Question on PT licences and iLok

[DonaldM]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that with a PT license you can install it on up to 2 computers. Is this correct? And if so, can you have 2 iLoks? When I upgrade to 11, I want to install it on my home computer and my studio computer, but I'd prefer to not have to carry the iLok around. Prefer to just leave it in the PC and not worry about it. Knowing me, I'd lose it or forget to bring it along when going from 1 to the other.

Am I wrong about the licensing?

[JustGotPaid]

You're going to have to use the iLok on both machines. I was hoping this idiotic POS called iLok would not ruin the PT 11 release week when so many people are excited about installing PT 11. But looks like it did, and you are not alone with your frustrations.

You can have PT on more than one machine, just be careful about the iLok. I spent $700 this week on PT 10 and the Eleven Rack. I had PT 10 working fine on two Mac laptops. I don't cheat and I don't steal this stuff, but I would like to be able to use what I buy within a reasonable amount of installation time instead of this never ending crap with iLok.

Not only does PT 11 need an iLok registration, but iLok has had so many problems that they've had to re-work their whole web site. Some of it still has "coming soon" on the links. Looks like they would have gotten the whole dang thing right before they launched a half-fast version of it. So now we have a double whammy downloading and installing PT 11, and then getting it to work with iLok without blowing the whole thing up. I rarely have any trouble with PT. But I rarely do anything with iLok that doesn't cause a problem somewhere. And I've gone about as far down this road as I'm going.

So here it is, after 3 am my time, and I'm in Nashville and wanted to record some singer-songwriter stuff tomorrow. Both laptops worked fine with my original iLok and PT 10. I could use it on the old laptop, and then remove it and use it on the new laptop. I'd heard so much fuss about the iLok that I decided to just use the free upgrade to PT 11 on my old machine, just in case something went wrong I'd still have PT 10 on the new laptop.

Well, I downloaded PT 11 (which I paid for in the PT 10 - Eleven Rack package). Before I could use it, it started asking me to go to iLok and update everything. When I did it blew the whole thing up. Now I can't use either laptop.

I have no idea what happened, and why my working original iLok now won't work on either machine. And the new iLok has a removable cap that is sure to get lost from routine use, and then the bare metal end that plugs into the computer will no doubt get wear and tear. I see one nightmare after the next with this dxxx and hated iLok. They haven't fixed anything; it's only gotten worse.

I think if I was building a Mercedes car and my customers were upset and leaving because the tire manufacturer couldn't get the tires right, that I'd fire the tire company and make the tires myself. Many of the problems I read about here are not about Pro Tools, but about iLok. If I was PT I'd get something resolved with iLok before it gets any worse.

And don't let anyone fool you into believing that the iLok is essential. I have several other DAW software programs and NONE of them require iLok. And the whole time the other companies are gaining ground on Pro Tools.

This iLok mess has been ridiculous too long. Even the guys with the big dollar rigs are having trouble with it. I'm upset as it is over not being able to use a perfectly legal $700 Pro Tools 10 and upgrade to 11 package, and I was just planning on doing some singer-songwriter stuff for myself tomorrow. I can only imagine the outrage some of these HD people must have if they are going to have to cancel paying sessions over this idiotic iLok.

I'm not going down this road again. When I finally get this mess sorted out and have my DAWs running again I am going to be very, very cautious about any more PT upgrades if iLok is required. If you have everything running, I'd suggest that you leave well enough alone.

[DonaldM]

That's really awful! Like many, I too find the iLok system just annoying as heck! But I've never encountered anything like what you're experiencing! Yikes.

So, just to be clear, assuming the iLok issues get cleared up, you can install PT on more than 1 machine, but you can only have 1 iLok key that you have to transport back and forth? What a nuisance!

[bradch00]

Yes, install it everywhere, only use it on the machine that has the iLok plugged in.

[DonaldM]

Originally Posted by bradch00

Yes, install it everywhere, only use it on the machine that has the iLok plugged in.

Don't like that...but what can I do??!! I fully understand the need to have a secure authorization system...but the iLok system is just too inflexible. One should be able to have up X keys. Surely the system can code for that.

[Park Seward]

Originally Posted by JustGotPaid

And the new iLok has a removable cap that is sure to get lost from routine use, and then the bare metal end that plugs into the computer will no doubt get wear and tear. I see one nightmare after the next with this dxxx and hated iLok.

Donald. You are right. iLok had many problems during the PT11 launch.

One way to make the iLok a bit more reliable is to use a short USB cable. Leave the iLok plugged into the cable and remove the cable from the computer when you want to put it into another computer. That saves the contacts on the iLok from wear and also from dirt and grime. The $5 cable will help save the $50 iLok.