Reinstalled and now have ProTools First NOT ProTools Studio

[jbatdorf]

ProTools recently stopped authorizing itself. Per tech support, I uninstalled and reinstalled it successfully. The problem is, it's ProTools Intro, not ProTools Studio!! I double-checked the setup file, and it says it contains all versions, so I assume there's an authorization problem. My subscription shows active until June on the Avid sight and the Ilok manager cloud

I tried closing the cloud session in the Ilok manager, but that didn't help. I'm now at a total loss.

Any ideas? I'm sure it's something simple I'm missing.

Jeff
Dell XPS 8930
Intel Core i7-9700 CPU @ 3.00GHz, 32 gigs memory
Window 11

[Darryl Ramm]

What exact version of Pro Tools are you talking about?

Pro Tools Studio cannot activate as Pro Tools First. You mean Pro Tools Intro?

Pro Tools Intro is activated to the computer, the only Pro Tools license that supports this. That's licensed on the computer, not the Cloud or iLok. Did you activate Intro before? If Pro Tools is not seeing a license in the Cloud or iLok then it's picking up this activation from the computer.

What changed that caused this problem to start happening?

Make sure the licenses are correctly showing up in ILM, if a subscription that it is stull active or if perpetual that the limit date showing up in ILM actually supports running the version of Pro Tools that you have installed.

Relying on iLok cloud is a bad idea to start with. Buy an iLok.

[jbatdorf]

Thanks for responding and for the correction. It's ProTools Intro that's running, not ProTools First. My bad. I still show an active registration for ProTools First from 2017, which confused me.

I downloaded the file Pro_Tools_2024.3.0_Win. I do have an Ilok key from 2017 (?), but I don't use it since it doesn't show anything recent and won't let me synchronize. It's showing RED in Ilok Manager, which means it was initially set with a different username, but I can't figure out what it was. Is there a way to reset it?

Avid Link shows everything installed. However, when I try to install it through Avid Link, it keeps telling me it needs to install the PACE Authorization and Avid HS Drivers even though they already are.

I have no clue what started the issue. It was working for one week, but the following week, it started giving me PACE authorization file errors and missing DLL files, which weren't missing.

Jeff

[albee1952]

Hmmm, a couple of observations:
1-yes, iLok seems to get re-installed every time you install Pro Tools(not sure why, but its never been an issue here)
2-Maybe you have a cloud session(iLok cloud) that is stuck and needs to be closed out(in ILM)?
3-Since I hate the cloud licensing, I would opt to put your Pro Tools Studio license on an iLok and leave that connected to your computer.
4-Its possible that uninstalling iLok Manager and re-installing would help(can't hurt)
5-any time licenses on an iLok don't work, one early thing to try is to Right-click on the iLok(in ILM) and Synchronize it(which refreshes everything). The only time I have had any licensing issues, this was the solution for me
6-in case you were not aware, when you install Pro Tools, it is always the same installer for all versions. The iLok license lets PT know what features to enable(Intro vs Artist vs Studio vs Ultimate)

[Darryl Ramm]

I would uninstall the Avid Link crapware, advice many of us have been giving here for years on DUC. Avid HS Drivers? You mean Avid HD Drivers? You don't install HD Drivers on a Pro Tools Studio system. Pro Tools HD drivers are for Digilink systems, Pro Tool Ultimate only. The drivers should not hurt things, but they are totally not needed, and "should not" is not good enough. Avid Link is an abomination of badly developed software. Uninstall that **** now.

You installed 2024.3 what exact version was installed before you did that?

Make sure you have the latest version of ILM installed (you should from the Pro Tools install, but get into the habit of checking the version is the latest from within ILM).

What *exactly* shows up as licenses in ILM, are they subscriptions, perpetual? What are the subscription end dates or limit dates for perpetual--you need to "show details" on a license to see that. Focus on answering those questions first. Look at all the Pro Tools licenses in your iLok account with ILM, not just the licenses deployed to the cloud..... this is just the most basic stuff to know if/what licence you have there that should even work.

If you own the other iLok you need to get access to the old iLok account, move any licenses off it, remove the iLok key from that account, register it on your current iLok account. If you can't do that just buy another iLok key (the version 3 metal keys are best since they are near indestructible).

If your system is throwing DLL or other errors what *exactly* are those error messages.

[jbatdorf]

Thank you for saying the Avid Link is a piece of crap. I always thought it was a buggy program. It's now been removed. I live in the world of putting dots on a page using Finale and letting others record with an experienced engineer. Just every now and then, I like to listen to and mess with the stems in Protools. I'm by no means a pro-user.

I don't remember the version I had before 2024.3, but I assume it was the version right before that. I just uninstalled and reinstalled the most recent ILM software.

Here's what is showing active in my Ilok Cloud.



The Ilok key shows this. I've probably had this one since 2016 or 2017, so it is time to get a new one.



I'm not getting the DLL or other errors anymore. Uninstalling and reinstalling Protools solved that problem.

I'll reach out to iLok and see if they can tell me what account my current iLok key is associated with and order a new one.

[marianna]

Originally Posted by jbatdorf

Thank you for saying the Avid Link is a piece of crap. I always thought it was a buggy program. It's now been removed. I live in the world of putting dots on a page using Finale and letting others record with an experienced engineer. Just every now and then, I like to listen to and mess with the stems in Protools. I'm by no means a pro-user.

I don't remember the version I had before 2024.3, but I assume it was the version right before that. I just uninstalled and reinstalled the most recent ILM software.

Here's what is showing active in my Ilok Cloud.



The Ilok key shows this. I've probably had this one since 2016 or 2017, so it is time to get a new one.



I'm not getting the DLL or other errors anymore. Uninstalling and reinstalling Protools solved that problem.

I'll reach out to iLok and see if they can tell me what account my current iLok key is associated with and order a new one.

Hey there Jeff

I created a case and asked that Charles reach out and assist you..... looks like the iLok and / or the licensing is not registering the Studio properly.

Stand by.....
Marianna

[cvicente22]

Hi Jeff,

I sent you an email via case 04773997. Please let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with.