Activation issues

[JohnnyJoe]

I am having LabVIEW activation issues.   

Summary:

32-bit LabVIEW: System thinks hardware has changed every time machine is booted up.

64-bit LabVIEW: System thinks hardware has changed every time LabVIEW is opened.

Details:

Behaviour is different between 64bit version and 32bit version.  Common to both issues is that the computer HardwareID is changing every reboot.  I suspect that fully explains the 32bit issues as I only need to reactivate it after every reboot.  64-bit version is odd.  It wants me to reactivate it every time I restart the LabVIEW application, and each activation email I receive after doing that lists a different HW ID.  NILM4.0 always gives me a consistent HWID (between reboots).  If I start NILM and activate LV and then start 64bit LV (and reactivate it) and then switch back to NILM and refresh it says no longer activated.

I believe the 64bit was working when originally installed - it is possible issues started with a BIOS upgrade.  Only installed 32bit version today trying to debug this issue.

I have had support on the phone but not solved - left it with me agreeing to remove and reinstall LabVIEW-64-bit to see if that helps.  It hasn't, and couldn't get through to them on the phone today hence this post.

It is a dell E7470 Laptop running Win10 in a docking station.  Have not checked behaviour when undocked - probably relevant for diagnosing the issue but not relevant as I do 99% of my LabVIEW work docked.

System info:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise
Version 10.0.14393 Build 14393
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name LTD-HF
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Latitude E7470
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU 06DC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz, 2801 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.17.5, 11/07/2017
SMBIOS Version 3.0
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer Dell Inc.
BaseBoard Model Not Available
BaseBoard Name Base Board
Platform Role Mobile
Secure Boot State Off
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale Australia
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.14393.1378"

[JohnnyJoe]

BTW the BIOS was upgraded in an attempt to fix the windows 10 Bitlocker issues that are somewhat common to these (at least) laptops.  That issue is similar, with the system thinking the HW has changed.  The BIOS upgrade didn't fix those issues for me but downgrading TPM from V2.0 to V1.2 did. LabVIEW issues existed before the TPM downgrade.

[Jacobson-ni]

Just to clear things up when you say that you are using the Hardware ID, are you talking about the ComputerID as it is reported in NI License Manager?

If you haven't already, I would also try generating a ComputerID from your disk volume serial number. I have had some luck doing that if the ComputerID reported by NI License Manager keeps changing.

[JohnnyJoe]

Yes, the 16-character Computer ID that you can get from NI Licence Manger, or through the GenerateComputerID.exe in the Licence Manger/bin folder. 

We might have tried generating it from the disk volume serial number but happy to revisit that.

[JohnnyJoe]

Some further info:

1)  I've had LV support on the phone and entering the manually generated activation code based on my C: drive's volume serial number (and my LabVIEW serial number) doesn't work (invalid activation code error from memory).

2) All my previous info related to my laptop whilst it was docked.  Today I discovered that if I activate LabVIEW either by starting the application or through the licence manager whilst un-docked, then the activation continues to work between LabVIEW restarts (even after it is re-docked) but fails on next reboot (irrespective of whether or not it goes near the dock in the interim).

Solution TBA (hopefully)...

[Trevor.H]

If you wish to revisit generating the computer ID from the disk volume serial number, the following knowledge base article may be helpful: 

How Can I Change the Hardware Used for Activation of NI Software? 

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/CEF3043068981186862578090074BF31

[JohnnyJoe]

Thanks Trevor,  as indicated above, I've been on phone support and tried that, it doesn't work for me.  At least based on the disk volume number.  I didn't think to suggest we do it on MAC addresses as it is a laptop as I thought I read that that is not the correct approach for laptops.  The support I've had over the phone in Australia hasn't been able to solve the issue so it is being raised with US technical support.

[Trevor.H]

I think trying to force an activation on a MAC address may be a good next step.  To get the MAC address, open the command prompt, and type ipconfig/all and look to the right of the physical address.  Once you have the MAC address, phone support should be able to walk you through activating with it.  

[JÞB]

First.  I really hate to point this out but you never mentioned which Version of LabVIEW you are having trouble activating.  I assume not NXG- as you have a x32 version but 2016,2017, 2012? one of those.

Second you mention NILM 4.0 So, some of the silly computer information stuff is no longer available and although there may be some ways to get other keys other that through the Computer info widget those are obsolete and based off the old LM interface.

Third, how have you installed the components you want to activate? Downloads, NI Update service, Media (What media)...

Have you updated the update service so the update service can update NILM 4.0 (Yeah, there is apparently an update to the updater needed to update the NILM)

Last Have you tried switching to the product view in NILM 4.0 and just trying to activate ONLY the LabVIEW IDE License? Go figure- that worked for me

[JohnnyJoe]

Hi I have suggested this to my phone support person who has asked me to generate a MAX Technical Report to assist the US support team.