Causes of the error:
- The license on the License Server is invalid.
- The port for Autodesk Network License Manager is blocked.
- The client computer is configured with incorrect license server information.
- The license request is timing out on the client's computer before the license is obtained.
Solutions for the error:
Verify that the Autodesk License Server is setup with the correct license file.
To set up a license server for Windows, perform the following:
- Download and install the Network License Manager for Windows:
- Open LMTools and access the System Settings tab. Make a note of the "hostname" and "ethernet address" of the license server.
- Generate a Network License File in Autodesk Account.
- On the Service/License tab, select Configuration Using Services and LMTOOLS ignores license file path environment variables.
- On the Config Services tab, enter a name for the new service in the Service Name field.
- Fill the following fields, using the Browse buttons:
- Path to the lmgrd.exe - Navigate to this file: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager.
- Path to the License file - Navigate to the new Autodesk.lic file, typically placed in: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager\Licenses.
- Path to the Debug Log file: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager.
- If no file is present, create a TXT file in Notepad and rename it “Debug.log.”
- Make sure the "Start Server at Power Up" and the "Use Services" boxes are checked. Then click Save Services.
- On the Start/Stop/Reread tab, click Start Server.
- On the Server Status tab, click Perform Status Enquiry.
- Licenses should display as active.
How to set up the Autodesk Network License Manager on a Mac.
- Apple macOS High Sierra 10.13
- Apple macOS Sierra 10.12
- Apple Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11
- Download Autodesk Network License Manager version 11.16.2.0 for Mac
- Download the nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_mac_universal.tar.gz file to the Desktop.
- To install the Autodesk Network License Manager:
- Double click on nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_mac_universal.tar.gz to unpack the installer package.
- After unpacking nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_mac_universal.pkg, will be /Downloads/adlm/FLEXnet folder.
- Double click on nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_mac_universal.pkg to start installation and follow the installation wizard.
- The license server will be installed in /usr/local/flexnetserver/ directory.
- Change permissions for /usr/local/flexnetserver/ directory to 777
- Open Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities/Terminal) and enter the following command:
sudo chmod -R 777 /usr/local/flexnetserver
- Note: Administrator password may be asked. While typing no characters are shown, just type out the password and hit return key.
- Note: To start the license server only with elevated permissions (using sudo command), change permissions to 755 instead of 777.
- Create /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses directory for network license file location
sudo mkdir /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses
- Find the license server Host Name and Host ID.
- Generate the Network License File in the Autodesk Account
- Once the license file is generated, make sure it has a .lic extension (e.g. adsk_license.lic) and is in a plain text format and place it in /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses directory
- Create a debug.log file in the /usr/local/flexnetserver/ directory using the following command:
touch debug.log
- To start the Network License Server use the following command:
/usr/local/flexnetserver/lmgrd -c /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses/adsk_license.lic -l /usr/local/flexnetserver/debug.log
sudo /usr/local/flexnetserver/lmgrd -c /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses/adsk_license.lic -l /usr/local/flexnetserver/debug.log
- To obtain license server status enquiry:
/usr/local/flexnetserver/lmutil lmstat -a -c /usr/local/flexnetserver/licenses/adsk_license.lic
- To stop the license server:
/usr/local/flexnetserver/lmutil lmdown -q -force
- Alternatively, run ps command to obtain process ids for lmgrd and adskflex and then kill those processes:
ps -ax | grep lmgrd
ps -ax | grep adskflex
kill -9
- (provide process ids obtained by previous commands individually)
How to set up the Autodesk Network License Manager on Linux.
- Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 12
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 11
- Download Autodesk Network License Manager v. 11.16.2 for Linux from this link
- Download the nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_linux64.tar.gz file to your desktop.
- To install the Autodesk Network License Manager run following command as root.
- tar –zxvf nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_linux64.tar.gz
- rpm -vhi nlm11.16.2.0_ipv4_ipv6_linux64.rpm
- The license server will be installed in /opt/flexnetserver/ directory.
- Find the license server Host Name and Host ID
- To obtain the license server system hostid run the following command
- To obtain the license server system hostname run the following command
- Generate your Network License File in Autodesk Account
- Once the license file is generated, make sure it has .lic extension (e.g. adsk_license.lic) and place it in /opt/flexnetserver/licenses directory. If the directory doesn't exits, create it with this command: sudo mkdir /opt/flexnetserver/licenses
- To start the Network License Server
- /opt/flexnetserver/lmgrd -c /opt/flexnetserver/licenses/adsk_license.lic -l /opt/flexnetserver/server_log.log
- To obtain license server status enquiry
- /opt/flexnetserver/lmutil lmstat -a -c /opt/flexnetserver/licenses/adsk_license.lic
- To stop your license server service
- /opt/flexnetserver/lmutil lmdown -q -force
- alternatively you can also run ps command to obtain process ids for lmgrd and adskflex and then kill those processes
- ps -aw | grep lmgrd
- ps -aw | grep adskflex
- kill -9 (provide process ids obtained by previous commands individually)
- To start the license server automatically after the system reboot
- Open /etc/rc.d/rc.local script as root and enter license server start up command in it.
