Why is the Quartus II software checking out my old IP license instead of my new one?

Due to a problem in the Quartus® II software version 10.1 and later, old or expired (out of maintenance) IP-BASE suite licenses may be used before newer licenses if your license file or license server contains multiple license lines for the IP-BASE Suite.

This can result in IP cores defaulting to Opencore or OpenCore Plus behavior, which will be reported by the Quartus II software as follows:

• From Analysis and Synthesis:

  Warning: Messages from megafunction that supports OpenCore Plus feature
Warning: Messages from megafunction that supports OpenCore Plus feature <IP core name>
Warning: <IP core name> MegaCore will be disabled after the time-out is reached
Warning: Megafunction that supports OpenCore Plus feature will stop functioning in 1 hour after device is programmed
Info: Evaluation period of megafunction that supports OpenCore Plus feature can be extended indefinitely by using tethered operation

• From the Assembler:

  Info: Design contains a time-limited core -- only a single, time-limited programming file can be generated
Warning: Can't convert time-limited SOF into POF, HEX File, TTF, or RBF

To work around this problem, follow one of the options below:

• Edit your license file.

  Comment out the PACKAGE and INCREMENT lines for out of maintenance IP-BASE licenses in your license file by adding a # character to the start of each line. Altera license files are generated in date order, with newest license lines at the top.

  For Example:

  # FEATURE START
# Number of seat licenses is 3
# No license expiration date
PACKAGE ip_base alterad COMPONENTS="6AF7_00A7 6AF7_00A8 6AF7_00A4 \
 6AF7_00AD 6AF7_00AC 6AF7_00BE 6AF7_00BF 6AF7_00C2 6AF7_00C2 \
...
 8797 5E5C D5A2 DEC2"
INCREMENT ip_base alterad 2011.09 permanent 2 BDF77891EBBB \
 VENDOR_STRING="iiiiiiiihdLkhIIIIIIIIUPDuiaaaa....
...
 188C 9543 7201 CC43 DBFA 9988 0A48 47C7 FBBD F233"
...
...
# FEATURE START
# Number of seat licenses is 3
# No license expiration date
#PACKAGE ip_base alterad COMPONENTS="6AF7_00A7 6AF7_00A8 6AF7_00A4 \
# 6AF7_00AD 6AF7_00AC 6AF7_00BE 6AF7_00BF 6AF7_00C2 6AF7_00C2 \
...
# 8797 5E5C D5A2 DEC2"
#INCREMENT ip_base alterad 2009.12 permanent 3 F8F75E6CD7F5 \
# VENDOR_STRING="iiiiiiiihdLkhIIIIIIIIUPDuiaaaaaaaa11X38DDDDDDDDpjz5cddddd
...
# 9BB1 04CE 9BDC C9C8 C31D F1E7 C946 BADC B0E4 6443"
# FEATURE END

• Alternatively, rehost any out-of-maintenance Quartus II Subscription licenses to a different license server.

  To rehost a license, follow the steps below:

  1. Login to the Altera Self Service License Center
  2. Rehost all out of maintenance Quartus II Subscription licenses to a different Computer
  3. Download an updated license file (Get License)

  For Information on how to rehost licenses on the Altera Licensing Self Service Center, refer to the following resources: 

  • Quartus II Software Licensing Questions and Answers
  • Altera Demonstration Video: Rehost License
  • Altera Software Installation and Licensing Manual

This problem is scheduled to be fixed in a future release of the Altera Complete Design Suite.