IDM Activator (Batch Script & GUI)

IDM Activator provides tools to help users test Internet Download Manager (IDM) functionality by resetting the trial period. This allows for temporary access to evaluate premium features while encouraging license compliance through periodic resets, rather than permanent modification.

This project now offers two versions:

Modern C# GUI: A user-friendly graphical interface built with Windows Forms (.NET Framework 4.8).
Original Batch Script: The classic command-line version.

⚠️ Disclaimer These tools are provided strictly for educational and testing purposes only. The developer does not endorse or condone software piracy in any form:

Intended Use: For analyzing trial limitation mechanisms and software evaluation.

Support Developers: Always purchase genuine software licenses for applications you use regularly.

No Liability: The developers assume no responsibility for any misuse of these tools or consequences thereof. Use at your own risk.

GUI Version (Recommended)
Batch Script Version
General Information

✨ GUI Version (Recommended)

The C# GUI provides a modern, easy-to-use interface for all activator functions.

(Insert Screenshot Here - You can add a screenshot of the GUI later)

💪 Features (GUI)

✅ Reliable Trial Reset: Extends the IDM trial period for continued evaluation.
✨ Modern User Interface: Clean and simple graphical interface.
📂 Automatic Path Detection: Attempts to locate the IDM installation directory automatically using registry keys.
⌨️ Manual Path Option: Allows browsing for or manually entering the IDM installation path.
✨ Version Compatibility Check: Verifies that the installed IDM version matches the supported version before activating.
🛡️ Automatic Backup: Creates backups of IDMan.exe and relevant registry keys before making changes.
📑 Extra File Type Support: Option to add registry entries for additional file extensions recognized by IDM.
🔄 Update Checker: Connects to the Codeberg API to check if a newer version of the activator is available.
📦 Self-Contained: Embeds necessary resource files (.bin, icon) directly into the executable.

⚙️ Compatibility (GUI)

Requires .NET Framework 4.8 (or later). This is pre-installed on most modern Windows systems (Windows 10/11).
Specifically tested and confirmed working with Internet Download Manager v6.42 Build 32.

Using the tool with other IDM versions may lead to unexpected behavior or failure.

🚀 Running the GUI

Download: Get the IDMActivator_GUI.exe file from the Releases Page.
Run: Double-click IDMActivator_GUI.exe.
Admin Rights: The application requires Administrator privileges to function correctly (modifying Program Files and Registry). It includes a manifest that should trigger the UAC prompt automatically. Click Yes when prompted.
Verify Path: Check if the automatically detected IDM path is correct. Use the Browse… button or edit the path if needed.
Use Buttons: Click the buttons to perform actions:
- Activate: Resets the trial period.
- Add Extra FileType Extensions: Merges the extension registry data.
- Check for Updates: Checks if a newer version of the GUI is available online.
- Exit: Closes the application.

🏗️ Building the GUI (Optional)

If you want to build the GUI from the source code:

Prerequisites:
- .NET SDK (which includes the .NET Framework 4.8 Targeting Pack).
- Git (optional, for cloning).
Get the Code:
- Clone the repository: git clone https://codeberg.org/oop7/IDM-Activator.git
- Or download the source code .zip from Codeberg.
Build:
- Open a terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal) in the IDMActivator_GUI directory.
- Run dotnet restore to fetch dependencies.
- Run dotnet build -c Release to build the application.
Locate Executable: The compiled IDMActivator_GUI.exe will be in the IDMActivator_GUI/bin/Release/net48 folder.

📜 Batch Script Version

The original command-line version is still available for users who prefer it.

💪 Features (Script)

✅ Reliable Trial Reset: Extends the IDM trial period for continued evaluation.
🛠 Simple Menu-Driven Interface: Easy to use via a command-line menu.
📂 Automatic Path Detection: Attempts to locate the IDM installation directory automatically.
⌨️ Manual Path Option: Allows specifying the IDM installation path if auto-detection fails or for non-standard installs.
✨ Version Compatibility Check: Verifies that the installed IDM version matches the supported version before proceeding.
🛡️ Automatic Backup: Creates backups of essential IDM files and registry keys before making changes.
📑 Extra File Type Support: Option to add registry entries for additional file extensions recognized by IDM.
💻 Lightweight Script: Minimal resource usage and fast execution.

⚙️ Compatibility (Script)

This script is specifically tested and confirmed working with:

Internet Download Manager v6.42 Build 32

Using the script with other versions may lead to unexpected behavior or failure.

