changing license key on version 15

[eagle2]

Is it possible to change license key on 3CX V15 installation without reinstalling the PBX, as it used to be possible with previous versions ?
I have a customer who used PBX edition and now purchased commercial license, how to change it without reinstalling the PBX.
Regards

 

[YiannisH_3CX]

Hello @eagle2

No i am afraid that you need to perform a backup without license and FQDN un-install and re-install using the new license. You also need to release the license from the FQDN in order to use the same FQDN.
This is because the license is bound to the FQDN during the installation.

 

[Steven Peters]

Is this the same case for the linux version? I find it hard to believe the software needs to be reinstalled. Is it possible to edit the license file in the back-end and then restart the server to pickup that change?

 

[NetVu IT]

It seems to be. I've been doing some test installs while I wait for my standard edition license to arrive. The GUI option is greyed out and if you try and change it in the parameters it doesn't activate and you get messages such as:

The FQDN you configured at installation time is not linked to the license key which is currently activated. As a result, video conferences cannot work. Activate the license used at FQDN creation time or re-install and use your new license key and link it to a new FQDN.
Learn how to get more out of 3CX at www.3cx.com

Without reinstalling it seems it won't associate the FQDN. Looks like I'm going to have to wait on the full license before I rebuild this server. Live and learn.

 

[Eric Osborn]

I'm in the same boat, then went to reload and rant into a "Too many activations" error." Would be really nice to be able to change this without a full reload especially using PBX-Express where I have to delete and get a new IP.

 

[accentlogic]

If I remember correctly we were able to present the existing free key to 3CX and have that key upgraded to a paid edition, and avoid uninstall/reinstall.

See https://www.3cx.com/blog/news/evaluate-v15/

Converting Evaluation to Full Version
If you evaluated 3CX successfully and you are ready to upgrade your free 3CX PBX Edition key to a full featured commercial version, a Version Upgrade must be purchased on your existing license key.

• As an End User, you must present your key to the 3CX Partner for the Upgrade order to maintain your installation and FQDN

 

[Eric Osborn]

If I remember correctly we were able to present the existing free key to 3CX and have that key upgraded to a paid edition, and avoid uninstall/reinstall.

See https://www.3cx.com/blog/news/evaluate-v15/

Converting Evaluation to Full Version
If you evaluated 3CX successfully and you are ready to upgrade your free 3CX PBX Edition key to a full featured commercial version, a Version Upgrade must be purchased on your existing license key.

• As an End User, you must present your key to the 3CX Partner for the Upgrade order to maintain your installation and FQDN

That helps a bit, thank you.

 

[Ian Carson]

CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION!

DO NOT ACCEPT THE 3CX STANDARD LOCATION FOR THE BACKUP DURING YOUR UPGRADE PROCESS!!!

Store your backup somewhere other than the 3cx suggested location. The process of removal deletes all files in the program data area INCLUDING the backup files. Would have been nice to have been warned abut this little fact.

Now we have to do a complete rebuild. AAAARGH!

 

[nb]

We will work on this.. Agreed..
We will see what we can do. Let me take the opportunity to ask for an opinion here..
If we had to choose a default location, where would that be?
Or shall we expose the configuration so the user selects the location?

 

[nb]

So I have some tests made on this :

On linux
There are two commands: uninstall and purge.
Uninstall removes binaries but leaves /var/lib and db as is. Than you can install again and get everything working immediately.
Purge removes all. So you can choose what to do.

On windows we can leavce the backup path as it is but the uninstallation will not delete the folder that contains the backups. Like this they will remain on disk.

 

[Ian Carson]

Apologies for the CAPS earlier just a tad frustrated but calmer now.

Program Data works for most circumstances but perhaps there should be a "backup for the purposes of upgrade" option on the backup page which takes the user to a location other than the normal Program Data directory (for starters), warns them that configuration, sound files etc will be deleted during the upgrade process and suggests that they choose a safe location for the backup file.

Another option would be not to delete the backup files during the upgrade process at all - a la Firefox and Thunderbird which allow you to completely reinstall a newer version but maintain all the add-ins, extensions and setup from the previous installation with no action required on the part of the user.

 

[Ian Carson]

Leaving the backups as is is the better option in my view unless you can recreate the Linux "Purge" option as a selection during the install?

 

[nb]

On windows Ill leave backups there

Now on linux we may have a debate here - I also thought to modify the operations of purge BUT
1. It's against Linux policy. Purge should delete everything an app created.
2. Now existence of a folder /var/lib/3cxpbx is a flag indicating that PBX has configs. What will we do there?
So yep I'm against it. Uninstall created exactly for this.

If you want to uninstall and keep stuff there (Like other apps do) use the uninstall command.
If you want to ERASE everything, there is the specific command for purge.

 

[Ian Carson]

Sounds good mate. Thanks for the quick response

Regards
Ian

 

[nb]

On windows next update jwill have the fix.
Backup folder and recordings will remain on the disk.
NOTE - I cannot modify the installation performed on your current disk. So if you UNINSTALL that version, everything will be removed. The installation metabase is already set at installation time and all the transformations set will be activated at uninstall (Including the removal of the whole DATA folder.)
Users will benefit from the fix when you install the next build we will release 15.5 SP1. When this build is uninstalled, you will notice that the Recordings and the backup folders will remain on disk.
Thanks all for reporting and for your feedback.

 

[bcampbell74]

Just found that this is the same if you want to change from an Annual License to a Perpetual License.

For.The.Love.Of.God.Please.Change.This!