Let’s clear up some misconceptions about Vinyl Express LXi 12, 19, 22, and 26. At one end of the spectrum, we have users who fear they can never switch computers because they have already downloaded their one-and-only copy of LXi. At the other end, some users think they can download the software multiple times onto an infinite number of computers. After all, if the software doesn’t require a security hardware key, what’s stopping users from downloading multiple copies?
This article will address licensing and explain what to do if you ever need to reinstall LXi software.
LXI 12/19/22: License Removal or Upgrade
Reinstalling LXI software begins with removing the license from the current computer. The standard purchase of Vinyl Express LXi 12/19 includes one license. Prior to LXi Cloud, previous versions prohibited simultaneous usage on multiple computers by requiring that a security hardware key (or dongle) be plugged into the computer while using the program. In the same manner, when Cloud users try to download to a second computer, they are prompted that the software has already been licensed to the first computer and is therefore unavailable for download. LXi's cloud-based license registration prevents illegal copies and unauthorized usage, but what about a legitimate need to reinstall? Maybe your computer crashed; maybe it caught a virus, and you had to reformat; maybe you just want to upgrade to a new computer. Isn’t there a way to transfer the license from one computer to the next? Of course there is! The key is you must remove your current license before you can license the software to a new computer. There are a few different ways to go about this depending on your situation.
A. “My software is still working, but I want to transfer it to a different computer.”
The license will be released as part of the uninstall process as long as the computer is connected to the internet when you do. Still, you may want to remove the license manually just to be certain. Here’s how.
1. Click “Start” in Windows and go to “All Programs.” 2. Find the Vinyl Express LXi 12/LXI19/LXI 22 folder and open the “License Manager.” 3. Select “Remove License from This Computer.” That’s how easy license removal can be. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the option of removing the license before unexpected computer failure. In those cases, LXI users will need to take other measures.
B. “I no longer have my software due to crash or reformat, and I’m in a hurry to reinstall (for the first time).”
SAi, the software manufacturer, typically oversees re-licensing to prevent abuse. However, every user has the ability to release his/her license at least once for reinstallation. Follow these steps.
1. Login to www.saicloud.com using the email and password you submitted when originally setting up your account.
2. Click on the name of your software. If you have more than one program on your account, choose the one you wish to reinstall.
3. Click “License Removed.”
4. If you don’t have a removal code, click “No Removal Code.”
5. Finally, click “Remove License.” You may get a confirmation that your license was successfully removed, or you may simply be redirected to your account’s home page. As long as you didn’t get a notification of too many removals, you were successful. If you do get a notice that there have been too many removals, you are left with one final option.
C. “I need the manufacturer to release my license.”
Don’t be surprised if you got the “too many times” notification when trying to remove the license yourself. This may have been caused by multiple attempts during your initial download. There is no need to fear. You'll simply need to contact SIGNWarehouse Product Support.
• Use the Contact Us link at the top of any page on www.signwarehouse.com to submit a product support ticket. Fill in the ticket with your contact info and software license release request. We'll need your email address and the software USER ID. If the request is received during normal business hours, we can have the license released and ready to reinstall within an hour or so.
LXI 12/19/22: Download and Re-install
Once you have successfully removed your license, you can download the software from your SAI Cloud account just like you did during the initial installation.
1. Login to your SAi account on the computer to which you wish to download.-click
2. Click “Download License.” Make sure to save it to the desktop or somewhere you can easily find it later.
3. Click “Download Now” to retrieve the LXi program. (Time-saving tip: If you still have the SAI Installer folder on your desktop from the original installation, you can just open that folder, find the AutoRun.exe file, and double-click that to quick-start the process. )
NOTE: Currently, the downloaded files online for LXI 12 and LXI19 are not compatible with Windows 11 PCs.
- If you have Windows 10 or 11 and are reinstalling LXI22, Click Here to download the zipped archive. Once it's saved to your PC, extract the files and run the AutoRun.exe file, as directed.
- If you have Windows 10 and are reinstalling LXI 19, CLICK HERE to download the zipped archive. Once it's saved to your PC, extract the files and run the AutoRun.exe file, as directed above.
