Borrowed License Issues

[tonyatrsm]

I have been running MEP 2013 on a laptop and borrowed the license so I could go to job meetings. The borrowed license was to be returned at midnight last night and now I can't open MEP at all, not even when I connect the laptop to our server. When I try to open it I get the FLEXnet License Finder (I have never had to do this before) and I type in the server name but it won't open MEP. Now I have a job meeting tomorrow where I need to take the laptop and I can't even run the software. I am able to open MEP on my PC, just not the laptop...

[tonyatrsm]

Just want to add to this... the laptop was turned off and not connected to the server at the time it was supposed to return the borrowed license...maybe that has something to do with it??

[tonyatrsm]

Alison, I tried to reply to your email...I didn't pay attnetion that you would watch for my update. Hoping to get this fixed before Monday. There are two different 2013 adlm files. I will attach both plus the LICPATH.lic file. Not sure how to "ping" the license server from command prompt so i will need some direction on that. I created the "old" subdirectory and dragged the cascadeinfo.cas file into then tried to restart MEP still with no luck.

Actually, it won't let me attach the lic file, says it is an invalid file type...

[tonyatrsm]

both log files are attached to my last update...here they are again

[alison.gangler]

Hi Tony,

Thank you for sending the files. You can also try zipping the licpath.lic file and either reply to the case email or upload it here in zip format.

If you open a command prompt by tying 'cmd' in the START > RUN, then in the command window, type:

>ping [NAME_OF_SERVER]

It will reply with the information if it can connect. If it can't connect or resolve the server name, it will also tell you.

Thank you and I'll follow up with you as soon as I've had a chance to check the logs.

Cheers,

Alison

[tonyatrsm]

didnt think about zipping it...here it is...

[tonyatrsm]

ping came back "Ping request could not find host (....). Please check the name and try again. But if I go into windows explorer I can access files on the server...

[alison.gangler]

The next step to try is to get the IP address for that server and try to ping the IP address instead of using the HostName (machine name). Let me know how that goes.

Also, on the server, check the permissions for the users on the server and especially for the accounts that need to access the location. One good tool is ShareEnum from Technet Sysinternals Suite:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897442.aspx

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

Alison

[tonyatrsm]

Our IT company has to handle anything to do with the server permissions and such. I had them helping me for over an hour Tuesday and they ended up telling me to uninstall then reinstall the AutoCAD software, which I did and still can't get it to read the license. As I said before, the software was working fine until the day after the borrowed license was to be returned at midnight and the laptop was turned off and disconnected from the server at that time. The license was to be returned Monday 11/26 at midnight and when I came in Tuesday I wasn't able to use the software at all.

[alison.gangler]

Thank you for the upate. We need to verify a couple of things to determine why the client cannot get a license from the server:

1. Can you 'ping' the server from the client? Please let me know. As you reported earlier, the ping was unsuccessful which indicates that even though you can browse to the server in Windows Explorer, the license server is unable to resolve the host name of the server when trying to connect.

Often if the client is unable to connect using the HostName, then the next step is to try to connect using the IP address of the server. Can you  ping the IP address of the server?

2. Does the license still show as being checked out /borrowed when getting the Status Enquiry from the server?

Please feel free to send the status enquiry file from the server.

3. Also, send the debug log from the server.

4. In addition, send the client adlm log from C:\Users\All Users\Autodesk\Adlm. This should show a code indicating the reason that the client and server cannot communicate.

Note: the All Users folder is a hidden folder.

Thanks and I'll watch for your update.

Alison

[tonyatrsm]

Somewhere all my messages aren't getting to you. I guess you don't get the ones when I reply to your email from my Outlook inbox? The unseccesful ping was just because I thought I was supposed to put the brackets around our server name. After I figured that out I was able to get a succesful ping. Are these files you're asking for on the server itself? Maybe I need to get our IT company talking to you because I am not able to access all files on the server and they are the ones that set up the license in the first place. I tried going to them for help and they gave up and told me uninstall and reinstall the software, which I tried with no luck.

[tonyatrsm]

Alison,

What is the possibility of setting my PC up as the license server? That way we don't have to go thru our IT company every time we have a problem since they are over an hour away and apparently know little more than I do about the license set up. I have missed being able to take the laptop to two meetings in the field now and the only resolution I got from them was to uninstall and reinstall the software, which didn't work. By the way, I noticed on the LICPATH.LIC file in the MEP folder on the laptop C drive the top line had our server name with just a bunch of zeros after it. I looked at an old license file and it had an IP address so I copy/pasted that in the new file and actually got to where MEP opened but got an error that License Manager was installed incorrectly.

[alison.gangler]

That would certainly be a possiblity. Please check out the Quick Start Guide for the links to get the Network License Manager:

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/11/quick-start-setting-up-a-license-server.html

This guide also has instructions how you can generate the license file for your workstation at www.register.autodesk.com. You will need to have the serial numbers and your HostName and HostID of the workstation.

Here are the install and Configuration instructions as well:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=14379546&linkID=9240617

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=13503006&linkID=9240697

Please let me know if I can help you further and I will be happy to do so.

Cheers,

Alison

[tonyatrsm]

HostName being the name of my PC and HostID being the IP address?

[alison.gangler]

Hi,

The HostName is the Machine Name and the HostID is the physical address or MAC adress. The following solution provides the steps on how you can gather this:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=16485462&linkID=9240617

Please let me know if this helps or if I can help you with any other questions.

Cheers,

Alison