factory talk activation expired

[remullis]

I have an ex employee laptop which has rslogix 5000 software and it has the factory talk expired. When I try to look up the activation it does not show in the directory. Would rockwell be able to tell me what this is? I generally remote in to a computer that has RSlogix where I access PLC programs and such. I need this laptop to communicate with a standalone machine which uses a compact logix brick. I just want to pull the programs off of this machine.

To explain my dilemma a little further. We went through a downturn so I am back in the saddle, but with no IT support etc. I am having a hard time finding the license locations of logix software along with WW etc.

Any other way around the activation?

[Ken Roach]

> it has the factory talk expired.

In general that means that it was a temporary activation, most likely a Toolkit subscription.

Or, since it doesn't show up in the FactoryTalk Activation Manager as a *.LIC file on the computer, it may have been activated by an Activation Server that has a permanent or annual license activation.

Search thoroughly on your computer for *.LIC text files. On my PC, they're in the path

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Rockwell Automation\Activations

In general, your local distributor can help you unravel what the licenses sold to and maintained by your company are, and help get you set up with the appropriate licenses.

When RSLogix 5000 is freshly installed (or activated by being connected to a network with a license server), it will then run for a week in "grace period" mode while it's disconnected from the server.

[Nomographer]

If you open the FactoryTalk Activation Manager, select the Advanced tag, then the File Access category, you will see a button labeled "View Diagnostics". This will open a viewer that shows specifically (USB dongle, license server, grace period, etc...) how the product was activated in the past.

Until you get things resolved with Rockwell, you could run with the one-week grace period on a different computer from a refresh installation, assuming you can find the installation files. Unfortunately, to obtain replacement installation files from the Rockwell Automation site, you would need to know your customer account logon information as well as the serial number and product key that came with your original RSLogix 5000 purchase. Might as well add those to your list of things to track down.

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by remullis

I need this laptop to communicate with a standalone machine which uses a compact logix brick. I just want to pull the programs off of this machine.

The first question has been addressed by @Ken Roach and @Nomographer

The second question ...

If all you want are the programs, the .acd files should be in C:\RSLogix 5000\Projects if the software was installed with default settings

A search of C drive for *.acd should show you the PLC programs if they are not in the default directory. [or C:\Studio 5000\Projects ] From there you can copy to a network or USB stick and load onto another computer with working licensing to view the programs

[NetNathan]

In regards to WW software licenses...
Search for *.LIC.
It may be archestra.lic or wwsuite.lic.
You can open in WW License viewer (or notepad) to see version and if it is development or runtime license.