RSLogix 5000 Activation troubles

dlweber

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Oct 2014
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I am trying to use RSLogix 5000 on my desktop PC

Windows 7 Professional 64bit SP1
RSLogix V15-20

Normally we use a thumb drive for the activation key. However on my computer it asks for factory talk activation, which we do not use or have setup.

2 other PCs (same hardware and OS setup) use the thumb drive method with no issues (other than tracking down the thumb drive)

The other computer we have RSlogix 5000 on is a Win XP laptop.

RSLogix500 works fine with the thumb drive

I have tried uninstalling all Rockwell software off of my PC, cleaning out (manually) all Rockwell registry tags, and finding as many folders where any Rockwell files are stored and deleting them. Then did a fresh install of RSLogix 5000 still does not let me activate off of the thumb drive.

If anyone has any ideas on this I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Checkboxes

Yes at the end of the installation there is a choice. I believe the first time I installed it I put the wrong check/uncheck in. Now I after uninstalling/re-installing it with what my coworker told me is the setting to use I get the same results.
I don't know if there is something residual on the computer left from the original installation that is stopping me from being able to activate or whether there is something else going on. I tried everything I know to do to remove any residual traces of the program (registry cleaning, file deletions)
 
If you're sure you've uninstalled everything and cleaned the registry, then you're probably going to have to call Tech Support to get some help...sorry about that
 
If you're sure you've uninstalled everything and cleaned the registry, then you're probably going to have to call Tech Support to get some help...sorry about that

Cleaned the registry best I could. I used the search function, so if there is something in there that does not have "Rockwell" (it or its parent directory) in it I would have missed it

I kinda figured I would have to resort to Tech Support but I was hoping someone has seen this and knew a quick fix, registry tag I missed, or something of that nature

EDIT: I thought about trying to modify a .lic file or an .ini file to look in the right place but I am not sure which one acts as the pointer for the license. That and I do not know exactly how the EVMoveCF.exe, EVMoveCF.jpg (not a picture tho), EVMoveW.exe on the thumb drive actually operate to properly redirect the pointers within the files
 
Last edited:
Can you clarify exactly what you're doing with the "thumb drive" ?

It sounds like you're using the old EVRSI activation method and storing the activation file (EVRSI.SYS) on a removable USB storage device "thumb drive". You might remember using the EVMOVECF utility to place the activation file there.

RA has been very slowly migrating away from EVRSI to FactoryTalk Activation, which uses a plaintext *.LIC file that's created to be tied to a specific attribute of a computer, like a hard drive Volume ID, the MAC ID of a network adapter, or a special hardware ID of a Rockwell activation "dongle".

That RA activation "dongle" might also be thought of as a "thumb drive"; the newer ones also have some storage onboard.

For a very long time, PLC logic editors like RSLogix 500 and RSLogix 5000 have supported both EVRSI and FactoryTalk activation methods.

RA finally stopped supporting EVRSI with RSLogix 5000 v20, but I think that RSLogix 500 has retained the ability to use the old activation method.

At this point you've done a bunch of uninstall/reinstall and registry cleaning, so you may have done more harm than good.

Your first step should be to determine which activation method your older computers are actually using.
 
Can you clarify exactly what you're doing with the "thumb drive" ?

It sounds like you're using the old EVRSI activation method and storing the activation file (EVRSI.SYS) on a removable USB storage device "thumb drive". You might remember using the EVMOVECF utility to place the activation file there.

RA has been very slowly migrating away from EVRSI to FactoryTalk Activation, which uses a plaintext *.LIC file that's created to be tied to a specific attribute of a computer, like a hard drive Volume ID, the MAC ID of a network adapter, or a special hardware ID of a Rockwell activation "dongle".

That RA activation "dongle" might also be thought of as a "thumb drive"; the newer ones also have some storage onboard.

For a very long time, PLC logic editors like RSLogix 500 and RSLogix 5000 have supported both EVRSI and FactoryTalk activation methods.

