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After receivng the license key for this software (since I now got an intuos4) I cannot install Corel Painter sketchpad. It will ask for the serial, go through the installation only to tell me at the end it cannot install because there is a previous version on my computer. I can only presume this is a renmant of the TBYB version of Sketchpad I had believed to have uninstalled from my machine. It says it hasn't modified my system but this is not true.

1. It places new registry entries

2. I creates on the start menu that won't run.

3. It adds itself to the program files

Painter's Sketchpad install utility tells me to uninstall by Removing Programs in the Control panel. Of course there is no entry for Painter Sketchpad.  I even tried to use the Windows cleanup utlility but it doesn't find this entry too.

Painter Sketchpad desperately needs a "modify/repair" utlitiy to a broken installation. Basically I have copy from being an intuos4 purchaser that won't work...this is very aggravating. Any help would be appreciated.

Using a Duo Core 1.6ghz with 2gb of Ram. Windows XP service Pack 3

This is maybe something to consider if you get no other suggestions.

 I had a similar problem installing Painter X, as it could detect  the trial I thought I had removed and wouldn't continue.

I don't know whether going through the following routine - substituting Corel Sketchpad for Painter X - might be helpful? It did the job for me.

Here is a link to a previous post: http://painterfactory.com/forums/p/1354/5750.aspx#5750

I appreciate the help, but if you noticed in my post I did the Cleanup Utility already. It's not doing it. I pretty much have done the steps it takes to manually remove Painter X  (but for Sketchpad instead) from my system. (Yeah...I had to familiarize myself with this because Painter can be so buggy sometimes).

No avail. It's still a problem :/

Oh well, that's a shame. Yes, I did the clean Up Utility too initially and had no joy. It was only when I did steps 5 and 6 that I got a result. I hope someone has the answer for you, I know how frustrating it is.

Hello there. Similar problem.Yesterday thought I'd uninstall updated trial of Sketch Pad from Corel, in order to replace it with Intuos4 download version with activation key from Wacom Europe. Wacom version however wouldn't open. Click, click, nothing doing - spinning blue doughnut then phut. After going through various system restores and uninstall/reinstall/repair of now "corrupted file" attempts, Sketch Pad still refused to open until I reinstalled the original trial from Corel again. Which incidentally lacks any activation screen so far. Was going to wearily proceed to try the Clean Up Utility today - but reading posts here it's doubtful whether it's worth bothering. Not sure what'll happen when/if Sketch Pad trial runs out. I say 'if' because looking in 'About' Sketch Pad it appears there's already a semblance of a serial number that I'm pretty sure is none of my doing.
    (Just add remark that Intuos4 hasn't done the missing strokes/dabs trick for me in Painter 11 yet. Though I'm really pushing the pens to try spitting again.)

2 CPU Vista 32, 1.73 GHz,  2GB RAM, Service Pack 1

I'm on the phone with Corel now but it's the problem of conflicting install utilities.

Here is the problem. If you were one of the first people that jumped on Painter Sketchpad you probably got the installation file that has the broken removal/repair utility. It's leaving something on your system so now that you have a legit copy of Sketchpad to work with your intuos4 - if though you removed the old trial one ...you're wrong. This may even be true to those who have recently downloaded the trial. In fact, if you look at the older posts in Painterfactory, remember how we were confused on activating the product because we were sent a serial number? Customer service is looking and thinking we have 2 serial numbers.

So, I'm trying to do the connect online using my intuos4 bundle serial, it doesn't connect. I am in contact with their support, and apparnently I'm starting to believe what happened is that the intuos4 Sketchpad installer doesn't need activation and uses a different set of serial keys that the system won't recognize to activate the product.  Try the Activate now online to see if it accepts the intuos4. If not, you may have to contact customer service and tell them the issue.In my case we tried generating a new serial number for the product. I just couldn't connect due to a proxy issue and for whatever reason, Corel can't get it to generate an activation key even with a new serial, so someone may need to help them on that.

I'll get the name of the customer serive rep who has been very patient and helping me. If this goes through, so Corel can properly thank him for this issue

His name is Jason, and now my product is activated.

Hi Arshes Nei,

I had the same problem. If you open up the Task Manager, and look at the Processes tab you'll see that Sketch Pad actually starts and then immediately shuts down.  I'm sure this happens because you installed the trial version from Corel, and it is past the trial period time.  Uninstalling it leaves some registry keys.  What is happening is that the Wacom version of Sketch Pad sees the old keys and sees that the trail period has expired.  You need to remove these keys in order for Sketch Pad to work.

I hesitate to share my solution but if you know what your doing here's how I fixed it.  You need to edit the registry.  If you don't feel comfortable doing this, Don't Do It, you can screw up your computer big time.  And it's always a good idea to backup the registry first before making any changes.

