Logic asks for License everytime I reboot my OS?

For some reason Logic Express 9 asks for my Serial and personal info everytime I boot my hard disc. Is this normal or is there a reason that it is doing this?

It's not normal. I'm guessing you might have a permissions problem. You could try using Disk Utility to Repair Permissions.

 

You could also try throwing out this file:

 

Macintosh HD/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.logicexpress.plist

 

Some other files that might be involved are these:

 

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

I think those appear on a Logic Studio installation, but I don't know about Logic Express.

Hmm, for some reason my computer does not have a ProApps folder. I deleted the plist though so hopefully that changes something.

I guess the ProApps thing is associated with Logic Pro, not Logic Express. I mentioned it because I didn't know for sure, one way or another.

 

I deleted the plist though so hopefully that changes something.

 

If you restart your machine now, and then launch Logic, does he ask you for your serial again? I suppose you might as well find out now instead of later. Because the problem was happening every single time, right?

I just tried it. Deleted the plist that you mentioned and restarted the computer and Logic still asks me for the License and personal info.

If you deleted com.apple.logicexpress.plist LE should ask you the first time you run it but after that it shouldn't....

 

Did it do so again after doing so once?

Hmm, for some reason my computer does not have a ProApps folder.

 

It's got to have one (Logic can't start without one). Make sure you look at the exact location 45rpm suggested, which is NOT in your user folder (where you most probably looked at first, and couldn't find anything), but in the root of the hard drive:

 

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

If you quit Logic, trash that file and restart Logic, you'll be prompted to reenter your serial, but hopefully this time it'll stick. EDIT: this may not work any longer - do not trash that file!!

Edited May 5, 2010 by David Nahmani

It's got to have one (Logic can't start without one [a ProApps folder]).

 

David, thanks for explaining. I knew that applied to Logic Pro, and I guessed that it also applied to LE, but I didn't know for sure one way or another.

 

So maybe the problem has nothing to do with the prefs, but rather it's a problem with the ProApps folder. Maybe a file there is corrupted and will get recreated correctly if he throws it away (as you suggested) and then reenters his serial for (hopefully) one last time.

 

I have two files in there:

 

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

I think the first is associated with L8 and the second with L9, but I'm not sure.

I think the first is associated with L8 and the second with L9

 

That's correct. Same thing for Logic Express. And correct, serial number issues have nothing to do with preference files. EDIT: this does not work any longer - do not trash that file!!

Edited February 17, 2010 by David Nahmani

Thanks David, yes I was looking in the wrong folder, however what I found is somewhat stranger. I found the ProApps folder, but it does not contain any of the files which were mentioned here. It contains solely a folder named Internal Plug-ins.

Some other files that might be involved are these:

 

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

If you delete these, you will have to reinstall Logic! Only the installer writes the serial number to disk, Logic doesn't do that.

Some other files that might be involved are these:

 

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

If you delete these, you will have to reinstall Logic! Only the installer writes the serial number to disk, Logic doesn't do that.

 

Wow, I can swear it used to work! But you're correct, I just tested it, and Logic cannot start without the ProAppsSystemID, and you can't type it in any manually any longer.

 

Edited my previous post.

Wow, I can swear it used to work!

 

Same here. I can also swear it used to work. I know I've seen that situation, where those System ID files were missing, and the result was that Logic prompted for a serial on launch, and then everything was fine. Except that now I don't remember when or where I saw that, or even if it was my machine or someone else's. But I know I saw it.

 

I have a hunch that it indeed works that way, at least under certain circumstances. And isn't Guitarfreak's situation proof that it works that way? He's not telling us that Logic won't start at all. He's telling us that Logic prompts him to enter a serial, upon launch, and then he is able to work, until the next launch (or the next restart). Or at least that's how I understood him.

 

Hey Guitarfreak, have you tried Repair Permissions (as suggested above)? Here's a theory. When you tell Logic the serial, Logic tries to write the ProAppsSystemID file. But it can't do so because of a permissions problem. So then it prompts you for the serial again, on the next launch.

 

So I think you should try Repair Permissions. You could also check the permissions on your ProApps folder, by doing Get Info. On my machine, it says "Read & Write" for system and admin, and "Read only" for "everyone."

 

And David, here's an instance of someone else noticing that it works the way you and I both said:

 

in Logic Pro 9, it puts the licensing info in the ProAppsSystemID and not the Logic Studio System ID. You can demonstrate this by removing the Logic system id and starting Logic. It will not ask you to reauthorize. If you remove the ProAppsSystemID and restart, it will ask you to reauthorize.

 

By "reauthorize," I think he doesn't mean 'reinstall Logic.' I think he means enter the serial into a dialog presented by Logic, as part of the Logic launch.

