Can I still install Cubase 10 after eLicenser is taken down in 2025?

Cubase
1

The wording in the article is a bit unclear:

You won’t be able to activate or reactivate an eLicenser-based product. If you still have an activation code for an eLicenser-based product you need to activate it before the end-of-service.

Does it mean that if I reinstall my operating system, I can no longer install Cubase 10 because the eLicenser is not online anymore? Or by “activation”, does it mean adding a “new” license to the USB stick will no longer work, but I can still re-install with the license I have on the USB stick?

Also, in my case I have a full version of Cubase 5 Pro, and an upgrade to Cubase 10 Pro. Will that still work, if I reinstall it after 2025?

2

That’s how understand it. Keep in mind installing Cubase is not dependent on a license, while using it after the install is.

If you haven’t activated the upgrade yet, it should take you to Cubase 11 on the dongle. I guess you could wait to activate your upgrade, but there is no reason to wait. I’d be inclined to do it asap so it’s done & gone.

3

You can Install and use Cubase as long as the USB Stick is working. What you can’t do is adding any new license to it (all new licenses are Steinberg Licensing anyway) or update a product that has not been updated before the license server is shutdown.

It will work as long as the dongle is working.

4

If not activated, wouldn’t it upgrade all the way to 13 on Steinberg licensing? I thought whenever you activate an upgrade it was to current version.

But I suspect OP meant they have already upgraded to C10 pro from C5…either that or they’ve been sitting on that5 upgrade for 6 years. :grinning:

5

You need to buy the Update to the current release of Cubase and when you activate it the dongle will get the Last eLicenser based Release, which is Cubase 11. All subsequent releases use the Steinberg Licensing and don’t need the eLicenser.

6

Someone already bought an upgrade…we’re theorising what happens if he hadn’t activated it in the 6 years since buying it.

I believe he would get updated to C13, Raino seemed to be saying he would only get updated to C11, that’s what I was questioning.

7

That is not what he meant at all. Your OLD license on the elicenser gets ‘maxed out’ and goes up to Cubase 11, and then states it’s been upgraded to the new licensing system. At the same time, your Cubase 13 license gets put into the new Steinberg licensing system.

1 Like
8

Yes, my C10 upgrade is also activated and in use :slight_smile: My question in that part was more about the installation steps, that will it still work on a fresh reinstall of the operating system after 2025, if I install C5 and then install the update to C10.

Actually, I saw that you don’t necessarily need to install C5 as the first step, that you could just install C10 directly. But that’s an unrelated question.

Either way, the main question is still the simple one:

Can I install Cubase 10 Pro on a new computer or fresh reinstall of the OS, after eLicenser is taken down?

9

Yes…as long as elicenser software is still supported by the o/s you install and your dongle isn’t broken.

2 Likes
10

I have the elicenser. Your answer…maybe…maybe not.

Depends on a few issues. You CAN however test right now (if you want) before the server goes down.

You have a copy right now of cb5,6,7,8,9,10 install files. Check✓
You have an elicenser dongle with licenses on it and its standalone dongle install file (this file critical imo for out there in 2040 just in case). Check.✓
You have a spare computer to test the following. Check✓…

On the extra computer, on an extra drive lying around to use as c drive, install a clean install win11 or whatever.

  1. Once os installed, disconnect all internet to the computer.
  2. Install the sb dongle elicenser software from a flash drive etc… WHILE NO INTERNET.
  3. Pop the elicenser into a usb slot.
  4. insert the flash drive or whatever that has cb10 install files.
  5. With no internet to the computer…install cb10.

Any error messages during the process?
Any prompts that you must log into the elicenser server?
Install successful?

Whatever your result here in July 2024…that’s the same result you’ll get in January 2025…or April 2030.

If you receive any message now that the entire shebang needs access to the server…for any reason…or any sort of necessary authorization other than what’s already on the dongle today in 2024…you’ll know you’re screwed if this were out there in 2028 :slight_smile:

I only use the dongle to run older cb versions. (I mostly run cubase/Nuendo13 for day to day). Can’t think of a reason I’d want to run cb10 again, but I often really like cb 6.5.

I wish sb would select “one” old version to survive ala sb licensing…but I’ve pretty much resigned to the fact that my elicenser will for sure fail at some point as well as then my access to all the wonderful old cubendo versions :frowning:

1 Like
11

As well you should. I was only thinking in dongle terms.

12

And just for maybe future clarity, if someone finds this thread 10 years from now - That would be the eLicenserControlSetup.exe on Windows and eLicenserControl.dmg on Mac, right?

The standalone is available here at the moment:

13

Yes. Those are pretty important to have tucked away.