I can't find my dongle!

[ratherdashing]

No, this is not a joke thread in the wrong room ... let me explain.

I have the MBox 1 with factory bundle. Basically, the factory bundle is a bunch of RTAS plug-ins (effects) for ProTools that are included in the box with the hardware and ProTools LE. Some of them are very handy (JoeMeek Meekualizer, JoeMeek Compressor), and others are kind of silly (Cosmonaut Voice).

The problem is, all these plug-ins use a USB dongle (looks like one of those little USB drives) for licensing. If you don't have this dongle plugged into a USB port, the plug-ins will not run. Obviously, this could lead to the obvious problem of your software not working if you can't find your dongle ... which is exactly what has happened. :smack:

I can live without the plug-ins for making new stuff (ProTools has its own so-so compressor and EQ), but I'd really rather have access to the whole suite. The REAL problem, however, is that I have all these sessions on my hard drive that use the plug-ins - including the Forum Blues Jam!!! I can't open these sessions without a billion error messages appearing, and when I finally get in there, they sound like a bag of ass since all the plug-ins are offline. ARGH!

This is a long shot, but has anyone here lost a dongle before, and if so, what did you do?

Thanks.

 

[Loserchief]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

IIRC dongles can be bought seperatly, at least the one from Steinberger.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Phew! Found it!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Phew! Found it!

I recommend chaining it to something

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

IIRC dongles can be bought seperatly, at least the one from Steinberger.

But not the licenses on it

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

But not the licenses on it

Correct, so I have learned. It is a damn good thing I found it, because I'd basically have to buy all those plug-ins again!

By the way, the thing's called an iLok. www.ilok.com. They have a service called ZDT (Zero Down Time) which you can buy for $30 a year. In case you lose your dongle they'll put all your licenses on a new one ... which of course will cost you additional money to buy. What a f-ing scam! Aren't there better ways to license software? (that's a rhetorical question - I KNOW there are!)

I recommend chaining it to something

LOL ... but seriously, I'm putting it on the USB hub from now on and never taking it off!

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Here's my thread on DUC for anyone else who ever has this problem:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showflat....age=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1#1030375

 

[Guest]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Can't you somehow copy it to a regular pen drive? Back it up at least and then copy to a new dongle?

Just thinking out loud.

Yes, I thought this was a joke thread

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Can't you somehow copy it to a regular pen drive? Back it up at least and then copy to a new dongle?

Just thinking out loud.

Yes, I thought this was a joke thread

It's not the same as a regular USB drive. Everything on there is encrypted somehow.

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: I can't find my dongle!

Long Dongle Silver, you ain't...lol