Headaches when trying to register Steinberg Cubase Elements 8

Hi Everyone,


A couple of years ago, I bought myself a Focusrite Scarlett Studio box, which included the following items:

* A Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface.

* A Scarlett Studio HP60 Headphone.

* A Scarlett Studio CM25 Condenser Mic.

* A Scarlet XLR to XLR Audio Lead.

* Mounting Hardware for the CM25 Condenser Mic.

* A USB Lead for the 2i2 USB Audio Interface.

Also included was some bundled software which I had to download, it included the following:

* Steinberg Cubase LE 7.

* Scarlett Plugins Bundle.

Here's how the story goes:

After I bought my new Scarlett Studio box package, I went through the whole annoying process of downloading and installing Steinberg Cubase LE 7, after having to download almost 1Gb of Data, I went through the activation process without much trouble, anyway, soon after that I was prompted to download and install Cubase Elements 8, which I did, not very long after that, while I was at uni, I had some trouble with my Laptop which required me to do a complete clean re-installation of the operating system (I had previously done the upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10 before I installed the Cubase Software), so, after I re-installed Windows 10, I tried re-installing all the Cubase software using the same activation code I used before, but Steinberg's software activation system wouldn't let me activate the software, so eventually, after a few tries, I uninstalled all the Steinberg Cubase software, fast forward a couple of years till now, and I am still unable to activate the software so I can use it, I never even got to use it properly the first time I installed it, so, I try to log onto MySteinberg account using the correct email and password in order to contact support, and it says that either my email, or password is invalid, so I try requesting a new password, I enter in my email address, and, after a brief wait, a new password is emailed to me, I try the new password and again it says that either my email, or password is invalid, it can't possibly be my email cause it's the same one I just used to request a new password, so, it has to be the supposedly new password, so now, I can't log onto my account with Steinberg at all, I'm effectively shut out, and it says that I need to log onto my account to be able to contact support just to be able to fix up the issue I am experiencing while trying to log onto my account, if that is not a major chicken-and-egg syndrome, I don't know what is, and apparently I'm not the only Steinberg software user that has experienced these issues.

Apparently, Steinberg are in the process of doing maintenance work on their server, and Tech support will be unavailable till after the Christmas season.

Not happy one bit, even if their software came bundled free with my Scarlett Studio hardware, I barely got any use out of it at all after paying something like $300.00 or so for it, and using up almost a gigabyte of data download of my internet (pre NBN, I was using a Telstra 4G Wireless USB Dongle, which cost me $100.00 for 6 Gb each fortnight).


Just to see if it's an issue with Cubase Elements 8, I'm going to try installing Cubase LE 7, and see if I get the same results when activating the software online.

Nope, didn't work for Cubase LE 7 either, after I type in my activation code, it says "No License found", and then tells me to connect a USB eLicenser which contains an appropriate License to upgrade to your computer, the thing is, I didn't even need one to activate the software the first time I installed it.

Have you got the latest eLicense software installed? I've got my license on a Steinberg USB dongle, so it's easy to transfer between systems. LE 7 also requires the eLicense software, so it's unlikely it will work as you need the soft license authorisation, which you won't have.

I'm sure the log-on issue will be sorted once they've finished work on their servers. You'll just have to wait until then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Have you got the latest eLicense software installed? I've got my license on a Steinberg USB dongle, so it's easy to transfer between systems. LE 7 also requires the eLicense software, so it's unlikely it will work as you need the soft license authorisation, which you won't have.

I'm sure the log-on issue will be sorted once they've finished work on their servers. You'll just have to wait until then.

---

Yep, I just tried downloading the latest eLicense software directly from the Steinberg website a few minutes ago, and I got the same result after installing it.

As I've said, the funny thing is, when I first installed the software after downloading it from the Steinberg website, I was able to successfully activate the software with a soft license authorization, and I didn't need a Steinberg USB dongle to do so.


It was only after having to do a clean re-install of Windows 10, that I was unable to activate the software, maybe it is looking for some file on my computer that got deleted during the clean-install?

The LE and Elements versions can run either on a soft license or a USB dongle, though the full versions are dongle-only.

The soft license versions tie themselves to PC hardware and OS types, so that if you do a hard disk or OS change, you need to get Steinberg to re-authorise the soft license on the upgraded machine.

