Serial Number will NOT work. Activation error.

@softraid-support That sounds scary but I’ll do it.

OK. I followed your instructions above. Then I went to activate Softraid by entering in the license number. I hit OK and.......it worked perfectly and did in fact register instantly. So what exactly does this mean and what do I do with this new volume? I assume it won't be activated on the other volume. I cannot thank you enough for helping me here. I am thrilled. I have been through days or trying everything under the sun and you are the first person who made me feel like this problem was solvable. I am so grateful to you for this you have no idea. It means the world to me. 

@nomatterhowgood 

This just shows the issue is something inside MacOS. Its a step forward. Let me see if I can get any ideas.

BTW: the second system is a kind of isolated folder inside your volume. APFS is unusual, it creates a "container" and have more than one volume inside it, and the two volumes share the same space, but are independent at the same time, and either could be deleted.

Its very confusing, but works like "magic".

Posted by: @softraid-support

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@nomatterhowgood 

BTW: the second system is a kind of isolated folder inside your volume. APFS is unusual, it creates a "container" and have more than one volume inside it, and the two volumes share the same space, but are independent at the same time, and either could be deleted.

 

Its very confusing, but works like "magic".

@nomatterhowgood 
Do not delete it yet.
There is something installed in your system that is interfering with the macOS calls we are making to activate. (of course they should not be)

This is a totally independent system. We use these all the time in our labs, to have a computer, with one internal, and we create multiple APFS volumes inside the main container, with different MacOS flavors, different configurations, etc. Always totally safe. You even see them in System Settings/Startup disk, as independent volumes.

Whatever is causing this is not a common mainstream app like Adobe, Final Cut Pro, etc.
Can you try to install all the third party apps into this system until it "breaks"? You would just deactivate, "change serial number", paste it in, activate.
Maybe we will get lucky and find out which one. Again, it will be a utility. Focus on any malware, anti virus, network manager, MacOS customizer, etc.

the only other way we can really fix this is having a copy of your startup volume, so we can investigate the same way.

@softraid-support I’ll start experimenting to see if I can pinpoint anything. Thanks again….very much.

(@softraid-support) Here are screen caps of every app on my Mac. Can you suggest which ones to try with the instructions you provided above?

Posted by: @softraid-support

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Whatever is causing this is not a common mainstream app like Adobe, Final Cut Pro, etc.
Can you try to install all the third party apps into this system until it "breaks"? You would just deactivate, "change serial number", paste it in, activate.
Maybe we will get lucky and find out which one. Again, it will be a utility. Focus on any malware, anti virus, network manager, MacOS customizer, etc.

the only other way we can really fix this is having a copy of your startup volume, so we can investigate the same way.

This is difficult because I don't have any anti-malware, anti-virus, network manager, MacOS customizer apps on this Mac. I have mainstream apps. This full list is posted in the above response in this thread. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Are their any diagnostics I could run to see what is going on in the background of this Mac? 

@nomatterhowgood 

If I had something, I would recommend it. We do not know what is causing this. Maybe it is a setting somewhere in MacOS.

One thing you can try, which has no side effects is "reinstall MacOS". This does not delete anything to your data, but replaces the internal MacOS files. It takes about an hour. Same process as what you just did, but just reinstall and let it apply to your main volume.

Because this may be a problem with a plist (setting) file, that may not do anything, but is all I can think of at this time.

Posted by: @softraid-support

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One thing you can try, which has no side effects is "reinstall MacOS". This does not delete anything to your data, but replaces the internal MacOS files. It takes about an hour. Same process as what you just did, but just reinstall and let it apply to your main volume.

Because this may be a problem with a plist (setting) file, that may not do anything, but is all I can think of at this time.

I tried the "reinstall MacOS" idea and after all was said and done I got the dreaded "Softraid license activation error" message. So at least that's another clue we no longer have to think about.

@nomatterhowgood 

It means this is a plist/preference/setting issue, as reinstalling restores all preferences/settings to the original.

Kind of progress.

I assume you never made any "custom" network settings? Custom DNS for example?

Posted by: @softraid-support

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@nomatterhowgood 

I assume you never made any "custom" network settings? Custom DNS for example?

I don’t even know what that is. I have confidence this will be solved. I have 29 days left on my trial even though I paid for and have used Softraid for probably 10 years. Online support told me to reformat my Mac. I don’t think that makes sense considering the other Mac OS installation you recommended worked flawlessly. 

@softraid-support Does this mean anything that could prevent Softraid from activating?

@nomatterhowgood 

This is a new to me thought. I don't see how it is related, but dont know how SoftRAID got added to any automation tasks.

@softraid-support This is a behavior I have not mentioned previously that could mean something important. Whenever I put the serial number in to activate Softraid it takes maybe 30 to 45 seconds where I get the "spinning beach ball" and then I get the window that pops up saying "Softraid license activation error". When that box pops up one of my Thunderbay Raid boxes makes a kind off shuttering sound and the lights on it flash for a brief moment. Like I said I have no idea if this means anything significant.