[Darryl Ramm]

And specifically I think most 7.1 HD core systems came with a pre-activated iLok dongle. The licenses is on that dongle. You physically need that dongle with its license asset or the seller needs to transfer the iLok license to your iLok.com account (which does not require any interaction with Avid's web site). And Avid seems to be clamping down on Pace/iLok.com allowing even the later, at least for more recent versions of Pro Tools HD--they get transferred on an iLok in practice and in principle when you sell somebody the corresponding HD core/HDN/HDX card and do a transfer of ownership paperwork with Avid.

So again, your first and last, place to contact for help on this is the person/company who sold it to you. And worse case some illegitimate sellers may tell you they sold you exactly what they advertised, a box containing Pro Tools HD 7.1 software, ...with no claim to have an iLok/license included and therefore no way to run the software (unless you already own a license on an iLok). Caveat Emptor.

Darryl