vsim Can't find license file for Questa*-Intel® FPGA Starter Edition SW-QUESTA

[Fast_Eddie]

I have downloaded and installed Questa*-Intel® FPGA Starter Edition SW-QUESTA, requested a license for same from the portal, received this by email and installed it (on a Windows box).

When  I try to run vsim, I get the following problem:

c:\intelFPGA\23.1std\questa_fse\win64>vsim
Unable to checkout a license. Make sure your license file environment variable (SALT_LICENSE_SERVER, MGLS_LICENSE_FILE, LM_LICENSE_FILE)
is set correctly and then run 'lmutil lmdiag' to diagnose the problem.
Unable to checkout a license. Vsim is closing.
** Error: Invalid license environment. Application closing.

If I try running lmutil lmdiag as suggested, I get:

c:\intelFPGA\23.1std\questa_fse\win64>lmutil lmdiag
lmutil - Copyright (c) 1989-2019 Flexera. All Rights Reserved.
FlexNet diagnostics on Fri 12/13/2024 14:49

-----------------------------------------------------
License file: c:\Licenses\LR-208028_License.dat
-----------------------------------------------------

Which seems to suggest all is well - so why the error.

For completeness, here is a shot of the Windows environment variable dialog box:

I've got to be doing something wrong, but what?

(I have scoured the previous postings on similar subjects to no avail   )

[Fast_Eddie]

So I played with this some more.  The license file had this curious line in it:

300 Your contract does not allow you to use this license type.: u

- which doesn't sound good.  So I tried to generate a new one.

This time it looks different - it is twice as long (about 3k) and has some actual hex key strings in it (yay).

Still doesn't work though   vsim barfs with this:

c:\intelFPGA\23.1std\questa_fse\win64>vsim
Unable to checkout a license. Make sure your license file environment variable (SALT_LICENSE_SERVER, MGLS_LICENSE_FILE, LM_LICENSE_FILE)
is set correctly and then run 'lmutil lmdiag' to diagnose the problem.
Unable to checkout a license. Vsim is closing.
** Error: Invalid license environment. Application closing.

and if I run lmutil lmdiag, I get this:

c:\intelFPGA\23.1std\questa_fse\win64>lmutil lmdiag
lmutil - Copyright (c) 1989-2019 Flexera. All Rights Reserved.
FlexNet diagnostics on Mon 12/16/2024 14:32

-----------------------------------------------------
License file: c:\Licenses\LR-208719_License.dat
-----------------------------------------------------
"intelqsimstarter" v2025.12, vendor: mgcld, expiry: 16-dec-2025
vendor_string: C6EF63B9
uncounted nodelocked license, locked to ethernet address "803f5d06e61b" starts: 16-dec-2024, expires: 16-dec-2025

This is the correct node for this node-locked license
-----------------------------------------------------

.. which kinda seems promising but vsim isn't convinced.  Can anyone help?

[FvM]

Hi,

under circumstances, Questa works only with SALT_LICENSE_SERVER entry, as reported several times in this forum. It's depending e.g. on other Software installed on your computer.
Suggest to try.

Regards,
Frank

[Fast_Eddie · Accepted solution]

Hey Frank,

Thanks for picking up this thread.

Tried the SALT variable to no avail.  However, removing conflicts between system and user variables (result of earlier experiments when I had the dud license file) , a reboot and a nice hot cup of tea seems to have fixed it just now!

Thanks again.