 

And someone confirming this behavior regarding Final Cut is here (and he shows a picture of the dialog, and I know I've seen that dialog before). I realize Final Cut and Logic might not use the same authorization scheme, but it would surprise me if they didn't.

 

OK, here's the clincher. This behavior is also confirmed by Apple:

 

If Final Cut Studio (2009) or Logic Studio (2009) are also installed on the system that you remove the ProAppsSystemID from, you will have to re-serialize those applications when opening them.

 

Apple doesn't say 'you will have to reinstall those applications in order to re-serialize them.'

 

So this is all pretty mysterious, and I don't know why you saw a different result in the test you just did.

Edited February 17, 2010 by 45rpm

Another example of someone confirming the same behavior (that David and I both expected):

 

I removed the ProAppsSystemID and when I opened Logic 9, I got the authorization window.

 

And another example:

 

I deleted

/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

Then re-entered my same L9 upgrade serial number, and now 9.1 works just fine.

 

And another example:

 

I have found a way to fix this "coreFoundationUnknownErr" error with Logic 9.1 though, at least on my system. First you remove these:

/Library/Application Support/ProApps/Logic Studio System ID

/Library/Application Support/ProApps/ProAppsSystemID

 

Then launch your Logic 9.0.2 FIRST, enter your serial and continue.

 

So it's hard to reconcile these conflicting reports. It seems that Logic is behaving differently for different people, but it's hard to understand why.

sooo......? lol. My OS doesn't have those files so what do I do? I tried putting in the installation disc, but it seems that my mac is in a mood this morning and just spits it right back out. Edited February 17, 2010 by Guitarfreak

I just did some testing on my own machine. I quit Logic, then I removed Logic Studio System ID. I launched Logic again. It launched normally. I quit Logic again, and removed ProAppsSystemID. On the next launch, Logic prompted me to enter the serial. I did so, and it finished launching, and I notice that it created both files (Logic Studio System ID and ProAppsSystemID). I have a feeling that the former file is there for the purpose of authorizing L8.

 

Anyone who feels like testing this can do so without fear. Just don't trash those files. Instead, move them somewhere (like the desktop) temporarily. You can always move them back.

what do I do

 

Have you tried Repair Permissions? And what do you see for permissions when you do a Get Info on that folder?

 

And is it true that you can enter the serial on launch, and then proceed to work in Logic? And when does Logic ask for the serial again? Is it on the next launch, or is it only after the next restart of the computer?

I tried putting in the installation disc, but it seems that my mac is in a mood this morning and just spits it right back out.

 

That's interesting (although I don't think you need that disk right now). What is your computer, and what is your OS?

Have you tried Repair Permissions? And what do you see for permissions when you do a Get Info on that folder?

 

I just repaired permissions and the folder showed up but only the plug-in folder:

Permissions differ on "Library/Application Support/ProApps/Internal Plug-Ins/BrowserKit/iLife.bkplugin/Contents/CodeResources", should be -rw-rw-r-- , they are lrw-rw-r-- .

 

And is it true that you can enter the serial on launch, and then proceed to work in Logic? And when does Logic ask for the serial again? Is it on the next launch, or is it only after the next restart of the computer?

 

Not exactly, I put in the serial and Logic freezes, I need to force quit and then open the program again. The only time that it prompts me for my serial again is if I reboot the OS.

Edited February 17, 2010 by Guitarfreak

I tried putting in the installation disc, but it seems that my mac is in a mood this morning and just spits it right back out.

 

That's interesting (although I don't think you need that disk right now). What is your computer, and what is your OS?

 

I have an Intel 2006 white iMac and I am running Leopard 10.5.8

I just repaired permissions and the folder showed up but only the plug-in folder

 

It's hard to tell if that message means anything or not. Because of this: "Disk Utility reports some messages that you can ignore when checking permissions." What I usually do is this: I run it over and over again until the list of messages is no different from the last time. Usually this means just running it twice.

 

Verify Disk is also a good idea. Have you tried that?

 

I put in the serial and Logic freezes, I need to force quit and then open the program again.

 

That's interesting. And then when you open it again, it just works normally without prompting you for the serial, right? And you can launch it over and over again, without the serial, until you restart the computer, right? Very strange.

 

I think Logic is trying to write the ProAppsSystemID file, and is having trouble writing it, for some reason.

 

Aside from Verify Disk, here's another idea. Do you have a spare drive? I think it's a good idea to have a spare external drive with a fresh OS. How about if you create this, and boot from that drive. Then launch Logic on your main drive. It will prompt you for your serial, and it will create a ProAppsSystemID file on your boot drive (the external). Then copy the ProAppsSystemID file from that drive to your main drive. I bet this will work. And then that spare drive will remain useful in the future for emergencies and for troubleshooting.

