It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 2:11 am


iLok dongle malfunction

Hauptwerk software technical support only. Please make sure you have read the manual, tutorials and FAQ pages before requesting support.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline
User avatar

dhm

Member

  • Posts: 1270
  • Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:50 am
  • Location: Rochester, UK

iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 9:28 am

Yesterday one of my iLok dongles started malfunctioning on one - just one - of my computers.
It still works perfectly well on all my other PCs - a mix of laptops and desktops running Windows 7 and 10, and has done so for several weeks previously on the PC in question, up until yesterday.
On this one desktop (AMD Ryzen 3, 64GB of DDR4 RAM, HW 5.0.1) the dongle's blue light goes out after exactly 10 seconds. The same thing happens on every USB port on this PC - black, blue and red.
If I try to launch HW with this dongle I get an iLok "Activation required" error message.
But if I log into iLok Licence Manager it lists all my licences - including all those on that dongle.

Any suggestions??
Douglas Henn-Macrae
Authorized Hauptwerk Reseller
http://www.midi-organs.eu
Offline
User avatar

mdyde

Moderator

  • Posts: 15444
  • Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:19 pm
  • Location: UK

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 10:42 am

Hello Douglas,

I'd suggest un-installing the iLok support software (i.e. its driver, via the Windows settings ... Apps), then (re-)installing the current version from ilok.com.

Does that solve it?
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
Offline
User avatar

dhm

Member

  • Posts: 1270
  • Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:50 am
  • Location: Rochester, UK

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 11:27 am

Hallo Martin,

That solved it. Thank you!
I completely uninstalled the iLok Licence Manager and deleted the original downloads, then re-installed.
But what might have gone amiss in iLok Manager to cause the problem at all?

I wonder whether a Windows update might have been responsible?
There was one Feature Update, version 1903, on Thursday (7th) and five Quality Updates yesterday (8th).

If the Windows Update was the culprit, might other users have been affected?
Douglas Henn-Macrae
Authorized Hauptwerk Reseller
http://www.midi-organs.eu
Offline
User avatar

micdev

Site Admin

  • Posts: 2099
  • Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:24 am
  • Location: Canada, Quebec

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 12:27 pm

Douglas,

It is important to keep your iLOK Manager up to date. I've seen various problems related to older iLOK Manager being use by some Hauptwerk users (most were already using another software with iLOK)

In iLOK Manager, go to Files | Preferences | General and make sure that Automatically check for updates is ticked

Also, you may want to check your Windows Power settings and select High performance
Best regards
François

Virtually sharing my enthusiasm and experience with you
Worldwide technical assistance, consultation and ready to play system.

http://www.HauptwerkConsultant.com

AND Hauptwerk Support Manager
Offline
User avatar

dhm

Member

  • Posts: 1270
  • Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:50 am
  • Location: Rochester, UK

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 1:40 pm

Hallo François,
Thanks for the suggestions.
My iLok software was not very old – I only had it since January 2020.
And all my other PCs with the same iLok software – mostly installed the same week – are working fine with the same dongle (so far… :) ).

However, I’ll make sure that iLok Manager is set to update automatically in future.

I do always put the Windows power setting to High Performance in all the PCs I build for HW, and strip Windows down to “bare bones” as per the recommendations of blackviper.com.
Douglas Henn-Macrae
Authorized Hauptwerk Reseller
http://www.midi-organs.eu
Offline
User avatar

micdev

Site Admin

  • Posts: 2099
  • Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:24 am
  • Location: Canada, Quebec

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 3:28 pm

Excellent! 8)
Best regards
François

Virtually sharing my enthusiasm and experience with you
Worldwide technical assistance, consultation and ready to play system.

http://www.HauptwerkConsultant.com

AND Hauptwerk Support Manager
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 3:55 pm

dhm wrote:However, I’ll make sure that iLok Manager is set to update automatically in future.

I do always put the Windows power setting to High Performance in all the PCs I build for HW, and strip Windows down to “bare bones” as per the recommendations of blackviper.com.


Speaking automatic updates, what is the recommendation

A - to do this in a church that doesn't have Internet?

B - in a church that has Internet but where we don't want the update process to interfere?

I've heard several work arounds for both situations.

Rgds,
Ed
Offline
User avatar

micdev

Site Admin

  • Posts: 2099
  • Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:24 am
  • Location: Canada, Quebec

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 4:55 pm

Hello Ed,

Recommendation to have iLOK check for updates is the best thing to do when using the iLOK cloud. When using an ilok dongle, usually your computer is not connected to the internet, so not necessary to update, unless you have some problems.

