Windows 8.1 can't install flexID driver - FIXED

 Some more info, hopfully it will help to diagnose the issue. Once I have supposedly installed the FLEXID 9 drivers (I only install 9 and not 10) the licence server tool fails due to the following reasons:

- Unable to start Cadence License Server with the new license file 'C:\Cadence\LicenseManager\license.dat'.'
  Please check the license log file 'C:\Cadence\LicenseManager\debug.log' for details.

- Failed to install the FLEXid dongle driver.

- Failed to update your CDS_LIC_FILE license path with the new license server setting '5280@RobsDesk'.

Here is a copy of the log:

15:47:12 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   Please Note:
15:47:12 (lmgrd)
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   This log is intended for debug purposes only.
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   In order to capture accurate license
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   usage data into an organized repository,
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   please enable report logging. Use Flexera Software, Inc.'s
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   software license administration  solution,
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   FLEXnet Manager, to  readily gain visibility
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   into license usage data and to create
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   insightful reports on critical information like
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   license availability and usage. FLEXnet Manager
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   can be fully automated to run these reports on
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   schedule and can be used to track license
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   servers and usage across a heterogeneous
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   network of servers including Windows NT, Linux
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   and UNIX. Contact Flexera Software, Inc. at
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   www.flexerasoftware.com for more details on how to
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   obtain an evaluation copy of FLEXnet Manager
15:47:12 (lmgrd)   for your enterprise.
15:47:12 (lmgrd)
15:47:12 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
15:47:12 (lmgrd)
15:47:12 (lmgrd)
15:47:12 (lmgrd) pid 3044
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Done rereading
15:47:13 (lmgrd) FLEXnet Licensing (v11.10.0.3 build 96515 x64_n6) started on RobsDesk (IBM PC) (4/14/2014)
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Copyright (c) 1988-2011 Flexera Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
15:47:13 (lmgrd) US Patents 5,390,297 and 5,671,412.
15:47:13 (lmgrd) World Wide Web:  http://www.flexerasoftware.com
15:47:13 (lmgrd) License file(s): C:\Cadence\LicenseManager\license.dat
15:47:13 (lmgrd) lmgrd tcp-port 5280
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemons ...
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemon at port 3000
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Using vendor daemon port 3000 specified in license file
15:47:13 (lmgrd) Started cdslmd (pid 3296)
15:47:13 (cdslmd) FLEXnet Licensing version v11.10.0.3 build 96515 i86_n3
15:47:17 (cdslmd) Server started on RobsDesk for:    OrCAD_PCB_Designer_Basics
15:47:17 (cdslmd) OrCAD_PCB_Editor_Basics
15:47:17 (cdslmd)
15:47:17 (cdslmd) All FEATURE lines for cdslmd behave like INCREMENT lines
15:47:17 (cdslmd)
15:47:17 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:17 (cdslmd) retry Count = 3
15:47:18 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:18 (cdslmd) retry Count = 2
15:47:19 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:19 (cdslmd) retry Count = 1
15:47:20 (cdslmd) Wrong hostid on SERVER line for license file:
15:47:20 (cdslmd)     C:\Cadence\LicenseManager\license.dat
15:47:20 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:20 (cdslmd) retry Count = 3
15:47:21 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:21 (cdslmd) retry Count = 2
15:47:22 (cdslmd) dongle not connected: (p1=0, p2=0, p3=-100, p4=0)
15:47:22 (cdslmd) retry Count = 1
15:47:23 (cdslmd) SERVER line says FLEXID=9-44AC17F0, hostid is (Can't get hostid of type 15 [Cannot read dongle: check dongle or driver. (-110,511)])
15:47:23 (cdslmd) Invalid hostid on SERVER line
15:47:23 (cdslmd) Disabling 1 license from feature OrCAD_PCB_Designer_Basics(FE72F54B3022A7122717)
15:47:23 (cdslmd) Disabling 1 license from feature OrCAD_PCB_Editor_Basics(4E02D56B1DF9ABD1D5D7)
15:47:23 (cdslmd) EXTERNAL FILTERS are OFF
15:47:23 (lmgrd) cdslmd using TCP-port 3000
15:47:23 (cdslmd) No valid hostids, exiting
15:47:23 (cdslmd) EXITING DUE TO SIGNAL 25 Exit reason 2
15:47:23 (lmgrd) cdslmd exited with status 25 (Invalid host)
15:47:23 (lmgrd) Please correct problem and restart daemons
15:54:34 (lmgrd) EXITING DUE TO SIGNAL 1
 

 Possible fix, I haven't fully tested this yet but hope it helps others once I have fully installed orcad. 

 Go to this site:

http://www.geo-slope.com/downloads/utilities.aspx

 Download and install:

Sentinel® HASP® Device Driver for Windows 8.1

Now my licence server runs with no errors. On to the rest of the installation. I can't help but feel that Cadence could do a much better job with the licencing that the 3rd party HASP dongle. 

Rob,

This is now fully tested and works. The software also seems to start up much faster than it did under windows 8.

Best of luck!

Rob, 

Since Windows Vista, drivers for "any" USB device are automatically installed from Windows Update when the USB device is plugged in with the machine connected to the Internet. There was a specific release of the Cadence License Manager installer for Windows 8 and Server 2012 since the .NET Framework version changed to 4.5 only as an installed default and previous license manager installers would not complete correctly - this would not have affected the dongle driver installation unless the machine was not connected to the Internet when the USB dongle was attached.

 Hi Oldmouldy, 

 I can't see anything specific to my issue in your reply. This was not a licence manager issue as it turned out I believe it was a dongle driver incompatibility with windows 8.1. A guess, do you work at PS? I mentinoed this to Simon the other day and would be happy to pass to any further details/logs etc if it helps. 

To be clear;

Windows 8 licence manager was installed, the dongle was connected and the computer was connected to the internet.

Orcad and windows 8 worked fine, a fresh install on windows 8.1 did not work. No matter what happened the cadence supplied flexID 9 driver would not work. After a quick google this appears not to be an isolated issue with FlexNet Dongles being used with other software. 

Rob.