Well this is the scenario from hell if I ever saw one.
I just upgraded to BIAB 2024 last week, installed it and used one of my 3 activation's to get it going.
Well last night I walked over to my desktop to turn it on, not knowing that it actually was in a sleep mode. Well with 30% humidity in the room and after walking across the carpet you can only guess the ending.
The spark from my fingertip blew out the CPU and one of the SSD's (my E drive) that just happened to have an image of my C drive from 2 days earlier.
I was able to verify the CPU demise using an identical spare motherboard.
I had planned to upgrade this 13 year old dinosaur in 2024 anyways. In the meantime, I restored a 6 month old image to my standby laptop using a bare metal install and it works just fine.
Now the C drive from the desktop is intact so the Ticket in Users-Public-Ticket is just fine and has both the the 2023 and 2024 full tickets and bin files are there.
But I am sure I just wasted one of the activation's since the crash happened on the desktop PC
My next step is to copy my entire BB directory to the C drive in the laptop including the files in the ticket directory but I will bet even money after this is done, it will show a non-activated status and I will have to use a 2nd activation to get back in business.
Keep this in mind during the winter months with very low humidity. Watch for static electricity build up on your person. I keep a full room humidifier in the room for acoustic instruments but it had been off for a few hours and with the heat on, the humidity dropped to a dangerous level.
When sparks fly, electronics die.
I wonder if PG Music would restore the used and needlessly wasted activation for me for a XMAS present.
BIAB2025 Windows 10 Pro WA6NCB No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
I keep a full room humidifier in the room for acoustic instruments but it had been off for a few hours and with the heat on, the humidity dropped to a dangerous level.
This can be an expensive problem during the Winter in cold climates as you are unfortunately finding out.
I like a "belt and suspenders" approach intended to prevent dry skin and in the bargain we've never had an ESD electronics failure.
Our first line of defense is a 5.6 gallon AirCare humidifier. I don't trust the adjustable humidistat for "automatic control" so it runs on a low fan speed continuously 24/7 in the Winter.
Our second line of defense is 2 stainless steel pots maintained with water that live on top of the wood stove. The hotter the stove, the higher the moisture output. This automatic control I trust.
The third line of defense is a small Honeywell cool mist humidifier suitable for a single room.
Years ago I figured out the one-time adjustments for all 3 for zero condensation on the windows.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677 BiaB 2025 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
I keep a full room humidifier in the room for acoustic instruments but it had been off for a few hours and with the heat on, the humidity dropped to a dangerous level.
This can be an expensive problem during the Winter in cold climates as you are unfortunately finding out.
I like a "belt and suspenders" approach intended to prevent dry skin and in the bargain we've never had an ESD electronics failure.
Our first line of defense is a 5.6 gallon AirCare humidifier. I don't trust the adjustable humidistat for "automatic control" so it runs on a low fan speed continuously 24/7 in the Winter.
Our second line of defense is 2 stainless steel pots maintained with water that live on top of the wood stove. The hotter the stove, the higher the moisture output. This automatic control I trust.
The third line of defense is a small Honeywell cool mist humidifier suitable for a single room.
Years ago I figured out the one-time adjustments for all 3 for zero condensation on the windows.
I do have a 5.6 gallon AirCare which you can see in the picture but I don't have a wood stove. I also have a small cool mist which I will pull out for the bedroom.
Looking in the bright side, there was nothing important on the SSD that went out and it is under warranty so I already have a RMA in progress to return it. AND I was planning to upgrading to a new system after having this old one for over a decade in January anyways. The only bummer is the fact that I lost 1 of my 3 activation's for the 2024 Upgrade and that was after only enjoying it for around 4 days. That's the bummer.
BIAB2025 Windows 10 Pro WA6NCB No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
............................................ The only bummer is the fact that I lost 1 of my 3 activation's for the 2024 Upgrade and that was after only enjoying it for around 4 days. That's the bummer.
I'm sure that if you contact PGM and tell them what happened they will deactivate that computer.
It takes courage for a man to admit his wife was wrong.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
The fastest way calendar wise would likely be to use the Live Chat feature and explain your situation.
You still have two activation's left so you are probably not in that much of an emergency situation (thus emailing Support may be fine), but I concur with others; there is a good chance the Activation will be handled by support with little fuss .. the first time anyway.
If you try that a few times I suspect it would raise eyebrows though
In other words, I'd consider that the least of your worries right now.
For some reason, in my old memory, I *think* there is a way for you for you to deactivate a license in your PGMusic Store account yourself, but I couldn't provide detail .. I just seem to remember that there was a way.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
............................................ The only bummer is the fact that I lost 1 of my 3 activation's for the 2024 Upgrade and that was after only enjoying it for around 4 days. That's the bummer.
I'm sure that if you contact PGM and tell them what happened they will deactivate that computer.
I will contact them today, probably via chat since it is Saturday, and see if they will deactivate that computer for me.
BIAB2025 Windows 10 Pro WA6NCB No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
<...snip...> Our first line of defense is a 5.6 gallon AirCare humidifier. I don't trust the adjustable humidistat for "automatic control" so it runs on a low fan speed continuously 24/7 in the Winter.
Our second line of defense is 2 stainless steel pots maintained with water that live on top of the wood stove. The hotter the stove, the higher the moisture output. This automatic control I trust.
The third line of defense is a small Honeywell cool mist humidifier suitable for a single room.<...>
I never realized living in humid, coastal Florida was an advantage until now.
Well all and all it wasn't a total disaster at all. I got hold of PGMusic on the chat line on Saturday and they sorted the activation loss for me and was able to "deactivate" the now dead machine so I am back to square one on that. Kudos to PGMusic and their support team. Can't say enough for them.
I rebuilt my HP Envy DV7 laptop from scratch and now have it mirrored to the way my Desktop machine was and cabled my 27" monitor via a HDMI cable so my 70+ year old eyes wont be the next to go.
The big task is deciding which Motherboard, CPU, memory, fan and case I need to get. Any suggestions are welcomed. Since this build I am hoping will last another 10+ years, I need need to chose wisely, as they said in Indiana Jones movie.
Since I build my own, pcpartpicker.com was suggested to me and since I live equal distance from Kansas City and St Louis, MicroCenter has been visited by me many times before.
With 20+ CPU's and 50+ MB's to chose from, the end choice would be decided by both budget and reliability factors. Since I am an old AMD fan, I tend to lean towards them.
I am not really a gamer and tend to more productivity activities such as audio and video editing. Been looking into AI software that can separate old mono recordings into separate tracks so you can re-combine them into true stereo and that takes a fairly powerful processor.
And of course, one of the items will be purchasing then will be a anti-static wrist strap and mat.
BIAB2025 Windows 10 Pro WA6NCB No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!
While I built all my PCs starting in 1983, I hired a local business to build the last one. There were too many changes I wasn’t familiar with, like NVMe m 2 drives. But I did specify what I thought was most important for digital audio especially BIAB, and the priority is as follows:
CPU speed CPU cores Storage drive speed Storage drive capacity Sufficient RAM Graphics Onboard audio
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 60 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until December 31, 2025. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49. Browse the full contents of each package and listen to demos here.
XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs Special Extended Until August 31st!
The XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs special offers are now available until August 31st at 11:59pm PDT!
Ready to take your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 experience to the next level? Now’s the perfect time! Expand your style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs—packed with a wide variety of genres to inspire your next musical creation.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-9 includes 900 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). With over 3,500 styles (and 35 MIDI styles) included in Xtra Styles PAKs 1-20, the possibilities are endless!
Get the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 9 for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Get Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 20 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 19 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Listen to demos and order now! For Windows or for Mac.
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Don’t miss this chance to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box setup—at a great price!
Mac 2025 Special Upgrade Offers Extended Until August 15th!
It's not too late to upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® and save! We've extended our special until August 15, 2025!
We've added many major new features to Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, including advanced AI tools like the amazing BB Stem Splitter and AI Lyrics Generator, as well as VST3 plugin support, and Equalize Temp. Plus, there’s a new one-stop MIDI Patches Picker with over 1,100 MIDI patches to choose from, all neatly categorized by GM numbers. The MultiPicker Library is enhanced with tabs for the SongPicker, MIDI Patch Picker, Chord Builder, AI Lyrics Generator, and Song Titles Browser, and the tabs are organized into logical groups. The Audiophile Edition is enhanced with FLAC files , which are 60% smaller than AIFF files while maintaining identical audio quality, and now ships on a fast 1TB SSD, and much more!
Check out all the new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® here:
Purchase your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac during our special to save up to 50% off your upgrade purchase and receive a FREE BONUS PAK of amazing new Add-ons. These include the 2025 RealCombos Booster PAK, Look Ma! More MIDI 13: Country & Americana, Instrumental Studies Set 22: 2-Hand Piano Soloing - Rhythm Changes, MIDI SuperTracks Set 44: Jazz Piano, Artist Performance Set 17: Songs with Vocals 7, Playable RealTracks Set 4, RealDrums Stems Set 7: Jazz with Mike Clark, and more!
Upgrade to the 2025 49-PAK for just $49 and add 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and 20 RealStyles, FLAC Files for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks, Look Ma! More MIDI 14: SynthMaster, MIDI SuperTracks Set 45: More SynthMaster, Artist Performance Set 18: Songs with Vocals 8, and RealDrums Stems Set 8: Pop, Funk & More with Jerry Roe.
Learn more about the Bonus PAKs!
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