciated.

  • Cordell Swannack

    "I don't know if this is the same problem, but when I tried to access the reg benefits, I got MS Connect, but with no options other than trying to register for a couple of beta programs.  When I checked the Registration FAQ, I found a different link to access the registration benefits.  This one took me to MS Connect, but gave me the correct Registration Benefits info: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/ LinkId=52054"

    Thanks, but this does not work for me.

  • johncmiller

    I'm sure this is being asked a lot, but what's the story with me getting the following error

    "Error: Object has changed on database since it was loaded and cannot be saved or deleted." 

    So far this is all I get when I try to access the registration benefits. Or is this the same as the error mentioned earlier in this thread

  • pixelpajas

    I waited hours yesterday, and it didn't work, and I finally decided to uninstall and install by using the manual download, and it works!  you got to use manual download for now, in my opinion.

  • Mark Benningfield

    I don't know if this is the same problem, but when I tried to access the reg benefits, I got MS Connect, but with no options other than trying to register for a couple of beta programs.  When I checked the Registration FAQ, I found a different link to access the registration benefits.  This one took me to MS Connect, but gave me the correct Registration Benefits info: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/ LinkId=52054

    Hope that helps some.

    --Jonathan Kalmes


  • SuperHornet

    Has anyone already figured this out I could only access the WebDev benefits but I'm mostly interested in VB.net. Smile


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