What kind of elicenser is it? Steinway ones don't seem to allow putting on any kind of non-steinway device.

With the pen in a USB slot, use File Explorer to select the pen drive. Right click on it and scroll down to click on Properties. The usage is reported in bytes.

Assuming it's a small number, left-click on the drive, you will see any files that are present. If there are any there, put a second USB stick in another USB slot. Go back to the first stick, select all the files on it and go cntrl-c to copy them. Click on the root directory of the second stick and go cntrl-v to copy the files on to the second stick. Do a software Eject on the first stick and remove it from its USB slot.

Try one or more of your programs that need the USB stick for licence authorisation. If they don't work, then it will either mean that you need to preform an image copy rather than just a file copy, or else the Licence Manager has recorded the embedded stick serial number, implying that the software will not work using a copied stick.

paulears, post: 463703, member: 47782 wrote: What kind of elicenser is it? Steinway ones don't seem to allow putting on any kind of non-steinway device.

https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/accessories/usb_elicenser.html

Its the longer version from 8.5. Looking at that image I'm assuming they decided to make it smaller at some point? Unless its a smaller image, mine is certainly twice the length :whistle:

Boswell, post: 463704, member: 29034 wrote: With the pen in a USB slot, use File Explorer to select the pen drive. Right click on it and scroll down to click on Properties. The usage is reported in bytes.

Assuming it's a small number, left-click on the drive, you will see any files that are present. If there are any there, put a second USB stick in another USB slot. Go back to the first stick, select all the files on it and go cntrl-c to copy them. Click on the root directory of the second stick and go cntrl-v to copy the files on to the second stick. Do a software Eject on the first stick and remove it from its USB slot.

Try one or more of your programs that need the USB stick for licence authorisation. If they don't work, then it will either mean that you need to preform an image copy rather than just a file copy, or else the Licence Manager has recorded the embedded stick serial number, implying that the software will not work using a copied stick.

Just to double on my post, it is the Steinberg (long usb pen) from Cubase 8.5. I can not get it to show up in Devices and drives (windows 10).I have tried showing all hidden files and folders and it's still showing nothing. I'm guessing Steinberg did this on purpose so you would need to buy the official one and copy your licence from the eLCC?

I have two on my system one short one long. never had any luck using them as storage devioces, I think they are NOT what they look like - but a dedicated device.

paulears, post: 463717, member: 47782 wrote: I have two on my system one short one long. never had any luck using them as storage devioces, I think they are NOT what they look like - but a dedicated device.

I'll look more into it and see what I can dig up. I'm not wanting to use is as a storage device but it's possible that certain software is installed onto the official ones. It would make sense that Steinberg sell spare ones rather than tell customers to just buy a cheap USB pen. I did read once about someone using a USB pen with all their licences on it (ilok etc) good idea if I could do that and have everything on one pen.

When you plug the Steinberg eLicenser into a Mac or a PC, it is recognised as a USB device, but NOT a storage device - same way as any USB device. You can't as far as I know make the eLicenser appear in a drive list, or as a storage device in control panel. It looks like a USB drive/stick/pen - but it is not.

paulears, post: 463719, member: 47782 wrote: When you plug the Steinberg eLicenser into a Mac or a PC, it is recognised as a USB device, but NOT a storage device - same way as any USB device. You can't as far as I know make the eLicenser appear in a drive list, or as a storage device in control panel. It looks like a USB drive/stick/pen - but it is not.

I understand the concept behind it. Just wondering if it was possible. I'll order a new one when some normality comes back to the world. One day Steinberg might wake up and say, "You won't need the dongle anymore". Might = never.

What's the issue with the dongle? Mine have always worked fine, and it's a good move to restrict piracy - can't see a problem - apart from when they physically break.

paulears, post: 463721, member: 47782 wrote: What's the issue with the dongle? Mine have always worked fine, and it's a good move to restrict piracy - can't see a problem - apart from when they physically break.

We have moved on from 20 years ago. Many many programs/software use online packages so that everything is downloaded in one place. Native instruments for example... Install it and download everything I purchased in one place at the same time. Omnipshere you get a USB to install the program and you sign up and register online and you don't need the USB again. Cubase, damage or lose the USB pen and you don't have Cubase until you sort another one out.

