Reinstalling Windows, how to save my license?

[Lolcocks123]

Hello, I am having a lot of BSODs with my current Windows installation and the only option is to reinstall Windows because I have tried everything else.

So before I go ahead and reinstall it, the license key is in use with the current installation. If I reinstall Windows and insert my key then I will lose another one of my licenses. So to prevent this, what can I do?

There is no option apart from reinstalling Windows, even the engineer from my laptop's company said that I will need to format it because we both are unable to pin point the exact cause of the BSOD.

Please tell me how I can backup my license.

EDIT:

Oh, I forgot to mention, I am running AutoDesk Building Design Suite Ultimate 2016.

[Lolcocks123]

Bump guys, I need to reinstall Windows urgently. I am not able to work since last so many day.

[simona.golisciano]

Hello Lolcocks123,

Sorry about the delay.

You will not lose your license if you reinstall Windows. You will need to obtain a new Activation Code for your original Serial Number and Product Key. If the online activation fails, please contact our Activation & Registration specialists to get help with the manual activation of the product. Make sure you provide them with the Request Code. 

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

Actually I have 1 key and 20 licenses with that one key. So I have a few licenses left on that key, which I will require in the future but if I reinstall Windows, install AutoDesk BDS Ultimate 2016 and activate it, I will lose a license from that key.

Is there any way I can retain this license or surrender my license before reinstalling Windows?

I know this because I have done this before and have lost 2 licenses on my previous year's key, but I don't want to lose them this time 😞

Please help me AutoDesk support guys.

[simona.golisciano]

Hello again, 

One option is to export the license before you reinstall Windows, then import the license back once Windows has been reinstalled. Please refer to the following online solution:

Export a License

In any case, I'd like to confirm that, in case you need to re-activate the product following Windows re-install, you will not lose one of licenses you haven't used yet. When users need an activation code due to hardware issues or formatting, we usually grant them a new activation code, and this should have no impact on the number of available licenses. 

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

Are you sure that one of the total 20 seats available won't decrease during this processes?

After after the license backup using the tool, during reinstall AutoDesk back, do I install as trial version and use the license backup tool again to import it or is there any other process?

[simona.golisciano]

Hello,

Do you have Standalone or Networked licenses?

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

These are standalone licenses. I know it isn't an issue with network licenses cause I have used them in the past.

But now I have standalone licenses and everytime during installation I input the product key I lose 1 seathing of the license. Even if I am just reinstalling AutoDesk on a particular laptop or PC.

[simona.golisciano]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply. 

With Standalone licenses, when you input your serial number and product key during installation, you do not "lose" a license, but you generate an activation code. For each license, you are entitled to 2 activations: 1 for your office computer and 1 for your home computer or laptop (note that you cannot use the software on both machines simultaneously). As your serial number has 20 seats, it means that you are entitled up to 40 activations. However, even once you have reached this total number of activations, it is still possible to obtain a new activation code, in case you have to re-install the software following hardware issues, crash, formatting, etc. In this kind of situation, you might need to go through a manual activation and get help from our Activation & Registration specialists.

On the other hand, if you manage to export and then import the license using the backup tool, you shouldn't need to go through the manual activation.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

Okay thanks. It's clear now.

One last thing, if I use that tool, I will have to do the installation process in 30 day trial mode right? And after it completes, use the tool right?

[Lolcocks123]

Using the license transfer utility won't make me lose my seating right?

And will it cause any problem in the future?

Offtopic:

During installation, are Revit Content Libraries downloaded from the internet? If yes, what is their size?

[Lolcocks123]

One more question, how do you differentiate between the two licenses if they used at Office and at home? Because the key is just one for all 20 licenses.

Right now I have installed them on different different laptops.

[simona.golisciano]

Hello Lolcocks123,

I'd like to confirm that using the License Transfer Utility won't make you lose your seating and should not cause activation issues in the future. 

We don't really make a distinction between office computers and home computers. What matters is the activation count and the total number of computers. For a serial number with 20 Standalone seats, our system allows 20 online activations on 20 machines (but 1 activation per machine only) + 20 online activations on 20 "back up" machines (but 1 activation per machine only). For that serial number, the list of activations can therefore display up to 40 computer id's. We don't need to know how many of these are office computers, how many are laptops and how many are home computers. This is to allow a kind of flexibilty. Please note that, even though the software may be installed & activated on 40 machines, it can only be used on 20 machines simultaneously.

Of course, we also consider the fact that customers may need to change their hardware or re-install the software due to issues, etc. That's what the License Transfer Utility is for. If the LTU cannot be used/doesn't work for some reason, we can still allow the customer to re-install/re-activate through manual activation.

Regarding Revit Content Libraries, indeed you need to be connected to the internet to download & install them. These online solutions might help:

Installation Stalls for Revit Content Libraries

Revit: Can't find the Content Library

If you have further questions on this topic, you can post them in this thread:

Can not reinstall revit content libraries 2015

Hope this helps.

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

Thank you for your reply. Now everything is clear.

One last thing. What is the size of AutoDesk Revit Content Libraries? I am running on an limited internet plan here. 

I wonder why you guys don't include it in the suite itself. Would be a lot easier.

[Lolcocks123]

One more thing. 

I install in trial mode 30 days first and after installation use the license transfer utility right?

[simona.golisciano · Accepted solution]

Hello again, 

Yes, you can install the software on trial mode and then use the License Transfer Utility. Please refer to this online solution for detailed instructions:

Using the License Transfer Utility to Transfer Licenses Online

Regarding Autodesk Revit Content Library, unfortunately I'm not able to answer your question. I noticed that you posted the question on the  I previously share with you, but now I realize that our expert had actually redirected the users to a different post, that focuses on troubleshooting efforts:

Revit content installation problems

Maybe you can post again your question in that thread.

Regards,

[Lolcocks123]

****, do I have to use the license trasfer utility tool for each product individually?

What about the products that don't come with an license transfer utility?

[matthew.d]

Hi @Lolcocks123,

Yes, you use the License Transfer Utility one product at time, they do not come with the product because people under subscription do not need it.