iLok you out for no reason! A warning.

[SLiC]

I put some (27) ilok licences on my MS Surface.

I changed nothing (its a Surface!) other than windows updates.
Overnight, ilok suddenly desided my computer had changed and created a new soft licence identity.
I cant get to my old licences as iloc think that the computer is a different computer (even though they are the same computer and even have the same ilok ID)
I contacted ilok and they basically said they cant help- licences are gone unless I can beg new ones of the individual software companies...this is time consuming and there are no guarantees...

So remember, at any time ilok can decide your computer ID ha changed for any reason (or apparently no reason) and without warning

You will be locked out and will no longer have access to all of those licences (so cant move, delete or reuse them)

[chk071]

I actually had something similar with eLicenser. The soft eLicenser wasn't working anymore after the recent 1803 Windows 10 Update. Can't even remember now what i did that fixed it. I think i started the eLicenser Control Center with administrative rights, explicitely, and ran the maintainance and repair thing, and then it worked again. Not really a big deal, as i have all my license on a dongle anyway.

[wagtunes]

Wait a minute. I don't understand. I thought the purpose of iLok was that you can put all your licenses on a stick and take it from PC to PC.

[SLiC]

Wait a minute. I don't understand. I thought the purpose of iLok was that you can put all your licenses on a stick and take it from PC to PC.

They also do a 'soft' iLok that is tied to your computer ID

[beely]

Wait a minute. I don't understand. I thought the purpose of iLok was that you can put all your licenses on a stick and take it from PC to PC.

You can activate licences either to a physical iLok, or to a particular machine (so you don't need a physical iLok).

I tend to prefer machine licenses in general, as using my iLok on a laptop is a pain, but it does cause problems where, for instance, if your machine dies, and those licenses weren't deactivated and can no longer be accessed (as the machine is dead), there is no way to get them back. (This has happened to me before.)

Most of my licenses come with 2 activations, so if you lose one, you at least can still use the software, and will likely not mess it up twice!

[wagtunes]

Wait a minute. I don't understand. I thought the purpose of iLok was that you can put all your licenses on a stick and take it from PC to PC.

They also do a 'soft' iLok that is tied to your computer ID

Well to me that's just plain stupid. If my PC burns up in a fire, I want to know that my licenses on my stick will still be good. I absolutely cannot see the point of soft iLok. You lose the main advantage of having iLok.

[SLiC]

I actually had something similar with eLicenser. The soft eLicenser wasn't working anymore after the recent 1803 Windows 10 Update. Can't even remember now what i did that fixed it. I think i started the eLicenser Control Center with administrative rights, explicitely, and ran the maintainance and repair thing, and then it worked again. Not really a big deal, as i have all my license on a dongle anyway.

I think it was the 1803 update that broke ilok, but I was amazed that ilok cant fix it (just delete the licences that can no loner be accessed) it seems like an amazing oversight!

(Apparently it has also bricked a bunch of MS Surface 4's with Intel SSDs as well requiring a wipe and re-install of earlier OS- 1803 is now not being installed on Surfaces!!!)

[beely]

Well to me that's just plain stupid. If my PC burns up in a fire, I want to know that my licenses on my stick will still be good. I absolutely cannot see the point of soft iLok. You lose the main advantage of having iLok.

It's not "stupid". You have the option to do either. If the little plastic stick is your preferred choice, then great. (Until it breaks, or gets lost - either way, there are hardware point of failure with either method.)

Having the option to do what suits the user best is better than being forced into only one way.

Either way, it's a problematic system (and company) in a number of ways...

[wagtunes]

Well to me that's just plain stupid. If my PC burns up in a fire, I want to know that my licenses on my stick will still be good. I absolutely cannot see the point of soft iLok. You lose the main advantage of having iLok.

It's not "stupid". You have the option to do either. If the little plastic stick is your preferred choice, then great. (Until it breaks, or gets lost - either way, there are hardware point of failure with either method.)

Having the option to do what suits the user best is better than being forced into only one way.

Either way, it's a problematic system (and company) in a number of ways...

If the stick breaks, you have that backup system (forget what it's called) where you just get another stick and download your licenses from the cloud or whatever it is. So even if your stick breaks, you're protected.

[SLiC]

Wait a minute. I don't understand. I thought the purpose of iLok was that you can put all your licenses on a stick and take it from PC to PC.

They also do a 'soft' iLok that is tied to your computer ID

Well to me that's just plain stupid. If my PC burns up in a fire, I want to know that my licenses on my stick will still be good. I absolutely cannot see the point of soft iLok. You lose the main advantage of having iLok.

I couldn't agree more- I always assumed that I would be able to 'log in' somewhere and disable/de-register a computer (as I can with say BitWig licences) if it was lost/stolen/damaged - but no- you lose all your licences, even if iLOK software has a bug and they make an error, its just tough shit apparently!