Boswell, post: 463704, member: 29034 wrote: With the pen in a USB slot, use File Explorer to select the pen drive. Right click on it and scroll down to click on Properties. The usage is reported in bytes.

Assuming it's a small number, left-click on the drive, you will see any files that are present. If there are any there, put a second USB stick in another USB slot. Go back to the first stick, select all the files on it and go cntrl-c to copy them. Click on the root directory of the second stick and go cntrl-v to copy the files on to the second stick. Do a software Eject on the first stick and remove it from its USB slot.

Try one or more of your programs that need the USB stick for licence authorisation. If they don't work, then it will either mean that you need to preform an image copy rather than just a file copy, or else the Licence Manager has recorded the embedded stick serial number, implying that the software will not work using a copied stick.

Have you tried this yet?

You should educate yourself on some fundementals of buisness, and treat your music as a professional small buisness. This way you can deduct the costs associated with music gear from the taxes you pay out of your check.

Before you buy products you should check the licensing to see if its something you can tolerate.

I did extensive research with this when planning my new rig. The number of simultaneous installs and method of authorization are critical parts if assesing a programs value.

When proprietary usb dongles are required, always have a spare.

You should also keep it in a port where its not gonna get hit, or run a usb exstension cable so the dongle can rest in a safe spot. With the extension you can use electrical tape and wrap the dongle and connection to keep the dongle in tact.

kmetal, post: 463726, member: 37533 wrote: Have you tried this yet?

You should educate yourself on some fundementals of buisness, and treat your music as a professional small buisness. This way you can deduct the costs associated with music gear from the taxes you pay out of your check.

Before you buy products you should check the licensing to see if its something you can tolerate.

I did extensive research with this when planning my new rig. The number of simultaneous installs and method of authorization are critical parts if assesing a programs value.

When proprietary usb dongles are required, always have a spare.

You should also keep it in a port where its not gonna get hit, or run a usb exstension cable so the dongle can rest in a safe spot. With the extension you can use electrical tape and wrap the dongle and connection to keep the dongle in tact.

What's with the arsy reply? Did I complain? I asked a simple question and made a small joke about Steinberg still using the USB stick. Considering I have had a lot of issues lately with my pc, things have been moved and knocked through nobody's fault but my own due to frustration. I did reply to the answer given because I was having issues but I got no reply back. After that, I was just having a general conversation and just answering some questions that Paulears was asking. I'm getting a little tired of arguments appearing on my posts when I just asked a general question that was answered but, I was unsure on the instructions so asked about it and I'm still waiting on the response.

jamie Lofts, post: 463728, member: 51509 wrote: Did I complain?

This thread is full of you complaining about licensing methods. So yes.

As far as educating yourself on buisness that was sage advice. You apparently don't know that you can use money otherwise going to taxes, for music gear. That's not derogatory in any way. Alot of people aren't aware of that.

jamie Lofts, post: 463716, member: 51509 wrote: I'm guessing Steinberg did this on purpose so you would need to buy the official one and copy your licence from the eLCC?

This was your question in response to Boz's clearly stated steps. That's just a whiny statement that nobody but cubase knows, not a question about what steps your unclear on.

Perhaps your posts attract arguments because your looking for one, and are not open minded, looking for suggestions, but rather seeking approval for your own ideas, or empathy for your dissatisfaction of "how it is". The issue here is your lack of ability to properly navigate the things you can't change, like a multi million dollar companies license policy, to maximize your benefit. Instead of taking it as an opportunity to learn, you use the experience as an opportunity to vent.

I love how you ignored the advice about using a usb extension, and tape the connection to preserve your e-key.

If you don't like cubase's policy, then use another software, nobody is forcing you to use it.

I follow the build your own pc thread on gs daily, there are plenty of people doing a build similar to yours without issue, and pcrecord literally just did one here.

One should learn from one's mistakes, not carry on about what shouldn't be but cannot be changed.

I'm still very confused with there responses here - when you bought Cubase on the Atari 520, you plugged in a hardware dongle. Then I bought a PC and you plugged in a hardware dongle - if you lost item it was really expensive - and it went into the RS232 port. Now it has a USB connector as computers don't have 232 port any more - it's NOT a memory stick, it's a dongle - it's simply not the same thing, and the great thing is that you can use it on any computer you own. This for me is a big bonus. My adobe subscription allows 2 - and I'm forever de-authorising and re-authorising and I prefer just moving the dongle.