How is iLok determining computer id?

[chagzuki]

If I replace the OS ssd, either by cloning or reinstallation of Windows, will this affect the iLok machine id? Or is it tied to the motherboard in the same way that Windows registration is?

[ghettosynth]

I don't know about iLok specifically, but an SSD will often change the machine ID. With iLok, you are always able to put your licenses back into the cloud on a working machine so that would be the thing to do prior to upgrading your machine. Of course, this isn't a problem at all with dongles.

I recently needed to use iZotope repair plugins on a machine that I don't normally do editing on. It was trivial to just plug my dongle with the license into the new machine and get to work.

[jamcat]

This is from the iLok FAQ > Your Licenses

A machine-based license activation can become inaccessible for a variety of reasons. Some examples are:

• The machine was sold or decommissioned and the license activations were not deactivated first
• Machine was lost/destroyed due to fire or other disaster
• Upgrades (either hardware or software) have altered its configuration enough it is now being seen as a new or different machine

https://ilok.com/#!faq

So even software changes (OS upgrade) could change your iLok computer ID. I would recommend deactivating all of your machine-based licenses before any major upgrade to either hardware or OS.

If you do find a license is tied to a machine ID that no longer exists, contact the developer or the affected software and request a reset.

[chagzuki]

Cheers guys. Cloning my drive was a bizarre experience, but worked in the end. For some reason the laptop didn't want to recognise the Windows bootloader on the new drive, then didn't want to recognise it on the old drive when I reverted, then did recognise it on the old drive but not on the new one, then decided apparently for no reason to recognise it one the new one. Now everything seems normal, including iLok.

[The Noodlist]

I'd upload licenses to the cloud prior to any OS or hardware changes.

I almost lost 3 PSP licences after a system refresh, luckily, I used an Aomei backup to restore the system drive to a previous state.
I then uploaded the licenses to their cloud and got a second Ilok dongle instead of risking it putting them on the Laptop system drive.

[fmr]

Cheers guys. Cloning my drive was a bizarre experience, but worked in the end. For some reason the laptop didn't want to recognise the Windows bootloader on the new drive, then didn't want to recognise it on the old drive when I reverted, then did recognise it on the old drive but not on the new one, then decided apparently for no reason to recognise it one the new one. Now everything seems normal, including iLok.

Usually, when you clone de system hard-drive, you need to fix the boot file. This has to be done once, and from them on the system disk will boot normally.