FlexNet lmgrd.exe problem solved

During the start of evaluating JTB FlexReport one customer got a problem with Autodesk Network License Manager FlexNet (FLEXlm) that eventually was solved.

The following command was run on the server where FlexNet license manager is installed. The server is a virtualized Windows 2008 std server.

lmutil.exe lmstat -a -c 27000@server

[Detecting lmgrd processes…]
Error getting status: Cannot connect to license server system. (-15,10:10061 “Winsock: Connection refused”)

The FlexNet debug log also had this information.

16:27:23 (lmgrd) adskflex exited with status 58 ()
16:27:23 (lmgrd) Since this is an unknown status, license server
16:27:23 (lmgrd) manager (lmgrd) will attempt to re-start the vendor daemon.
16:27:23 (lmgrd) EXITING DUE TO SIGNAL 1

There were no problems with the ports and firewalls as they were opened. LMTOOLS.EXE did not show any problem on the status.

Using IP instead of server name resulted in this message:

lmutil - Copyright (c) 1989-2007 Macrovision Europe Ltd. and/or Macrovision Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Flexible License Manager status on Tue 10/20/2009 15:49

[Detecting lmgrd processes...]
Error getting status: Cannot find license file. (-1,359:2 "No such file or directory")

Other errors that also might show up are some or all of these:

The TCP port number in the license, [portnumber], is already in use.
(adskflex) Unable to initialize access to trusted storage: 1
(adskflex) Failed to open socket to lmgrd, Exiting
(adskflex) EXITING DUE TO SIGNAL 28 Exit reason 5
(lmgrd) Can't send reread to adskflex: Cannot read data from license server system. (-16,10009:10054 "WinSock: Connection reset by peer")
(lmgrd) adskflex exited with status 28 (Communications error)
(lmgrd) Since this is an unknown status, license server 
(lmgrd) manager (lmgrd) will attempt to re-start the vendor daemon.

Eventually the solution found. The problem was caused because of Windows DEP (Data Execution Prevention) on the server. DEP simply killed lmgrd from doing its job.

Another error that might show in the FlexNet debug log is: Lost communications with lmgrd Communications error. Connection closed. Exiting. EXITING DUE TO SIGNAL 28 Exit reason 5

The solution is:

Stop the licenseservice using LMTOOLS.EXE or in Windows Services.

Stop any process in Task Manager like lmgrd.exe and adskflex.exe (or whatever the vendor daemon is named).

Start the DEP program from Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Data Excution Prevention.

Add an exception for LMGRD.exe and possibly also LMUTIL.EXE, LMTOOLS.EXE and the vendor EXE where the license manager is installed.

Restart the service and it should work.

DEP might also have the effect that LMTOOLS.EXE crashes or that you just notice that the license service is stopped after a while and you cannot check out any licenses. The problem is no only on Windows 2008 server but have been seen also on Windows 2003 server