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UO_014-Participant
4-Participant
April 29, 2026
Question

New license file has "BORROW = 1" and it is not possible to borrow anymore

  • April 29, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 80 views

Hi,

I have a new server and had to create a new license file for the host.

The new license file has “BORROW =1” in all positions. The old license file has “BORROW =720”. If I understand right 720 stands for hours. 720 means 720/24 = 30 days. With the new license file, it is not possible to borrow a license anymore.

All licenses are permanent.

Is it possible to solve that?

4 replies

KenFarley
KenFarley21-Topaz II
21-Topaz II
April 29, 2026

The first thing I’d do in instances like this is search for other questions that relate to borrowing licenses, where you’ll find things like the following:

https://community.ptc.com/system-administration-175/instructions-on-borrowing-a-creo-license-102188

Admittedly this is an old discussion, but that might not matter if things still work the same.

Second, I’d talk to the company that provided your licenses to you (often referred to as a value added reseller, or VAR). They deal with licensing stuff all the time because it’s the basis of their business, mostly.

If something has changed with your licenses or the methods necessary to borrow have been updated, the VAR will likely know.

U
UO_014-ParticipantAuthor
4-Participant
April 29, 2026

Dear KenFarley,

thank you for the reply.

I cannot see any connection between my issue and the link you included.

I do not have any company to provide me the license file. I have got the license file from PTC/eSupport/Manage Licenses as I have got since very long. I have PTC products for 29 years.

Manage Licenses has changed since last time. I think I used it last time the 8 of August 2022. I had a new server with a new MAC address. When I for some days ago went into PTC/eSupport/Manage License the way to get a new license file was different.

I filled in Host Name, MAC Address and checked “Borrow Enabled” under Licensing Host Options. Retrieved the License File and downloaded it.

First time I regenerated the license file and downloaded the file for the new host was the 21st of April 2026. It gave the result “BORROW=1”. I tried another time the day before yesterday again with the same result.

Then I tried another time the day before yesterday with “Borrow Enabled” unchecked. It gave a license file without “BORROW”.

I tried another time now and I got the file with “BORROW = 4321”. It is for 180 days. This license file works. I tried to borrow a license for a day, and it worked.

Why it did not work twice before and now it worked to get the right license file I do not know. Probable I did some wrong the two first times or it was something with the system to generate a license file on the 21st and 27th of April.

I am a Swede living in Germany. My English is not perfect.

Thank you for help!

KenFarley
KenFarley21-Topaz II
21-Topaz II
April 29, 2026

Yeah, they changed the licensing in the last year or two so it’s not the way I’ve been using since Creo first came out. We’ve been using Pro/E since 1994. I think if you had changed the number for the BORROW in the license file to a number bigger than one it might have been okay. I can’t say for sure because we haven’t had borrow-enabled licenses in many years.

Good that it worked out for you. The FlexLM stuff is hard to find out useful information for, especially because PTC seems to have their own special options and stuff.

Catalina
CatalinaCommunity Manager
Community Moderator
May 14, 2026

Hi ​@UO_01 

 

I wanted to see if you got the help you needed. 

 

If so, please mark the appropriate reply as the Accepted Solution or please feel free to detail in a reply what has helped you and mark it as the Accepted Solution. It will help other members who may have the same question. 

 

Of course, if you have more to share on your issue, please pursue the conversation. 

 

Thanks, 

Catalina | PTC Community Moderator
U
UO_014-ParticipantAuthor
4-Participant
May 18, 2026

Hi Catalina,

I might have done a misstake by generating the license file the first times. When I tried the 4th time, it was with the right information to allow borrow.

I wanted to move my Windchill licenses to the new host but it ask for a “Windchill Device ID”. I not sure what to type for that. Do I need to ask PTC for that or can I use my own ID?

Best Regards

Ulf

Mahesh_Sharma
Mahesh_Sharma22-Sapphire I
22-Sapphire I
May 18, 2026

Hi ​@UO_01 

 

I think Article https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS412695 can help you with Windchill Device ID.

 

Thanks. 

 

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