[REQUEST] How to Backup AutoDesk Land Desktop 2007?

[Appletax]

Client has a 2009 Dell OptiPlex 360 with Windows XP Pro and AutoDesk AutoCAD Land Desktop 2007. He keeps it offline so no worries there.

He is worried about the computer dying and losing his ability to use Land Desktop 2007. He does not have the original CDs and you cannot download or purchase the program anymore. I think the only option would be to use a program like EaseUS Todo PCTrans (never used a program like this before). Not sure how that would affect the licensing.

I need to make a clone or image of his drive, too, as he currently has one that is outdated. That way if the HDD crashes we can swap out HDDs and get him running quickly again.

I was thinking about porting this program to a much nicer system with Windows 10 and using a Windows XP virtual machine so he can use the program and a much newer system. But, I suspect that keeping the license active would be an issue.

He thought that maybe he could just put the HDD from this 2009 PC into another PC if it crashed. I think that would only work out well with another OptiPlex 360.

What should I do? He says he will pay me good for figuring this out so I gotta figure it out


Edit: the program has a license transfer program built-in, but I suspect it would only work if installing the Land Desktop using the CDs.

Edit 2: maybe this is the answer? https://www.easeus.com/pc-transfer/how-to-transfer-autocad-to-new-computer.html

 

[Markverhyden]

To begin with what you are could be considering engaging in software piracy unless you have a bill of sale showing he owns the license.

What version of XP Pro? OEM or something else? It's been a while but I vaguely remember being able to move a HD into a different box as long as it's the same model, which means it has to be OEM. When you first power up it'll do some driver re-installation but should work ok.

PC mover programs. Never tested the easeus one but did use Zinstall a couple of times. It did work but there were caveats to that. Some programs, like Quickbooks for example, implement features as drivers rather than using .dll's. Zinstall did not move those "drivers" over. It also can't fix compatibility issues. So you have to make sure that the new box is compatible with XP Pro. Of course not matter what or how you try things you have to have made 2 disk images for data security reasons.

 

[britechguy]

could be considering engaging in software piracy unless you have a bill of sale showing he owns the license.

Which brings up something I've said in the past: It goes beyond the responsibility of any one of us to vet this in circumstances such as this one. And it's practically impossible (as in you couldn't do it for practical reasons) even if you wanted to in most cases.

I certainly could not find my receipts or other proof of ownership of software that's installed on any ancient machine I own. Very few people could. That kind of documentation disappears over the years for almost everyone, including businesses.

There are certain things that have to be (and should be, really) taken on faith. There is no amount of "due diligence" I could do to prove that someone has a license for the 2007 version of software on a machine they own unless they were able to hand me the paperwork, and that is almost never going to happen. I have to presume that what clients already have on their machines is on there legally or I simply can't do the work I am most commonly engaged to do.

 

[timeshifter]

For Pete’s sake could stop editing your original posts!! If you have new information since the op then add it as a new post. There is no cost to make extra posts here. It’s really hard to follow what’s going on.

 

[britechguy]

stop editing your original posts!!

[Edited out my own initial rhetorical question as I was "mentally in a different topic" than this one.]

I'd much rather have an original post edited than a string of "two liners" that require back referencing. Although, if a substantial edit is made, drawing the readership's attention to that fact would be helpful. For fixing a typo, it's not.

 

[frase]

No is confusing, create a new post in OS Thread and note, rather than edit orginal.

 

[timeshifter]

This thread it's not so bad, but a while back this poster (or someone) was always editing the original post as the solution came or was near. It was very disorienting to read, making the overall content of the site less useful to others.

 

[NviGate Systems]

I'll tell you about a customer I had back in the day when I worked retail. He needed a simple machine to run a CNC style machine. Mind you this was a backup..... I fixed up some HP thin clients I had that were XP, and he bought 3 of them for a total of like $400. (They were older models)

Now, that's a huge bill. But to him, that will save him thousands and thousands.

I'd look for more of those Optiplex 360. Someone has to be selling some as "refurbs" with Windows 10. Get one or two. Test your clone and see if it works. Job done.

Now if his system fails he calls you, you transfer HDD or an image to one of his backup 360's and he is back in business. $$ for you, peace of mind for him.

 

[Appletax]

I royally messed up. That EASUS program transfer messed up Land Desktop 2007.

Connected his ghosted hard drive and the CAD software needs to be activated again. The activation servers are down forever.

 

[timeshifter]

Connected his ghosted hard drive

What do you mean by this?

Did you restore an image of his hard drive back to his drive (or another drive)?

 

[Markverhyden]

What do you mean by this?

Did you restore an image of his hard drive back to his drive (or another drive)?

More importantly was there two images created? Were each of the images tested before whipping out the bone saw on one of the duplicate images (never the original)?

 

[Appletax]

What do you mean by this?

Did you restore an image of his hard drive back to his drive (or another drive)?

He has a cloned/ghosted hard drive that I connected to the system. When I launch his program, it wants to re-active it. Can't because the activation servers are permanently down, which should be totally illegal. A perpetual, lifetime license should always work even if they stop hosting activation servers. Super messed up!!!

More importantly was there two images created? Were each of the images tested before whipping out the bone saw on one of the duplicate images (never the original)?

I made a backup of his cloned drive before I connected it.

I made the rookie mistake of not backing up the main primary in-use drive prior to testing out the EASEUS transfer program.

