Machine ID changed on the same hardware!?!

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hello someusername,

Welcome to the NinjaTrader forums.

I have added your vote to this feature request. Thank you for your feedback.

[JoeF1953]

Thanks for posting someusername. I've contacted my 3d party vendor and asked them to encourage their users to post this problem on the forum if they are having the same issue. I provided a link to this thread. Hopefully we will get enough "votes" for Ninja to realize this is a problem, or bug as you put it. Its been going on long enough and I know we would all like to see it get fixed.

[eDanny]

You wouldn't believe how many times I need to change licensing for my clients and it is cumbersome if you are changing 5, 10 or 15 licensed products over at a time sometimes.

[koganam]

A hardware ID should never change with software. Period. Call it by its name: NinjaTrader's Vendor Licensing is pretty much the same ultimate scheme as Microsoft's own product activation scheme. The details and minutiae may differ: the intent and effect is, for all practical purposes, identical. Even Microsoft knows that a HARDWARE ID should be tied to HARDWARE, so Windows Updates never cause a hardware ID change that results in deactivation. That NinjaTrader uses a scheme that causes these issues after Windows Updates is plainly ridiculous.

No matter what, NinjaTrader must be calling an API to give it the hardware ID of the machine. Microsoft has actually published some of the API's that it uses. Plainly, even if Windows level is a part of the inputs that can be used, all the NinjaTrader has to do is stop using any software inputs to calculate the hardware ID, and use ONLY HARDWARE attributes. Yes, it is that simple.

Update hardware ID on a firmware change? Well, that may make sense. Update on an operating system update? Sorry, that makes no sense. Use an API derived from this one: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...for-a-computer

[NinjaTrader_Jim]

Hello everyone,

I just had a conversation with Product Management.

In general we don't expect the values to be changing with software updates, but what we use to generate the Machine ID sometimes does not return the same values after an update.

I cannot offer an ETA for a change, but I can say that we are looking into a solution for this hassle.

[JoeF1953]

koganam - I totally agree with you. It should not change with a software update. However, it's been happening. 3 times with me over a 6 week period, no change in hardware of any kind. Jim - I think you hit the nail on the head and your statement is exactly what's happening. Its VERY COMFORTING to know that you guys are looking into finding a solution. All my fingers and toes are crossed and wishing you luck. I'm sure the vendors will be happy too. THANKS!!!!!!!!

[caveat_lector]

I don't think NT computer identification even should be tied to firmware versions. A large percentage of firmware upgrades (especially BIOS and network communication device upgrades) are to improve security and some hardware manufacturers (Dell for example) automatically upgrade firmware unless a user disables that functionality. NT users shouldn't have to avoid firmware or software security upgrades on computers capable of almost instantaneously trading large amounts of money. Designing a system that encourages that is legally naive.

[westsider]

I would like to add my vote to upgrading the licensing process. I am locked out of my indicators because Ninjatrader 8 says my machine ID has changed. I have not changed or updated ANY software or hardware. If there is any way to adopt something similar to TradeStation - that would help. It just works.

Not only am I locked out and have to pay a fee to the vendor... I cannot trade until whenever the vendor gets back to me.

[FMtrader]

You can also add my vote to changing NT8's licensing system. A BIOS update some months ago wiped out all my licensing for a heap of 3rd party indicators plus all my connection settings. It took me a number of days to get it all working again after I sent dozens of emails. Not something you expect!!!

[timko]

It's my experience that, a BIOS update surely deactivates licensing of certain 3rd party add-ons under NT. I barely remember NT would say "hardware ID changed" but that doesn't mean it's really a hardware ID change. It's only a writing in the NT dialog box, no different from those log messages that give you no clue on what's going on. If they write "Your PC has been hacked", would you believe that message?

[Vendor_NT_Mobile]

The only way to be 100% sure your machine ID won't change is to trade on a server. Would highly recommend checking out https://ninjatraderecosystem.com/sea...biletrader-vps if you don’t want your machine ID to change.

Hi,
I upgraded to a new version of a software from a third party vendor (www.precisiontradingsystems.com) for NT8 last year. I am running the *same* computer but the Ninjatrader sw is spewing out a message saying my machine ID has changed? The vendor is claiming that to need to pay to get the machine id changed. However as I said I am on the same computer. This makes no sense to me. Is this a fault with Ninjatrader generating machine IDs incorrectly?
Can I ask why would I be getting a different machine ID when my core hardware is the same?
Thanks,
iq

[timko]

The only way to be 100% sure your machine ID won't change is to trade on a server. Would highly recommend checking out https://ninjatraderecosystem.com/sea...biletrader-vps if you don’t want your machine ID to change.

Are you endorsed by ninjatrader to promote your server service here? or are you a subsidary of Ninjatrader? If so, I cannot avoid to think, well, that's why our charts keep lagging and it takes ages to fix a fundamental/crucial connection bug. Sorry, not to rain on your parade. Just wonder...

[Vendor_NT_Mobile]

We're a NinjaTrader vendor, as well as long time users of NinjaTrader.

We thought we'd share the link to our listing in the NT ecosystem because it is a solution to NT users who are struggling with their Machine IDs changing. This is especially true for users in this thread who said their vendors were charging them again for changing machine ids.

Are you endorsed by ninjatrader to promote your server service here? or are you a subsidary of Ninjatrader? If so, I cannot avoid to think, well, that's why our charts keep lagging and it takes ages to fix a fundamental/crucial connection bug. Sorry, not to rain on your parade. Just wonder...

[timko]

We're a NinjaTrader vendor, as well as long time users of NinjaTrader.

We thought we'd share the link to our listing in the NT ecosystem because it is a solution to NT users who are struggling with their Machine IDs changing. This is especially true for users in this thread who said their vendors were charging them again for changing machine ids.

As I mentioned earlier, change of machine ID is only a Ninjatrader saying. Ninja could actually change its code to use some real *hardware* ID. Except that you are using virtual machines, I wonder how could you manage not to change your machine ID had your PC vendor informs you your BIOS needs an urgent update because it's been hacked...

[koganam]

We're a NinjaTrader vendor, as well as long time users of NinjaTrader.

We thought we'd share the link to our listing in the NT ecosystem because it is a solution to NT users who are struggling with their Machine IDs changing. This is especially true for users in this thread who said their vendors were charging them again for changing machine ids.

A server is just another computer, even if it is a virtual machine. It is not immune from this issue, as all those reporting it clearly say that the hardware has not changed. It is a problem that has something to do most likely with an errant API reporting differently based on software instead of hardware. Virtualized hardware, or physical server hardware is not the issue here. Repeat: A server is still just computer hardware, albeit many times beefed up.