AutoCAD Civil 3D randomly closes due to losing the network license

Autodesk Support

Oct 8, 2023

Products and versions covered

Issue:

AutoCAD Civil 3D launches and successfully obtains a network license. After a random amount of time you get the message "AutoCAD Alert: A valid license could not be obtained form the network license manager. X minutes remain before AutoCAD 2014 shouts down. Save your work now!"

AutoCAD Alert

Causes:

There is a bug with older versions of LMTOOLS that can cause this issue.

For an unknown reason it appears that AutoCAD Civil 3D sometimes includes the borrowed license information from a previously borrowed license when it checks the network license currently borrowed and mistakenly thinks that the current network license has expired.  CAD then prompts the user to save their work within a specified time period before closing without saving. 
 

Solution:

Option #1
Update to the latest version of LMTOOLS (version 11.12.1.4 or newer). You can find the latest version at https://www.autodesk.com/support/download-install/admins/network-licenses/install-licensing-software

Option #2
Delete this registry key:  "HKCU\Software\FLEXlm License Manager\Borrow"
Once the registry key is deleted the user no longer suffers from license drops, however, the issue may reoccur if they borrow another license.

Products:

Civil 3D;

Versions:

2014;

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