KVR Audio

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:36 am

As I did a new Windows 10 installation on a new laptop, and, I didn't want to plug in any dongle on that one, I opted for the machine activation for all my iLok stuff, which actually worked surprisingly well (I thought I had some dongle only plugins, which wasn't the case...). I then did the same on my desktop computer, because, really, tired of always having to plug in the dongle, and block USB ports. So, i was wondering, as I have a couple of plugins which only allow 1 activation: Do you have any experience with requesting activations, for example when your hard drive blows up? Is it a relatively hassle free process? Does it depends on the "generosity" of the vendor?

BTW, the first sign this ends up in one of those gruesome "iLok is pure evil" discussions, or some general discussion about copy protections, I will lock this thread. So, please, just reply to my questions, if you can, and don't start a general discussion about iLok. This is not the appropriate thread for that. Thx.

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:40 am

This isn’t iLoks decision, it is that of the developer. If they allow more, they allow more and is usually stated on their site. Simples.

Actually it’s even stated in your ilok account: 1 of X used.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:46 am

Yeah, I'm aware of that.

Maybe I was being unclear: What I meant was, what's your experience with the vendors, when you lost your activations when hardware failure occured. What I mean with that is: Your plugin has 2 activations, you used both for two computers, and one computer fails, and you lose the activation. I know that some (all?) vendors reset the "lost" activation then.

You know, I may be paranoid, because that's a really rare thing, but, who knows? I had a hard drive failing on me once.

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:51 am

EDIT: I take that back. Updated reply pending.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:52 am

How would I be able to do so though? It's tied to my account.

Isn't all they have to do is to tell PACE to deactivate the one activation?

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:54 am

It's at the developers discretion. I forgot to uninstall Soundtoys from my old HDD before installing an SSD and they kindly reactivated the license for me. The initial ticket was submitted to iLok and they requested I ask Soundtoys.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:54 am

security and usefulness are two opposing forces. iLok is very secure, which means some of the things that you can do with normal activation systems you can't do with iLok.

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:01 am

When I had a hard drive die, I posted about it in the forums here. One of the affected devs actually reached out and offered me a new licence before I even contacted them. So hats off to UVI.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:03 am

Mushy Mushy wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:54 am It's at the developers discretion. I forgot to uninstall Soundtoys from my old HDD before installing an SSD and they kindly reactivated the license for me. The initial ticket was submitted to iLok and they requested I ask Soundtoys.

GaryG wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:01 am When I had a hard drive die, I posted about it in the forums here. One of the affected devs actually reached out and offered me a new licence before I even contacted them. So hats off to UVI.

Nice.

That's what I wanted to hear. Hope other developers do the same.

soulone82 · Post by **soulone82** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:51 pm

chk071 wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:36 amiLok is pure evil

That is true!

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:57 pm

soulone82 wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:51 pm
chk071 wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:36 amiLok is pure evil
That is true!

It's unfortunate that you completely dismiss and disrespect the wishes I stated in the OP. For you again: Please, no comments like that. Unless you want to be a troll and get this topic locked.

Kumal · Post by **Kumal** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:08 pm

When I had a hdd failure, half of the vendors granted me a new license. Some pretty quick, some after a long process. The conclusion I've drawn from that: hdd failure is *your own* problem, ilok failure is *their* problem. If you decide to lower the secureness of the system by putting the licenses on the hdd, then you're responsible too for keeping these "working". If the ilok fails then they're responsible for transfering licenses to a new one etc. Since then I only put them on the dongle. Hd no problems with ilok dongle at all and I don't switch machines that often.

sqigls · Post by **sqigls** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:10 pm

my macbook mainboard died and apple replaced it without letting me know, so i had to contact all iLok related devs and request new licenses. As far as i remember, all of them understood and deposited new licenses. that was about 7 years ago.

cprompt · Post by **cprompt** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 3:46 pm

As I understand it, if you have your licenses on a physical iLok and it breaks or you lose it, you report it as lost (whether or not its actually lost) to iLok, they de-activate the licenses, you contact the devs and they give you new licenses. Or something like that, but either way, it's not your problem.

With your licenses on your computer, if your computer dies it's up to you to beg to the devs for new licenses. iLok will wash their hands of it.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:18 pm

Thanks guys, that's really helpful.

Thinking about it, I guess I could live with one dongle. At least on my desktop computer.

iLok - what's your experience with asking for new activations?