LMTOOLS "Windows preferred path <SystemDrive>\ProgramData" error

[TravisNave]

Problem:  A few people, including myself, have come across this error in more recent versions of LMTOOLS (since 11.13.x) where when configuring the Service an error message pops up stating Windows preferred path <SystemDrive>\ProgramData to store service data is not set.

LMTOOLS Warning

And may also be accompanied by this warning message in the status bar when trying to start the service:

VD is starting, please check vendor daemon's status in debug log

As a result, the service fails to start.  The adskflex.exe vendor daemon file is not running in Task Manager and the server status enquiry shows that the license manager is not running.  Subsequently, there may not be a debug.log file created or the log file contains little to no data. 

Log On uses Local ServiceReason:  As it turns out, recent changes to the LMTOOLS permissions when creating the service have attributed to this error.  It is also more likely to occur when using Windows Server 2012/2016, which has  much more strict permissions constraints than client OS machines or Windows Server 2008.  As a result of this change, the service is created with LocalService rights rather than LocalSystem, as it has been in the past.  This minor change in permissions is enough to prevent your license manager from starting properly.  This is why LMTOOLS has recently defaulted the location for the debug.log file to the C:\ProgramData folder because that is where LocalService has its write privileges. 

Work-Around:  As it turns out, many of us do not prefer the debug.log file to be in some random hidden folder used by the operating system.  However, since the LocalService doesn't have the same write privileges as LocalSystem or your own administrative group user, you will often run into one of these errors and your NLM simply will not start.  Whereas I suspect you could simply change the Log On properties to LocalService, I prefer a much easier solution.

1.  Create a new folder in the root of C:\ called C:\FlexLM and copy all of your license manager files (lmgrd.exe, lmtools.exe, lmutil.exe, adskflex.exe, <yourlicensefile>.lic) into this folder.  Note:  Since recent releases of FlexLM, the default location of C:\Program Files has been changed due to the restrictive permissions of recent Windows Server Operating Systems.  It is now best practice to install in a root directory of your choosing.  If you do choose to keep it under Program Files, then the following steps will still apply. 

2.  Right-click the folder and choose Properties from the context menu.  In the folder properties, choose the Security tab and then click the Edit... button to change permissions.

Click Edit...3.   In the Permissions properties window, click the Add... button.  In the next window, type Everyone into the object names box, then click Check Names to verify.  Then click OK to continue.

Click Add...Type Everyone then click Check Names

4.  On the Permissions window, Everyone should now be listed under Group or user names.  Make sure it selected and then check the box for Full control under Permissions.  Click OK and then OK again to close all property windows.    

Highlight Everyone and then check Full controlNote:  If you have subfolders and intend to use them for the debug.log file, you should click the Advanced button and Change Permissions... to check the box to Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object.  

5.  Now configure your Autodesk Network License Manger service using this new configured C:\FlexLM folder with full permissions.  You can now configure your debug.log file to point to this folder as well.  Your license manager should now start as expected, though you still may get the warning when saving the service.  This is due to the debug.log file not being created under C:\ProgramData, but will not affect the workings of the license manager.  

If you need a Quick Start guide on how to configure LMTOOLS, please see my article here.

Good Luck!

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

Please note that even by following these steps to resolve the NLM not starting, you may still be presented with this warning error when configuring the service if you choose to write your debug.log to a location other than the default one.  This can safely be ignored. 

Ignore this if your License Manager is working

Please let me know here if you have any problems with this work-around. 

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

As a tag back on to why this error and other errors happen with recent License Manager versions, reiterating above, the Service created by LMTOOLS when saving FlexLM Service 1 is not created by the LocalSystem as in previous releases.  It's likely best practice to change the service back to running as the Local System logon, per the information found in my LMTOOLS 2019 thread here:

Good Luck!

[TravisNave]

As a courtesy to Autodesk Support, and to further explain the link provided directly above this post, one of the leading reasons for this problem is a change in how the logon rights have changed when creating the Service.  I will repost with additional clarity here.

After creating the new service in LMTOOLS, the logon account will be set to “Local Service” as I originally pointed out above.  Changing it to the “Local System account” radio button instead, may help alleviate this issue.  Stop the service then make the appropriate changes to the service:

 Located in Windows Services.msc

Also have LMTOOLS create the debug.log file rather than pointing to any pre-existing file.  This is generally a best practice to follow anyway.  As a helpful note, if you add a + to the beginning of the pathname in the path to the debug log file location, it will always append the log file rather than replace it on stop/start.

Start the license manager from LMTOOLS, the Start/Stop/Reread tab.  Verify that it is started and that the debug.log file has been created.  If you still receive the same error, proceed at your discretion with additional solutions as provided.  Special thanks to Autodesk Support for reaching out to me directly on this issue. 

Good Luck!

[Mark.Lancaster]

@TravisNave

Unless its just at my end..  But the images you added to your latest reply are not showing up..

[Anonymous]

Also have LMTOOLS create the debug.log file rather than pointing to any pre-existing file.  This is generally a best practice to follow anyway.  As a helpful note, if you add a + to the beginning of the pathname in the path to the debug log file location, it will always append the log file rather than replace it on stop/start.

This. Thank you Travis for creating this thread. I spent over a day and a half racking my brain over what I did wrong with version 2019. I was conditioned to always create the log file myself in previous versions. This 2019 version just begs to create debug.log itself. Once I tried your suggestion, it just worked.

[jose.laraYVM67]

Thanks, it solved my issue. 

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