Activation Entry Error

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to contact someone who can help me with an activation code issue I'm having with my AutoCAD LT 2005. We've tried calling, emailing, and looking online with no luck.  I previously purchased and registered this product. I recently decided to install it on my new computer, but when I try to register and activate it by entering my activation code, it gives me the below error. 

Activation Entry Error

Registration Error

There is a problem with the activation code that you entered.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I am just the messenger on this one.

As of August 31, 2019 any version of AutoCAD 2010/AutoCAD 2010LT or older will no longer be activated.

Previous version support change | AutoCAD 2018 | Autodesk Knowledge Network

[Anonymous]

Thanks John. So even though I have an activation code, it won't work since the version is older than 2010? Do I just have to get rid of my current one and purchase a new Autodesk or is there any way to use the old activation code?

[rkmcswain]

@stanislaw.mastela wrote:

Thanks John. So even though I have an activation code, it won't work since the version is older than 2010? Do I just have to get rid of my current one and purchase a new Autodesk or is there any way to use the old activation code?

@Anonymous  - you are understanding it correctly.  Autodesk made the decision to kill off older versions since there is no income stream there. Older versions are supposed to keep running OK on the hardware and O/S they were installed on at the time of your last activation, but any change that requires a new activation code means the software is history (short of installing it as a 30-day trial on new hardware).

Autodesk has switched to a rental model they call "subscription" and you must pay as you go. No pay, no use of the software. Your choices now are to start a new rental with Autodesk (AutoCAD LT cost ranges from US$55/month to US$1,135 for 3 years), or look for a different CAD vendor with terms that you agree with.

[Anonymous]

Since I paid over $1,000 for the software when I purchased it and Autodesk decided to kill this off, are they providing users of these killed off versions with a credit to switch over to this new model?

You mentioned that "any change that requires a new activation code means the software is history," do these old versions require a new activation code each time they are installed or why is the previous activation code not working?

[Anonymous]

With the licenses 2010 and earlier you had to request a new activation code each time you installed it. That is why the previous code is not working.

[rkmcswain]

@stanislaw.mastela" uid="10109692 wrote:

Since I paid over $1,000 for the software when I purchased it and Autodesk decided to kill this off, are they providing users of these killed off versions with a credit to switch over to this new model?

You mentioned that "any change that requires a new activation code means the software is history," do these old versions require a new activation code each time they are installed or why is the previous activation code not working?

@Anonymous - 

(A) - No credit. Any challenge to this will have to be done via the courts. They have stated their new policy and there are not exceptions, credits, etc.

(B) - As @Anonymous said, this is by design. The request code is generated from unique identifiers on a given PC. Then the resulting activation code goes with it. If the activation code were the same, then you (or anybody for that matter) could install a single copy on 5, 10, 100, etc. PCs. This is standard copy-protection that has been in place for years.  What literally happened 16 months ago, is Autodesk decided to no longer give activation codes for the old software.

Good luck.