I got a copy of some software from "a friend" at class. He said he didn't need it, that it was good blah, blah, blah.
Needless to SAY it never really installed correctly. I uninstalled it. (using control panal)
(by the way I have Windows 7.)
Then I bought a good copy that I know should work, and install. Except it doesn't. After install the main screen "kinda" pops up except with nothing on it. (The little spinning "working" circle keeps spinning) It's supposed to ask me for the serial number, than I'm supposed to put it in and then it's supposed to work. period.

Someone on another forum once said:

"Your 1st attempt might have already "poisoned" your system.", Some software, while you're trying to install it, if it's not a legitimate copy, it'll contact it's homepage through the internet. Then you'll have files placed on your computer stopping you from ever installing their product ever again."

Is that true, and if so, what can I do about it. Without paying $2,000 to Newtek, for an old outdated copy of Lightwave.

I just wanted a copy to learn on. I'm a Graphic Designer, so I know about intellectual property rights, and wouldn't use any software to make money. If I were to get paid, I'd then buy a copy from the company that made it. I FEEL strongly about that, but I also see nothing wrong with borrowing an older version to learn & do tutorials on.

Are there some 'hidden" files I can look for and delete myself that maybe "uninstall" doesn't get.

xerxiux_X
(pronounced = x-er-Z-uz_"X") While the consensus on this forum generally frowns on use of any registry cleaners, I believe a registry cleaner might be helpful in your situation. I say this because the registry in your Windows 0S may have remnants of the bad installation of the software you mentioned and those remnants may be the cause of the blocking of a fresh installation of the software.

So, I'll suggest the safest registry cleaner I know of. It is the registry cleaner in CCleaner. If you go to http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds and select the Slim build, you'll get the version that has no toolbar bundled with it. Or, if you download the standard installer (which has a toolbar, such as the oft-bundled Ask toolbar), you can unselect the toolbar when starting the installation of CCleaner.

After installing CCleaner, launch it and click the Registry button in the left column. Click the Scan for Issues button at the bottom of that screen. After the scan has completed, you can either have CCleaner remove all items it found by clicking Fix selected issues, and then Fix all issues, or you can removed the items one-by-one and selectively pick what to remove. I suggest allowing CCleaner to remove all items it found during the scan. CCleaner will prompt you to save/backup the registry before executing the fix, and you should do so.

ALTERNATIVELY, you could use the regedit command and manually search the registry but I recommend taking the easier path and using CCleaner's Registry cleaner.

Once you've completed the registry cleaning, try installing your software again. Quote

for an old outdated copy of Lightwave.

While the consensus on this forum generally frowns on use of any registry cleaners, I believe a registry cleaner might be helpful in your situation.

and NO there wasn't ever anything said about using/needing a dongle with it. it did mention in the NFO file that came with the 2nd one, that no dongle is needed for the install with the keygen it came with.

Then I bought a good copy that I know should work

So, it's true, some companies do install "secret files" to stop people from ever trying to install their software ever again? huh?
Sounds sneaky and sinister to me.