RA finally stopped supporting EVRSI with RSLogix 5000 v20, but I think that RSLogix 500 has retained the ability to use the old activation method.

At this point you've done a bunch of uninstall/reinstall and registry cleaning, so you may have done more harm than good.

Your first step should be to determine which activation method your older computers are actually using.

The registry cleaning was after uninstalls and prior to a reinstallation.

Yes it is EVMOVECF(W) method I posted the names of the three files in the activation folder in a prior post.

The other computers are not older, save the laptop, they just have had the installation done a while ago (probably a few years ago) (I have not been here 3 months and this computer was a mechanical engineers before me so RSLogix was not installed) we all use thumb drive for activation including the laptop, since there is only three of us that manage the PLCs, HMIs, and robots it is a suitable method (for now)

Also, I am using the same install DVD that the other computers used so that isn't an issue.
 
I should figure out how to do that piece wise quotation. I would been able to make that last post a bit better. This is the first forum I have been on doing more than just reading...
 
It looks like you posted details while I was composing my reply.

My guess is that because you have RSLogix 5000 v20 installed that it is looking for a FactoryTalk Activation.

The information that's available to me from the RA Knowledgebase (LINK) indicates that RSLogix 5000 v20 will not run with EVRSI activation. That information could certainly be wrong.

You can check this by trying to create a v20 application on one of the other computers that has RSLogix 5000 v20 installed.

You can check the converse issue by trying to create a v19 project (or earlier) on the computer that's asking for FactoryTalk Activation, to see if an earlier version of RSLogix 5000 will run with EVRSI activation.

One of the issues with EVRSI is that the computer needs to know which drive letter to check for the EVRSI.SYS file, and of course with a removable drive the drive letter can vary.

The classic method was to edit the CHECKDRIVES= environment variable.

RA's Knowledgebase article 5483 describes the method for doing that in Windows 7 or Windows 2008.
 
The V20 must be the issue, I just went and opened up a v15 project and it opened right up (using the thumb drive). So I should probably just uninstall the v20 components since we do not currently have an activation method to work with it.
 
Well all of that should be resolved eventually. My boss did not know that about v20 either, however, he already had plans to (at some point) have support setup Factorytalk for us.
 
The V15-20 RSLogix5000 now use an online activation. You must be connected to the internet to activate it via FactoryTalk Activation.
 
The V15-20 RSLogix5000 now use an online activation. You must be connected to the internet to activate it via FactoryTalk Activation.

This is only partially correct.

RSLogix 5000 v6 through v9 supported EVRSI activation.

RSLogix 5000 v10 through v19 supported both EVRSI and FactoryTalk Activation.

RSLogix 5000 v20 and higher support only FactoryTalk Activation.

While it is easiest to perform FactoryTalk Activation using the Internet, an Internet connection directly to the computer hosting the activation is not absolutely required. Activation license files can be created for computers that are not connected to the Internet, and transferred to those computers using other means.

It is technically possible to create a FactoryTalk Activation license file with a text editor, as long as you can communicate with somebody who *can* contact Rockwell Automation using a computer or a telephone.
 
Migrate EVRSI to FactoryTalk Activation

I think you really need to bite the bullet here and move all your activations to FactoryTalk Activation. It's going to hold you back at some point in the near future, so while your in this bit of a pickle, I'd say now is as good a time as any. It's not as difficult as you think and you should not really need support to do it.

We use a dongle to activate 3 separate programming laptops and it's quite easy to add more.

Whether you want to do this or not, I'll spell it out for you anyway. If you choose to do it at a later date you can always come back here.

First you need to make sure you have the correct USB Dongle to act as the hardware Host ID.

9509-USB-DONG or 9509-USB-DONG2

The older -DONG model is just a Host ID and has no user memory available. A copy of the license files must reside on each of the computers that will run the software. The -DONG2 is newer and has 2GB user memory which you can store the licence files on. You can then keep the licence files on the Dongle and when plugged in, FTActivation automatically sees the Host ID and the license files. We have one of each at the moment, but the -DONG model is officially "no longer available".