- If you have Windows 10 and are reinstalling LXI 12, CLICK HERE to download the zipped archive. Once it's saved to your PC, extract the files and run the AutoRun.exe file, as directed above.
4. A popup at the bottom of your screen will give you the options to run or save the download. Click “Run” to begin the installation.
Note! Do Not Overwrite the existing installation. Reinstall LXi in a new folder so that your old files and preferences are saved. This will also help in any future troubleshooting. When the LXI Choose Destination Location window appears, click the Browse button at the bottom of the window next to the "Destination Folder Location" text. Then, in the Choose Folder window, type in a new folder name; i.e. LXI12_NEW (Fig 1)
5. After the program has been installed, find the LXi 12/19/22 program and open the License Manager. LXI 12 & 19 are installed in the Program Files (x86) folder on your C: drive. LXI 22 files are in the Program Files folder.
6. Select the option, “Import a License File.”
7. In that window, browse to the location where you saved the license earlier. Select the license and click “Open.”
8. Once complete, click “Finish” in the License Manager.
9. Now go back to the LXi Cloud program and open the Install Manager. Select “Install to Desktop” and “Clear Application's Previous Preferences.” Click “OK.”
10. Follow the prompts to complete the installation on the new computer.
You should see new icons (LXi and Production Manager) on your computer’s desktop once complete.
Re-Installing LXI 26
LXI 26 is new from the ground up. So the process for reinstalling an LXI26 Expert, Master Plus, or RIP Design license is different. There is no need to visit SAI cloud or to log in to any third-party portal. Just visit the LXI Support Resources page to download the current build of the version you purchased. Reinstall the software in a new folder, and have your original activation code handy to resubmit the registration information. That’s the cliff note summary. Here’s the step-by-step process.
LXI26: Re-installing on the Original Computer.
To re-install an LXI26 license on the same computer, begin by uninstalling the original license.
- In Windows 11, click the Start icon. Then click Settings.
- In the Settings window, click Apps on the left menu. Then click Installed Apps
- Scroll down to find the Expert 26, Master Plus 26, or LXI RIP Designer 26 or RIP 27 application in your Installed Apps list.
- Click the three dots to open the Modify/Uninstall menu. Click the Uninstall button on the pop-up window. Then, from the Modify/Repair/Remove menu, select Remove.
- Open Windows Explorer and browse to the Windows (C:) drive. Select and delete any remaining folders associated with the uninstalled application. Then restart your PC.
- Surf to LXI 26 Support Resources and download the zipped folder for your application.
- NOTE: You will need the original activation code that was provided at the time of the original purchase. If you have lost this code, use the Contact Us link to submit a support ticket and request a copy.
- NOTE: Some antivirus software is known to interfere with the LXI26 installation process, causing errors during installation and missing device drivers. LXI26 is fully supported and compatible with Windows Defender. It is recommended that you disable any other antivirus or firewall software before installing.
- Once you have obtained the activation code, unzip the downloaded archive, and extract the files in Windows Explorer. Open the new folder and find the Setup.exe file. Right-click on this file and, from the fly-out menu, select Run as administrator.
- Follow the prompts to complete installation.
- NOTE: When prompted to select a location, change the name of the installed folder (see below). This will prevent any conflicts due to install files being overwritten.
- At the registration page, enter the activation code at the top of the registration page, then fill in your company’s contact information. Then click Register My Product.
Change the name of the Program folder. This will prevent overwriting old files and will ensure that the license is seen as a new installation.
LXI 26: Transferring your License to a Different Computer
To transfer your LXI26 Expert, Master Plus, or RIP Design license to a new PC, you must first deactivate the license on the installed computer.
- Open the application. Click Help in the top tool bar.
- From the drop-down menu, click Deactivate License.
- Follow the prompts to deactivate the license from that PC.
- Download the supported license to the new Windows 11 computer from the LXI Support Resources page and follow the installation instructions above.
- If you see an error message stating that the license is already in use on another computer, use the Contact Us link to submit a support ticket. SIGNWarehouse Product Support will work to resolve the issue so that the registration on the new PC can proceed.
