Has Anti-piracy gone too far

[JuhaHo]

I have had recently some serious licensing issues with Chaos plugins (V-Ray and Phoenix FD). I don't know if it's a windows update or something else, but I have lost all my Chaos licenses and cannot work at the moment. The Chaos support is not commenting anything - not to my support requests nor in the forum. If someone here knows somebody at Chaos, could You please pass them my request.

I'm sure there's always illegal software users so anti-piracy measurement don't have much effect for those folks. We, who pay for software are ones who suffer.

I use paid version of WinZip too. I don't know any other who do so.

[Muhammed_Hamed]

Sorry to hear about your trouble, I sent a note about your request. The support team will get to this first thing on Monday

Best,
Muhammed

[Muhammed_Hamed]

Are you able to access http://localhost:30304/#/
Do you see any licenses there?

[JuhaHo]

Are you able to access http://localhost:30304/#/
Do you see any licenses there?

Thanks,

No, I can't access to license server. Instead I got this:

[Morbid Angel]

localhost is vray license server that's running on your workstation. Is that where the license server is suppose to be installed? If so, it means vray license server is not running. I would type in taskbar command field (search field in start menu)
Stop Chaos License Server and select this option:


Then I would type:
Start Chaos License Server and select this option:


If that has completed successfully, you can then run a localhost:30304 command in your browser and you should see your license server show interface and licenses etc.

For us the license server is a virtual machine which is access by network machines so it's a bit different, but be sure you have this working on your machine which is the chaos license server.

[JuhaHo]

Thanks Dmitry

A followed the instructions above. I Stopped Chaos license server and then started it, but it didn't change anything. The browser can't open the page. I don't know what to do. I'm convinced that the latest Windows update broke up the licensing system. It hasn't worked since then.

As I recall, back in 90's Digimation licensing system didn't work in my system because of localization (they said). I have a long history with non functioning licensing. That's where the title of the thread came from.

[Morbid Angel]

Are you on windows 11? Can you open task manager and see if these are running there?


If they aren't, likely a firewall or UAC or some form of windows protection is blocking it. For testing purposes I would temporarily disable windows firewall, windows defender, UAC. Repeat above steps to restart the license server until it works. Just to be sure you have these files on disk in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Chaos\Chaos License Server:

If you don't reinstall the license server from vray installer.

[Muhammed_Hamed]

Ticket number with Chaos?

[JuhaHo]

Ticket number with Chaos?

Thanks,

Ticket number: 301260

[JuhaHo]

I wonder,

If here is someone who knows someone at chaos, I would appreciate if that someone could pass this thoughts to that someone at Chaos

1. To be able to pay for my software usage, I need to invoice my clients
2. To get justification to that invoice, I need to deliver their order
3. To get the job done and order delivered, I need to use my toolbox
4. To use my toolbox, I need permission from chaos.

My tiny mind can't comprehend, why I'm not granted that permission to do my job. Could some ask them that for me?

[philip kelly]

I had issues many moons ago, and I ended up giving remote access to Chaos tech, to sort it out.
It was quick and painless, when all options have been exhausted.

phil

[JuhaHo]

I lost my license again and I have deadline in the morning.

[JuhaHo]

Now the license is back. However Premiere won't start due to Backburner. What are the odds if I terminate Bacburner, start Premiere and then start Backburner again to keep the license up and running.

Can You please check this.

[JuhaHo]

I stopped rendering in order to get Premiere started. Now it lost the license again. Can You please check this. It would be fair think to do to open the licensing free to everyone in the planet and lock it again if You manage to create working licensing system. Is that too much to ask?

[Joelaff]

By default chaos licensing requires an active and stable internet connection. You can configure a license server to borrow licenses for offline use. Then they will auto renew every 10days or so. Not sure if this requires you run your own local license server though (we do).

https://docs.chaos.com/display/LIC5/...or+Offline+Use

I consider this a requirement, as losing your internet at the wrong moment can halt your workflow, and stop your net rendering, etc. worth the effort to get this setup. I wish Chaos would set up the offline licensing by default, as having your internet kill your entire business is, well, bad for business.