Mastercam Software License Issues and Advice
A few years ago, Mastercam made the move to software licensing. With this change from hardware license devices, there are a few things to know when working with the new style licenses.
Updating your Mastercam software license is a completely different process compared to what was previously done with the hardware keys. You will no longer be given a code file to update the license. Instead, you will receive an email letting you know that updated licenses are available. For both the local and networkable licenses you will need to deactivate the license on its current host. This might be the user’s computer in the case of a standalone license, or the license server for the networkable licenses. In the case of the networkable licenses, they will need to be deactivated and activated on the server itself and cannot be done on the client machines. Once deactivated, you will be presented with your license information. You can then reactivate the license using the same license information. When the activation is complete the new maintenance dates will be applied. All activations will be done using the Activation Wizard.
Issues With Using Software Licenses
Software licensing issues just happen to be the most common issues that our tech support team comes across. One of the biggest issues that can arise is the license gets broken. The main reason a license gets broken is the hardware signature reported during activation of the license, does not match the current hardware signature. You can change any one hardware component of the system and the license will remain. Changing two hardware components can cause the license to lock. This can be a CPU, GPU, or Motherboard change for example. Any changes to the main drive usually result in a locked license. This includes cloning a drive.
How to Avoid Locking Your Mastercam License
To avoid locking your Mastercam license, there are a few things that can be done as a best practice. For standalone licenses, it is good practice to deactivate your license when doing a large update to the system. For example, updating from Windows 10 to Windows 11 or performing a BIOS update. In the case of a hardware update, replacing any major components, as mentioned previously, should be treated as a large update. These changes can replace quite a few drivers and other hardware information and can result in locked licenses. It is safer to deactivate, make the big changes, then reactivate.
How to Handle Mastercam Licenses on a Server
In the case of servers, the same principles will need to be used with traditional hardware servers. For Virtual servers, there are a few additional things to keep in mind. Some VM software will need to be configured to have a static hardware configuration. If this is not done, we have seen servers that rebuild on reboot, lock the license due to the large change in hardware signature. This also needs to be kept in mind when modifying the VM. If you change too much in the configuration, it is the same as changing physical hardware and can lock the license.
We have a process to repair the license or possibly get a new activation added. If this can be done there are no issues, the license will reactivate, assuming the changes are minor or not physical. If the changes are too broad and it looks like a new system, the licenses will be treated as lost or broken. Any broken or lost licenses may be able to get one additional activation. Anything beyond the first lost license will require a conversation with your sales rep.
We hope this article helps you avoid any future issues with your Mastercam licensing. If you still have questions and need assistance, please learn more about our tech support options by clicking below.
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