Of course, if you connect your Hauptwerk computer back to the internet to add ilok licenses, it may be a good idea at tha moment to update iLOK Manager.
Best regards
François

Virtually sharing my enthusiasm and experience with you
Worldwide technical assistance, consultation and ready to play system.

http://www.HauptwerkConsultant.com

AND Hauptwerk Support Manager
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 5:38 pm

It's the automatic part I was thinking about such as with Win 10 when it does it's update which can be an interruption.

Rgds,
Ed
Offline
User avatar

micdev

Site Admin

  • Posts: 2099
  • Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:24 am
  • Location: Canada, Quebec

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostSat May 09, 2020 9:44 pm

Good evening Ed,

For churches and other professional installations, I would say to my client that the computer shouldn't be connected to the internet. The only time that the computer should be connected to the internet is for remote technical support. Windows 10 is now offering more options to be less "interruptive", but still updates downloading while playing the postlude is not the best idea :wink:

If you want to update your iLOK dongle, ideally do it from another computer. When you want to update the OS, plan the installation/update so you have the time to update and validate its installation (just like updating servers and others "critical" systems)
Best regards
François

Virtually sharing my enthusiasm and experience with you
Worldwide technical assistance, consultation and ready to play system.

http://www.HauptwerkConsultant.com

AND Hauptwerk Support Manager
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostTue May 19, 2020 4:39 pm

The situation before the shelter in place (stay home) situation is this installation (referred to above) is not using the cloud and they were very adamant about not wanting to have to do any regular tech things (internet upgrades or such) just as this was not something they had to ever do with their old Rodgers (which they still have stored away). I'm sure they will be very upset if they find anything, iLok manager and dongle needs to be periodically connected to Pace. Or worse, that some Sunday morning the organ doesn't play due to something like that. My concern is that they would connect up the old Rodgers and tell me to pick up the HW organ. :cry:

Rgds,
Ed
Offline

randallschmid

Member

  • Posts: 120
  • Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostTue May 19, 2020 4:47 pm

I second Ed's comment, and it highlights the reason why I do not recommend the churches that I support upgrade to V5.

Let's assume the issue is a defective or missing ILok or Sentinel dongle. If the church has v5, they have no organ. If on v4, they still have St. Anne's.
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostTue May 19, 2020 6:02 pm

It's one thing to make concessions/adjusrtments,etc, etc at home, but this church is 100+ miles away.

And, yes, we could go back to Hauptwerk 4.2.1.003 in this case. Really a simple move. Replace the SSD and plug in the old dongle. And it works. I already tried it a while back. Explaining the "why" would be more difficult. I've always been upfront, honest with any client. It's this credibility thing. Not a progressive move for sure. :oops:

Rgds,
Ed
Offline
User avatar

dw154515

Member

  • Posts: 439
  • Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:52 pm
  • Location: Indianapolis, IN

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostTue May 19, 2020 6:54 pm

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I second the above comment(s) about staying away from V. As for the organ and Greenwood UMC, I will not be touching V5 until I am absolutely FORCED to - simply because of all this iLOK drama. I did purchase the update when it was on sale, but I have not installed it on this setup and WONT. Granted, the organ is only 10 mins from my home, not 100+ miles away like Ed's situation, but what absolute aggravation. At the very least, I will let everyone else suffer through the aggravation and find a decent solution before I "update."
Drew A. Worthen
Master of Music in Composition - Butler University
http://www.drewworthen.com
Director of Music & Website Admin - Greenwood UMC
http://www.greenwoodumc.org
Design Engineer - American Sound and Electronics - Indy
https://americansound.cc/
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: iLok dongle malfunction

PostWed May 20, 2020 12:02 am

It's not a dead horse, Drew, but rather the real world. In this real world there are situations that can't always be predicted, right, but I tend to go with the tried and proven in mission critical applications. I was reluctantly forced to upgrade this HW installation because of some people in a decision making position having heard of HW V via Facebook. They insisted that they wanted to be "up there" with the latest and "greatest" where as I went on record suggesting we wait until everything was totally tried and proven over a reasonable amount of time. Nothing has been changed since the beginning of Dec, 2019 on this organ. If there is a problem with this organ, esp from iLok which is yet to be found out, I won't have to face the music (or lack of) alone.

BTW, they had been using HW 4 for over 5 years with zero issues.

After this pandemic is over and we with go back to in person church services. it will be interesting to see how this organ has survived as it hasn't been turned on for all these weeks. While HW V has some useful features, for sure I don't discount the reliability record that has been the case with with HW 4. If someone wants to underwrite (guarantee with $$$) that HW V with iLok won't have future unforeseen issues, I'm interested. (Their Rodgers had 10+ years of totally reliable service).

This isn't meant to be negative to HW V, but in my book, HW 4 was and still is one fantastic piece of very reliable software. :)

Rgds,,
Ed
Next

Return to Technical support

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests