Installer need a PTC account

[Pier_8wd]

We have an issue during the installation on ONE computer.
I've proceed to 10 install for our company, but on ONE computer, the installer resquest a PTC username+pw.
This account is needed during the step "License Identification".
Most of time, when I put the licence file, the status is "Available", but here the status is "Autenticate" and ask a PTC account.
We never had to create account for any standard user, so I don't understand why Creo is asking me that.
How can I skip this Account request ? Why Creo has ask me that on this single computer ?

Note : this is a reconfiguration. User previously get the licence, but we had use the wrong HostID, and he lost connection. We had now check the HostID with the PTC tool, and I've regenerate the text licence file.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

I guess that you launched wrong installer.

For Commercial installations you can launch setup.exe.

There are two other installers ... setup-schools.exe and setup-trial.exe.

[Pier_8wd]

Hi Martin ! (once again you're here to save me!)

Well, we have launch the reconfigure.exe file (in the bin folder), cause the software is already install. Was it wrong ?

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

I do not use reconfigure.exe file. If I need to change Creo installation I simply remove existing installation and install new fresh one.

[Pier_8wd]

Wow ! This is a brutal method !!  Probably the cleanest one, but also the most time-consuming...

You never had this pop-up that ask the PTC account ?  

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

YES, I never had this pop-up that ask the PTC account when installation Commercial Creo.

I know this pop-up displays when Student Edition is installed.

[MartinHanak]

Question: Why do you launch reconfigure.exe ?

[Pier_8wd]

Well, this is group install, so we remove the install files once the soft is working.

The reseller who help me during the first install show me to use reconfigure.exe as an esay way to modify an existing installation.

But yes, you're right, I can try to reinstall with a setup.exe...

The thing is ... I like to understand why things happened. It's a commercial licence, and this happened on only ONE computer, this may be just a setting or a parameter to change... 

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

my point of view is different ... if problem exists on 1 computer, only and all others work well, then thinking why the problems exists is waste of time 🙂 You can examine the problem if you are able to reproduce it.

Note: As far I know reconfigure.exe has the only one purpose - add/remove/modify Creo start commands. These commands are save as psf-extension files in Parametric\bin directory. The best way for maintaning psf files is editing in Notepad++.

[Pier_8wd]

Here was the advice of PTC regarding the reconfiguration...
(I'll try to reinstall my user tomorow, he is far oversea, it's night for them now)

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

my suggestion ... learn how to edit psf files in Notepad++.

By default, Creo installer creates parametric.psf file in Parametric\bin directory.

parametric.psf file contains three editable lines (I extracted them from Creo 4.0):

...

DESC=any descriptive text

...

ENV=PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE-=7788@licenceservername

...

ENV=CREOPMA_FEATURE_NAME=PROE_license_name ()

...

You can prepare one or more psf files on 1st computer and then copy them to all other computers (in case that all installations are identical).

[Pier_8wd]

Many thanks Martin for helping me!

You're right about the philosophy concerning isolate problem that cannot be reproduce, no wasting time. I may be too much subborn ! 

About the PSF, I frequently open them (with Notepad++), because it's the only way to change langage.. ! I'll check the one of my user, but I'll be surprise if the 7788@licenceservername has change... 

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

I do not understand what you mean with  but I'll be surprise if the 7788@licenceservername has change... 

I think you know that you can replace licenceservername with name of computer or its IP address.

Note: To switch Creo installation from foreign language into English, you can use following config.pro options:

dialog_translation no
help_translation no
msg_translation no
menu_translation no

[Pier_8wd]

Yes, I said I would be surprised if licenceservername has change because on this install it's the name of the computer, not the IP adress (this is the defaut setting). And the user can't have change the computer name...

Thanks for the tips to switch langage, I've always do it in the PSF file, now I another method ! 😉

[Pier_8wd]

Hey Martin,
To keep you informed, PTC is now working on my issue cause it seems not so easy.
First I should not have launch the reconfigure.exe from Creo but from the Flexnet Server

Second, define the right HostID is not so clear, even with the PTC tool...
All of this have take so much time that the office is now close... 

Story to be continue..

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

I am sorry I still do not understand you real problem. So ... do you have problem with FLEXnet ? What problem is it ?

[Pier_8wd]

Yes Martin, we have a FlexNet server. Even if we use Locked License for Parametrics, we need to install a local FlexNet server to distribute the simulate license.. One other marvelous idea of PTC.

To describe my problem shortly : after 4 month using Creo, one computer refuse to launch Creo, and show the message [-15; Cannot connect to license server].

We have now understand why (HostID has change while he change the network from LAN to Wifi).
Solution should be to reconfigure the FlexNet server with the new HostID

But it doesn't works. PTC is now working on that, I've waste enough time on the PTC archaism.  

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

1.]

You mentioned that one computer refuse to launch Creo. Do you mean Creo Parametric or Creo Simulate ?

2.]

You mentioned that HostID has change while he change the network from LAN to Wifi. It looks like you have notebook with LAN and WiFi network card. Is it true ?

INFO 1: Creo Parametric/Simulate license can be related to LAN or WiFi network card. I installed FLEXnet on notebooks with LAN and WiFi network card may times and without any problem.

INFO 2: If network card is not connected to network then FLEXnet cannot see it by default. It is necessary to configure Windows properly. See netsh commands on https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-desktop/how-to-disable-media-sense-in-windows-7/18277955-3f2c-4328-bd87-d3567579b645 page. Also it is necessary to turn of power saving for network cards. ... and also it is necessary to have netowrk card enabled.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

another info...

If you have FLEXnet installed, HOST-ID changes and you need to change license file in FLEXnet installation then:

1. stop FLEXnet service ... lmadmin_ptc
2. open license.dat in Notepad++ and modify its contents
3. start  FLEXnet service ... lmadmin_ptc
4. launch ptcstatus.bat to check license availability

[Pier_8wd]

Martin,

1. yes this is Creo Parametrics who refuse to launch

2. yes, issue is on a laptop, with docking, so 2 physical card, and IPconfig show 5 MAC adress
(I've read you successfully pass thru this kind of difficulty)
3. we had exactly done what you wrote (Stop the LM service, modify the License.dat, restart the service) but, still no success... 

As I said previously, now it's in PTC hands, because I find all of that going too deep.
I've also read the link about the netsh command, and even if I love to learn new thing, this go to deep for me. 3D CAD is my passion, but PTC is going to disgust me... 

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

you can check contents of FLEXnet log file

C:\Program Files\PTC\FLEXnet Admin License Server\logs\ptc_d.log

I think you can information concerning HOST-ID in it.

Also I suggest you unplug notebook from docking station and check FLEXnet behaviour.

[Pier_8wd · Accepted solution]

Martin,

Many thanks for your help and your patience !

Finally, I've asked PTC to take a remote control on the computer.

Ok, origin of the issue is a confusion about Host ID provide by the netbook+docking (both have network card).

But even with that information, and with the right HostID, we fail to reconfigure the FlexNetServer (Simulate module need it, even on local installation).

So PTC solution was to :

1. uninstall/reinstall the FlexNetServer
2. check/modify the network card priority in the registry (see CS26634)
3. reconfigure full Creo installation

So from my view, this is more a reinstall than a repair, but anyway, now it works !

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

thank you for sending the information 🙂