I bought Cubase recently but my M2 SSD got busted by heat and I had to reinstall it along with a new OS. Now I’m unable to redeem Cubase using the download code and the support hasn’t responded in more than two weeks. Should I buy Cubase again whenever my hardware breaks or I move to a new computer? Is it possible to reactivate the license I bought? (doesn’t seem to work so far).
Can you recommend any other similar software that I can trust to own after buying it?
Welcome to the forum.
It would help a lot if you specify what OS you are using and what release of Cubase you want to enable.
If you had a valid license there is no reason at all to use a download code. If you have Cubase 11 or earlier you just plug in your USB eLicenser, install the software via the Download Assistant and start it.
If you have Cubase 12 you do the installation, start the Activation Manager and activate it.
This is all documented on the support websites.
If you’re using Cubase 12, all you have to do is sign-in to the Steinberg Download Assistant. If you’re using an older version of Cubase LE/AI/Elements, please follow these instructions to receive a new activation code:
Thank you for your response and for welcoming me.
I’m using cubase elements 11 on Windows. All I have is a download access code but it doesn’t allow me to use it anymore. I bought a digital download - no USB dongle provided. Attempting to download gives me an error code which I supplied to support.
When I try to redeem a download access code I get this:
Other than that my account has no information about any licensed products.
Aaand the download assistant just magically worked. It knew I owned the elements right after installing it. I was looking at the wrong page since the mysteinberg account had no details whatsoever.
However, now the app requires an activation code and I’m unable to get that from anywhere with any instructions provided.
Download manager knew to install Cubase LE AI Elements 11, but I cannot retrieve any license code for it and the download code doesn’t work. It’s simply because MySteinberg doesn’t have the license even though I have a receipt. Do you know if I can get a refund for the license with my receipt and then buy the software again? Or how should I go forward with this?
Details for support
And when following the instructions to download in the order confirmation, I get this page:
Hi,
I went through all the steps provided, but it didn’t work for me. Somehow the license is lost and all I have is the receipt and a download code + download manager knew to install the right software, but allows for no licensing. Account doesn’t have any products listed.
Do you have the already used activation code?
You can try to log in to your MySteinberg and use it to register the software. You cannot use the same code twice to activate the license but it used to be possible to use it to register the eLicenser. If successful then you can reactivate the license.
I had probably saved a backup of the activation code on my OS drive which is now busted. All I have right now is what I got in my email and that is the download code.
I registered the elicenser but it has no software attached to it.
Did you register the old eLicenser? That’s what I meant. Use the old activation code to register the old eLicenser. Then follow the reactivation.
Not sure if it still possible though.
I registered the elicenser now for the first time. I have no old activation code.
You mean Cubase Elements 11 download code? When I paste the code there it says I can get my DAC with self serve.
I have added the elicenser there after downloading it:
And when I try to redeem my download code on that page, it gives me:
“Something went wrong. Please contact your local support team and have the error-code “dre-415” ready.”
I’ve sent this to support 15 days ago.
When you click the red Register eLicenser/Software button and try to use the code there?
I have added the current elicenser code there after I just installed it. It shows no products associated.
When using the download code, I get this:
The self service leads here to steinberg account / products -page
edit: I’m editing this post since the forum doesn’t allow me to post more on my first day.
I tried that option first and it gave me this:
“Something went wrong. Please contact your local support team and have the error-code “dre-415” ready.”
It looks like nothing but support can help with this case, but as the support isn’t responding to tickets older than two weeks already - I sent another ticket just in case. I’d be happy to use this product during the holidays, but in case there’s no response before that - I have no other option but to approach the company via consumer authorities to apply for a refund. And then I can buy the software again to use it. But this doesn’t sound optimal service at all.
If you redeem the download access code does it give you activation code? If yes then try this activation code to register the eLicenser.
Welcome to Steinberg’s paranoid copy protection system from hell. Expect a reply from support in 4 to 6 weeks.
Whatever happens, you should still be able to see your old elicenser information for Elements 11 in your Steinberg account under “eLicenser based products” If you can’t then you’re probably doing something wrong or maybe logging into the wrong account? It needs to be reactivated.
Forget download access codes, they are nothing to do with it. You need to have Elements installed on your PC and the elicenser control center. I can never remember how to do it because it is not intuitive. Somewhere between messing around with the soft elicenser control and the elicenses shown in your Steinberg account - you should be able reactivate it.
The soft elicenser has it’s own number so once that is installed you need to see that correlates with the number in your Steinberg account. It’s an absolute mess but if you keep messing around, you should hopefully, even if by pot luck of entering the right number in the right place at the right time, get it to reactivate.
Steinberg have phone support - the hours are very limited and it varies for each country. Here in the UK we have to ring Germany on 00494021035219. I think you need to ring them - these are very usual error messages. I am sure you wont have to buy again, but you might need a new licence released to you
