Upgrading from Pro Tools 7.4 to Pro Tools 9 - missing iLok authorization

[Peoples888]

So, I purchased Pro Tools LE 7.4 off the Avid website, because I noticed I could uprade that to Pro Tools 9 with an update disk for a cheaper price. After my purchase, I downloaded it to my computer just fine. Now, 7.4 won't run without a digibox (which was expected). I had read that Pro Tools 9 can run without any kind of digibox.

Also, I purchased the Pro Tools 9 upgrade disk off eBay, from a music company trying to clear out the product from their stock.

So here's the problem: I'm not sure if the email from Avid about my 7.4 purchase included the information I need (my old computer's memory got completely wiped), but I can't activate my Pro Tools through the website because I don't have the 3(?) codes it asks for (serial number, ect.). I can't install my Pro Tools 9 because it is only an update disk that requires an iLok (which I have and is properly installed with up-to-date drivers), and an activated version of Pro Tools. Without that activation information, I can't get an upgrade authorization sent to my iLok account.

So what can I do? Is it possible to get that email resent to me, given it did include the information I need? I've heard that Avid's customer support via telephone is horrible and you usually end up paying for help, so I have been hesitant to call. I've spent enough on all these silly security features, such as iLok, already; not to mention, Pro Tools itself.

Please, I thank you in advance for any help I can get.

[AvidCS]

What exactly did you purchase from eBay? "Pro Tools 9 upgrade disk" doesn't sound like a complete Pro Tools 9 Crossgrade. Did it include an Activation Code? You started a Support Case for this yesterday, so it might be best to continue this there to get more specific details.

FYI - The Pro Tools 9 FAQ describes a special promo offer for customers that purchased a Pro Tools LE Upgrade around the time of the Pro Tools 9 release. This has been replaced by the Pro Tools 10 Crossgrade.

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by Peoples888

So, I purchased Pro Tools LE 7.4 off the Avid website, because I noticed I could uprade that to Pro Tools 9 with an update disk for a cheaper price. After my purchase, I downloaded it to my computer just fine.....I can't install my Pro Tools 9 because it is only an update disk

How long ago did you buy 7.4? As far as I'm aware, there has never been an offer from Avid to a cheap 'upgrade' from PT v7 to v9. The only offer I'm aware of is a 'cross-grade' from v8 to v9. However I stand to be corrected if there is/has been such an offer. Also I'm not aware that any 'update disk' for v9 has ever existed. Disks are usually full installers that often contain updates incorporated into the installer. Or update files are downloadable for those who own the full licence therefore are in possession of a full installer. In any case, a full installer is required before running any update of it's version (same for each and every version of PT).

Originally Posted by Peoples888

Now, 7.4 won't run without a digibox (which was expected). I had read that Pro Tools 9 can run without any kind of digibox.

PT v7 would never have run without a "digibox" (proprietary hardware). Indeed nor would v8. PT9 was the first version to not need proprietary hardware.

Originally Posted by Peoples888

Also, I purchased the Pro Tools 9 upgrade disk off eBay, from a music company trying to clear out the product from their stock.

I suspect you have bought a copy of one of the PT9 updates (different than an upgrade). Upgrades/cross-grades are paid for, updates are free. As stated earlier one must use a full installer (which must be purchased) before one can run an updater.

Originally Posted by Peoples888

So here's the problem: I'm not sure if the email from Avid about my 7.4 purchase included the information I need (my old computer's memory got completely wiped), but I can't activate my Pro Tools through the website because I don't have the 3(?) codes it asks for (serial number, ect.). I can't install my Pro Tools 9 because it is only an update disk that requires an iLok (which I have and is properly installed with up-to-date drivers), and an activated version of Pro Tools. Without that activation information, I can't get an upgrade authorization sent to my iLok account.

So what can I do? Is it possible to get that email resent to me, given it did include the information I need? I've heard that Avid's customer support via telephone is horrible and you usually end up paying for help, so I have been hesitant to call. I've spent enough on all these silly security features, such as iLok, already; not to mention, Pro Tools itself.

Please, I thank you in advance for any help I can get.

PT versions prior to v9 need to have a serial number (as well as proprietary hardware) to run. The serial number usually came with the original physical installer disk and was also on a sticker inside the user guide cover. If you purchased v7 off the Avid/Digidesign website your serial should still be in your Avid account.

