SOLVED: Beware New iLok (HD?) Authorised Software Installations

[Lesha]

If every one of you who is pissed off by Pace/iLok would email the developers asking for a different CP scheme, maybe they would reconsider and find another solution.

- Is it really worth it having customers (studios) losing money because of the downtime?
- Is it worth it losing potential customers who do not want that crap on their computers (even the soft version)?
- Is it worth it the dissatisfaction of current customers having to deal with problems that have nothing to do with music making?
- Is it worth it for developers to pay tens of thousands of dollars for this faulty protection?

These questions are worth considering IMO. This is not the first time the iLok protection failed, and it certainly is not the last. Too much hassle for a CP that has already been cracked.

[mcbpete]

Out of curiosity, did anyone else download the Eventide H910 demo and have it run out on Thursday/last few days - Is there a chance that has done the deed ?

[lnikj]

Out of curiosity, did anyone else download the Eventide H910 demo and have it run out on Thursday/last few days - Is there a chance that has done the deed ?

My H910 demo ran out on Saturday. It would be very strange if that was the cause though I would have thought.

[lnikj]

Moin,
sorry to say, but maybe it helps to know
Yesterday i bought the passive-active-pack from softube. The activation on my hd went right and there is nothing wrong till now. All my licences are still activated and working.
My system: Win10 Pro ver.1511, samsung ssd evo, I-Lok License Manager version 3.0.2.1412, updated at may 2016.

I wonder if the factor here is that you are not running the latest version of the license manager (3.0.3.522)?

[Sampleconstruct]

Moin,
sorry to say, but maybe it helps to know
Yesterday i bought the passive-active-pack from softube. The activation on my hd went right and there is nothing wrong till now. All my licences are still activated and working.
My system: Win10 Pro ver.1511, samsung ssd evo, I-Lok License Manager version 3.0.2.1412, updated at may 2016.

I wonder if the factor here is that you are not running the latest version of the license manager (3.0.3.522)?

That could well be the culprit as I am also running the former version (I deselected the driver installment when installing the Adaptiverb demo as I always do if that option is available).

[sugo]

Ok, bad news.
With trying to start the old (ilok-)plugs i get the same error: ".....disallowed."
Only the yesterday activated licenses work

[ganym3d]

Oh, hello to Moabit!
Nice theater you work for. I'm surprised that I didn't visit that yet (was a lot in that area recently). Berlin is not that small after all.

Hello to you too... Thanks. It's indeed a very nice theater; and btw, i'm driving this theater too. It's my baby!

Wenn Du mal das nächste Mal in der Gegend bist, komme doch einfach mal im Café im Erdgeschoß vorbei. Meistens hocke ich da so ab 18 Uhr. Die haben zur Zeit ein leckeres Friedrichshainer Hefeweizen vom Fass...

Gruß,

Stephan

[aMUSEd]

Moin,
sorry to say, but maybe it helps to know
Yesterday i bought the passive-active-pack from softube. The activation on my hd went right and there is nothing wrong till now. All my licences are still activated and working.
My system: Win10 Pro ver.1511, samsung ssd evo, I-Lok License Manager version 3.0.2.1412, updated at may 2016.

I wonder if the factor here is that you are not running the latest version of the license manager (3.0.3.522)?

That could well be the culprit as I am also running the former version (I deselected the driver installment when installing the Adaptiverb demo as I always do if that option is available).

No I'm running the latest version, installed it just before going El Cap, and zero iLok problems despite the OS upgrade too.

[sugo]

for now the solution from arachnaut works, but i had to re- and activate some licences twice (hybrid), because they startet one time after reactivation and then seems to forget the activation again. I was testing a few times and it seems to work, but i don`t promise. not much time for testing now. if they still work tomorrow i will tell.

[Fleer]

Anyone got word from iLok/Pace yet?

[mcbpete]

I've not heard back yet but only submitted a support ticket a few hours ago, everyone send tickets if it's broke for them - they won't know otherwise ... ( https://www.ilok.com/#!support-ticket/il - obviously you're need an iLok account!)

[Compyfox]

My system: Win10 Pro ver.1511, samsung ssd evo, I-Lok License Manager version 3.0.2.1412, updated at may 2016.

I wonder if the factor here is that you are not running the latest version of the license manager (3.0.3.522)?

That could well be the culprit as I am also running the former version (I deselected the driver installment when installing the Adaptiverb demo as I always do if that option is available).

No I'm running the latest version, installed it just before going El Cap, and zero iLok problems despite the OS upgrade too.

The most recent version of the License Manager for Windows is 3.0.3.1468 (snagged Sunday, around 6pm, GMT+1).


I'd also love to know on which version each user is, just for comparison. Maybe it is down to a maintenance update after all that messed something up, then got fixed. Maybe it is a glitch in an OS patch. But Windows 10 (at least the regular user version, not he "insight" one) is still on rev.1511, and I'm not aware of a maintenance patch for OSX.


So if those that have severe problems could maybe share what the did prior to the license corruption, maybe this would paint a clearer picture.

Like:
- what OS were you on, did you update/auto update?
- did you install an update to the iLok Manager? If so, to which version?
- what software did you try to install/activate?
- HDD or USB key activation?


Maybe we can pinpoint directly what is the issue this way round.