- Make sure that all necessary ports are open:
- lmgrd.exe needs ports 27000 to 27009.
- adskflex.exe needs port 2080.
Verify that TCP ports (2080, 27000-27009) used by Autodesk Network License Manager are not blocked by Firewall.
The FLEXlm® based version uses the following incoming ports:- TCP ports 2080 (for the adskflex vendor daemon)
- TCP ports 27000 to 27009 (for the lmgrd master daemon, which uses the first open port in the range)
Verify that the client computer is configured with the correct license server name or IP.
Windows:
Clear license server information from the system registry.
- Type regedit in the Windows Search box and hit Enter key.
- Select the following registry key
- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\FLEXlm License Manager]
- As the key is selected, in right panel ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE will be visible.
- Right click on the key and delete it.
Specify the license server in ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE system variable
- Go to Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System.
- Select Advanced system settings.
- On the System Properties dialog, click Environment Variables.
- Under System Variables, click New.
- Enter ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE for the variable name and 2080@SERVER_NAME _OR _IP for the variable value.
If the license server is on a VPN or a remote network set the FLEXLM_TIMEOUT environment variable:
- Go to Start > Control Panel > System and Security > System.
- Select Advanced system settings.
- On the System Properties dialog, click Environment Variables.
- Under System Variables, click New.
- Enter FLEXLM_TIMEOUT for the variable name and 5000000 for the variable value.
- Click OK to save the setting.
Mac/Linux:
Specify the Autodesk Network License server information in $HOME/.flexlmrc file.
- ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE=@SERVER_NAME _OR _IP
- ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE=@localhost
Once flexlmrc file is created move it to user's $HOME folder as follows:
- Open a Terminal window
- Type open ~ (Mac) or nautilus ~ (Linux) to open $HOME folder
- Drag and drop flexlmrc.txt file from Desktop to the home folder.
- To make the file a configuration file, rename it to .flexlmrc (please note . [DOT] in front of the file name) by running the following command:
- mv flexlmrc.txt .flexlmrc (Mac)
- mv flexlmrc .flexlmrc (Linux)
Verify that the license server information registered with the product is correct (versions 2020 and later only)
In versions 2020 and later, the license server information is registered with the AdskLicensing service running locally on the workstation. When changing to a new license server, the old server information may still be registered with AdskLicensing and result in the error above, if this is not appropriately updated. See the below steps to solve this:- Click the Start menu and type cmd.
- Right-click on the Command prompt and choose "Run As Administrator."
- In the Command prompt, run the following command, followed by ENTER:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\AdskLicensing\Current\helper\AdskLicensingInstHelper.exe" change -pk PRODKEY -pv VER.0.0.F -lm "" -ls "" -lt""
Note:
- Replace PRODKEY with the product key correspondent to your product(s). See Look Up Product Keys for the full list.
- Replace VER with the version you are using. E.g. 2020 for AutoCAD 2020.
- Repeat this step for each software you need to reset.
- Open Registry Editor (Start > type regedit > ENTER).
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FLEXlm License Manager.
- On the right-side, verify of the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE key exists. If yes, remove it (right-click > Delete).
- Run the software again.
- Select Multi-user in the Let's Get Started screen.
- Follow the steps to connect to your license server.


Before we move on to the discussion of fixing the underlying causes for error 103, it is important to understand all those programs that are most likely to generate this error. A list of all such programs is outlined below as follows.
From the menu choose command prompt (admin)
In command prompt type sfc /scannow and press ENTER
Leave the computer for the operation to be completed and Reboot your computer
As more and more people get into insider preview of upcoming Windows 11 we will see more and more different takes and opinions on it.
Generally speaking, the first wave was quite positive when it was previewed but how time is passing more and more limitations and frustration comes to the surface.
Some of the limitation that is inside it, which have been confirmed by Microsoft itself includes features missing that we had in Windows 10 like moving the application to the taskbar in order to pin it, moving the file in the taskbar to open it in default application and some big annoyances like Windows opening widgets always in Edge no matter what is your default browser. Not being able to move the taskbar from the bottom is also one of many illogical things.
There is not really a point in these missing features since they were working fine in Windows 10 and many users liked them since they could customize Windows more to their liking, now with this new look at limitations it reminds me personally much of apple macOS and I will be honest, I am not a big fan of that kind of thinking.
If I wanted that kind of OS I would have gotten myself a MAC, not custom build PC, but hey, Linux is always a free alternative, and how Microsoft itself is pushing limitations and in my opinion bad design choices along with awful system requirements that might just be a case for a lot of users.
I am really not sure what is logic behind these moves and I am sure they have their reasons but this time it seems that their take on the new OS is not resonating well with the overall user population, well at least what I have heard so far. Things of course can still be changed and made for the better and I would rather see release postponed and issues addressed than getting more system hogging and limited new OS that at its current state looks like reskinned Windows 10 with limitations.
Windows and Devices chief Panos Panay has revealed new focus sessions feature that will be in Windows 11 on his Twitter account today. He himself is referring to it as a game-changer especially with Spotify integration.