So if you have the Dongle sorted...

Next you need to migrate your software product, or products, from EVRSI Activations to FactoryTalk Activations. If you want to migrate 500 and 5000 now you'll need to repeat the steps linked below for both product serial numbers, or any others for that matter. You can do this on any computer that has Internet access...

56477 - Upgrade Master Disk to FactoryTalk Activation
Access Level: Everyone

If you don't know your credentials for your software then you're going to have to call support.

If the above was successful, your older software activations should now be converted for use with FTActivation.

Next you have to download license files for each product. If the computer you want to run the software on does not have Internet access, then do the following...

Plug in the USB Dongle and make sure the HASP drivers are installed correctly.

Open FTActivation and go to "Manage Activations"
Select "Get New Activations"
Tick "I have internet access from another computer at this site"
Click on "Choose Phase >"
Leave the selection on "I need to start the activation process by creating a host ID file"
Click on "Specify Data File >"
Take note of where the "FTAManagerData.xml" file is to be stored
Click on "Get Host IDs >"
Select the Host ID (FLEXID=) in the list for the USB Dongle
Click on "Create Data file >"
The data file should now have been created at the location specified

This file is now needed on a computer with Internet access, so save it to a USB flash drive and transfer it to said computer.

On the computer with Internet access, go to https://activate.rockwellautomation.com

Click on "Get New Activations"
Select "Download Activations for another computer(s)"
Click "Next >"
Under "Activation Information" select "Browse..."
Locate your "FTAManagerData.xml" file you transferred from the other computer
Click on "Load"
This should populate the data into the "Host ID", "Serial Number" and "Rehost Code" boxes
If all looks ok, click on "Rehost"

Now, because I am not in a position to Rehost any of our products, and it's been a couple of years since I did so, I can't remember the exact steps after clicking on "Rehost". It should allow you to download a license file or files for each of your products. Once you have a license file, or files, transfer them to your -DONG2 if you have that model. If not, use a standard USB flash to transfer them.

Plug the USB flash drive or Dongle back into the user computer.

Open FTActivation and go to "Manage Activations"
Select "Get New Activations"
Tick "I have internet access from another computer at this site"
Click on "Choose Phase >"
Change the selection to "I have downloaded activation files and need to move them to this computer"
Click on "Specify File Location"
Browse to the file location on the USB flash drive or -DONG2 Dongle
Click on "Move files >"

This should transfer the license files to the "Activations" folder.

In FTActivation, under the "Home" tab, select "Find Available Activations". You should now see the available activations listed. If you don't see them, then go to the "Advanced" tab and "Refresh Server". Once visible you can close FTActivation.

Your user computer should now have the license files in the correct place, and with the Dongle inserted, your software should now successfully activate when opened.

If successful, then to use the software on other computers, they will have to have FTActivations installed first. Once that's installed you can simply copy the contents of the "Activations" folder on the first FTA computer to the relevant location on the other computers.

Note:

Windows 7 default Activation folder location = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Rockwell Automation\Activations"

Windows XP default Activation location = "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Rockwell Automation\Activations"

Once that's done, the software should similarly be successfully activated on those computers once the Dongle is inserted.

To remove the old "EVRSI.SYS" and "386SWAP.PAR" files, you have to remove the System, Hidden and Read-Only attributes from the files before you can delete them. This is best done at the Command Prompt...

59859 - Deleting Old Master Disk (EVRSI.SYS) Activation
Access Level: Everyone

If all is well, then Bob's your Uncle and Billy's your Aunt!

Regards,
George
 
Thank you for that explanation, and I agree it will hold us up down the road, good thing right now we don't have anything all that new or fancy that we really have to worry about v20 or newer (hence I just found this issue two days ago) and (a guess into my bosses head) the reason he plans to have support do it is he is going to piggy back it onto something else, he is gone till Monday, but I can ask him if he wants me to attempt the procedure you gave me
 

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