Softimage and Win7 hell continues

[Kris Rivel]

Yay...Windows 7 is giving me an extra warm welcome!  I can't get SI to recognize the license server!  Anyone have this problem?  The machine I'm using always has been and is my license server as well.  The lic manager appears to be running fine but when I start SI, I get an error saying that no license can be found.  Machine has exact same name and no hardware has changed.  Any ideas?

Kris

[Kris Rivel]

I should note however that I used to be logged on as "Administrator".  It was installed on WinXP as that too.  Now, since the admin account is extra hidden or non-existent..I made a new account.  But I didn't think that would matter.  Is the lic. file relative to the user account it was created for?

Kris

[Thomas Mahady]

Win 7 seems to have the same problem as Vista. 

There is a download to fix it 

Autodesk Network License Manager IPv6 Support for Windows

at

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=10976858&linkID=12544121

Hope this helps,

TOm

On Nov 2, 2009, at 12:52 AM, Kris Rivel wrote:

Yay...Windows 7 is giving me an extra warm welcome!  I can't get SI to recognize the license server!  Anyone have this problem?  The machine I'm using always has been and is my license server as well.  The lic manager appears to be running fine but when I start SI, I get an error saying that no license can be found.  Machine has exact same name and no hardware has changed.  Any ideas?

Kris

------

Thomas R Mahady

Certified XSI Instructor

tma...@comcast.net

aim/ichat: TomMahady

Skype: tommahady

Cell: 724 513 1529

Home: 724 495 7125

USA : PA : Pittsburgh = GMT -5

[Rob Wuijster]

Hi Kris,

This has come up multiple times in the last weeks. I suggest checking
the archive for the threads. There's also some stuff on the wiki.

But be sure ports 27000 and 2080 are not blocked by the firewall. This
is where most things fail. Also on a server/pc level. I've had the same
issues after installing SI2010 ;-)

hope it helps,

rob

\/-------------\/----------------\/

Thomas Mahady wrote:
> Win 7 seems to have the same problem as Vista.
> There is a download to fix it
> Autodesk Network License Manager IPv6 Support for Windows
> at
> http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=10976858&linkID=12544121
> <http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=10976858&linkID=12544121>
>
>
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> TOm
>
>
> On Nov 2, 2009, at 12:52 AM, Kris Rivel wrote:
>
>> Yay...Windows 7 is giving me an extra warm welcome! I can't get SI to
>> recognize the license server! Anyone have this problem? The machine
>> I'm using always has been and is my license server as well. The lic
>> manager appears to be running fine but when I start SI, I get an error
>> saying that no license can be found. Machine has exact same name and
>> no hardware has changed. Any ideas?
>>
>> Kris
>
> ------
>
> Thomas R Mahady
> Certified XSI Instructor

> tma...@comcast.net <mailto:tma...@comcast.net>

> aim/ichat: TomMahady
> Skype: tommahady
> Cell: 724 513 1529
> Home: 724 495 7125
> USA : PA : Pittsburgh = GMT -5
>
>
>
>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 9.0.698 / Virus Database: 270.14.43/2474 - Release Date: 11/01/09 08:38:00
>

[Stephen Blair]

Hi

When Softimage and the license server are on the same Vista/Windows 7 computer, then you must do one of the following:

- Use the IPv4 address to point to the license server
-or-

- Install the IPv6 update for the license manager

If you still cannot get a license, then check that the ports 2080 and 27000-27009 are open.

Then check %TEMP%\SoftimageLicense.log. If you see a "Cannot connect to server" error, then FLEXLM_DIAGNOSTICS may give you some more details (eg what IP or computer name Softimage is actually using). See this KB article for more info: http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS14092874

Thanks

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage/3ds Max
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>.
Autodesk Subscription<http://www.autodesk.com/subscription> The smartest way to optimize your software investment.

From: softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Thomas Mahady
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 1:04 AM
To: soft...@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

Win 7 seems to have the same problem as Vista.
There is a download to fix it
Autodesk Network License Manager IPv6 Support for Windows
at
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=10976858&linkID=12544121

Hope this helps,

TOm

On Nov 2, 2009, at 12:52 AM, Kris Rivel wrote:

Yay...Windows 7 is giving me an extra warm welcome! I can't get SI to recognize the license server! Anyone have this problem? The machine I'm using always has been and is my license server as well. The lic manager appears to be running fine but when I start SI, I get an error saying that no license can be found. Machine has exact same name and no hardware has changed. Any ideas?

Kris

------

Thomas R Mahady
Certified XSI Instructor

tma...@comcast.net<mailto:tma...@comcast.net>

[Danny Geurtsen]

Yikes! So many steps to go through, buttons to press, buttons NOT to press, rules to follow and then pray it all works in the end.

