Licensing Error - contact Autodesk Customer Support

[Karen7894]

I have a user that is getting a pop up window when starting AutoCAD 2018 (on Windows 7) that reads "Licensing Error - Please contact Autodesk Customer Support" (see attachment). This is not a new installation, it's been working for fine for 2 years but now she's getting this error.

I searched the Forums and found 2 solutions.  This one did NOT work: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Licens...

There was a solution posted by mdavis22569 on 7-26-2019.  This also did NOT work.

We contacted customer support last week but have not heard anything back from Autodesk.  Meanwhile, I've got a user that hasn't been able to get into AutoCAD for 4 days!  

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Have the user disconnect for the network, internet, WIFI, router, outside world.

Launch the product, does it work now?

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

Yes - the product opens when disconnected from the network, etc..

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Then that tells me something at your end is blocking it..  Was there changes to your firewall?   Updates to your Antivurus database?

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

Changes to the firewall and antivirus software are controlled by our IT dept so I really can't answer that.  The rest of us AutoCAD users are not having a problem.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Exit Autodesk product and reconnect to the outside world.   If you launch the product again does it work or the message appears?

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

Same error message appears when reconnected.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Can you confirm is this Windows service is there and started..

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

The service is there but is it stopped.  Should we start it?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Yes it needs to be started since its the mechanism for licensing for your version of the product.  Let us know if its starts or not.   If it starts, then launch the product and see if it goes through

[Karen7894]

We started the FlexNet Licensing Service and the status changed to running.  Launched AutoCAD and received the same licensing error.  Went back to the Task Manager and the FlexNet Licensing Services was stopped.

(I checked my computer and the FlexNet Licensing Service is stopped but I am in AutoCAD and not having any problems.)

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

2 questions...

Are your machine 32B or 64B operating system?

If 64B are you looking at the flexlm licensing or flexlm licensing x64 service?

[Karen7894]

We are on a 64B operating system.

I don't see anything called flexlm.  The FlexNet licensing service you referred to in your previous post is listed as "FlexNet Licensing Service 64". 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

Sorry I meant FlexNet Licensing Service 64..  If its FlexNet Licensing Service 64 you are working with, then ok.  It is just FlexNet Licensing Service that's not the correct one.

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

Yep, it's 64.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

This service has to be running/started on all machines..   Its the backbone of the licensing mechanism.

I'm wondering if you are on a 30 day off-line counter and that's why its working for you....

Have you applied this update:  https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Autodesk-License-Service...

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

This is my understanding of how the licensing works:  after the initial installation, the user gets prompted to log in with their  Autodesk userID and password.  Then as long as a user launches AutoCAD at least once every 30 days, they don't have to log in again.  

Yes, we applied the Hotfix 5.1.5.  That's the first thing we did last week when this problem first occurred.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Karen7894 

This is how it works for subscription based single user licensed products.

• Upon launch after installation, a live internet connection is required
• Next day launch, if there's no internet connection in the background, it goes into an off-line counter (30 day).  If there's internet connection, it phones home and authorizes it.
• Next day launch, no internet connection, off-line counter ticks down another day.   Internet connection it phones home
• Repeat...

Once a internet connection is found, it resets the 30 day off-line counter.   IF 7 to 10 days left, it prompts you to connect and phone home.  On the 31st day, it will fail to activate the product.  In the end, the product is phoning home every day.   When you disconnected it earlier and it went through it started the clock for the off-line mode.   If that service is not started its impacting the licensing mechanism.

[Mark.Lancaster · Accepted solution]

@Karen7894 

Follow these steps https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/article/97331 but don't restart the app like it states.

Then the steps here https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/article/97386 (some of the files may already been deleted)

Restart the app

[Karen7894]

@Mark.Lancaster 

We went through both articles.  Product activates successfully. But now getting a message saying "Establish an internet connection to continue".  See attachment.  We verified that an internet connection exists.