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Can't add license to server after update

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snk-nick, User (Posts: 59)
Jan 03, 2022 11:20:15 pm EST
Just updated to latest server version and when asked in the install for my license key clicking the button to add it did nothing. I finished the install with a free license then opened up the config window to try add it there and just got the same thing. Everything else works but clicking "Add" in the license section doesn't do anything.

Rolled it back, tried again, same result.

OS is Windows Server 2016 headless. Going to run up a 2019 server and see if it will work there, upgrade is overdue anyway, but don't know if that will fix anything.
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3068)
Jan 04, 2022 10:05:11 am EST
Hello,

Thank you for your report.

Quickly tested this case on a Win 11 machine, it works. Here is a video https://www.remoteutilities.com/test/ru-server-reg.mp4  

Please, let us know if you still cannot make it work on Server 2019.

P.S. There isn't any difference between which Windows version (workstation or server) you use. At least it shouldn't be.
snk-nick, User (Posts: 59)
Jan 07, 2022 10:41:46 pm EST
Exactly the same issue using Windows Server 2019 - brand new server run up with nothing else installed. Thought it might have been a quirk with RDP or something but no luck directly accessing the server either.

Edit: having checked your video I can tell what the problem is - Windows Server 2016+ doesn't include Windows Explorer unless you install the GUI (Desktop Experience) and so you can't bring up the explorer window to select the license.

Surprised this hasn't come up before, I would expect that this would be the most common use case for the server.. Either way just needs to allow the license to be pasted in as text, problem solved.

In the meantime is there a way to add the key some other way? I installed it on a local machine, added the key, but can't find where it's stored so not sure where I'd go to move it to the server.
Edited:snk-nick - Jan 08, 2022 12:02:18 am EST
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3068)
Jan 10, 2022 7:48:26 am EST
Hello,

Thanks for the clarification. It indeed came up before, we received a few complaints via the tickets and were just investigating the issue.

I believe a fix in this case is installing the GUI. It will be needed anyway since RU Server is easier to use with GUI.
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3068)
Jan 10, 2022 7:54:30 am EST

snk-nick wrote:

In the meantime is there a way to add the key some other way? I installed it on a local machine, added the key, but can't find where it's stored so not sure where I'd go to move it to the server.

Server keeps its configuration here:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Usoris\Remote Utilities\MiniInternetId
snk-nick, User (Posts: 59)
Jan 15, 2022 7:29:02 pm EST

Conrad Sallian wrote:
I believe a fix in this case is installing the GUI. It will be needed anyway since RU Server is easier to use with GUI.

Not really, it works just fine without one and doesn't waste storage/resources.

I notice that the new server update has a note saying "Minor improvements to RU Server license registration mechanism." - I thought this might be a fix to the issue however it doesn't seem to have changed anything..?
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3068)
Jan 17, 2022 8:10:51 am EST
Hi,

I notice that the new server update has a note saying "Minor improvements to RU Server license registration mechanism." - I thought this might be a fix to the issue however it doesn't seem to have changed anything..?

Do you mean the issue of not being able to add a license key to server without Desktop Experience installed on the machine?
snk-nick, User (Posts: 59)
Jan 17, 2022 8:36:38 am EST
Yep that's the one.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2882)
Jan 17, 2022 3:26:06 pm EST
Hello,

Thank you for your patience.

I've just checked on this with our developers - unfortunately, the latest update for RU Server does not include such fixes since the issue can only be fixed by installing the Desktop Experience (GUI). Sorry for the inconvenience.

Please let us know if you have other questions.
snk-nick, User (Posts: 59)
Jan 17, 2022 5:10:28 pm EST
I mean… no, it can be easily fixed by either allowing the file path to be typed in to a field, providing a text field for the license, or adding an option to specify it via the command line.

Adding the desktop experience bloats servers, uses more resources, and potentially increases your attack surface, not ideal and that’s why the default for servers is to not install the Desktop.

I can work around this for now but this, your lack of a Linux server, and the terrible mobile apps your software is really falling behind the competition.

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