Valid Acrobat Pro XI still requires activation after 30 days

[eirikb]

I already asked a similar question in a different sub-forum, but i was recommended to make a new thread here.

The problem is this:

We need to deploy Acrobat Pro XI to computers that are 100 offline. We used the Adobe Customization Wizard XI to make a customized install for Acrobat Pro XI. We entered the serial number and used the "Grant Offline Exception" button on a computer with Internet access, which worked fine. The ISX_SERIALNUMBER property is successfully added to the mst.

Adobe Support has earlier told me that all that is needed for offline activation to work is to have the ISX_SERIALNUMBER set in the mst. Still, Acrobat complains after 30 days that it needs to be activated. Is there some other magic that the "Grant Offline Exception" button does to the installation package that i need to be aware of?

The way the installation is run is:

we run setup.exe

setup.exe (i assume?) uses setup.ini

setup.ini contains:

[Startup]

RequireOS=Windows XP

RequireMSI=3.1

RequireIE=7.0.0000.0

Require64BitVC10RT=1

CmdLine=/sl"1044" /sall /rs

[Product]

msi=AcroPro.msi

vcrtMsi=vc_red.msi

vcrtDir=VC10RT_x64

Languages=1033;1044

1033=English (United States)

1044=Norwegian (Bokmal)

CmdLine=TRANSFORMS="AcroPro.mst"

[Windows XP]

PlatformID=2

MajorVersion=5

MinorVersion=1

ServicePackMajor=3

[MSI Updater]

Path=WindowsInstaller-KB893803-v2-x86.exe

So the bottom line is that i would like to know if this way of running the installation is correct, and also exactly what the "Grant Offline Exception" button does.

Thank you

[Guest]

Yes, but there may be caveats depending on what you do to deploy.

Are you imaging/ghosting the installation?

[EnterpriseHelp]

That Wizard setting sets PRESERIALIZATIONFILEPATH. See http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/personalization.html?highlight=grant#availa...

This page may also help: http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/licensing.html#aptee-usage

HTH.

Ben

[eirikb]

Thanks for replying.

We are not ghosting the installation, it's a normal installation using the standard files from Adobe.

The installation process is as i described above.

I tried using the wizard again now, granting the offline exception with it, and saving it as an mst. According to point 4.2.7.1 in 4  Installation Workflows — Enterprise Administration Guide, this should occur: "The Wizard validates the serial number and saves the exception inside the MST."

I can not for the life of me see any references in the mst that an offline exception exists. PRESERIALIZATIONFILEPATH is not mentioned in the property table or anywhere else in the mst either.

All further help (if possible) will be much appreciated!

[Guest]

I would take brogers_1 suggestion of trying to use APTEE.