Studio 2 requires ORIGINAL serial number for install

[Zach Smith]

I just installed my 499 upgrade and all it asked me for was my serial number included in upgrade? I have opened all programs, still not asking me for my original serial # from final cut studio 1 or my 5.1 cross grade?

[Gary Morris mcbeath]

Wow, what a mess; I didn’t get a serial number with my crossgrade to 5.1; was told just to use the prior FCS serial.

The Apple websight, on the purchase FCS2 page, indicates the upgrades are for “commercial” versions, not the adacemic or not-for-resale versions; absolutely nothing I can find indicates the upgrade must be from a full retail version.

So the Apple store (70 mile drive) is holding the $699 version for me, but only for this evening, and will only exchange the software if the box isn’t opened. How the heck do I know if it will install any better than the $499 version might, which I have not opened?

I guess I’m just venting my frustration for Apple not making this clear.

Thanks,

Gary

[Gary Morris mcbeath]

Wait a minute: Walter, were you doing a clean install with the upgrade version, or installing on top of FCS1?

Maybe the previous posters had the prior versions on their drives, and the 499 upgrade accepted them, without asking for original serial numbers.

Tim, Jeremy, Zach: were you just upgrading already installed versions?

Gary

[Neil Sadwelkar]

If you’ve taken the recent FCS 1 crossgrade to 5.1 you have disks that say FCS 1 Retail. That number should work.

Neil

FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL.

[Zach Smith]

I did not do a clean install, I have many more programs than just FCS2 and did not think It was necessary to replace my engine when I was putting a new car stereo in. It would take me a week to do a clean install and some of my programs would be a pain to reinstall, my system is working just fine, no problems in anything yet, but I did clone my drive before I installed so if I do have a problem I’ll be ok. The only time I ever do a clean install is when I am having problems, why fix something that is working.

[David Battistella]

I did my upgrade today with none of these issues at all.

I can even capture with my beta deck through the AJA i/o. They have not even written a driver for that box yet.

I am loving the new software. INstalled mid project and picked up where I left off with the old one.

This, of course after doing a full back up and also saving copies of all of my FCP 5 projects.

David

[George Loch]

A little more clarification…

If you have Final Cut Studio or you participated in the Cross-grade, you need to buy the $499 version. All others need to buy the $699 version.

That is as simple as I can see it.

-gl

[Dave Mac]

Wow, this thread is getting a bit out-of-hand… 😉

A few points of clarification (hopefully):

According to an Apple rep. (higher than “base” tier support), you just need the previous “full” version serial number to install an upgrade license. You don’t need to go back to version 1, if that was your first full purchase.

The license for FCP (or FCS now) is stored in the file

/Library/Applications Support/ProApps/Final Cut Studio System ID

If you had FCS 5.0/5.1 (now considered FCS 1, though that was never the official name), and you install the $499 upgrade over your existing copy, the installer will find your 5.0/5.1 serial number and only ask for the FCS 2 serial number.

If you have erased your boot drive and are installing FCS 2 from scratch, that file doesn’t exist and you will need to provide your 5.0/5.1 serial number in addition to the FCS 2 serial number.

FYI (here’s an annoying tidbit of info), the crossgrade from 5.0 to 5.1 didn’t involve getting a new serial number. You only received a new serial number if your “crossgrade” was really more of an upgrade (versions of FCP prior to 5, the original production bundle/suite, other qualifying products, etc.).

This is how I found out about the serial number issue (I upgraded a standalone copy of FCP 4.5/4.0 to FCS 5.1 and received a new serial number). I also “crossgraded” my FCS 5.0 to 5.1 but didn’t receive a new serial number (after which I called and was told about this stuff by a senior Apple support rep.).

The icky part of the crossgrade was for people with multiple copies of FCS 5.0. They really only needed to get the new discs for 5.1. Any more than one set of discs was a waste of money (in most cases), as you didn’t get a new serial number.

In other words, according to the Apple rep., “Only paid, true upgrades come with a new serial number. And, to use an upgrade, you need the serial number from the previous version of FCP/FCS.”

I’ll stop now, as I am getting a little confused just trying to type this stuff. I hope I didn’t put too many of you to sleep… 😉

—

More to the point… FCS 2 is just awesome!!! Even if we didn’t get Color in the new version, the upgrades to STP, FCP, and Motion are well worth many times the upgrade cost (which should be recouped on one or two projects, especially for those who would use STP)…

Wow.

Best regards,

Dave

[Dave Mac]

[George Loch] “A little more clarification…

If you have Final Cut Studio or you participated in the Cross-grade, you need to buy the $499 version. All others need to buy the $699 version.

That is as simple as I can see it.”

Yes!

Thanks, George. You completed my post’s missing point…

-Dave

[Steve Eisen]

Hidden on your hard drive is a file called Final Cut Studio System ID or Final Cut Pro System ID. It can tell what current version of FCP/Studio you currently have.

Library/Application Support/ProApps/

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Director-At-Large
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group