🛠️ Installation (Script)

Choose one of the following methods:

Method 1: Manual Download

Download: Get the latest release (.zip file containing the script and src folder) from the Releases Page.
Extract: Unzip the downloaded archive to a folder of your choice (e.g., C:\IDM-Activator). Ensure the src folder is present alongside script.bat.

Method 2: PowerShell (Recommended)

Open PowerShell as Administrator:
- Right-click the Start menu -> select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
- Confirm the User Account Control (UAC) prompt by clicking Yes.

Execute Download & Run Command: Paste and run the following command in the Administrator PowerShell window:

# Downloads the zip, extracts it to the current directory, and runs the script
$downloadUrl = "https://codeberg.org/oop7/IDM-Activator/releases/download/v3.0/IDM-Activator.zip"; # Ensure this URL points to the correct version
$zipFile = "IDM-Activator.zip";
$extractPath = ".";
Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $downloadUrl -OutFile $zipFile;
Expand-Archive -Path $zipFile -DestinationPath $extractPath -Force;
cmd.exe /c ".\IDM-Activator\script.bat";
Remove-Item $zipFile; # Clean up the downloaded zip file

(Note: Make sure the download URL in the command points to the desired release version.)

💻 Usage (Script)

Run the Script:
- Navigate to the directory where you extracted the files (e.g., IDM-Activator-Script).
- Double-click script.bat.
- The script will automatically attempt to request Administrator privileges. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes.
- If it doesn’t elevate automatically, right-click script.bat and choose “Run as administrator”.
Automatic Checks & Backup:
- The script will attempt to automatically detect your IDM installation path.
- It will perform a version compatibility check.
- If compatible, it will back up your original IDM.exe and relevant registry keys.
- If detection fails, you will be prompted to enter the path manually.
Follow On-Screen Menu:
- Once the initial checks pass, a menu will appear:
  - 1 to activate (reset trial) for Internet Download Manager.
  - 2 to add extra FileType Extensions to the registry.
  - 3 to check for updates (opens browser).
  - 4 to exit.
- Choose an option by typing the number and pressing Enter.
- The script will provide feedback on the success or failure of the operation.

🌐 General Information

✅ Troubleshooting

(Troubleshooting steps remain largely the same, ensure mentioning Admin rights for both versions)

Permission Denied / Access Denied: Ensure you are running the application (IDMActivator_GUI.exe or script.bat) with Administrator privileges. These rights are needed to modify files in Program Files (x86) and write to the Registry.
Script/GUI Doesn’t Run / Errors:
- GUI: Ensure .NET Framework 4.8 is installed.
- Script: Make sure all required files (script.bat, src/*.*) are present and in the correct locations relative to the script.
- Your antivirus might be interfering. Temporarily disable it (at your own risk) or add an exception for the executable/script/folder.
IDM Path Not Detected: If auto-detection fails:
- GUI: Use the Browse… button or type the path manually.
- Script: The script will ask you to provide the path.
- Ensure you enter the correct full path to the IDM installation directory (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Download Manager).
Version Incompatibility Error: If the tool reports an incompatible IDM version, you must install the supported version (6.42 Build 32) for it to work correctly.
“Registered with a Fake Serial” Warning: This often happens due to previous failed activation attempts or conflicting registry entries/host file blocks.
1. Completely uninstall IDM.
2. Use a reputable third-party uninstaller (like Revo Uninstaller Free in Advanced mode) to scan for and remove leftover registry keys, files, and folders related to IDM.
3. Check your hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts) for any entries blocking IDM servers and remove them.
4. Restart your PC.
5. Reinstall the compatible IDM version (6.42 Build 32).
6. Run the activator (GUI or Script) again before launching IDM.
Restore Backup: If activation causes issues, you can manually restore the backups created by the tool (usually stored in a backup subfolder within the tool’s directory).

📄 BIN Files

(Explanation remains the same, these files are now embedded in the GUI)

These binary files contain the necessary data for the tool’s functions. They are simple data files, not encrypted, and can be inspected by renaming their extension (e.g., .txt, .reg, .exe). In the GUI version, these are embedded within the .exe file.

src/data.bin: Contains a modified version of IDM.exe (based on Ali.Dbg’s work) used for the trial reset mechanism.
src/Registry.bin: Contains the registry values (.reg format) needed to reset the IDM trial status.
src/extensions.bin: Contains registry entries (.reg format) to add support for extra file types within IDM.
src/ASCII_art.txt: (Used by script version only) Contains the ASCII art displayed in the script console.

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

ℹ️ Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Ali.Dbg for the insights and modifications instrumental to this tool’s core trial reset functionality.

❓ Contact

For questions, bug reports, or suggestions, please open an issue on the Codeberg repository.