[chk071]

I actually had something similar with eLicenser. The soft eLicenser wasn't working anymore after the recent 1803 Windows 10 Update. Can't even remember now what i did that fixed it. I think i started the eLicenser Control Center with administrative rights, explicitely, and ran the maintainance and repair thing, and then it worked again. Not really a big deal, as i have all my license on a dongle anyway.

I think it was the 1803 update that broke ilok, but I was amazed that ilok cant fix it (just delete the licences that can no loner be accessed) it seems like an amazing oversight!

(Apparently it has also bricked a bunch of MS Surface 4's with Intel SSDs as well requiring a wipe and re-install of earlier OS- 1803 is now not being installed on Surfaces!!!)

Maybe it's indeed a Surface related thing. I also read about the issues with Intel SSD's. No issues here with my iLok though, it works fine, after the 1803 update.

[SLiC]

Well to me that's just plain stupid. If my PC burns up in a fire, I want to know that my licenses on my stick will still be good. I absolutely cannot see the point of soft iLok. You lose the main advantage of having iLok.

It's not "stupid". You have the option to do either. If the little plastic stick is your preferred choice, then great. (Until it breaks, or gets lost - either way, there are hardware point of failure with either method.)

Having the option to do what suits the user best is better than being forced into only one way.

Either way, it's a problematic system (and company) in a number of ways...

If the stick breaks, you have that backup system (forget what it's called) where you just get another stick and download your licenses from the cloud or whatever it is. So even if your stick breaks, you're protected.

You have to pay $30 a year every year for this, if you don't subscribe and the stick they provide breaks (or you loose it) you are stuffed.

[perpetual3]

Again, ILOK has no value for us, the end user. As someone mentioned in another ILOK thread, it’s a premium we pay for to use certain plugins. ILOK sells the service to the developers for copy protection - that’s their value proposition. ILOK charges outrageous premiums to us, the end user, if we need temporary licenses - clearly they can generate temporary licenses for free, but charge anyway. This is monopolist behavior because we have no choice but to comply.

I had a logicboard meltdown, and also had to request new licenses. I created an email template for each company, including my iLok id , and then listed the plugins. Within 24 hours, each company sent me new licenses, except for one company who told me they provide three licenses “for this very reason”. This company comes across as cool, hibe, full of vibe and tone, ‘70s stoner attitude. But no new licenses for you, dude! So no more money for them!

It really did not take as much time as I thought, the larger companies were mostly very gracious, no questions asked - Eventide, Softube, Soundtoys. They’ll definitely get my money from now on, ILOK or not. It was the smaller ones that mildly pushed back, but issued new licenses in the end. One company initially refused and then, without any response generated a new license.


It took much longer for those plugins which did not have a manager and required copying/pasting codes. For what it’s Worth.

[SLiC]

I actually had something similar with eLicenser. The soft eLicenser wasn't working anymore after the recent 1803 Windows 10 Update. Can't even remember now what i did that fixed it. I think i started the eLicenser Control Center with administrative rights, explicitely, and ran the maintainance and repair thing, and then it worked again. Not really a big deal, as i have all my license on a dongle anyway.

I think it was the 1803 update that broke ilok, but I was amazed that ilok cant fix it (just delete the licences that can no loner be accessed) it seems like an amazing oversight!

(Apparently it has also bricked a bunch of MS Surface 4's with Intel SSDs as well requiring a wipe and re-install of earlier OS- 1803 is now not being installed on Surfaces!!!)

Maybe it's indeed a Surface related thing. I also read about the issues with Intel SSD's. No issues here with my iLok though, it works fine, after the 1803 update.

Same on my DAW- OK after 1803 update- its the 2017 MS surface 4 apparently (the one I have) so it looks like I just lucked out and lost a bunch of licences, but I think iLok should be able to reset/deal with this- Its always the people who actually buy their software who seem to get screwed!

[perpetual3]

Again, we need to be clear about this:

PACE’s value proposition is directed towards the developers. They are providing the developers a service. Developers don’t really have any other options, so PACE can act like a monopoly. We bear the burden of their monopolistic practices.

We see this in the way they treat us, the end user. Licence management begins and ends with activation and deactivation on the computer. Remote activation/deactivation is unavailable. Temporary licenses, while ostensibly free for PACE to generate are sold at a premium. So is the $50 USB key - the equivalent of what my university gives out for free.

So even though the value proposition is directed towards the developers, WE end up paying artificial costs associated with the failures of the service. Not the developers (other than support emails, which transform the issue for them into a cost/benefit analysis weighing the cost of support vs new licenses), and not PACE.

Solutions:

Remote activation / deactivation.
Cheaper key
Free temporary licenses