Installation & Licensing

[#1]

Phil,
This was in response to Jerry's posting on your topic. Contact me if you
need help with this issue. I can be called at (916)734-2466, but I woul
like this discussion to continue on the newsgroup as well, so that people
are aware that this issue exists. Autodesk is in denial on this one, and I
want them to see that others have the same problems that we have. Maybe
they will do things differently next time! Besides, those guys at Autodesk
are so full of themselves, they were downright RUDE to me the first time I
posted this issue here!!!!
I just love sticking it in thier face and telling them that they are WRONG!

<
workstation, you built the wrong type of deployment>>
Jerry,
That is simply not true.
You obviously paid little attention to the thread here starting 1/28/00
<
installation!>>
to 2/25/00 <>.
I think that you didn't pay attention, cause you never bothered to help us
(that wasted dozens of hours) deal with this problem.

There IS a way that AutoCAD can continue using the Authorization Code
wizard on a properly networked A2K install, even from a properly installed
network client configuration, despite what the Autodesk people in this
group might tell you! (NO, you are not loosing you mind) I have been
monitoring this newsgroup, just waiting for some poor sap like Chuck
Wheat, Kevin Nehls, and myself to post this problem again. No one from
Autodesk acknowledged this issue for us, so dont expect anything from them,
but to ignore this problem.

The non-scientific conclusion from the hundreds of hours of wasted time
between us, was that somehow, AutoCAD (I think that it may actually be
release 14 that does it, but it could be A2K, or even both) puts a hidden
hook (that there seems to be no way to get rid of) somewhere on the hard
disk (could also be the registry) that indicates that AutoCAD has been
installed at some time on that computer . It is my belief that when
AutoCAD 14 is installed in a NON-NETWORKED configuration, this hidden hook
is placed somewhere on the client computer. Un-installing AutoCAD 14 or
2000 makes will not remove this "hook". Even removing all of the registry
entries for AutoCAD will not get rid of the hook. Installing AutoCAD 2000
networked version from the client install (makes no difference if the
installation is run from the server, thin or a local installation, thick)
causes AutoCAD to look to see if the software is authorized, somehow, in
the authorization process for A2K, this "hook" is found, and the
Authorization Code Wizard will come up every time! And of course, you have
no Auth Code for the clients. So you have 30 day before you must
re-install AutoCAD 2000! The Client will also NEVER go out and get the
lisc from the ADLM.

The ONLY solution (that Kevin Nehls came up with) to resolve this issue was
a low level formatting of the hard disk! This is SO time consuming that I
tried everything to avoid it, but it was the only thing that worked. For a
single NT workstation, it took me 5 hrs. and 17 re-boots later (to
re-install and update all of the applications and OS). Kevin tried just a
regular format, and re-install, and it did not work, he
still came up with the Authorization code wizard for his networked AutoCAD
2000 installation. The only solution for us was LOW-LEVEL formatting of
the hard disk. In fact, due to the problems with plotting using A2K I JUST
tried to install a non-networked AutoCAD 14 so that we can plot at the
quality and consistency of R14! And Guess what, NOW the Authorization Code
Wizard comes up on my networked AutoCAD 2000 installation on that
machine!!! The A2K networked install worked fine prior to the install of
the AutoCAD 14. I even tried to un-install the non-networked AutoCAD 14,
but I still get the Authorization Code Wizard in A2K. Big mistake, guess
what, unless there is a different solution, I must now low-level format
that machine, reinstall EVERYTHING from scratch. What a nightmare. I just
set myself back about 4 hours!

This may not be your problem, Jerry may be right, you may have done things
incorrectly, but after you are through believing what the Autodesk people
tell you, and you pour over it for DAYS and become completely frustrated,
wasting so much time pouring over TCP-IP and network issues. Then, when
your boss and CAD users loose confidence in you abilities as a CAD Manager,
and your boss is just about ready to fire you because you are getting
nothing done cause you are wasting so much time on this, after wasting time
with your dealer that knows nothing of a networked AutoCAD install, and
after throwing away money on another dealers support pay per incident fee,
that only wasted even more time and money, and made you look like an idiot!

Before resorting to low level formatting, try installing your networked A2K
Client installation on a machine that has NEVER ever seen the likes of
AutoCAD and watch in amazement as the networked client installation works
fine. Observe how it picks up the ADLM license on the server, and works
like a dream while NEVER getting the Authorization Code Wizard! Observe
how when you install a regular non-networked (hardware locked educational
version) of AutoCAD 14 on the machine you will now get the Authorization
Code Wizard in AutoCAD 2000!
Good Luck
You will need it on this, cause besides the non-Autodesk people in this
group, you will get NO help anywhere else!
If you are interested, I will re-post the threads that I had saved
regarding this issue.

K.

jerry milana wrote in article
...
Phil,

If you get prompted for authorization after installing a deployment to a
workstation, you built the wrong type of deployment. Uninstall the
deployment from all workstations. Next delete the deployment from the
server. Now, create a deployment and do not select the option to create a
"standalone deployment". And, to answer your question, no, you can not
install the network version to a workstation directly from the CD.

Jerry Milana,

Autodesk Product Support

"pboudreau" wrote in message
news:eee2257.1@WebX.SaUCah8kaAW...
> Hello,
> I've been trying for a few days to install Autocad 2000 on several
machines using the ADLM license manager. I have installed ADLM on a machine
that is going to act as the license manager, but which is not a server.
ADLM
is running on that machine.
> The problem comes when I try to install A2K on the client machines. I
called Autodesk to get my Authorization code for the server copy. It is
this
huge number (25 digits).
> First question: Do I have to get another authorization code for the
client
machines?
> When I try to install A2K on the client machine, I am assuming that I
will
be using the Client and Autodesk License Manager Installation. What I would
like to do is to install from CD onto the client machine.
> Second question: Do I have to create the network setup or can I install
from CD and use the license manager?
> I had our system administrator help me out for a while with this. He went
with the install from network path and now we have a client.exe on our
server that installs Autocad. However, it asks for a authorization code.
The
code I got for the server is way too big and doesn't work (see question 1).
> Third question: Is this right path to achieve my installation goals?
> We have also upgraded 4 copies of R14 to R2000 network versions. I
noticed
that the serial numbers of the network versions are slightly different from
the standalone. The network numbers begin with 180- while the standalone
begin with 110-. We used the 110- number for the A2k install of ADLM.
> Fourth question: Should I have used a different serial number? That was
the number on the box.
> I realize that this is a fairly long post and I apologize if it doesn't
make sense. I tried calling Autodesk for help and they told me to call my
VAR. My VAR doesn't have time right now. I have to get this done before we
can deploy some new computers.
> Thanks in advance.
> Phil Boudreau
> CAD Coordinator
> Harding Lawson Assoc.
> (415) 884-3306