I know my key was right because I took it off the first install before deleting it, nut after installing new install, it said my key was not valid . . . now id Smith Micro dumped everything, how do I get proof of my registration key???

byHeart

Those SM servers will not activate the software anymore. They have been shut down.

FLUKE on my part . . . was so confused trying to resolve problem of lost install that I mistook a download of Poser 12 for it . . . but all is not lost and not giving up yet . . . just as I thought all was lost and was ready to purchase a used Poser 12 on ebay, someone listed Poser Pro 2012 that I had searched for several times and I was so excited for the possibility of restoring an installation that I ordered it lickity split . . . maybe it won't work, maybe it will work . . . after all, I got started with a Poser 4 that a wonderful lady gave me because she couldn't figure it out so what's to say it didn't happen again . . . and since Poser 14 is only for Windows 10 and up, it is of no use to someone who threw away laptops with 8 and 10 because I hated them . . .  still hoping when hope is all there is for restoring the last version but I still have older versions of 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11.  Sorry for my blatherings but every light of hope excites me.

I still have remnants of Poser Pro 2012 on my computer and upon activating it, it showed me a registration splash screen. This was a program that should have automatically opened to its UI without hesitation. My copy is now useless.

That version is fifteen years old (actually released in 2011). It's not surprising it's dead.

Poser 11 originally supported Windows 7, 8.1, and 10. And I think the license for Poser 11.2 can still be activated. If you have a bunch of versions but want to use Windows 7 (as dangerously insecure as it is), that's probably your best bet. Whereas I think Poser 12 listed Windows 10 as a requirement.