Unfortunately I love Pro Tools and the 2021.7 version that allows k'd plugins isn't an option since I just moved to a Mac system.

FabFilter, Soundtoys, and Soothe 2 are must haves for me and since there's no way to get them to work in Pro Tools, ideally I'd like to be able to reset the trials for each plugin but I'm not sure if that's possible on Mac OS, so I feel my only real option is to reformat my Mac every 30 days and reinstall everything and download new trials. I'd do this until I'm able to purchase the plugins.

Is this doable? Or is there any way to actually erase and reset the trial timers without wiping the system clean each time?

 

When you demo an iLok plugin, it is also added into your iLok Manager app. The day you activate and the day it expires is recorded by your iLok app. "re-formatting" isn't going to help at all. You will reinstall your iLok manager app and it will download the list of your iLok software and will still show the software demo is expired.

The easiest way to get k'd plugins to work in Protools if you cannot use an AAX plugin, is to install them as AU or VST3 and then load them into your session that way. You need to install the AAX version of BlueCat Audio's Patchwork. Then you can load modified plugins into a Patchwork instance. Protools will not load AAX plugins that have been modified, i.e. tampered with to bypass authentication. The Patchwork wrapper being unmodified takes care of that.

 

I've used this method to get legit Pro Tools for 3 months (although I finally purchased it), simply by making a new iLok account each time I made a new Avid account. I guess this is the route I'll have to go.

 

Last edited: Nov 20, 2024

Just fyi... Just because you moved to a apple system isn't hardly the case for PT 2021.7 R2R not being an option. Even if you were on PC unless you have a Protools-First license (the licenses that were being given out free by avid at that time which didn't last for more than a minute) or a legit copy of PT in the first place the R2R 2021 PT would be pretty much worthless in any case...

 

I should have mentioned that I'm using a legit copy of PT and a few months back I was using 2021.7 on my Windows laptop. I used PT for 3 months by making new Avid accounts, and Avid also offers to create an iLok account for you if you say you don't have one so I already have a few ready to go. I've been able to use my UAD plugins via my real iLok account, but once they are authorized I've been able to log in to separate iLok accounts which contained my PT trial license and it always works so hopefully I can just register the trial versions of Soundtoys and Soothe 2 with new iLok accounts every time.

Ideally I would make a time machine back up on my Mac right before installing the trials, and every time they expire I'll reset to that back up and do it all over again. In theory it should work but who knows.

 

Cool. Supposedly the "intent" from the witches (re: 2021.7) was to make cracked plugins work with legit PT. Which required a legit license in the first place like you already apparently have. For the rest of us who didn't act fast enough to get to the PT-First we were all SOL... I still wonder why they didn't just simply release the dam thing with a cracked PT-First or something. I'm on PC with 12.5HD which has worked (and continues to work) flawlessly since 2016. It has worked with every plugin I have ever thrown at it.

 

You will not get those iLok plugins to work longer than the demo expiration date the way you mentioned in first post. If you want to make iLok accounts over and over, that could maybe work. But if that is true, why do you even need to "re-format"? Delete everything the plugin could use to detect it had been installed on the machine before. That would be faster than playing system calendar/clock oldschool reset style games.

When you have your real iLok account loaded up with legit plugins, that is not really a solution. You would have to sign out of iLok manager just to use the ones you have mentioned so far. There is no plugin so "must-have" i'm going to reinstall MacOS over it. UVI Falcon 3, I guess. I use it a lot. Or Kontakt. It would probably have to be a much bigger bundle like all Plugin Alliance. It's too easy to just use Patchwork. You can even save plugin chains in it as presets.

 

Last edited: Nov 20, 2024

For me, at least with Windows, after I log into my real iLok account to authorize my UAD plugins, I've been able to log out and log into the iLok account that contains my PT license without losing access to the UAD plugins. It's like once the plugins are authorized via iLok, I no longer have to be logged in to that particular account and they are still authorized and run fine. For example, I had to log out of my UAD iLok to use the iLok associated with PT, but my UAD plugins still run fine in PT despite not being logged into that iLok account.

As far as just deleting all traces off the plugin to reset the trial - I've never had much luck with this in Windows and I know Windows really well. Even using something like Revo Uninstaller (which is great), I've never really been able to reverse or erase a trial. So I definitely don't have much confidence in doing so with Mac OS.

Normally I'd be fine running the plugins via Patchwork or the Waves rack, but I've been getting some pretty good gigs lately and I don't want to be the guy that's obviously using k'd software and using Patchworks randomly throughout a PT session is a dead giveaway. Eventually I'll be all the way legit but this is how I'll have to work for the next 4-5 months.

 

Do you know the expression people often say "You could not pay me to...."? But someone could pay me to use Protools, just as long it is on a computer they own. Otherwise Logic it is. If I did not know Logic, I would buy REAPER to ditch Protools. Charging someone money for you to use demo products is barely any different than loading stuff in Patchwork.

 

Well as far as me charging someone money and then using demo products, let's remember why we're all here and why we love the sister site lol. My clients engineers own the FabFilter stuff, so it will open like normal for them and they will be none the wiser. I get some sessions with the vocals already somewhat mixed to the artists satisfaction. If I have to use Patchwork to open Pro Q, all of the instances they've used to get the artist sounding how they want will be gone, I'll have to start from scratch and sometimes that's fine, but sometimes it's not. I also don't believe most people own Patchwork unless they have a specific reason. If I was just recording/mixing myself or friends it wouldn't be a big deal. But these PT sessions get sent back to the artist/engineer.

I love Logic for production as I was ready to ditch FL Studio; it's one of the reasons I got a Mac. Do you use it for mixing as well? Maybe I should give it an honest try. But for mixing/editing, Pro Tools was the first DAW I ever used and although I hate Avid, I can't help but love PT. I'm really tempted to just use my PC and install 2021.7, but I'm not sure I want to go back several Windows updates to do so. And unfortunately my PC doesn't have Thunderbolt capabilities so I can't use my Apollo Twin.

 

maybe ask some of them (preferably the one with newest versions purchased) to generate NFR licenses of older versions (for ex. NFR Q2 from bought Q3) for free,
while it's probably against the user license agreement, it's a fully functional temporary solution until you save up for legit purchase on your own,
also Fabfilter doesn't check the license online (regularly), so as long as it's legit license, it will work without any problems,
Soundtoys and Soothe are iLok fuckery, but if I remember correct Soundtoys provide 2 licenses within one purchase, so maybe borrow iLok from fellow engineer?
again, it's most likely against the user license agreement, but it would also save you headaches once you buy the plugins later, no hassle re-installing anything or wiping cracks, just re-authorize with different iLok

 

On real mac no on hackintosh yes
But you have reinstall ilok after removing using uninstalled (make new email and ilok account)
Every 14 days.
Really wish to see ilok plugins on sister site eventide slatedigital soundtoys soothe and what not