Used iLok, any use?

[SKI]

Originally Posted by Dale-c

Some people sell used iLoks on ebay. I just bought an iLok 3 for pretty cheap but I am not sure what I can actually do with it. It says that is has an "unknown version of Pro Tools" on it. but to be honest, I am not counting on anything. It was cheaper than a blank iLok would be. But then I realized, if it is attached to abother account, will I be able to replace my aging plastic iLok with it with my existing license? Or could it be stuck on whatever it already has on it?
ANd if it does have a PT License on it, what validity would that have?

I have been using the same version for about a decade but I may want to grab a new perpetual license before they're gone.

Ask yourself a couple of questions
1 - Who has an ilk but doesn't know what's on it?
2 -Blank iLoks are really cheap so who would sell an iLok with authorizations on it for less than a blank?
3 - You can't access the iLok without login info but if you had login info you would know what versions of software was on it

Not sure what your true objective was but is it really worth it?

[Dale-c]

Ok, I finallly got home and got to open this ilok to see what is on it.

iLok manager says that the ilok is unregistered and has two licenses on it. One is an expired subscription. The other is a Pro Tools Studio Perpetual.

So, what does the perpetual do for me, and if it is unregistered, I shuuld be able to register it. I have done that in the past with Pro Tools Mpowered I bought on ebay.

[Darryl Ramm]

How does anybody here know what you have... we've explained lots of the options and risks. Your license might work, might disappear off the iLok. You might have all sorts of problems if stuff is fraudulent/stolen. We've been all over this already.

[Dale-c]

Originally Posted by DontLetMeDrown

Not a good place to try and save a few bucks. Let us know how it works out. I expect it will go how BScout explained.

So, it worked out quite well for what. I need, but not quite as well as I had hoped.

So, I am not sure why it says "Pro Tools Studio" it is actually a standard pro tools license that was deposited in 2018 according to the license manager. Unfortunately, it is still attached the old users account. However it will activate Pro Tools 12.8.3, perhaps later but that is the latest I have tried.

As for what I was hoping to get out of it, I was hoping to get an older PT Perpetual license that would work in the Yosemite to Mojave range due to compatibility with my firewire interface and the fact that My old PT MP9 won't work past mavericks and my macbook air it too new.
So when I saw this I put a low bid on it, taking a chance and not really expecting much. I had bought 3 iloks in the past on ebay, but each of them attached to a bundled M-audio interface. Each of those I was able to activate on my own account but this one I can't.

But in the end, it works for some field recording I want to do on my laptop. I have no need for additional plugins and I obviously can't upgrade it, but that is ok.

My plan be had been to use it and just get an Artist subscription, but now it seems that I could not even use this ilok for that if I had wanted.

All in all, getting a working PT 12 ilok for less than $50 is a great deal.

[BScout]

Everything about this says you bought a stolen iLok. Otherwise the "seller" could transfer you the license through Avid.

And you seem to have no problem with that.

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by BScout

Everything about this says you bought a stolen iLok. Otherwise the "seller" could transfer you the license through Avid.

And you seem to have no problem with that.

Ah. Finally someone had the b***s to say what we were all thinking.

[Ben Jenssen]

Originally Posted by Obsidian Dragon

Ah. Finally someone had the b***s to say what we were all thinking.

Except, you didn't have the balls to say "balls", did you?

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by Ben Jenssen

Except, you didn't have the balls to say "balls", did you?

No. I'm too polite for that.

[Dale-c]

Originally Posted by BScout

Everything about this says you bought a stolen iLok. Otherwise the "seller" could transfer you the license through Avid.

And you seem to have no problem with that.

I would certainly have a problem with that.

I contacted the seller. It belonged to his son but he said it had expired, well, one license was expirred but then it also has a perpetual that goes up to 2018.7

And he was a student so it sounds like it is an academic license that can no longer be upgraded.

So now my question is, what is the legitimacy of a legally purchased academic license? APparently it is stuck as is and can't be upgraded in anyway, all I can do is just plug it in and use it for what it is already good for. Seems perfectly legal to me, but I wonder if I could even purchase plug-ins? Not that I need to, I have never used third party ones.

ANyway, it all makes sense now. and for the price it is fine,

One last thing, if it were stolen, which it appears not to be, how would I find out? Is there a way for users to report such things?

[Dale-c]

Originally Posted by BScout

Everything about this says you bought a stolen iLok. Otherwise the "seller" could transfer you the license through Avid.

And you seem to have no problem with that.

This is the 4th ilok I have purchased via ebay over the years. I never gave much thought in the past because the other three were always part of M-Audio bundles and none them had ever been registered. The one I had been using came as part of a bundle with an interface. The only product on that one was PT MP9. You used to be able to find legitimate used iloks all the time on ebay, but apparently things have changed and they are harder to find now. For this one, I put in a low bid, didn't expect to get it and then was surpised I won it. Then I started asking question after the sale but everything adds up. his son owned it and was a 4 year studuent, recently graduated and the dates of the licenses match exactly that.

If there is a way to look it up too see if it was stolen, I would be happy to do so. If I knew that someone, somewhere had his ilok stolen I would mail it back ASAP. But I have no reason to believe that is the case here.