# Sprutcam got to me...



## CNC Dude (Apr 12, 2014)

Not certain if anybody is a Sprutcam user here, but here is my ordeal. For the first time in history, I have jobs which actually will pay me something. As I am preparing the CAM output, the CAM tool (JunkCAM) starts to tell me the protection key isn't found. Odd, because it is right there!!!!

Anyway, chances are they protection key is damaged. Which pretty much means my 1,500 investment is lost before I can make a cent and right when some cents are waiting for output.

This is a HASP4 Aladdin key. Anybody has experience with these A-Holeys? I hated protection keys before I purchased this junk. Now I hate them forever! Am I toast, or is there anything you guys can think of?

This may be a tremendous opportunity to move to a different CAM SW. Recommendations? I need 4 axis, though. So I think I have been gutted alive here...


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## Ray C (Apr 12, 2014)

*Re: Sprutcam raped me...*



CNC Dude said:


> Not certain if anybody is a Sprutcam user here, but here is my ordeal. For the first time in history, I have jobs which actually will pay me something. As I am preparing the CAM output, the CAM tool (JunkCAM) starts to tell me the protection key isn't found. Odd, because it is right there!!!!
> 
> Anyway, chances are they protection key is damaged. Which pretty much means my 1,500 investment is lost before I can make a cent and right when some cents are waiting for output.
> 
> ...



Woah, hold the horses...  If it's legal/legit software, call them up and get support/assistance.  If there's a record of your purchase transaction (and in this day and age, I gotta believe there's a receipt somewhere) they should be able and hopefully willing to assist you.  For the most part, companies don't want unhappy customers.  The CAD/CAM business is packed with players and all such companies make their living off A) the initial sale, B) support fees, C) training fees, D) product upgrades.

Hate to say this but, if the software was not legit, then it's time to get on the straight and narrow.  For the most part, bootlegged SW is pain because there's no support, product upgrades etc... 

Ray


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## DMS (Apr 12, 2014)

*Re: Sprutcam raped me...*

I agree with Ray, before you get too worked up. Remove the key and plug it back in. Reboot your machine. If those don't work, call your sales guy. I had a similar problem when I ordered Alibre (though they have a software key, not a hardware key). Took about 2 minutes on  the phone and they straightened me out. No problems since.


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## CNC Dude (Apr 12, 2014)

Guys, this is a legit copy of the SW. I paid about $1.5K for it.

It has been working for three years and today it stopped working. Everything points out to a defective key. This is precisely why this key business is a pain. By being a responsible and honest fellow, I am paying here.

Yes, I will call my supplier, but that won't do any good until Monday. On Monday, they will tell me I need to send the key and they will send me a new one. An entire week is gone and my jobs? On hold!

BTW, I restarted the two computers, reinstalled the drivers, checked running services, firewall port settings, Installed USB devices, and the key is not there. The bastard broke down by itself!

These keys truly bug me. I use a $6K SW at work which uses a license over email system (AKA the cloud). It is so simple to get it to work, and I can use my SW on every computer I can think of, except only one at a time. No need for keys and no need for dongles. Only if there was no internet, would I be hosed. Why Sprutcam is not employing this method, is beyond me.

Will see what happens, but there is just no more CNC for me this weekend...


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## Ray C (Apr 12, 2014)

CNC Dude said:


> Guys, this is a legit copy of the SW. I paid about $1.5K for it.
> 
> It has been working for three years and today it stopped working. Everything points out to a defective key. This is precisely why this key business is a pain. By being a responsible and honest fellow, I am paying here.
> 
> ...



Most software protection schemes used in various packages are licensed libraries purchased from companies that specialize in that area.  It's impractical for a software company to develop and maintain their own protection schemes.  Anyhow, the price range of a particular methodology is directly related to how good it is -and how convenient it is.  Trade-offs are ever-present and this is what the SprutCam people went with.

Ray


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## bloomingtonmike (Apr 12, 2014)

Is this a tormach setup? Is there a tormach CD of software?


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## CNC Dude (Apr 12, 2014)

*Re: Sprutcam got to me... (And Aladdin too, while we are at it...)*

It is a Tormach Setup. I reinstalled the drivers, but it is clear the key is dead. Why? Well, beats me, but no hardware will ever last forever. It was working fine this morning and then it stopped. There was no lightning, or a power loss, or anything like that. It was just its time.

If it were allowed to make a copy of an USB key, I would be operational. But making copies of keys is not allowed for obvious reasons.

I sent an email to Tormach and will call them on Monday. Since my version is Sprutcam 7, and that is no longer supported, I think they will ask me to upgrade to version 8. Or, maybe there is a way to get a new key and continue as if nothing had happened. Completely conjectural at this point in time...

This is the first SW I ever employ with an USB key. Everything else I had used utilized serials locked to the hardware. But everything I has found on the web points out to the key being broken. Dead meat! Or dead silicon, I should say.


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## Ray C (Apr 12, 2014)

*Re: Sprutcam got to me... (And Aladdin too, while we are at it...)*



CNC Dude said:


> It is a Tormach Setup. I reinstalled the drivers, but it is clear the key is dead. Why? Well, beats me, but no hardware will ever last forever. It was working fine this morning and then it stopped. There was no lightning, or a power loss, or anything like that. It was just its time.
> 
> If it were allowed to make a copy of an USB key, I would be operational. But making copies of keys is not allowed for obvious reasons.
> 
> ...