Is all of this stuff documented somewhere in a concise, easy to follow order? I see snippets of advice popping up all over the place in an attempt to troubleshoot all the problems people have been experiencing and frankly, it all comes across as one big mess to me.

How can what should be a simple thing (starting up the software you just shelled a couple of grand out for) be made so infuriatingly complicated?

I'm hoping to receive SI2010 later this week and am actually not looking forward to installing it at all (how wrong is that?).

Please, someone tell me it's really not as bad as it looks.

[Thomas Helzle]

For "normal" people it is as bad as it looks.
Stephen does a great job of guiding people through it though.

I guess the problem is, that the network licensing is meant to be used by larger companies with an administrator knowing his way around such stuff. Now that most of the users got network licenses (which is actually a good thing since you can use it with an USB-Network adapter like with a dongle if you want) the "flexibility" of the system becomes a problem.

But it works like a charm once you know your way around it (well, sometimes I still have to start the license server by hand, it seems to have it's moody days - but don't we all...? ;-) )

Cheers,

Thomas Helzle

2009/11/2 Danny Geurtsen <dutchdi...@gmail.com>

[Stephen Blair]

Hi

How to set up a network license:
http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/index.php/Setting_up_a_network_license

For troubleshooting, the reason you see snippets is that I [try to] tailor my questions/advice to the particular situation.
In this case, Softimage and the license server are on the same computer. If they were on different computers, I would ask different questions.

The part about the log files and FLEXLM_DIAGNOSTICS: that is for my information really.
If you send me that info, that usually will help me figure out the problem.

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>.
Autodesk Subscription<http://www.autodesk.com/subscription> The smartest way to optimize your software investment.

From: softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Danny Geurtsen
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 6:37 AM
To: soft...@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

Yikes! So many steps to go through, buttons to press, buttons NOT to press, rules to follow and then pray it all works in the end.
Is all of this stuff documented somewhere in a concise, easy to follow order? I see snippets of advice popping up all over the place in an attempt to troubleshoot all the problems people have been experiencing and frankly, it all comes across as one big mess to me.
How can what should be a simple thing (starting up the software you just shelled a couple of grand out for) be made so infuriatingly complicated?

I'm hoping to receive SI2010 later this week and am actually not looking forward to installing it at all (how wrong is that?).
Please, someone tell me it's really not as bad as it looks.

On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 12:00 AM, Stephen Blair <Stephe...@autodesk.com<mailto:Stephe...@autodesk.com>> wrote:
Hi

When Softimage and the license server are on the same Vista/Windows 7 computer, then you must do one of the following:

- Use the IPv4 address to point to the license server
-or-

- Install the IPv6 update for the license manager

If you still cannot get a license, then check that the ports 2080 and 27000-27009 are open.

Then check %TEMP%\SoftimageLicense.log. If you see a "Cannot connect to server" error, then FLEXLM_DIAGNOSTICS may give you some more details (eg what IP or computer name Softimage is actually using). See this KB article for more info: http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS14092874

Thanks

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage/3ds Max
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:chris....@autodesk.com><mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>>.

[Jordi Bares]

Is this some form of modern masochism or just the way technology evolves unchecked by common sense?

oppsss...  this must be innovation Microsoft style isn't it?

jb

[Danny Geurtsen]

Agreed, Stephen is a God send. Let there be no doubt about that.

I'm a huge believer in hiding tedious tasks just such as this one behind simple, easy to use front-ends, offering lower level control as an option should it be needed.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, to quote a famous artist. :)

Anyway, I'd love to hear more about your experiences with the USB network adapter Thomas. Did you ever manage to resolve the issues you had with the lack of 64-bit drivers?

[Danny Geurtsen]

Thanks Stephen,

I had a look at that link before and it made my brain's right hemisphere spin.

I'll try and coax the left side to come out of it's early retirement once my 2010 DVD arrives. ;)

All joking aside, does licensing for the individual really need to involve so many steps (or pitfalls) upon which one may stumble? Looking at other (3D) software out there, I think not.

I know my number one feature request for SI2011 already. 

[Morten Bartholdy]

I am all with Danny on this one - this shouldn't be IT admin work.

Thomas have you experienced any problems with the USB-Network adapter one
should be aware of?

Cheers
Morten

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Helzle" <thomas...@gmail.com>
To: <soft...@listproc.autodesk.com>
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 12:55 PM
Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

[Kris Rivel]

Thanks Stephen and everyone for the tips/fixes.  It is very confusing and I think Autodesk needs to improve how this information is delivered to people who might not be aware.  For instance, it took me quite awhile to find the license manager install.  I finally realized it places the install file on your machine when you install SI but the install process mentions nothing of it nor does it prompt you to actually install it.  The subscription site on Autodesk is horrendous as well in this regard...no info at all on my page regarding the license manager and the great wiki references.

