Knowledgebase

Symptoms

I am trying to perform an unattended command line install on my server farm using my personal.xcvault with the KEYFILE switch, and the serial key is not sticking between user logins.

Cause

We encrypt the registry keys used to store our license keys with Windows GUID information. When a user profile is copied between servers, the registry key that contains this information is also copied and contains the wrong GUID information, so it is perceived by the XCVault (license vault) to be invalid.

Resolution

Note: as of Version 9, there is a new activation system in place that could have an impact on this process. Please see this article for details on "auto-activating" your license keys: https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowledgebase/558-How-do-I-silently-activate-keys

On 2015-06-26 we released a patched version of the XCVault module downloadable below. If you're using a version prior to build 313 then please follow the below instructions or update the software to a more recent version. 

https://www.pdf-xchange.com/XCVault.zip

If you need to implement this patch with previously installed (but unlicensed) software, then please replace the existing XCVault module (C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\Vault) with the new one (linked above). Once you have successfully added the new XCVault module, you must run the /OpenKeys command to decrypt the license keys in the registry. 

/OpenKeys Command

This command removes protection for all installed protected license keys on the machine, i.e. it converts them to unencrypted and readable text. The utility encrypts all newly added keys by default for security reasons. Encrypted keys cannot be exported from registry and used on other machines. However, in special cases the administrator may allow keeping those keys opened. This command might require administrator rights. In addition, the command sets in the system registry a special permanent flag that forces all PDF-XChange products to add new license keys without standard encryption.

Syntax: xcvault.exe /OpenKeys [/M|/S]

Example: xcvault.exe /OpenKeys

Further information on using the XCVault utility is available here:

https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowledgebase/483-XCVault-Utility-Overview

For Administrators Running a New Installation:

You can install the keys as unencrypted by first installing the application in demo mode (without a license), then adding the license key after installation:

xcvault.exe /AddKeys [/M|/S] /R C:\Pathto\Personal.xvault

See the system administration online manual here: https://help.pdf-xchange.com/sysadmin/v9-xc-vault-command-line-options.html