These are general recommendations:
- Enable access for restricted users. By default, restricted users are allowed to access protected application. Windows users access control option in windows users settings is set to "All users".
- Protected application should be installed by user with administrator rights. Once this is done application can be accessed by any user including restricted users.
- Always decode Machine ID (MID) values in order to find out which (if any) locking parameter has been changed. Please see "Machine ID code decoding" chapter in documentation for more information.
- Use "Allow system time adjustments of up to xx minutes" option to prevent license lockup in case of turning the system clock back for small periods.
- Enable flexible machine locking.
By default, change in any of selected locking parameters will result in license reset. Application will erase current license, change site/mid codes and request new activation code.
This feature will allow you to customize default locking policy and to make it more flexible.
- Enable logging.
Use logging policy to define what information should be logged by protected application.
These questions should help you determining the cause of license reset:
- Did you decode current and previous MID codes and compare new and previous locking parameters?
Change in locking parameters will reset license. "Machine locking error!" message is displayed in this case. Application will generate different Site/MID codes and will ask for new activation code. You can find which (if any) locking parameters are different by decoding current and previous MID codes.
- Is this computer used by restricted users or administrators only?
In case support for restricted users was not enabled switching between different user accounts could invalidate license.
- Was application installed and unlocked by user with administrator rights?
Even if support for restricted users was enabled application should be installed and unlocked by user with administrator rights in order to avoid problems in case computer is accessed from multiple (restricted) user accounts. In case application was installed and unlocked by restricted user it will work just fine for that user. However, in case it's accessed from another restricted user account it will probably refuse to work (depending on installed OS).
- Is there any removable cd/dvd/hd/ethernet/wi-fi card device in this computer?
Removable device which is often enabled/disabled (removed) can affect locking parameters and thus reset license. You can turn off appropriate locking parameters (for example net id to prevent license reset in case removable net card is often used on remote computer) in order to avoid license reset because of removable device.
Please see machine locking notes chapter in product documentation.
- Is this computer part of network with roaming profiles enabled?
Using roaming profiles on network could affect license status. Be sure to enable "Enable support for roaming profiles" option if application is distributed to users with roaming profiles enabled. In this case protection code will handle license data in such way that it's not affected by roaming profiles.
- Did you enable "Erase previous license" option?
This option will delete existing license (if any). Keep this option off if you are not sure that you really need it.
- Is there some kind of security software installed?
Some third party software could affect license status by deleting license information or preventing protected application from accessing it.
- Was system time turned backward?
In case limited license feature is active license will be invalidated in case system time is turned backward. Time synchronization software could also affect license by turning system time backward.