Bad things can happen to USB flash-memory devices.  They are just small file systems subject to header corruption due to errant software and/or hardware failure. The file contents are encrypted.  SafeNet is the largest company that makes security dongles and in quantity, they cost about $10 bucks each.  Each is burned with your specific registration information...  The upshot is, be prepared for a small fee to replace it.  The precise fee will depend on how much Tormach wants to get out of you.

Ray


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## CNC Dude (Apr 12, 2014)

If I am "lucky", it will be about $600. If I am unlucky, it will be about $1100.00.

Murphy's law at its best! I was going to get close to $500 to make this job, which I was going to use to buy me a Heimer sensor. Now I may need to pay $500 just so I that can make this job. Oh joy...

Bye bye Heimer!


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## Ray C (Apr 12, 2014)

CNC Dude said:


> If I am "lucky", it will be about $600. If I am unlucky, it will be about $1100.00.
> 
> Murphy's law at its best! I was going to get close to $500 to make this job, which I was going to use to buy me a Heimer sensor. Now I may need to pay $500 just so I that can make this job. Oh joy...
> 
> Bye bye Heimer!



Do you know that for sure or are you just freaking-out with worst-case scenarios?  If the office isn't open on the weekend, is there a forum group that you can ask questions?


Ray


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## John Hasler (Apr 12, 2014)

Ray C said:


> Do you know that for sure or are you just freaking-out with worst-case scenarios?  If the office isn't open on the weekend, is there a forum group that you can ask questions?
> 
> 
> Ray



https://www.google.com/search?q=spr...=X&ei=5KxJU7nqNKmv2QWs54HYBA&ved=0CJEBENUCKAY

If you are truly desperate search for 'sprutcam crack".  Be prepared to scrub any computer you install the results of that search on.


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## CNC Dude (Apr 12, 2014)

Ray C said:


> Do you know that for sure or are you just freaking-out with worst-case scenarios?  If the office isn't open on the weekend, is there a forum group that you can ask questions?
> 
> 
> Ray



Not for sure. They are closed on the weekend so it won't be until Monday when I can talk to them. But Sprutcam 7 has been discontinued and I would be amazed if I get an upgrade for "free". So it is all conjecture at this time. But after 4 decades on the 3rd rock from the sun, tendencies become apparent. I do hope I am wrong...

On the other hand, Tormach has one of the best customer service departments I have witnessed so far. So I know I am in good hands. Still bummed out at the darned key dying, but oh well. It's a matter of learning to live with it.

- - - Updated - - -



John Hasler said:


> https://www.google.com/search?q=spr...=X&ei=5KxJU7nqNKmv2QWs54HYBA&ved=0CJEBENUCKAY
> 
> If you are truly desperate search for 'sprutcam crack".  Be prepared to scrub any computer you install the results of that search on.



I am desperate and the crack crossed my mind, but I think it may make matters worst. I haven't used a crack in decades, and since Murphy is not on my side, I better not risk it.

I found a 30 day solution. I basically downloaded the Sprutcam 8 demo and am running with that. Sprutcam 8 is basically the exact same thing, but with everything on different places and a newer look. Hey, they have to eat, somehow, and I bet all Sprutcam users are all accounted for.

I am hoping to solve this matter this week, so for the moment I am operational. Many hours wasted trying to solve this issue. Hours I could have put into CNCing. Computers! Can't live with or without them ;-)


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## Ray C (Apr 12, 2014)

CNC Dude said:


> Not for sure. They are closed on the weekend so it won't be until Monday when I can talk to them. But Sprutcam 7 has been discontinued and I would be amazed if I get an upgrade for "free". So it is all conjecture at this time. But after 4 decades on the 3rd rock from the sun, tendencies become apparent. I do hope I am wrong...
> 
> On the other hand, Tormach has one of the best customer service departments I have witnessed so far. So I know I am in good hands. Still bummed out at the darned key dying, but oh well. It's a matter of learning to live with it.



If the dongle is damaged, it's just a matter of replacing.  Someone at SprutCam has a computer with the software that whereby an operator enters the security code for your license and it then encrypts the information and writes it to that thumb drive.  The thumb drive is a special type that becomes read-only after it's been written to.  If all goes well, they still have your initial security key information and the proper version of dongle writing software that was in-use at the time your version was released.  -Any company with any form of internal process and procedure should be able to re-write and old key.  If they tell you otherwise, I'd be highly doubtful and my thoughts would lean toward an overly aggressive sales policy.

All the places I worked for ditched security dongles a long time ago because, replacing lost/damaged added-up to real money.  If a company charges just 10 bucks to replace it, the act of collecting that small amount cost more in operational and accounting procedures than it's worth.  Any amount over 10 bucks and customers scream like you were tearing their fingernails out.  -Dongles, for the most part, are a thing of the past but, they serve some purpose in some cases.

Ray


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## CNC Dude (Apr 27, 2014)

Have not had a chance to offer an update on this matter. I am now dongle-less. The folks at Tormach, always extremely helpful, moved me to a software license. The only caveat is that I get the ads pane on a periodic basis, but this is just one measly click away and then I can see my design again.

I am a happy camper! Not having to depend on a dongle is very reassuring. I was always paranoid that somehow the dongle was going to get lost or perhaps stolen (kind of ridiculous, but hey, it's paranoia!).


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