Even if you get v7 up and running, you aren't (as far as I'm aware) entitled to a free/cheap upgrade to v9. As stated though, I stand to be corrected on this.

If you want to use Pt9, a full installer will need to be bought one way or another which would then entitle you to have authorization deposited onto your iLok to run it and enable you to install any subsequent updates to that version for free.

It appears to me that the only full version you've purchased is v7.4 but again, correct me if I'm wrong.

[sg_57]

Originally Posted by zedhed

How long ago did you buy 7.4? As far as I'm aware, there has never been an offer from Avid to a cheap 'upgrade' from PT v7 to v9.

Sort of in the same situation, I am currently running 7.4.1 on a TDM HD3 system (it was upgraded somewhere around 2009).

Trying to now upgrade to HD9, and I found someone selling a boxed upgrade. Will this boxed upgrade only work if I already have HD8 installed and purchased, or can it upgrade from 7.4.1 as well?

Wish a kind soul could tell me, as it appears difficult to find this information from the Avid web site and I don't want to get something that I cannot use.

[panamajack]

Originally Posted by sg_57

...I am currently running 7.4.1 on a TDM HD3 system ...

Trying to now upgrade to HD9, and I found someone selling a boxed upgrade. Will this boxed upgrade only work if I already have HD8 installed and purchased, or can it upgrade from 7.4.1 as well?

It is getting tougher to know what you are buying unless it is from an authorized dealer, or the Avid store. If the "boxed upgrade" you want to purchase is sealed and untampered, it should still have the activation card inside the box.

I purchased the PT9HD upgrade off the Avid web store in November 2010. Before I downloaded the PT9HD ilok license, I had already registered my PT7HD and PT8HD (i.e., they both showed up in my Avid account). When I downloaded PT9HD, I had to surrender a license, but -- at least at that time -- the ilok procedure actually gave me a choice of surrendering either HD7 or HD8. I recall it was necessary to enter my core card serial number at one point in the registration.

When I purchased and downloaded the PT10HD license, the ilok procedure asked me to insert the same ilok where I had saved my PT9HD bundle. The PT9HD bundle has PT9HD, PT9 and PT8HD. However, the PT10HD bundle does not have PT8HD. It has PP10HD, PT10, PT9HD and PT9. So, I was glad I had purchased a separate PT8HD license, and not surrendered it when I upgraded to PT9HD. With PT10HD, the dealer wanted my core card serial number when I placed the order.

[sg_57]

Originally Posted by panamajack

It is getting tougher to know what you are buying unless it is from an authorized dealer, or the Avid store. If the "boxed upgrade" you want to purchase is sealed and untampered, it should still have the activation card inside the box.

I purchased the PT9HD upgrade off the Avid web store in November 2010. Before I downloaded the PT9HD ilok license, I had already registered by PT7HD and PT8HD (i.e., they both showed up in my Avid account). When I downloaded PT9HD, I had to surrender a license, but -- at least at that time , the ilok procedure actually gave me a choice of surrendering either HD7 or HD8. I recall it was necessary to enter my core card serial number at one point in the registration.

Honestly, I would love to be able to do it through Avid (né Digidesign) if for some reason their store was offering that option, unless I am missing something they clearly aren't.

All I am trying to accomplish is to upgrade to HD9 to stay compatible with other systems already running that version.

Since I am running TDM HD3 hardware, the only choice available to me is to 'upgrade' to HD10 for the bargain price of $2,499.00

They offer upgrades to 6 and HD7 from lower versions, but HD8 and HD9 are conspicuously absent from their listings.

So the only hope is that the boxed upgrade to HD9 offers a path for 7.4 users.

I am not sure what my intentions are with regards to upgrading to HD10 at this moment, probably will think about it some time down the road but not now, foremost on my mind is that I still need to maintain compatibility with my portable system which as I mentioned is running 9.0x

[nst7]

The Ilok license for HD10 also includes a sub-license for HD9, so you should still be able to use that Ilok on your other system and it will authorize.

By the way, I don't know if you're interested in HD Native as an option, but I have a brand new one for sale in the buy and sell section that would give you the free upgrade to HD10 when you register it.

