Issues with Trial Licence when linked to a MAC address

Machine details:

• Windows 10

• GraphPad was installed which requires a trial key

The issue is that GraphPad links its trial machine usage to a MAC address. When a Fresh Start machine gets cloned, it typically retains the same MAC address. Usually this wouldn’t be a problem, but here the application reports that the licence has already been used—just as on a previously cloned machine. The machine could be on a different server or even in a datacentre on another continent, and it will still show this error. 

So the workaround is this: change the MAC address. In Linux, this is straightforward and well-documented, but on Windows it is less so.

Changing the MAC address within Windows using the usual recommended methods won’t work, because the machine’s qemu.conf file will override any MAC change made inside the OS. So you can alter the MAC address in Windows 10, but on its own that still won’t cut it.

This is because the qemu.conf file contains a configured MAC address. You can modify this address to supply a different MAC, which in turn allows a different licence key. 

But to make this work, you need to set ‘Network Isolation’ to ‘Disabled’ on each machine; then the MAC address specified in qemu.conf will be used.

If you’re dealing with this issue, reach out to DaDesktop Support for assistance.