License troubleshooting (activation failed, slots reached, moving VPS)

This guide helps you fix the most common licensing problems: activation failing, “no license found”, “slots reached”,and moving your setup to a new PC/VPS. Most issues are caused by using the wrong account number, exceeding theactivation limit, or changing the machine/session identifiers without freeing a previous activation.

1) Quick checklist (do these first)

• Confirm you are signed in: Make sure you are logged into the same TradingBotMaker account that purchased/downloaded the product.
• Confirm product match: Use the license for the exact product you downloaded. Licenses are product-specific.
• Copy/paste the license: Avoid typos and extra spaces. Paste into the EA input/license field exactly.
• Check internet/VPS: If the EA validates online, a blocked connection or DNS issue can cause activation failure.
• Check MT4/MT5 logs: Look at Experts and Journal for the exact error message.

2) Common error messages and what they mean

• “Unauthorized / not entitled / forbidden” (download blocked): You are not logged in, or your account does not have a license for this paid product. For free products, download once while logged in to auto-generate your license.
• “License not found”: The license key is incorrect, belongs to another product, or you are using the wrong account/email. Verify the email where the license was delivered.
• “Activation limit reached / slots reached”: All activation slots are currently in use. You must deactivate an old session (if supported) or request a reset/support.
• “Invalid account number”: The EA is reading a different accountNumber than you expect (wrong broker account, investor account, or demo vs real).
• “ChartId mismatch / session mismatch”: The identifier used for sessions changed. This can happen after reinstalling MT, restoring a VPS snapshot, or migrating to a new machine.

3) Understand what counts as an activation

An activation normally represents one active running session of the EA, often tied to a combination like: licenseId + accountNumber + chartId. If you attach the EA on multiple charts, multiple terminals,or multiple machines, you can consume multiple slots depending on the product rules.

4) If activation fails immediately

1. Re-open MT4/MT5 (restart terminal) and try again.
2. Remove and re-attach the EA to the chart (fresh initialization).
3. Verify AutoTrading/Algo Trading is ON and “Allow automated trading” is enabled in EA properties.
4. Confirm account number: Check the account number shown in the terminal and compare with what you entered/expect.
5. Confirm time/date: Wrong VPS time can break validation flows in some systems.

5) If you moved to a new PC or VPS

Moving is the most common reason users hit “slots reached”. If possible, always deactivate before migration.

1. Old machine: Open MT4/MT5 where the EA was activated.
2. Deactivate: Use the EA’s deactivate option (if provided) or follow product instructions to close the session.
3. Wait a moment: Some systems need a short time to sync the deactivation.
4. New machine: Install and activate again with the same license.

6) If you cannot access the old machine anymore

• If the VPS was deleted or you lost access, the old session may still count as active.
• You may need a manual reset by support/admin depending on policy.
• When requesting help, include: licenseId, product name, accountNumber, and an approximate date/time of last activation.

7) Slot reached but you think you used only one activation

This often happens when:

• You attached the EA on multiple charts and each chart creates a different chartId.
• You ran MT4/MT5 on multiple devices (PC + VPS).
• You restored a VPS snapshot and identifiers changed (appears as “new device”).
• You reinstalled MT and the internal terminal id changed.

8) What to send support (copy/paste template)

Send the following to support to resolve quickly:

Product:License ID:Your TradingBotMaker account email:Broker name:Account number (accountNumber):Platform (MT4/MT5):Error text (exact):Screenshot of Experts tab:Screenshot of Journal tab:Are you on a new VPS/PC? (yes/no):If yes, when did you migrate:

9) Best practices to avoid future activation issues

• Use one primary VPS for live trading and avoid frequent reinstalls.
• Deactivate before migration whenever possible.
• Keep license email محفوظ/archived so you can always recover your key.
• Document your accountNumber and which product is installed on which terminal.

If you want, you can also publish a separate “How licensing works” guide that explains activations, accountNumber,chartId, and deactivation in a simpler, non-troubleshooting format.