Article - CS21768

Error "-96, License server machine is down or not responding" when launching Flexnet licensed applications

Modified: 17-Jul-2025   


Applies To

  • Relex Enterprise Edition 2011 F000 to M220
  • Pro/ENGINEER and Creo Elements/Pro Wildfire 2003490 to Wildfire 5.0 M270
  • PTC Requirements Connector (formerly Integrity Requirements Connector) 3.4 SP1 to SP2
  • Mathcad 14.0 to 15.0
  • Windchill Quality Solutions Team Edition 10.0 to 11.0
  • Windchill Quality Solutions Enterprise Edition 10.0 to 11.0
  • Creo Parametric 1.0 to 12.4
  • PTC Arbortext Architect 6.0 to 8.1
  • PTC Arbortext Editor 6.0 to 8.3
  • PTC Arbortext Styler 6.0 to 8.3
  • PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine 6.0 to 8.3
  • Mathcad Prime 1.0 to 11.0
  • Windchill Risk and Reliability Enterprise Edition (Formerly Relex) 11.1

Description

  • Getting error License server machine is down or not responding, FLEXnet Licensing error: -96, 7. System Error: 11001"Winsock: Host not found (HOST_NOT_FOUND) while starting/installing LMGRD license manager
  • Getting error -96, 7. System Error: 11004 "WinSock: Valid name, but no record (NO_ADDRESS)
  • Getting error message License request failed for feature XXXX: -96, License server machine is down or not responding
  • Error [A31679] Arbortext Editor was not able to obtain a license
  • (-96) License server machine is down or not responding
  • License file path or Server name: (-96) License server machine is down or not responding
  • Getting the error message License initialization failed: Flex initialization error. (-96)
  • lmgrd is not working
  • (-96) Failed to connect to server. Server is down or unreachable
  • Application failed to connect license server with -96 error if client and server are connected through gateway.
  • Application failed to connect license server with -96 error when the IP addresses of license server and client machine are in different subnet or domain
  • Warning(-96): License server machine is down or not responding received while executing ptcstatus.bat from client systems
  • Error: "License request failed for Feature PROE_XXXX: -96; License server is down or not responding" when launching M050 or earlier date codes of Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0
  • Error occurs only with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 previous versions of Pro/ENGINEER are able to obtain a license
  • Error “License request failed for Feature PROE_XXXX: -96; License server is down or not responding" when launching Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 with specific license file.
  • Flexnet error -96 WARNING: Proper TCP/IP configuration was not detected The TCP/IP protocol is not installed or configured properly
  • "Host ID" Errors (-96, -15, -9) for Pro/ENGINEER and the FLEXnet License Server 
  • The error below is thrown when starting Creo 4.0 using a VPN connection: License Request Failed for Feature XXX: (-96) Failed to connect to server. Server is down or unreachable
  • Warning “License Server is not compatible. Please set license source to FLEX server version 11.14 or higher” while launching Creo Parametric 4.0 with borrowed license (offline mode)
  • Error "License request failed for Feature PROE_XXXX: -96; License server is down or not responding" when launching Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 datecodes M020 - M050
  • When disconnected from a network, Windows machines may disable certain network cards resulting in licensing errors from Pro/ENGINEER and the PTC License Server.
  • Pro/ENGINEER may return the error: "(-96) License server host is down or not responding" or error: "(-15) Cannot connect to license server system" if configured to a license server or error: "License request failed for feature PROE_Foundation: -9: Invalid host." if configured to a locked license.
  • FLEXnet License Server error log may contain messages similar to the following: Error: Wrong hostid on SERVER line for license file: <flexnet loadpoint>\licensing\license.dat
  • Flexnet error -96 WARNING: Proper TCP/IP configuration was not detected The TCP/IP protocol is not installed or configured properly
  • "HostID" Errors (-96, -15, -9) for Pro/ENGINEER and the FLEXnet License Server
  • Error  (-96) Cannot connect to the license server reported while launching Flex enabled applications
  • Error  (-96) Cannot connect to the license server reported for a session launched by executing parametric_borrow.bat
  • Getting the error message -96, 491 License server machine is down or not responding
  • Cannot connect to license server, already tried Creo 4.0 M040/M080/M150, but Creo 3.0 & 7.0 & 8.0 are work.
  • Getting an error _HOSTNAME_ is invalid in lmgrd.log file
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