[panamajack]

Originally Posted by sg_57

...All I am trying to accomplish is to upgrade to HD9 to stay compatible with other systems already running that version.

Since I am running TDM HD3 hardware, the only choice available to me is to 'upgrade' to HD10 for the bargain price of $2,499.00

...So the only hope is that the boxed upgrade to HD9 offers a path for 7.4 users.

PT8HD 8.01cs2 was the last G5 version, so I assume you either have the PCIe HD cards in a newer Mac Pro, an expansion chassis, or PCIx HD cards in a Win7 computer.

For certain Pro Tools users, it appears Avid has structured their upgrades to make the hardware upgrades the best choice.

Avid would allow you to trade in your HD3 setup and a blue interface for one HDX card and an OMNI, I think this would be $5999, and would include PT10HD. Of course, it is a promotion, and may not last forever. Plus, it requires a 2009 Nehalem or newer Mac Pro. HDX requires 10.1.

You could also trade in your core card on a PCIe Avid Native card, which includes PT10HD. Under a current trade-in promotion, that would cost $1,599. PT10HD will let you save in older PT formats if you need to work on your laptop. If you re-acquired a used core card, you could still have an HD3 system, a trophy Native card for your bookshelf, and it would be less money than buying the PT7HD to PT10HD upgrade for $2,499.

You could also just cross your fingers and hope your PT9HD activation would accept your PT7HD ilok license. But even if it doesn't, there are still PT8HD licenses for sale on ebay for about half what Avid used to sell them for in their online store.

Not sure how long you have been hanging around the forum, but the PT10HD upgrade prices created so much turmoil that perusing the threads hammering over the debacle became my obsession. The rants were very colorful, and constantly censored, so some were only online for a brief period.

More recently, the messages within the threads have morphed into some functional issues with the software and the lack of DSP plug-ins for the HDX cards. The retroactive Avid HD standard support plan for registered PT9HD users went a long way to simmer down the outroar, but also made the threads more mundane.

The real fun will bloom when Avid announces the price of the upgrade to PT11HD.

[sg_57]

Originally Posted by panamajack

Not sure how long you have been hanging around the forum, but the PT10HD upgrade prices created so much turmoil that perusing the threads hammering over the debacle became my obsession. The rants were very colorful, and constantly censored, so some were only online for a brief period.

Hey there, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Hope you saved a scrapbook of those, feeding them into a text-to-speech unit might make for some very interesting poetry?... (in that spirit I just saved this one so I can hang it on my e-wall if it suddenly 'disappears')

I have only been using the forums when there were some issues that I couldn't solve on my own, which thankfully has been occasionally. (like a recent rant where I was speculating about the obscure motivation behind not validating 3Tb SATA drives for sessions a full year after they've appeared on the market)

But I am without a doubt one of the very ancient ones, Sound Designer registered user since before V 1.0, so I have a long history of using Digi hardware from the very early days on, (when you would call the company and the developers would get on the phone to answer some questions. No, it's not a fairy tale, it used to be like that!)

While I consider myself an early adopter for certain other bits of technology, I am not entirely sure that I see so many compelling reasons to upgrade at this time, unless I had a buzzing company full of cubicles filled with editors needing to finish a TV series on a deadline or that sort of pressure-laden situation where some of these new whiz-bang time-saving features make the HD10 an obvious must-have proposition.

In my case, the older PCI cards I am using have been working perfectly well, integrated with rock-solid plug-in performance and low enough latency that I can track lots of last-minute live overdubs while in the middle of running a full mix with plenty of analog I/O, something which I have been unable to do on my other HD9 native system (RME hardware, plenty fast but obviously not fast enough). Hence why at this time I find nothing wrong with keeping my older unsexy hardware as long as it keeps performing the way I need it to.

So I am clearly not interested in upgrading to the newest and be on the bleeding edge, all I am trying to do is use my older HD3 system running 7.4.1 on this newer computer and expansion chassis I just purchased, so it needs to be bumped up to HD9. Be able to keep my system expanded with a couple of old 888|24 I still have. It's good enough for me... at 24-bit / 48 kHz. No problem.

But there is no question that I am a bit baffled that this is turning into such a difficult thing to do, not being able to just upgrade to what my needs are and being forced otherwise into something that I do not yet want.