How to delete the license ('*.lic'), activation ('nsActivation.act'), and registration ('nsreg.ini') files used by NovaBACKUP client, to then allow a repair of the client to work, to try to fix install or registration/activation/licensing related issues, etc. The main contents of this KB article are also detailed as Step 5. in the linked KB article named "Clean uninstall and reinstall of current NovaBACKUP client software (all versions)" here. However, the contents of that linked article do not include performing a repair of the client after those files are deleted however, which is in the last section steps in this current KB article to also follow in that case, in the section at the bottom named "If you still have issues with registration / activation / licensing the NovaBACKUP client after the above delete all of the *.lic and nsActivation.act files steps are taken ..". This KB article is meant to allow you to delete those files and then perform a repair of the client to regenerate those files correctly again, after performing a registration / activation again after all of the stated files are deleted and the client repair is done. Deleting the nsreg.ini file may also be a necessary step, prior to a client repair or client install after that, and/or an uninstall of the client with keep data + deleting the nsreg.ini file may also be necessary (and the last two items are covered in the bottom most section only).
First, exit out of the NovaBACKUP client application. Then stop the "NovaBACKUP Backup/Copy Engine" service via Windows Services (services.msc command via the Start > Run As menu). You don't want either item to be running during these steps. That service will start back up by itself at the end when you do start the NovaBACKUP client app again, just keep in mind.
In order to see this hidden folder named C:\ProgramData you will have to enable "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" option, and in order to see the .lic and .act files you will need to enable the "Show Protected Files" option (for a how-to read this guide) in Windows Explorer or just paste directly in to Windows Explorer as the path C:\ProgramData
If the operating system is Windows Vista/ 7/ 8/ 10 / 11, Windows Server 2008/ 2008 R2/ 2012/ 2016/ 2019 / 2022, navigate via Windows Explorer to:
C:\ProgramData\
Once inside the C:\ProgramData\ folder: Look for and then delete all of the NovaBACKUP related license files with the file extension *.lic. Next, delete nsActivation.act. Note: If there is no "nsActivation.act" file in place, that just means that the software didn't go through either the activation or the registration stages prior yet, so don't worry about if you can't locate that file to delete it in that case, at least you made sure that it does not exist.
If your operating system is Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 (for legacy / old versions of NovaBACKUP only, prior to 20.0.x, back when the client could be installed on those old OS's) then the instructions differ and the folder structure to navigate to via Windows Explorer will be:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\
Once inside the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ folder: Look for and then delete all of the NovaBACKUP related license files with the file extension *.lic. Next, delete nsActivation.act. Note: If there is no "nsActivation.act" file in place, that just means that the software didn't go through either the activation or the registration stages prior yet, so don't worry about if you can't locate that file to delete it in that case, at least you made sure that it does not exist.
After all of the *.lic (there may be multiple of those *.lic files keep in mind) and nsActivation.act (there will only be a single file with that name, but only if the activation or registration did complete once) files are deleted, and with the NovaBACKUP client still in the exited state, then you will perform a client repair by going to Control Panel > Programs and Features, and then locate "NovaBACKUP" in the list of applications there, and then right-click on "NovaBACKUP" app and do a "Modify" function there, then click "Next" and then utilize the "Repair" function there in the menu. In that case it will repair the .lic file for that current installed version (such as "1.21.lic" in that case) and it will allow the nsActivation.act file to be able to re-create itself correctly once the activation of the client is done after that, on the next launch of the NovaBACKUP client, where it will ask you to register the software again. If you do not perform this client repair action then after having deleted the *.lic and the nsActivation.act files, then it won't be likely that you will be able to get the NovaBACKUP client to start up again.
If you still have issues with registration / activation / licensing the NovaBACKUP client after the above delete all of the *.lic and nsActivation.act files steps are taken, then follow the rest of the two documented steps in this guide, to also delete the nsreg.ini file, and to also perform a client uninstall step as a last resort, to see if you can correct that yourself (before creating a Support ticket for this problem):
If you beyond the above steps that have already been performed, still have an issue with registering / activating / licensing of the NovaBACKUP client, then it would be recommended that you also go ahead and delete the registration .ini file, which is an existing file named nsreg.ini that is located in the C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBackup\Profiles\ folder, as well as in the C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBackup\Profiles\BackupProfiles\ folder. In that case deleting the nsreg.ini file that exists in those two above stated (default data location) folders will often allow registering or licensing the software again after that is done, however you will be required to perform the client repair function again in that case to do that (or you can add this nsreg.ini file delete as an added step in the prior paragraph, just after deleting the *.lic and nsActivation.act files are deleted, if you do this extra step part to delete the two nsreg.ini files as well at the same time, and THEN you perform the client repair once after that. It has also been seen that for registering or licensing issues, that it is benefitial to perform a client uninstall and when prompted to remove the data you would answer no there (uncheck the checkbox item to do with that data removal during the uninstall when prompted), so that the data is kept in place, then you delete the *.lic and nsActivation.act and the nsreg.ini file as well at the same time, and THEN you will perform a client install of the same or newer client version again, and doing that usually will take care of any registration and license & activation problems after that.
Note: Deleting the nsreg.ini file may also be a necessary step, prior to a client repair or client install after that, and/or an uninstall of the client with keep data + deleting the nsreg.ini file may also be necessary (and the last two items are covered in the bottom most section only, above).