RSLogix Master Disk

FSPT_Tech · Oct 1, 2007

Does anyone know how to use the RSLogix Master Disk (which consists of a floppy disk) on a newer PC that doesn't have a floppy drive? I want to load RSLogix on newer PC but because I need to have the floppy installed in the (A) drive, the program won't start. I have an external USB floppy drive but when I connect it the drive is never assigned to the lette "A". RSLogix seems to look for the activation file on either your "C" drive or the "A" drive (from the floppy. Is there a way to have the program search for the activation file from another drive (e.g. drive "E" or "F" which would be the external floppy drive)? Thanks.

Bob O · Oct 1, 2007

Search the help file for copy protection and it will explain what and how to change it so that another drive is searched for activation.
CHECKDRIVES

Hope this helps,
Bob

TConnolly · Oct 1, 2007

You can change the drive where EVMOVE looks for the activation file. The first window that pops up for EVMOVE is where you make the change. Make sure that your external drive is plugged in and that the computer recognizes it before running EVMOVE.

If you don't have an external drive, and f your new computer is attached to a network then go to another computer on the network that has an intiernal floppy. Share the flopppy drive and put the activation disk in it. Then browse for the shared drive and map it to a drive letter. Now pick that drive letter in EVMOVE.

You can also download from the AB knowledgbase a version of EVMOVE that will allow you to move your activation from a floppy to a USB thumb drive and then from the thumb drive to your hard disk.

FSPT_Tech · Oct 1, 2007

Problem made clearer-

I guess I should have been more clearer on my problem. I'm not trying to move the activation from the master disk which the EVMOVE function is for. I'm trying to use RSLogix on second computer. The Master disk no longer has the activation file which was moved from the floppy to my first (primary) computer's "C" drive (this is a one time thing for copy protection purposes). From what I understand, RSLogix can be installed on multiple computers but only one computer can run the program without the master disk. All the other computers that I download the program on need the master disk installed in the floppy drive in order to run Logix. This is what I'm trying to do with this new computer. Maybe the suggestions already posted are still the answer to this problem. Thanks.

Rick Densing · Oct 1, 2007

If you moved the activation off the master disk to the C: drive, the master disk shouldn't work in any computer.

As said before, go into rslogix and choose help->copy protections and it explains how to change the search path for the master disk.

Mickey · Oct 1, 2007

As stated above:

jshiepe · Oct 1, 2007

What I do is create a shared folder on a server or another PC that will always be accessible. Then on each PC that has the programming software installed, permanently map a network drive to that shared folder(I use drive letter J: on all of my PCs). You then have to add the environment variable CHECKDRIVES mentioned above, with the parameters C and J(or whatever drive letter you use for your mapped drive. Finally, use the EVMove utility to move the activation file to the shared folder, and every PC with the correctly mapped drive and environment variable should be able to run the software as long as they are connected to the network. If you need to run the software while not connected to the network, then use the EVMove utility to move the activation to the PC that you will be running the software on.

HTH,
Jeff

Magic 8 Ball · Oct 1, 2007

Of course running multiple computers on the same software liscense is illegal.

But you allready knew that.

jshiepe · Oct 1, 2007

The software won't allow it. As soon as the first PC grabs the activation file, it is locked and can't be used by another installation of the software until the first PC releases it by closing the software.

It is not illegal to install the software multiple times as long as you use only the number of simultaneous instances that have been licensed.

Magic 8 Ball · Oct 1, 2007

I thought you were discussing a single package rather than node locked or concurrent installations.

FSPT_Tech · Oct 1, 2007

Thanks for the help everyone.
As far as the legality issue, I checked with Rockwell Automation itself. After you’ve moved the activation from the floppy to a single computer this becomes the primary computer. You can use RSLogix on this primary computer without the floppy having to be in the drive. You then can load RSLogix on as many computers as you want but when you try to open the program after installation without the master disk in the drive, you’ll get a fatal error message and the program will not open. This will always be the case unless you have the master disk inserted into the floppy drive. Even though the activation was moved to the first primary computer, the master disk can still be used to work as the activation on an additional computer. This means that, besides the primary computer, only one other computer will be able run this program at a time.

Of course, all this being said, there are those who would try, or have succeeded in trying, to go beyond this allowed function by copying the master disk contents itself on another floppy which is definitely illegal and which I would strongly advise against. I’m just trying to do utilize the software within its legal boundaries. Thanks for the warning though.

Magic 8 Ball · Oct 1, 2007

I was able to get a little clarification... On products with a real master disk you can have 2 running... on the newer Web activated packages, you cannot.

Also Logix products will 2 fer run but RSLinx may not.

Ken Roach · Oct 1, 2007

Absolutely yes, you can use the Master disk (even with the Activation File moved off) as a key to activate RSLogix. It just has to be in the drive.

Mickey's documents on the Keydisk and Checkdrives environment variables will work. Thousands of users use this method every day.

jshiepe · Oct 1, 2007

Just to be clear, there is nothing illegal about the setup I suggested with a shared network drive. The activation file is hard coded with the number of installations that were originally purchased, and it will not allow any additional simultaneous instances to be run. You will get the fatal error mentioned above. If you have an activation file with 3 licensed installations and 10 PCs with the software installed, you will only be able to run the software on 3 of them at any one time.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

JJackson1984 · Mar 24, 2024

jshiepe said:
The software won't allow it. As soon as the first PC grabs the activation file, it is locked and can't be used by another installation of the software until the first PC releases it by closing the software.

It is not illegal to install the software multiple times as long as you use only the number of simultaneous instances that have been licensed.

If Master Disk activation is installed on Server 2003 and Terminal Services is enabled. Then you can run the software as many times as you want to. Also older Master Disk software was licensed to the machine not the number of seats/instances running.

RSLogix Master Disk

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