HELP

   So I've upgraded my controlling pc and I've received a new license for the the new PCID. My controlling pc is not connected to internet so the software and license is downloaded on another pc and then uploaded to a thumb drive and taken out to my shop to install there. When i navigate to the about tab where the artsoft logo comes up along with the pcid, it reflects the original pcid and not the new one i have the license for, so it tells me the it doesn't match. How do i change the ID? I've done this before in the past but i think tech support walked me thru it then too, lol
Thanks!

First you must acquire a matching license for the new PC because it has a different PCID.

You should start Mach4 on the new PC, then go to >Help >About and click on the button that says "Copy ID To Clipboard". Then start Windows Notepad and paste that PCID into Notepad and save the file to a USB thumb drive.

Then, using the PC that is connected to the Internet, log into your Machsupport.com account and generate a new license using the PCID saved on the thumb drive.

The Machsupport.com system will email you a link to download the new license file. Download that file onto the thumb drive.

Now back on the new PC in the shop, start Mach4 and go to >Help >About and click on the button that says "Load License File" and load the license file that you saved on the thumb drive. Now when you start Mach4 on the new PC it should show that it is licensed.

Thanks for the reply Steve. What you've explained is what I've done, to the letter. After clicking load license file I get a message reading that the pcid and license don't match. There is a disconnect somewhere.

When you logged into Machsupport.com and requested the new license you would have received and email telling you to "Use this link to download the following license" followed by another line that identifies the PCID for which the download license should work. The PCID listed in the download link will begin with the string "MCH-" followed by a bunch of random characters. This string must match the PCID shown by >HELP >ABOUT from Mach4 running on the new target PC.

If the strings do not match, something did not work correctly.

If they do match, you will have to request assistance from MachSupport.

On this subject of changing PC ID, why would it change over night???  This happened to me a couple days ago. Simply shut down the computer one evening. Next day Mach4 comes up in Demo mode. When I try to update license file, I find the PCID is different than in the Mach4license.dat file.

I contacted the people I purchased from, and no response so far.

I've only had one license change since I purchased Mach4 in 2018

The usual things that cause the PCID to change are hard disk replacement, or re-partition into different drive letters, or major a OS update. I suppose that it is possible that if the CMOS battery died, the BIOS configuration could change in some strange way to trigger it.

Try checking the PCID again after the machine has been off for a few hours. If it comes up with the same new PCID, I would recommend getting a new license to match and move on with your life, you may never know why it happened. The Mach4 license procedure will not penalize you for doing this.

I forgot to post the solution to my issue. It was user error! lol I was trying to use the PCID on my pc and not the one Avid sent me. Being unfamiliar with what a PCID was, i researched what and where to find it, then i used that number to load the license file and of course it didnt work. 

It's been 2 days and still no response from the dealer I purchased from.   ( Automation Technology Inc )

Can I request a license change from here??

If you have a Machsupport.com login account associated with your license, you can generate a license for the new PCID. If your license was preinstalled on the computer and you never had a login account, you will have to work through Automation Technology.

Hi Gary,

If you have a Machsupport.com account then you can self-manage your license to create a new one which matches your new PCID. This was described by Steve in an earlier posting.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Automation Technologies have passed your details to Artsoft / NFS so an account will not exist. If this is the case then the solution to obtaining a new PCID matching license is via the vendor you purchased the original license from (AT). If they are not co-operative in this respect then report the matter to Artsoft / NFS and ask if there is anything they can do to resolve the issue.

Tweakie.