The only number I can find that looks like it might be my cubase 5.1 serial number is like this XB7JH-JHJ7V-GRWWV-FK9JM-TFWT6 Does this look like the right format please? if it is should I enter it with the dashes or just as shown.
It’s for a vst/32 version 5.1, even if this is right I still can’t remember what the name should be, as it came pre installed by Carillon. Getting desperate now.
That looks like the format of the activation code.
Thanks, with or without the dashes when I input it? at least then I only have to work out my user name, either a part of, or my full name or Carillon etc etc.
Usually it will instruct you not to use the dashes if that’s going to be the case. Until then, I would put them in.
That’s unlikely to be the serial number. My serials for VST5 Score and VST5-32 are 9 numbers long, with the VST5-32 one starting 11… if that’s any help. The user name doesn’t matter - use anything you want. See my response to your earlier posting on this thread Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!! - Cubase - Steinberg Forums
Thanks for your help, unfortunately I cant seem to get any help out of steinberg, keep filling in there forms and then submitting questions but they never get back. How did you contact them?
cheers
Dave
WARNING - This post covers parallel printer port dongles only. DO NOT try this on USB dongles.
Find your dongle number - I’ve just checked my VST5-32 one and the dongle has a wrap-around cover which pops open if you put a screwdriver in the slot in one side (opposite the label on mine) and twist gently. Inside is a piece of paper stuck to the circuit board with your dongle number on it. Try sending that number to info at steinberg dot de. They provided me with the serial number for installation for my VST5-32 a few years ago, and they’ve also provided a lost Cubase SX2 serial more recently. Once (if?) you get a serial, write it down in the back of the relevant manual, and then register the software in ‘My Steinberg’ so you’ve always got it stored online.
Many thanks - I’ll give it a go.
Found the number and sent an email to the address given - thanks. Out of interest if I can’t get this sorted out, would cubase sx be a suitable upgrade for me, would the desk and layout look the same without a huge new learning curve and would it still load up my old multi tracks.
Cubase VST 5 series is the last of it’s architecture. The layout changes with SX. I didn’t think that layout was a huge learning curve as I went from VST 5 to Cubase 4 which is very similar to the SX layout. It depends on your DAW aptitude.
The “S” series will upload your VST’s .all files but will convert them to .cpr files when you save them. If you don’t want to change your file extensions, make sure you copy them under a different name and then import those copies.
Ok thanks for that.
WESW Many thanks for your advice, much to my surprise I had a message back this morning from .de with a new serial number that works. Much appreciated…Dave
Well having re booted windows and successfully re installed cubase I’m now back to my original problem.
When I try and open cubase it says “The copy protection key could not be found, make sure it’s plugged into the printer port” Obviously the key is in the port!, when I get rid of this message another box comes up saying “Syncrosoft POS Error message - Application Cubase VST/32 has caused the error, Driver Nsynas32.sys is not installed, install named device and restart application”
Having just re booted everything I don’t know what to do next?
This is one customer service aspect that Steinberg do seem to do very well. Congratulations Steinberg!! 
Getting your parallel dongle working may be more difficult. Don’t download the latest elicenser software, as it doesn’t support parallel dongles, and if you install it, it will probably cause problems later!. Are you using a recent version of Windows? If so, you may not be able to find a version of the elicenser software that supports both your OS and the parallel dongle. Its probably best to reply to the serial number email you got, and ask if they can point you to a syncrosoft download of a driver that supports your version of windows and the parallel dongle. If not, you really have no alternative except to migrate to a USB dongle, which is explained in the “How to use Cubase VST 5 on a computer without printer port” at the top of the index page for this section of the forum.
I’m using XP, in Device manager my mother board and a few other things are coming up with a yellow question mark, so I’m slowly making sure they all have the proper drivers. But will follow your advice - Thanks…Dave
Steinberg don’t provide any “upgrade path” from VST5, so you’d need to pay full price for the latest version. A cheaper option would be to pick up a copy of a later version (SX1 or 2, or SL1 or 2 perhaps, and make sure its got a USB dongle!) on ebay,etc. There isn’t a huge learning curve; once you get used to the slightly different ways of doing things, everything is pretty much the same as before. A new USB dongle costs around £20 in the UK, so picking up a second hand copy of an old version of SX/SL may be a better way to go if you can’t get your parallel dongle working.
Edit: I had VST5-32 and SX1, SL2 and Cubase 4 (=SX4) working on an XP machine very well until the PC died.
Edit again: Any version of Cubase above 3 will not import Cubase VST .all project files.