This is what happens when you design software whose default mode is to not work. Designed with a single point of failure that depends on an obscure set of prerequisites that you are not privy to. A design that requires you to prove you're not a criminal but doesn't tell you how to do that. As a software engineer, I am offended by the whole model.

Geeze...I always thought I was both unlucky and a dimbulb due to troubles that have cropped up so many times for me with so many companies when trying to install and activate their software. But with both WAVES License Center, and now WAVES Central, I've had nary problem one after following the fairly simple directions they've provided. But I'm truly sorry for anyone who has had any problems and realize that each user system is a different animal and just might require a different approach and/or solution. Hope you guys get everything worked out OK. But I would hope you don't allow your installation problems...whatever they are or what is causing them...to diminish your view of the quality of WAVES plugins. They are truly top notch IMHO. Just my 2cents. YMMV.


And...NO...I'm not affiliated with them in any way shape or form...and have been aggravated by them on many occasions for lo these many years...especially as regards their WUP program. But I have to calls em as I sees em. Pick em.

Doktor Avalanche
Can you state the paths you pointed to? Thx..

Doc,
These are the two paths on my computer, that Sonar uses to access my Waves plugs:
c:\program files (x86)\waves\plug-ins v9
and
i:\waves\licenses
 
This is with the licenses on my external drive. Waves had originally put them here:
c:\Users\All Users\Waves Audio\Licenses
 
Hope that helps.

bitflipper
I tried to warn you, Joel. And for those 98% that do have a MAC address to key on, they'll be in for a rude awakening when they try to disable said NIC to improve their system's efficiency for audio. Or they replace it with a better card, or to fix a broken one. All their Waves plugins will assume they are thieves and refuse to work. No help file or online resource will tell you what the problem is, and you have maybe a 50/50 chance they'll respond to an email if you haven't bought into their WUP protection racket.
 
The upside: if you're willing to play their game and jump through their hoops, in the end they are great plugins. 

Yes you did, Dave and I probably should have listened!
Now that I have them working successfully, I'm going to get the most out of them. If I have any more trouble, I may pitch 'em. Just not interested in wasting a lot of time trying to make this stuff work. There's already enough to figure out just trying to work on music! 

2:43AM
I just think of Waves as "disposable" plugins, fully understanding the risk of failure and non-support as DAW's and operating systems change.  However, I have only bought a handful of Waves plugins only when on sale.  I don't buy into the bundles, and I certainly don't buy into the WUP.  Total waste of money.  Sure if you're a professional, and need the support and certainty that your investment of thousands of dollars continues to make you thousands of dollars, then by all means do the WUP and worry about Waves.

I'm beginning to feel the same way Tony. I got these on sale (the verb plug was free last week), so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I canned 'em.
I haven't looked at Waves WUP, but am assuming it's some kind of paid support? I won't do that. There are too many great plugs that don't require any kind of support. Certainly not the kind we'd pay for on a continual basis. 

jude77
I've never had a problem with Waves, but I've certainly heard horror stories like the one the OP mentions.  Good luck to you.

Thanks Jim. Everything seems to be working for the time being.


...... fingers crossed .....

Guyz eont laught at me but dor real i had the tg 12345 for a year know , and i disnt installed it so i m paranoed about stability since i jave a lot of projects and cours with the lappy at the sae , i can t afford hazardous decisions .... my beggestbgrip also is that i renaùe all my wavesplugin via the cake vst manager ... and each major cakewalk or waves upadteq i have to manually renmae all plugins 4 times : one for x1 and for platnum since the son t ahvz the same regeqtry inventory and on 2 comp......
 
NI and waves maintenace are a full time job ...if i didn t owèed the mercury i would have stopped using them just because of this ....but no brands offers tools they haves