You would be blown away at the IT aptitude of the some of senior sound designers I've worked with (I don't mean this in a good way, sometimes I'm surprised they can open programs). But, nowadays you kinda have to be an expert at everything so again... it's definitely totally the consumers fault for not pulling their own weight in this world. They're consumers so obviously that's just their burden.

To reiterate, shame on everyone here and it's everyone's own fault.

Still not sure if sarcasm or actual criticism. But I think I get your point.

Consumers not putting the foot down (enough?!), and on the other hand not being "knowledgeable enough" to handle things like backups (because nobody teaches/preaches that) or basic issues.

I come with an IT service technician background, so it's kind of second nature to me. That, and own painful experiences. But I'm not the least surprised about certain threads these days. Sometimes even about the most simplest things from people that are like 5-10+ in this audio realm. Er... what?!

Then again, my personal 0,02c.

I didn't lose any licenses myself, it seems they were just magically de-authorized. So probably I can re-authorize, write a dozen emails or so to get back any lost authorizations if it should count towards that (I gather it shouldn't but that's nothing you bank on with iLok) and enjoy my plugins until PACE yanks the rug out again, which will happen roughly mid September, all things remaining the same. That got old fast so I'm using this latest glitch to think about the whole thing.

My questions in this instance would be:
Did you update anything?
Or did the licenses vanish out of nowhere?
USB key or HDD?


I understand the frustration, and yes... certain issues seem to always resolve around PACE. But, you know, there is more involved than that.

If we can really pinpoint it to PACE and their updates "corrupting things", then the criticism is more than adjusted and such a behavior is unacceptable. No arguing around that. But first we need to rule this out - else we break a butterfly on a wheel. (shoot with cannons on sparrows, as the German's would say)

These questions are worth considering IMO. This is not the first time the iLok protection failed, and it certainly is not the last. Too much hassle for a CP that has already been cracked.

Well, valid questions.

However... I still remember instances of developers that were literally threatened to lose income if they "don't get rid of a certain CP scheme", and these (back in the days) indie developers complied within weeks. This is also not the route to go IMO. Yes, I understand that this whole thing is a problem in the industry, but apparently no form of copy protection is the right way. Just read the semi-half-year thread popping up like "what is the best CP", and look at both the numbers and arguments.

Stuff will get cracked eventually - it's a sport to these people - we had threads about this. Sometimes even objective discussions - and they still got closed down. It's just no black/white situation. You can't fight the war, so don't even mention the war?!


What I can't stand leaving in this room however is: "Too much hassle for a CP that has already been cracked".

Again, both Syncrosoft and Pace were cracked once (though more attempts were taken towards Syncrosoft to my knowledge). And both cracks were useless 2-4 weeks later with software updates from either the CP company or the developers that were part of this "milestone release". Compared to Serial, C/R (which is dangerous in itself), Water Mark and whatever is out there... it's still one of the most stable systems (WIBU would count to that as well).

Doesn't mean that it's hiccup free though. Which brings this commentary/discussion full circle.

Oh, hello to Moabit!
Nice theater you work for. I'm surprised that I didn't visit that yet (was a lot in that area recently). Berlin is not that small after all.

Hello to you too... Thanks.

I think I'll throw you a separate PM or something.
Everything else would turn further OT.

[Fleer]

I've not heard back yet but only submitted a support ticket a few hours ago, everyone send tickets if it's broke for them - they won't know otherwise ... ( https://www.ilok.com/#!support-ticket/il - obviously you're need an iLok account!)

Done! We all should do this, you're right.
And write to all affected developers, as instructed by the error message.
This may get developers to rethink their DRM strategy and at least demand more communication from PACE about this iLok debacle.

Note: El Capitan, iLok 3.03.552, AIR, Eventide and Soundtoys activations lost on HD.

Edit: iLok? No iLok?

[arachnaut]

So if those that have severe problems could maybe share what they did prior to the license corruption, maybe this would paint a clearer picture.

Like:
- what OS were you on, did you update/auto update?
- did you install an update to the iLok Manager? If so, to which version?
- what software did you try to install/activate?
- HDD or USB key activation?


Maybe we can pinpoint directly what is the issue this way round.

I am running Windows 10 pro version 1610 (Anniversary update)
iLok License Manager 3.0.3.1468 (r33772)
ADAPTIVERB installation of purchased version
HDD version - no dongle.

Adaptiverb authorized and ran fine, but my other authorizations failed until I de-activated and re-activated them.

I have sent reports about this to all the affected software vendors and iLok.

Personally, I refused to buy iLok protected software until Falcon came out. Since I wanted that I gave in and bought a few other iLok software since then.

However, it is still a feature I would try to avoid as much as possible. It is the only copy protection approach I've had any trouble with. I heard stories from my friends that make me very distrustful of it's quality.

The error messages it posts are about as helpful as a random number generator. The company hides behind an obfuscated web site. The software and service is still 32-bit based.

[dayjob]

Anyone got word from iLok/Pace yet?

nope. submitted 2 support tickets over the weekend. i did have several emails with Denis at zynaptiq who was in touch with iLok and did sen me some process to go through to collect some logs that might help them figure out what's going on. i was sent a "verbose" installer of the licenser app and a script to run with instructions on steps to take to generate log files that i then zipped and sent to zynaptiq who forwarded them to iLok.

so, that happened over the weekend. I take the silence from iLok to mean they don't have any solution yet. hopefully i'll hear back soon.

my licenses have vanished and i'm not sure where they are. shrug.