Don't get 30-day trial anymore

I am getting a issue with Network deployment of AutoCAD LT 2005. When I first created the deployment and did the install it allowed me to select to use the product for 30-days. Now I am getting an error that the registration file has been deleted and a Error [15.1.54] when I first start the program and subsequent times I get Error [9.1.4] and it grays out the option to continue to use the product and only gives the option to register or maybe re-register.

I found TS83859 in the Knowledge Base, but it does not tell me how to solve the problem.

I get this even when using different PC's and after re-imaging the PC. I also get it using a clean install from CD on a clean PC. It is acting like the product was previously registered, but that was not done as Internet access was prevented by a Proxy. What is causing this and how can it be fixed?

I am working on a deployment using Marimba and it was working till this started. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Tom

 

When you install the 30 day demo of LT it actually writes some info to the
boot sector of your hard drive. Even a format and reinstall of windows
leaves this info there, and a subsiquent install on that machine will not
allow 30 days for demo. This is done to make it impossible for someone to
use the 30 day demo over and over by reinstalling Windows before the demo.
Personally, I don't think this is worth the effort, given that at full
reinstall of Windows and all commonly used apps can take up to 4 hours, and
doing this every month, even at a billing rate of only $50/hr, results is a
net loss of income compared to just buying the darn software, after only a
few repetitions.
That said, I do know of something of a workaround, for those who have a
genuine need to do temporary installs of software for testing. I am at AU
this week, so I will run my approach by the powers that be and see if
Autodesk would consider it appropriate to post. Honestly, I don't think they
will, but since I have personally experienced what I consider valid reasons
for this, I will at least ask.

Best,
Gordon

 

More details are here:
http://www.autodesk.com/activation

The license files are stored here:
"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Autodesk\Software
Licenses"

If you restore an image without these files, you've effectively deleted
them. They must not be deleted or modified (i.e. restored to an earlier
version).

--Cy--

 

Given that all I said was that I knew of a workaround, I can't imagine that
you know where I was going. Honestly, I would encourage you to just buy LT.
It really is not worth the heartache for the most part.

As for posting my workaround, the word from Autodesk is that I CAN NOT post
my instructions. Expected, but disappointing. Note, the approach I mention
has absolutely no chance of working for a production environment. To get a
machine that would support production speed using the 30 day demo would
require more money than the cost of full AutoCAD, and it still requires the
reinstall every 30 days. All it really does is allow the reinstall, while
pretty much crippling performance for any real work. So, if anyone is
thinking of trying to figure out how to do this for anything other than a
slow test of something, you are better off not bothering. I don't say this
to make Autodesk money, I say this to save you the time and effort of a
fruitless search.

Best,
Gordon