First install, then uninstall the Wacom version.  Next install and uninstall the Corel Trial version.  This ensures that we have a consistent starting point.

What we are going to do is remove some, but not all the Sketch Pad keys in the registry.  We are only concerned with the keys and its branches that are involved with timeout function from the Trial version.  We want to remove the complete branch though, not just a single key within that branch (which could cause unknown problems).  There will be other keys that reference Sketch Pad, but they won't fix your problem and may/can lead to other problems.

Next edit the registry, and position to the start of it.  Do a find (control F) for Sketch Pad .  There will be several instances of it.  (Use F3 to go to the next instance).  What your looking for is a key and it's branches under Corel.  If you have any other Corel products like Painter, they will be listed there too.  Remove the complete Sketch Pad branch.  Keep looking (with F3) for the next instances.  DO NOT remove any keys that may list Sketch Pad but are part of programs, for instance, I use Comodo firewall and there are several policy keys for Sketch Pad listed, leave these alone, they will not fix your problem and may cause many more.  There will be other Sketch Pad keys for other programs but again leave them alone.

Now reinstall the Wacom version of Sketch Pad.  HTH.

Many thanks to Arshes Nei and Robert for their info. Some insight at last. Direct registry fixing still brings out the chicken in me - it wasn't part of my art training - so I've turned to the phone instead. Corel UK Technical Support tell me that it's Wacom's problem not theirs. Am waiting to hear back from Wacom UK. Am officially a case now.
    Meanwhile Sketch Pad is behaving like a fruit machine. I open it and the Menu bar reads File Edit Page Window Window, or else it's File File Edit Page Window, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to get the Full set including Help. The pastime version.

No, I'm sorry but this is Corel's problem. Their uninstallation utlitiy is broken from the trial version! It's leaving registry entries and the program itself that are causing the conflict. That's a terrible response you received!

I'll post this link to the Wacom forums, they didn't develop this software, Corel did!

And something tells me Wacom will say that it's Corel's problem. <rolleyes!>

Well, if I don't hear back from Wacom - tomorrow? - what options?
Clean Up Utility with risk of complicating matters further - when I do at least still have a Sketch Pad that Opens. Maybe try that when time.
Ask handy relative with some experience but little circumspection to try sort out the registry for me? No.
Pay computer shop to come and sort things out? Nope.
Wait till summer-fall till Microsoft/Apple bring out their next operating systems so that I can make a clean sweep? Could do.
Or - afford more time over posts and emails here and there regarding what for me is a minor software program with a few useful features unique to itself - while I'm striving to stay focused upon colour-managed artwork itself (plus wading through Adobe manuals, plus etc etc - that kind of technical stuff I mean). Persevere through matter of principle having absolutely nothing to do with spoilt brat demanding aggressiveness (on top of Painter 11 bugs, plus the feeling of being shortchanged by Wacom Europe's deal of Intuos4 without a mouse and just a choice of one of three software programs such as dysfunctional Painter Sketch Pad - for all of which I paid a little more than needed at the one online shop in the UK that actually mentioned 'software download' included).
Hmm. Difficult, difficult. One reason to appreciate the insistence of Painter Factory people who do continue to give voice to the problems of many. Thank you.

Well here's a link on how to back up and restore your registry for Windows: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

Thanks for useful link, Arshes. UK News: Late afternoon next day after calling, still no response from Wacom Support. After studying Painter Factory instructions and asking handy relative, have had nice chat with my computer repair guy ("Oh ... Cor-el, yeah"), and I think I've finally opted for that memory bump planned for sooner or later, along with him doing the registry fix for me in the form of a demonstration of how to go about it, plus amiable debate upon why I shouldn't beg on the streets in pursuit of a decent spec Mac. Funny.

What is surprising or most upsetting to me is the fact that there is a lack of response from Corel. I had emailed the support issue. Nothing. Nothing on this forum when we were told multiple times this was the best place to receive support. I only got support because I called to activate my product by phone. I'm surprised I didn't get charged 15 dollars for a broken installation utlitlity Corel put out. 

I even got better support from Wacom. They respond to me within a day in email. I get a response on their European forums. I was even thanked for bringing up the issue because they know they're getting this.

Having to help administrate and help various websites, as well as work in other fields...customer support was always a priority. Things that can go wrong, will go wrong much in Murphy's Law. However, what keeps patrons is customer support. 

Arshes Nei:

What is surprising or most upsetting to me is the fact that there is a lack of response from Corel.

I have to agree, unfortunately. There's nothing more dispiriting than no response. Even a simple acknowledgement would indicate that someone in the company is on the case. I'm sure that most of us realise that it can take time to fix a bug and we would be more patient and forgiving if there was the occasional "don't worry, still working on it" from Corel.