Resolving "Unable to Communicate with License Manager" Errors

Older Rhino version
This article covers Rhino 3 and 4, which are no longer current. For current licensing information, see Licensing.

Did You Just Remove the Rhino 5 Beta?

Download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update. After installation, Rhino 4 should be able to communicate with the license manager properly.

Did You Just Uninstall Rhino 4 While Running Rhino 5?

Flamingo nXt, Bongo 1.0/2.0, and Rhino 4 use a common file called RhinoLM. Uninstalling Rhino 4 removes RhinoLM, so Flamingo nXt and Bongo 1.0/2.0 can no longer run in 32-bit or 64-bit Rhino 5.

To reinstall RhinoLM without reinstalling Rhino 4, download, unzip, and run rhinolm_20110309_x86.exe, which is in this rhinolm_20110309.zip file. You must have rights to modify the registry to run it. If access is denied, ask a computer administrator to log in with an elevated account and run it. On Windows Vista, right-click the file and select Run as administrator.

Are You Running Windows Vista or Windows 7?

Make sure you’re running Rhino 4.0 SR9. Start Rhino 4, and then click Help → Check for Updates.

Reinstall Rhino 4

If none of the above applies, your Rhino 4 installation may be damaged. To repair it:

  1. Uninstall Rhino 4. You may need to remove several “Rhinoceros 4.0 SRx” items.
  2. Delete the “License Manager” folder under C:\Program Files\Common Files\McNeel Shared (32-bit) or C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\McNeel Shared (64-bit).
  3. Install Rhino 4 again.
  4. Start Rhino 4, and then click Help → Check for Updates.
  5. Download and install the latest service release if required.

Still Not Working?

If none of these steps work, see Advanced Troubleshooting for License Manager Errors.