 

And you don't have to erase a drive to create that spare OS (as long as it has been properly formatted as "GUID Partition Scheme," more info here). You just need a drive that has enough space for an OS installation. If you customize the installation, you can save space by omitting lots of things you don't need.

 

This would be a lot easier than rebuilding your main drive (i.e., erase and reinstall everything), another solution that I'm sure would work.

I just did some testing on my own machine. I quit Logic, then I removed Logic Studio System ID. I launched Logic again. It launched normally.

Same here - that's expected, as Logic Studio System ID if a Logic 8 authorization file.

 

I quit Logic again, and removed ProAppsSystemID. On the next launch, Logic prompted me to enter the serial.

That's where I don't get that behavior any longer. Instead I immediately get the following alert, and have no choice but to click "Quit".

However I can still enter my serial "the old way" if I open Logic 9.0.2 without the ProAppsSystemID file.

However I can still enter my serial "the old way" if I open Logic 9.0.2 without the ProAppsSystemID file.

 

OK, I see some other people had that same experience. The corefoundationunknownerr was discussed at LPH here and here, and that leads to here, where someone said this:

 

launch your Logic 9.0.2 FIRST, enter your serial and continue. Open a song and make sure it all works. Quit and then launch Logic 9.1. Should work perfectly after that. … I found that if your try to launch 9.1 right after removing your ID's, you still get the same error. This seems to only work if you launch 9.0.2 first.

 

So that experience corresponds with yours. But the odd thing is that on my machine, I didn't have to do that business of launching 9.0.2 first. I was able to hide ProAppsSystemID, and then launch 9.1, and 9.1 prompted me for the serial (and automatically recreated ProAppsSystemID). I don't know why my machine is acting 'lucky' that way, because you and some other people are having a different experience.

 

So it's true that someone can get into trouble if they trash the ProAppsSystemID (and they have no backup of that file), and they only have 9.1, and not 9.0.2. What they would have to do is retrieve an older version from the install disk (which contains 9.0.0). (This could be done with Pacifist or in the normal way with the installer, I guess.)

 

I have a feeling this is a bug in 9.1, and also a bug that only happens under certain conditions.

 

It occurs to me that maybe what Guitarfreak should do is extract 9.0.0 from the install disks, and launch that. Maybe that will properly create ProAppsSystemID for him. Because his 9.1 seems to be having trouble doing that. Although now I realize he never said if he is running LE 9.0 or 9.1.

Oops, I just noticed that my profile was indicating Logic 9.2. Nice trick, huh? I'm surprised no one asked me where I got it.

 

Just a little typo.

I think I'm not the only example of someone who found that 9.1 can properly re-serialize (instead of showing the corefoundationunknownerr). The message here is a little ambiguous, but it sounds like that person also didn't need to launch 9.0.2 first. So I think this (corefoundationunknownerr) is a 9.1 bug that only happens under certain conditions.

When users ask why the 9.1 installer doesn't trash the old version of Logic, and why they should keep it on their hard drive, we should point them to this thread!

Excellent point. Because the reality is this: 'the new version fixes lots of bugs, but it's possible that it introduces some new bugs that can best be addressed by temporarily reverting to the old version.'

I'm trying to find the thread I read a few weeks ago about this issue with different people seeing different responses to trashing the ProAppsSystemID file but as yet I am unsuccessful. I will keep looking though.

 

However I believe the gist of it was that it depended on how you arrived at 9.1. In other words, was it a new install or was it an upgrade from 8.0 or even from 7.0 and earlier? If my memory isn't playing tricks on me, I believe that was found to be what possibly determined whether or not you got the 'error' or the 'enter your info' dialogs though I cannot recall the exact pattern of what caused what..

 

FWIW, I get the 'enter your info' dialog and this is from a full LP8 install upgraded to 9.1 via every update released since 8.0

I'm trying to find the thread I read a few weeks ago about this issue

 

A google site search on ProAppsSystemID yields just a few threads (here, here, here, here, here, here, and here), and I think pretty much everything they say has been summarized in this thread. I don't see in there where someone sees a correlation with the upgrade factor, but maybe I missed it somewhere.

 

it depended on how you arrived at 9.1

 

When I read this, it sounded promising. Because the machine I'm using right now never had L8 on it, and I don't get the corefoundationunknownerr. Whereas David does get that error, and I figure his machine used to have (and maybe still has) L8. But then I read this:

 

I get the 'enter your info' dialog and this is from a full LP8 install upgraded to 9.1 via every update released since 8.0

 

WTF? You and I are both not getting the error, even though you have an upgrade machine and I have a non-upgrade machine. Pretty mysterious.