License activation suddenly stopped can't open PTs

[Bobalou]

(UPDATE 11/15) adding support Case Number 04537657

here's the sequence of events directly:
1. at startup, ts apparently trying to activate automatically through Avid link and fails with "Activation Error"
2. then asks "How do you want to activate" I get two options "Avid Link" or "iLok account" I choose ilok and hit next
3. I receive "License Account Login" user ID/Password and hit next
4. then receive "select License to Activate" - "Show locations" where iLok Activations is an option showing my ilok3 then click "done"
5. it returns to "select License to Activate screen" and Next is grayed out. can only press quit.
6. Pro tools won't launch
7. and first activation error is attempting to use avid link to activate resulting in this list of errors. (I have not used or seen avid link in the past as a destination for activation) pro tools would just load per normal studio splash screen.

--------------------------------

11/14
no issues all day, this evening I launched PTs Studio and it suddenly can't locate license to activate. I'm on Catalina, Mac mini, using ilok.

I'm receiving activation error at start up, I hit next and see option to activate Avid Link or ilok. choosing ilok it gets me to show locations where it shows "ilok Activations" hit done, but it won't allow the "next" option. forced quit

I tried to deactivate and activate to cloud, but it doesn't show as an option in "locations" where start up is trying to locate my license.. I decided to update my ptls to 2022.10 thinking wrongly that would help, it did not help. started happening on .06 ..usb ilok appears to be working, its lit and recognized in ilok license manager.

all my licenses are paid and active on my avid account page. currently dead in the water on the absolute worst day possible!

any assist from from Tech before I call in tomorrow would be appreciated
thanks

[nednednerb]

https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=300050

Follow the troubleshooting, such as clearing preferences

[Bobalou]

Originally Posted by nednednerb

https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=300050

Follow the troubleshooting, such as clearing preferences

thanks but no go on any of that which I checked prior to posting. what causes pro tools to work flawlessly for the two years on this exact system, then one evening it won't authenticate my license when everything shows active on website and shows available on ilock?

currently learning my LUNA, this is unacceptable to not even be able to log into PTs and work. case number updated in original post. thanks for trying friend.

[Bobalou]

Originally Posted by amishsixstringer

Awesome. I submitted a ticket. I'll report back with you guys.

Neil

5 years later still waiting to hear from you!!!

actually experiencing this now but no luck with suggestions in these threads I've researched. in case the eyes of anyone in support sees this please assist this case number. I'm dead in the water!

Case Number 04537657

[Bobalou]

Originally Posted by jeffro

Checked the iLok account based on your community email and I only see a Pro Tools 11 Bundle (nothing with an expiration date). Guessing you might be referring to another account, so might be best to start a registration support case.

Hi Jeffro, can you look into this Case Number 04537657
I'm struggling with this issue as you may have seen in my initial post and threads I've chimed in on.
thanks

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by Bobalou

(UPDATE 11/15) adding support Case Number 04537657

here's the sequence of events directly:
1. at startup, ts apparently trying to activate automatically through Avid link and fails with "Activation Error"
2. then asks "How do you want to activate" I get two options "Avid Link" or "iLok account" I choose ilok and hit next
3. I receive "License Account Login" user ID/Password and hit next
4. then receive "select License to Activate" - "Show locations" where iLok Activations is an option showing my ilok3 then click "done"
5. it returns to "select License to Activate screen" and Next is grayed out. can only press quit.
6. Pro tools won't launch
7. and first activation error is attempting to use avid link to activate resulting in this list of errors. (I have not used or seen avid link in the past as a destination for activation) pro tools would just load per normal studio splash screen.

--------------------------------

11/14
no issues all day, this evening I launched PTs Studio and it suddenly can't locate license to activate. I'm on Catalina, Mac mini, using ilok.

I'm receiving activation error at start up, I hit next and see option to activate Avid Link or ilok. choosing ilok it gets me to show locations where it shows "ilok Activations" hit done, but it won't allow the "next" option. forced quit

I tried to deactivate and activate to cloud, but it doesn't show as an option in "locations" where start up is trying to locate my license.. I decided to update my ptls to 2022.10 thinking wrongly that would help, it did not help. started happening on .06 ..usb ilok appears to be working, its lit and recognized in ilok license manager.

all my licenses are paid and active on my avid account page. currently dead in the water on the absolute worst day possible!

any assist from from Tech before I call in tomorrow would be appreciated
thanks

Hi,


Have you tried to De-activate (return to account) then Re-activate, then re sync the ilok. make sure you have the latest ilok manager.


Is it the same using ilok or cloud for the licence




Chris

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by Bobalou

Hi Jeffro, can you look into this Case Number 04537657
I'm struggling with this issue as you may have seen in my initial post and threads I've chimed in on.
thanks

Hi! Upon checking the case, the support team already sent an Email. have you already tried their suggestion?

"Please synchronize your iLok key in the iLok License Manager application to update and refresh your Pro Tools license activation.

Below is the link on how synchronize the iLok key to an iLok account:
https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/How_To/How-to-synchronize-the-iLok-key-to-an-iLok-account"

-Tope

[Bobalou]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

Hi! Upon checking the case, the support team already sent an Email. have you already tried their suggestion?

"Please synchronize your iLok key in the iLok License Manager application to update and refresh your Pro Tools license activation.

Below is the link on how synchronize the iLok key to an iLok account:
https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/How_To/How-to-synchronize-the-iLok-key-to-an-iLok-account"

-Tope

Hi Tope, thanks for the assist. (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!

[Bobalou]

Originally Posted by crizdee

Hi,


Have you tried to De-activate (return to account) then Re-activate, then re sync the ilok. make sure you have the latest ilok manager.


Is it the same using ilok or cloud for the licence




Chris

Hi Chris, thanks for the assist. (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!