eLicense - can't re-add license for Cubase 5

I bought a new Windows 10 64 bit system to run Cubase 8.5 pro ( off-line/ no internet)
Previous music system is a Windows XP running Cubase 5.5 (also off-line)

I had no issues using the same USB stick to add a new license for WINDOWS 10 Cubase.
All worked ok. I have a home Windows 10 PC system which I used for adding the Cubase 8.5 proc license on the USB stick.

But when I came to put the USB stick back in the Windows XP system, CUBASE 5 would not start up.
( Ie; I still want to refer to my older Cubase 5.5 projects, for setups and any re-mixes)
As the license had now disappeared. Error was; “elicense control error” “no valid license for this application” -
from Cubase 5.5

So I re-added the license code within Windows XP eLicense control Centre V 6.0.2.7025.
It recognized the code OK as “Cubase 5”. I press continue key, but then says I require “an internet connection is required for this process”

Q- So to resolve and have BOTH licenses on the same USB stick:-
Do I use a Windows 10 on-line system with the latest eLincense software that I registered Cubase 8.5 on, or do I use an older Windows XP on-line system - As I don’t want to lose the Cubase 8.5 pro license !

BTW - And how come I lost the original Cubase 5 license that I had been using for several years without issue?

Thanks

This is happening because the eLicenser license database on the WinXP computer is outdated. It can’t see your Cubase 8.5 license, which will be required to run Cubase 5. To fix this you’ll have to connect that computer to the internet and update the license database by pressing a button on the eLicenser Control Center.

You could just download the latest eLicenser installer and then put it in a flash drive if you weren’t using WinXP on that computer.

Update the elicebser control software on the XP computer

Because you certainly bought an update and not a full version of 8.5.

EDIT…beaten too it but posting anyway for the link to elicenser download if nothing else.

You probably just need a newer version of elicenser software. Get the one here that says it’s the last to support WinXP

The C5 should run on the 8.5 license…you don’t see two different licenses if you upgrade.
Just the latest version license which can run any earlier version software

Thanks Grim and svennilenni,

Steinberg, MySupport, just got back to me yesterday, to say the same and to download a elicense centre software.

But you guys confirmed then that I need to run this on the XP machine -was unsure - cheers

Yes- I did the upgrade path from Cubase 5 to Cubase 8.5 Pro, so one license for both is fine by me.

I’ll give this a go and then update the post accordingly for completeness and other members assistance.

The latest version of the eLicenser Control installer that can be installed on Windows XP is the archived eLC version 6.7.1.8151 (http://www.elicenser.net/en/download_archives.html).
This version installs an outdated “eLicenser License Database”, the version that was current at the time the archived installer was created. This outdated eLicenser License Database version will not work correctly with the new Cubase 8.5 license.

So you will need to update the eLicenser License Database on your Windows XP system; the easiest way to accomplish this is to use eLCC’s “Update eLicenser License Database” action, but this requires an active Internet connection.

The only way to update the eLicenser License Database without an Internet connection would be to manually copy the respective files from one computer to another.
So you could download and install the very latest eLicenser Control installer on any compatible machine, then manually copy the installed eLicenser License Database files over to your offline Windows XP machine.

  • On Windows 10, the eLicenser License Database files are located in the invisible “ProgramData\eLicenser\eLD” folder.
  • On Windows XP, the eLicenser License Database files are located in the invisible “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\eLicenser\eLD” folder.

Strongly advise not doing this. XP is not supported by Microsoft anymore and is vulnerable to security exploits.

Thanks Dirk, for the detailed response back.

I’ll make sure I make a backup of the License database files as well before starting this.

Followed the steps, and it’s all working now ! Cubase 5.5 on my old XP machine starts up fine.

I found that there were a lot of data files within the Windows 10 “ProgramData\eLicenser\eLD” folder, so I just copied all of the eLD folder, and then overwrote the; C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\eLicenser\eLD folder.

Maybe Steinberg, could add some further notes onto their website when potential users purchase a Cubase upgrade from their present Cubase 4/5 (XP) system. ( Denoting which steps are relevant for the respective upgrade)

That the new Cubase licence they install will supersede previous licences and be backward compatible on their exiting machine(s). With the proviso that they must ensure they have installed the latest eLicense Control software (version 6.7.1.8151).

One happy bunny ( for now)

If only I could get Cubase 8.5 Pro to look like Cubase 5.5 - Cubase 8.5 is all “doom and gloom” to work on.