Outside the SI/license issue though, Win7 has been pretty nice.  It definitely feels a lot more trim then XP and a bit quicker too with everything else.  No other issues really so I'm hoping this is my last and only hurdle.

Kris

[Thomas Helzle]

Hi Danny and Morten,

no, once I had a working USB Network adapter, there were no more problems at all related to it.
The one I initially bought on Amazon, was first not delivered correctly (I got a different one with a very old chipset and no 64 Bit drivers) and when it was replaced, I had the same problems that Holger wrote about. It even killed one of my USB Hubs... so stay away from that black, cheap, donglish one (Amazon link in my initial mail on that thread about installing 2010), as intriguingly small as it may be.

A friend of mine bought one from belkin (Belkin F5D5055 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter USB 2.0) and it also came with no 64 Bit drivers. So that is the one thing to make sure about before you buy.

The one I use now is:
http://www.level-one.de/levelone.php?page=prod&cat=7012&model=USB-0201

It even has the MAC address printed on it :-)

You just plug it in (Windows 7 recognized it directly) and you have one additional network adapter. It doesn't matter that you don't actually use it as a network adapter, it just has to be there.

You register your license to that adapters specific MAC address and from there it should be pretty straight forward.
(if you are unsure about the MAC address: open a command line and type ipconfig /all  then you get details on all your network adapters and you will see the USB one mentioned there. The "physical address" is your MAC address.)

For general installation I recommend the movies Stephen made, since I personally found the official docs way too complicated to understand. I simply didn't know what exactly is the case that fits my situation from all the possibilities covered.

And definitely install those IPv6 drivers over your initial installation of the network drivers so you are able to use the machine name on Vista and 7 - while you can use the IP, it is a major pain to put it into the license file as well as into your setenv.bat each time you connect your laptop to a different network...

I would also vote that it should be much much easier to install that license.
The XSI installer should offer to do it right away when you select a local network license.

But normally these things are worked on automatically after it takes support way too much time to guide too many people individually through it ;-)

Cheers,

Thomas

[Kris Rivel]

Got it working with that IPv6 update.  Thanks everyone.

Kris

[Danny Geurtsen]

Thanks for taking the time writing up all this info Thomas. It's really very helpful indeed.

The movies Stephen made unfortunately seem to be offline and cannot be accessed any longer.
Stephen, can they be uploaded again please?

Cheers,
Danny

[Stephen Blair]

Hi Danny

The videos are still there. Try right-clicking the mp4 link and downloading the file first.

Note that this video is for 7.5, and talks about Autodesk.lic.
Troubleshooting 101: Softimage cannot find the license server

2010 does not use the Autodesk.lic file. Instead, 2010 uses the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE env var to find the license server.
I need to upload a new version of video (soon).

Thankx

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>.
Autodesk Subscription<http://www.autodesk.com/subscription> The smartest way to optimize your software investment.

From: softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Danny Geurtsen
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 5:15 PM
To: soft...@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

Thanks for taking the time writing up all this info Thomas. It's really very helpful indeed.

The movies Stephen made unfortunately seem to be offline and cannot be accessed any longer.
Stephen, can they be uploaded again please?

Cheers,
Danny

On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 3:51 AM, Thomas Helzle <thomas...@gmail.com<mailto:thomas...@gmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Danny and Morten,

no, once I had a working USB Network adapter, there were no more problems at all related to it.
The one I initially bought on Amazon, was first not delivered correctly (I got a different one with a very old chipset and no 64 Bit drivers) and when it was replaced, I had the same problems that Holger wrote about. It even killed one of my USB Hubs... so stay away from that black, cheap, donglish one (Amazon link in my initial mail on that thread about installing 2010), as intriguingly small as it may be.

A friend of mine bought one from belkin (Belkin F5D5055 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter USB 2.0) and it also came with no 64 Bit drivers. So that is the one thing to make sure about before you buy.

The one I use now is:
http://www.level-one.de/levelone.php?page=prod&cat=7012&model=USB-0201

It even has the MAC address printed on it :-)

You just plug it in (Windows 7 recognized it directly) and you have one additional network adapter. It doesn't matter that you don't actually use it as a network adapter, it just has to be there.

You register your license to that adapters specific MAC address and from there it should be pretty straight forward.
(if you are unsure about the MAC address: open a command line and type ipconfig /all then you get details on all your network adapters and you will see the USB one mentioned there. The "physical address" is your MAC address.)

For general installation I recommend the movies Stephen made, since I personally found the official docs way too complicated to understand. I simply didn't know what exactly is the case that fits my situation from all the possibilities covered.

