'Select License to Activate' iLok Error [SOLVED]
 

Hey y'all, this has been a reoccurring problem for about a month now, where it's saying I have no license in my account. Before, I've downgraded from El Capitan to Yosemite, (I'm still using Yos. of course) but this seems like a different problem altogether.

I'll upload the pictures of this crap it keeps giving me. I usually can reset my laptop and it'll fix the problem, but I've reset it 4 times now with the same result.

Obviously, I have a Pro Tools 12 account, an iLok account, and each application manager (avid application manager and iLok, respectively) SAYS that it's all up-to-date. No updates, nothing. I'm tired of this problem, as it was just working for me 2 hours ago.

None of the plug-ins load initially, it just loads for roughly 3 minutes till it tells me this: YOU DON'T HAVE ANY LICENSES IN YOUR ACCOUNT.

Any help would be appreciated, and I hope I'm not the only one with this reoccurring problem.

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

Here's the screenshots:

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

Does your MacBook Pro have only USB3 ports? If so, get a USB2 hub and plug the iLok into it.

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

Oh really? I'll try it out soon, I have a usb3 hub that can fit 4 different usb's. I'll try that out, but I think all of these are usb3 ports on my macbook pro

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

It would kinda suck to buy a USB2 hub simply for the iLok, but if that's the problem, I'll certainly do it

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

The USB3 ports are known to be problematic with spotty iLok connection. The recommended workaround is to use a USB2 hub for the iLok.

One other thing, check and make sure the USB ports aren't allowed to go to sleep.

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

It seems to be working fine after I plugged it into my hub, thanks so much for posting such a simple solution. No reinstalls, upgrading the OS, nothing like that.
Cheers!

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

here in 2022 those error messages are similar to what I'm experiencing unfortunately the usb hub fix didn't work. and the activation location window you received is also the same one here but I can't get pts to launch and activate at all even though ilock is showing as an option.

Re: 'Select License to Activate' iLok Error
 

my update for future user issues. my response to tech support and my initial thread:

(grab a cup of coffee for this uypdate)

so, I had previously tried supports suggestion as wells as a few others prior to opening the support ticket. I went through all the threads I could find looking for an answer, Feverishly spending all day and night trying to resolve this.

here’s the thing that’s concerning to me and to anyone else in this situation. there are threads I researched where folks mentioned using a 2.0 usb hub with their ilok3 would resolve a similar issue, or just unplugging the ilok and plugging it back in. the concerning part for me, and maybe you can share some insight? when deactivating the ilok3 and placing PTs license in the ilok cloud, I still received the same failure to authenticate. All the same errors stating pro tools couldn’t see a valid license. I suspected this ruled out the ilok usb as the culprit?.

My next option was to research ilok License Manager App which then resulted into the synchronize option you mentioned. That too did not resolve my situation, thus I assumed it was account related and looked to Avid for investigation into my profile. From my end all passwords, updates, Avid website, etc assured me my product was paid for and updated.

So long story long! here’s the part where I resolved the issue last night. (Intuitively I don’t feel good about calling it resolved at this point) and still the nagging question, why was the ilok cloud unable to recognize my license when the usb failed? And yes, it appears my 3.0 powered hub in conjunction with my ilok3 was the culprit. However, here’s the mystery.

I’ve been using a powered 3.0 hub since purchasing my mac and installing protools 2 years ago. (Never one issue) when I read others issues with the ilok3 and hub, I also tried to iliminate the hub as the issue. I unplugged the hub and placed my ilok directly into my mac mini 3.0 usb input. That did not resolve the issue after reboot. no other direct usb input on mac allowed ilok to be seen even though it was lit and solid blue. Before surrendering the evening, I tried one last thing. I disconnected everything and pulled the power cord from hub, then plugged ilok into hub, plugged hub into mac, then plugged power cord back into hub. As soon as I did that, I received a pop up saying something like “Pro tools helper wants to perform an action” It ran a quick action and my pro tools opened up basically on its own!

Oddly, every previous failure attempt to open protools would land on an Avid link page stating no authentication but would show the Avid community options, my products, etc. it also would launch and Avid link prompt saying protools is launching looking for serial. An entirely different launch sequence than my pro tools studio splash screen. That Avid link would just sit there until I clicked out of it. In this case while that Avid screen was still up, the pro tools helper launched and somehow that Avid link sitting there began opening my normal protools studio splash screen. I did not have to try and launch protools myself. Once opend pro tools has been launching as normal so far. Still using the usb 3.0 hub as it always had.

So that’s the sequence. For me. I have no idea why this all changed out of the blue, why the ilok cloud did not see my license, why the avid link was trying to load pro tools, and many other issues I reported with the hub. For now I am up and running. I hope this can help someone else in the future who runs into the same issue. I’m not sure there’s a “fix” in my post, but for now its back to normal! Whatever normal is these days! thanks for humoring this lengthy post!