AdskLicensingService.exe missing

[bchok]

Hello,

We are using Microsoft MDT to deploy a base image with Autocad 2020 preinstalled.  We have been doing it like this for years.  Suddenly we are having an issue where the "current" folder in the path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\AdskLicensing\Current" does not exist on any of our machines deployed with the image.  Due to this, the Autodesk License Service cannot start because the .exe does not exist.  This prevents users from being able to launch AutoCAD.  Through testing, I discovered if I pull missing files from the master image that is deployed and recreate the current folder the the affected machine, it resolves the issue.  However, having to manually do this company wide is something I want to try to avoid.  Does anyone know why this folder may not exist on deployed machines even though it exists on the master image?  Is there a fix other than copying over the missing files or reinstalling AutoCAD on the affected machine altogether?  Thanks!

[natasha.l]

Hello @bchok, 

We have some deployment best practices that I think you should review, Best Practices for creating a deployment. 

I recommend testing just the Autodesk deployment locally, if it installs our software successfully it is an issue with the deployment image. 

Please "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[natasha.l]

Hello @bchok, 

Just checking in with you, I hope you had the chance to test the Autodesk deployment. 

Please remember to "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[bchok]

Hi,

I've looked over the deployment best practices and we seem to be following most, if not all of those.  We use Microsoft MDT to deploy a base image to our endpoints, which includes AutoCAD 2020.  For all the previous versions (2016, 2018, etc...) this worked without an issue.  Now with 2020, when the image is deployed to the endpoint the folder containing the licensing service exe goes missing.  We were able to test some more and discovered that if the endpoint was deployed over PXE in UEFI mode the folder went missing.  If we deployed the endpoint in legacy mode the issue went away.  However, disabling uefi and deploying via legacy mode for all our endpoints is not a viable solution.

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @bchok, 

Although some administrators use imaging software to distribute products, Autodesk does not support this use. Imaging software can cause licensing conflicts, incomplete installations, and activation problems. The reasoning for this is that imaging copies the initial computer system & drive contents to create a master image. It also erases all programs and data on the client PCs and replaces them with the contents of the master PC. 

If you verified that the Autodesk deployment package worked locally, then our deployments are working as expected. I recommend reaching out to the 3rd party tools you are using to create distribute & deploy to the client computers for assistance. 

Related Articles: 

To use imaging software to distribute products

Deploying Autodesk software to many computers

Please "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.