And definitely install those IPv6 drivers over your initial installation of the network drivers so you are able to use the machine name on Vista and 7 - while you can use the IP, it is a major pain to put it into the license file as well as into your setenv.bat each time you connect your laptop to a different network...

I would also vote that it should be much much easier to install that license.
The XSI installer should offer to do it right away when you select a local network license.

But normally these things are worked on automatically after it takes support way too much time to guide too many people individually through it ;-)

Cheers,

Thomas

Cheers
Morten

----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Helzle" <thomas...@gmail.com<mailto:thomas...@gmail.com>>

To: <soft...@listproc.autodesk.com<mailto:soft...@listproc.autodesk.com>>

Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 12:55 PM

Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

For "normal" people it is as bad as it looks.
Stephen does a great job of guiding people through it though.

I guess the problem is, that the network licensing is meant to be used by
larger companies with an administrator knowing his way around such stuff.
Now that most of the users got network licenses (which is actually a good
thing since you can use it with an USB-Network adapter like with a dongle if
you want) the "flexibility" of the system becomes a problem.

But it works like a charm once you know your way around it (well, sometimes
I still have to start the license server by hand, it seems to have it's
moody days - but don't we all...? ;-) )

Cheers,

Thomas Helzle

2009/11/2 Danny Geurtsen <dutchdi...@gmail.com<mailto:dutchdi...@gmail.com>>

Yikes! So many steps to go through, buttons to press, buttons NOT to press,
rules to follow and then pray it all works in the end.
Is all of this stuff documented somewhere in a concise, easy to follow
order? I see snippets of advice popping up all over the place in an attempt
to troubleshoot all the problems people have been experiencing and frankly,
it all comes across as one big mess to me.
How can what should be a simple thing (starting up the software you just
shelled a couple of grand out for) be made so infuriatingly complicated?

I'm hoping to receive SI2010 later this week and am actually not looking
forward to installing it at all (how wrong is that?).
Please, someone tell me it's really not as bad as it looks.

On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 12:00 AM, Stephen Blair <Stephe...@autodesk.com<mailto:Stephe...@autodesk.com>
> wrote:
Hi

When Softimage and the license server are on the same Vista/Windows 7
computer, then you must do one of the following:

- Use the IPv4 address to point to the license server
-or-

- Install the IPv6 update for the license manager

If you still cannot get a license, then check that the ports 2080 and
27000-27009 are open.

Then check %TEMP%\SoftimageLicense.log. If you see a "Cannot connect to
server" error, then FLEXLM_DIAGNOSTICS may give you some more details (eg
what IP or computer name Softimage is actually using). See this KB article
for more info: http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS14092874

Thanks

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage/3ds Max
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<
http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<
http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager

chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:chris....@autodesk.com><mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>>.

[Danny Geurtsen]

Hi Stephen,

I must be looking in the wrong place?
At http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/index.php/Support_How_To_Videos the first video link cannot be found and the others are screencasts instead of mp4's.

Cheers,
Danny

[Stephen Blair]

Hi

Troubleshooting 101: The License Server
http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS13737415

Troubleshooting 101: Softimage cannot find the license server

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS13780212

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>.
Autodesk Subscription<http://www.autodesk.com/subscription> The smartest way to optimize your software investment.

From: softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimag...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Danny Geurtsen
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 8:23 PM
To: soft...@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: Softimage and Win7 hell continues

Hi Stephen,

I must be looking in the wrong place?
At http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/index.php/Support_How_To_Videos the first video link cannot be found and the others are screencasts instead of mp4's.

Cheers,
Danny

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 12:53 PM, Stephen Blair <Stephe...@autodesk.com<mailto:Stephe...@autodesk.com>> wrote:
Hi Danny

The videos are still there. Try right-clicking the mp4 link and downloading the file first.

Note that this video is for 7.5, and talks about Autodesk.lic.
Troubleshooting 101: Softimage cannot find the license server

2010 does not use the Autodesk.lic file. Instead, 2010 uses the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE env var to find the license server.
I need to upload a new version of video (soon).

Thankx

Stephen Blair
Product Support Team Lead, Softimage
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Blog<http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/> | KB<http://autodesk.com/softimage-support> | Wiki<http://autodesk.com/softimage-kb>

If you would like to comment on my work, please contact my manager chris....@autodesk.com<mailto:chris....@autodesk.com><mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com<mailto:sy.do...@autodesk.com>>.

[Morten Bartholdy]

Thanks for the comprehensive info on this Thomas - much appreciated. It will
save me a lot of grief I can tell.

[Thomas Helzle]

You are welcome! ;-)

Thomas Helzle

2009/11/4 Morten Bartholdy <x...@colorshopvfx.dk>