I lost access to my old computer for a long time, and just got it repaired to regain access. While I still had no access, the eLicenser service was discontinued.
I have attempted to deactivate the old license, but there’s no way I can do that in the MySteinberg interface. It shows that I own Dorico 3.5 on a Soft Elicenser, but there’s no option to deactivate it, I have no vouchers to upgrade to Steinberg Licensing, and when I ran the “Grace Period Check” on the old computer, it went half an hour and never completed.
It looks like my next step would be to pay the $250 to upgrade my version 3.5 to version 6. I don’t want to do that if there’s a chance my ownership of 3.5 won’t even be recognized and I’ll be stuck, having paid the upgrade price but unable to use the upgrade.
What credentials do I need in order to prove that I own a copy of 3.5, after purchasing the upgrade to 6? And do I need to install version 6 first on the old computer (so it can “see” that I have a legitimate copy of 3.5) and then transfer the license to my new computer? Or can I just buy and download it on the new computer, and type in my old activation code for 3.5 or my Soft eLicenser code or something?
Needless to say, keeping it running on the old computer is not an option. That machine is barely functional and I’m lucky I got it to turn on again at all.
This is similar to my new problem! I have been running Dorico 3.5 on my MacBook for a while. I have a new MacBook and have transferred everything over to it. However Dorico will not open because of the soft e licenser situation. I have tried everything that Steinberg has suggested and am tearing my hair out. Do I have to upgrade to Dorico 6? Is this my only solution? Help greatly appreciated. And in easy to understand words and phrases please!!!
Do you have a Dorico 3.5 Elements or Pro release on your Mac. If it is the Pro release you should have a USB Dongle for the license, that needs to be connected to the new machine.
If it is a Soft eLicenser, meaning it is the license stored in encrypted files on your old laptop without the physical dongle, then your only choice is to update to Dorico 6.
All releases beginning from Dorico 4 have been switched to the new Steinberg Licensing, which is working with an online activation and is not using the eLicenser anymore.
Thank you so much. I have been going round and around in circles over this. Feel a bit miffed that it will not transfer over but hey ho. Perhaps there will be a January sale…
If this is a brand new Mac running Tahoe 26, or even Sequoia, there may be other problems with compatibility, running an app that was designed for systems 5 years ago.
That’s probably the easiest path – and of course you’ll get all the improvements to Dorico that have been made over 3 versions.
I am in the same situation. I am preparing to wipe my old 2016 Mac to improve laggy performance. All my licenses, from every other manufacturer, are cleared to work once I reinstall the new OS, except for Dorico 3.5. The upgrade to Steinberg licensing is $250 now, that’s a hefty fee just to be able to continue to use my “perpetual” license. There must be some sort of workaround.
“Nuke and pave” is a broadly unnecessary and inefficient method of solving problems these days. If you delete everything and put everything back, then it’s completely pointless. So the benefit only comes as you increase the amount of stuff you don’t put back.
It’s much quicker just to look over the disk and see what is installed and decide whether you need it.
The OS doesn’t need to be reinstalled these days, as (since Catalina) it’s on a separate, read-only volume.
A good test is to create a brand new user account, and see if things are any ‘snappier’. If the user account is to blame, then you can go back to the old one, see what apps are set to launch at Login; and maybe empty caches. If it’s still the same, then the problem is at the system level. Could be a very full disk, or third-party additions like drivers and extensions.
I recommend a very useful app called Etrecheck, which will produce a report about the state of your computer: including third-party software, extensions, drivers, plug-ins, etc. You can then see if there’s anything listed that you don’t need or use and remove it.
Alternatively, the System Information app will provide you with similar information, though less digestible.