Missing License - Halion Symphonic Orchestra/ Halion Sonic SE

nelville · February 13, 2022, 5:00pm

Continuing the discussion from Licence Missing for Halion Symphonic Orchestra on Mac M1 machine:

I have this problem on Windows 10 PC. Updated Halion Sonic SE to latest version and had license missing notifications.

In the end I reverted to a previous version of Halion Sonic SE and everything seems OK. Halion Symphonic Orchestra and all other licenses are on eLicenser.

I asked for support 18 days ago but no response so far.

Brianm10 · February 13, 2022, 7:16pm

Hi Neville,

Thanks for the post. This seems like the exact same issue I am having!
Can I ask - how did you revert back to a previous version of Halion?

nelville · February 13, 2022, 7:55pm

Fortunately, I store the downloads from Download Assistant, so I had the previous version.

The following are my notes so I knew what I’d done:

Halion Sonic Se/ Halion Symphonic Orchestra – Missing license - January 2022

Updated Halion Sonic SE:

Standalone = 3.3.0.54
Main 3.5.0.137 - 64-bit - Dec 22 2021

eLicenser automatically updated to 6.12.8.3303 – shows all licenses

Standalone runs OK

Plug in issues in Cubase - see jpg screenshots (License Missing) - both Halion Symphonic Orchestra and Halion Sonic SE

25/1/22

Removed Sonic SE + Standalone + Component - then reinstalled
Updated Plug-In info in Cubase

Did eLicenser Maintenance - again

Still intermittent issue in Cubase - License Missing for Sonic SE and HSO

SOLUTION

Installed ‘old’ Sonic SE 3.4.40 (3.4.40.159 - 64-bit - Sept 14 2019)
Plug in now 3.6.13
Standalone now 2.7.2.0 (2.7.20.19)

Both Standalone and Plug-In (Sonic SE and HSO) seem OK

Brianm10 · February 13, 2022, 9:44pm

Thanks again Neville.
I don’t seem to have the old installer and it looks like only the latest version is available on Steinberg.

It is an awful situation where you spend loads of money on their software and they don’t even acknowledge a support request! I’m so angry and can’t see any other way to contact them (other than to call Germany)

Brian_Roland · February 14, 2022, 12:49am

HSSE v3.4.40 is still available here:
HALion Sonic SE 3 free updates and downloads | Steinberg

I’m not sure what version you get from the free SE link (if it uses the new licenser system or the old), but it might be worth a try to grab and install.
Free HALion Sonic SE | Steinberg

I’m ‘guessing’ v3.5 is based on the newer licensing system that doesn’t require a dongle or soft licenser. Rolling back to v3.4 should put you on a version that still uses the old dongle or soft eLicencer system.

3.5 is working fine for me with Cubase 11 Pro, but I also happen to have Dorico 4 Pro on the machine.

Not sure what all is going on, but I suspect it’s about needing to register HSSE under the new system as well. It might be worth it (if you don’t have Dorico 4 already) to grab the free Dorico SE version, as that’d get you a key for a free SE player that’s off the dongle.
Dorico SE: Free music notation software | Steinberg

This might be helpful to read?
Steinberg Licensing: Upgrades from eLicenser-based products – Steinberg Support

Markus_Leuthel · February 14, 2022, 6:19am

Hi @nelville,

sadly, I can also reproduce this (Windows 10, latest Build).
All Steinberg utilities, programs, content packages are up to date.

I use Dorico Pro 4 (first service update 4.0.10.1044 - no errors with HSSE 3.5.0.137, also its standalone variant 3.3.0.54).
Within Cubase Pro 11.0.41.448, I can see the HSSE Plugin v.3.7.3 (in VST-Plugin Manager) and before the Dorico service update, it did produce the “License Missing” error, same with the HSO plugin, although the latter’s plugin version is 3.6.13, and while it uses HALion engine v.3.50.137, it still doesn’t work within Cubase: “License Missing”. Strange…

But since I usually use HALion 6.40 and HALion Sonic 3.40 (both plugin versions 3.6.13), and also HSO (plugin version 3.6.13) with either one of them, I’d never encountered that bug before.

So thanks for working out this error in detail, including your workaround.

Hope any existing support ticket will be read (and worked on) by Steinberg soon.

Cheers,
Markus

Brianm10 · February 14, 2022, 8:05am

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your suggestion. I downloaded and installed the Halion SE 3.4 version but have the same issue.

I’ve also read the suggested article on eLicenser upgrades but my issue is that none of my licenses are on a Soft eLicenser - they are all on the Dongle and i can’t figure out why or how to move them over?

Brian_Roland · February 14, 2022, 5:36pm

Once it’s on a dongle it cannot be moved to a soft eLicenser (though it can be moved to a different dongle). Make sure your dongle is plugged in and the latest eLicenser is installed (running Steinberg Assistant should do all that automatically for you?).

If you update something to the new system, you’ll need the dongle plugged in to do the update. You retain your dongle key as well but it changes to say (not upgradable) or something like that, and that product should also show up under the new system. Keys on the dongle should still work at that version and older (sometimes people want to roll back to older versions that won’t be supported by the new licenser system).

Speaking of the new system, I honestly don’t know what all is on it yet. Dorico, HALion libraries that ship with it, and at least one version of HSSE for sure. Not sure about anything else.