I just logged in to my MySteinberg account with no issues. Have you tried logging in recently using the new supplied password?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

The LE and Elements versions can run either on a soft license or a USB dongle, though the full versions are dongle-only.

The soft license versions tie themselves to PC hardware and OS types, so that if you do a hard disk or OS change, you need to get Steinberg to re-authorise the soft license on the upgraded machine.
I just logged in to my MySteinberg account with no issues. Have you tried logging in recently using the new supplied password?

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Not yet, I'll just try logging onto my account now.


Nope, it still reckons the new password for my account that I got when I requested a new one, is invalid, I'll try doing another new password request using the same email address I used before.

Okay, I've just done another new password request and it seems to be taking ages to arrive in my email's inbox.


Update:

I have just received the email with my brand-new password for my account at Steinberg.


Ahhhhh.....finally it worked, what a stuff-around.....excuse my French.


Update:

I managed to log onto my account at Steinberg with the brand-new password I just received in my email's inbox, and then I clicked on a button marked re-register software, it then asked me to enter in an eLicense number, or an already used activation code, so I used the activation code I tried using before, and this time it seems to have worked.

I'm going to try launching the installed software and see if everything works as it's supposed to.


Update 2:

Okay, so, I tried using the latest eLicense Control Centre app that I downloaded, to do maintenance repair on my eLicenses, it went through and repaired everything, said everything was now okay, then when I enter in my activation code, it still says that it can't find an eLicense to upgrade, and it says to connect a USB eLicenser which holds an appropriate upgradeable license to my computer, the thing is, I never received one in the box that the Scarlett Studio hardware came in, and there was no mention of needing one in the user manual whatsoever, but I was still able to activate the software the first time I installed it two years ago without the USB eLicenser.

So, either it is something to do with my computer, or something is very wrong with Steinberg's online activation system, and they seriously need to do something about it to fix it.


Note: What is interesting is that I can actually launch the software in demo mode, and it seems to load and run fine with no noticeable software incompatibility issues with Windows 10, it just seems to flat-out refuse to let me activate the software.


Update 3:


I just found the following on the Steinberg website, this sounds awfully like the issues I am currently experiencing:

Cubase AI or Cubase LE 4/5/6 Registration Fails

To simplify matters, Cubase AI and Cubase LE 4, 5 and 6 will be referred to as 'Cubase' hereafter.
Problem

The registration of Cubase via MySteinberg fails. After entering the number of the Soft-eLicenser during the registration, no activation code is being provided.
Solution

Basically, this is an installation issue which can be solved by uninstalling and reinstalling Cubase properly.


But the fact is, I do have an activation code for the software.


Maybe I should try the steps they recommend to fix the issue, which is as follows:

Windows

* Close all programs.

* Uninstall Cubase via Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features.

* Uninstall 'eLicenser Control' in the same way.

* Download the latest eLicenser Control Center for your Windows version.

* To start the eLicenser Control Center installation, right-click on the downloaded file 'eLicenserControlSetup.exe' and select 'Run as administrator' from the contextual menu.

* After the installation has been completed, reinstall Cubase using the original installation medium.

* Finally, install the latest update for your Cubase version. The updates are available on our Download page.

* Now the registration of your Cubase version in MySteinberg should succeed.


Update 4:


I've gotten as far as re-installing the eLicenser control software, and I'm now downloading a fresh copy of the Steinberg Cubase Elements 8 installer software from the Steinberg website, lets see if this all works as it should.


Update 5:

I installed Cubase Elements 8 on my computer, using the installer I downloaded, ran it, and used the latest eLicenser I installed to activate the software, it looks like this time the activation process was successful, and Cubase Elements 8 seems to have been successfully activated on my computer....whew.....what a rigamarole that turned out to be!!!


Update 6:

I just tried launching the Cubase Elements 8 software, it now seems to launch properly without any problems....I'm going to call it "problem fixed", now I have to learn how to use the software.


Conclusion:

It appears that the issues I was experiencing were due to me having to re-activate the software again, and also me not being able to log onto my account with Steinberg in order to download an updated Cubase Elements 8 installer file, and go through the re-activation process.

How's your PC running now Doc. Did you install more ram.
Kimball