Knowledge Base

Activation may fail with Unknown Error -1

Category: Licensing & activation
Date: 10 Jun 2009
Product: all products
Versions: 5-7
Platform: Any

While trying to activate SQL Data Compare, SQL Compare, or SQL Packager via the Internet, the following error may be displayed:

Unknown Error -1

This can happen if third-party security products interfere with the activation client's communication with the Red Gate activation server, which is implemented as a webservice using the HTTP protocol over TCP port 80.

First, consider temporarily disabling any firewall or security products that are running on the local computer. In particular, ISS BlackIce firewall seems to exhibit this problem. Disabling the BlackIce services temporarily will allow the activation messages to pass through from the server to the client.