Land Desktop 2007 starts up on the original drive, but with two errors:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Land Desktop 2007\AcMapWorkspace.arx cannot find a
dll or other file that it needs.
.Failed.

AcMapWorkspace.arx Load Failed
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Land Desktop 2007\AecCMapCogoCmds50.arx cannot find a
dll or other file that it needs.

I opened up a project and it worked with no errors. Hope the program works properly still because there's no way to ever move it or fix it, which is just so wrong.

My first time using an app transfer program and it messed up the program. Ugh

I am so burnt out on this computer. He'll have to take it to the local big tech company for further assistance if needed.

I told him I was sorry and he said he was sorry too because it's a unique situation.

 

[NviGate Systems]

There are app monitors that will show you what DLL is being requested or loaded, then you can re register it or replace it from backup.

If the program wants to activate after a HDD change, likely it references something about the HDD as a hash. A clone typically keeps SID/DiskID so it might be something more basic which is troubling.

I'm sure the activation has a set of clauses that customer agreed to. Just how "lifetime" warranty referred to life of a product as being "active" by maker, not physical lifetime of the actual product. The activation is subject to availability and support as set forth by licensor.

 

[britechguy]

Can't because the activation servers are permanently down, which should be totally illegal.

Why? Software has a finite service life. I don't expect any software that's been out of support for decades to still have its licensing and activation servers chugging away in the background in perpetuity. That would be a huge waste of resources over long periods of time.

It's utterly unrealistic to believe that all the infrastructure to support licensing and activation for every piece of software ever produced is going to be maintained in perpetuity.

End of Life means just that (or can, at the very least). It certainly should be presumed to mean just that if it comes to fresh installs long after the product is out of support.

 

[Appletax]

There are app monitors that will show you what DLL is being requested or loaded, then you can re register it or replace it from backup.

If the program wants to activate after a HDD change, likely it references something about the HDD as a hash. A clone typically keeps SID/DiskID so it might be something more basic which is troubling.

I'm sure the activation has a set of clauses that customer agreed to. Just how "lifetime" warranty referred to life of a product as being "active" by maker, not physical lifetime of the actual product. The activation is subject to availability and support as set forth by licensor.

Can you please recommend an app monitor to show which DLLs are being requested / loaded?

The client says it appears that the program is working as it should despite the two errors during startup.

He is super thrilled right now because he is up a creek with no paddle without this program. Super critical for him.

The huge problem here is that he is totally screwed in the event that his computer dies. Fixing the computer will likely result in the program wanting to re-activate again, which is impossible. I bet if he had the CDs for it and tried a repair on it that it would also trigger re-activation. There's no CDs - can't even buy them - can't download the program anywhere.

I think he needs to work on migrating to a new, modern program otherwise he's gonna be uber screwed someday in the future.

 

[Appletax]

Why? Software has a finite service life. I don't expect any software that's been out of support for decades to still have its licensing and activation servers chugging away in the background in perpetuity. That would be a huge waste of resources over long periods of time.

It's utterly unrealistic to believe that all the infrastructure to support licensing and activation for every piece of software ever produced is going to be maintained in perpetuity.

End of Life means just that (or can, at the very least). It certainly should be presumed to mean just that if it comes to fresh installs long after the product is out of support.

Release a patch to the program that allows you to activate the product offline with no need for activation servers.

The program should be usable forever and ever.

 

[britechguy]

I think he needs to work on migrating to a new, modern program otherwise he's gonna be uber screwed someday in the future.

And that is precisely what he needs to be told. [Someone other than yourself should have communicated this long ago but, alas, you're in that position now.]

 

[britechguy]

Release a patch to the program that allows you to activate the product offline with no need for activation servers.

The program should be usable forever and ever.

Dream on!

The program is usable "forever and ever" on its original hardware, which is all that ANYONE should expect.

We do no favors for ourselves and others if we don't make clear that in the world of software "nothing lasts forever." You must continuously update or you end up with precisely the situation this client faces. And in the end, that's his fault and the fault of those who were his computer techs in the past who probably kept patching things with bubble gum and glue rather than forcing the issue.

[P.S. I may be facing this exact situation with one of my new clients who has kept an ancient version of software they still use (but in its newer versions) on his own machine. There is a very high probability I won't be able to activate the ancient version on his new hardware. That's just how these things go, and people need to understand that.]

 

[Appletax]

I wonder which program would be a good alternative for him.

Dream on!

The program is usable "forever and ever" on its original hardware, which is all that ANYONE should expect.

We do no favors for ourselves and others if we don't make clear that in the world of software "nothing lasts forever." You must continuously update or you end up with precisely the situation this client faces. And in the end, that's his fault and the fault of those who were his computer techs in the past who probably kept patching things with bubble gum and glue rather than forcing the issue.

[P.S. I may be facing this exact situation with one of my new clients who has kept an ancient version of software they still use (but in its newer versions) on his own machine. There is a very high probability I won't be able to activate the ancient version on his new hardware. That's just how these things go, and people need to understand that.]

I really appreciate your input. You are very wise!

It just sucks so bad to pay for something expecting that it will work forever but it won't.

Companies should make it very clear and make the user aware (without having to look at super lengthy fine print) that eventually the activation servers will go offline and you won't be able to activate the program again.

 

[Appletax]

I am glad I am not in his position. He will need to create his files dating back to 1994 from scratch using new software, which may or may not let him do the things he needs to do.