All about Upgrading to Hauptwerk V

What do I need to know about upgrading to Hauptwerk 5?

If you already use Hauptwerk 4 with some copy-protected or encrypted sample sets purchased and activated on your Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle (the so-called HASP dongle), you can upgrade to Hauptwerk V (Hauptwerk version 5) by purchasing either a perpetual upgrade license or a Hauptwerk V subscription; these two products are technically equivalent, the only difference is in the payment method and amount. Since Hauptwerk V uses a different type of copy-protection and encryption system than Hauptwerk 4, you will also need to migrate all your copy-protected or encrypted sample sets to the new format. Migrating means a conversion process where:

• Your old Hauptwerk V licenses will be deleted in exchange to the new licenses in Hauptwerk V format; and

• You will need to re-download all your previous copy-protected and encrypted sample sets from Inspired Acoustics in the new Hauptwerk V format and re-install them.

This latter process is essential and it is a direct consequence of the change Milan Digital Audio has introduced in the copy-protection system.

Which Inspired Acoustics sample sets can be potentially migrated from Hauptwerk 4 to Hauptwerk V?

All Inspired Acoustics sample sets can be migrated from Hauptwerk 4 to Hauptwerk V, even the discontinued sample sets.

Technical requirements to upgrade to Hauptwerk V

Hauptwerk V uses PACE’s iLok system for copy protection and the management of licenses of both Hauptwerk V and compatible sample sets. In order to upgrade to Hauptwerk V, you can choose to have a physical iLok USB key or a cloud-based solution, the latter requiring a continuous Internet connection. To proceed with the upgrade, you need to make the following steps.

Step 1: Please create an iLok account. This free web account allows you to store and manage all your licenses. https://www.ilok.com/#!registration

Step 2: Please purchase the upgrade for Hauptwerk V. Then start the sample set migration process from within Hauptwerk V. This migration has to be done once only. Note that there is no technical possibility to return to previous Hauptwerk versions after the migration has completed.

Note that if you upgrade to or buy a new Hauptwerk V or a sample set from Inspired Acoustics, you will not receive a physical iLok dongle. If you choose to use Hauptwerk V with a physical dongle instead of cloud-based licensing requiring continuous internet connection, this physical dongle has to be purchased separately. There are various retail and online stores where you can buy a physical iLok dongle. When you purchase one, it will initially have no licenses copied onto it and you will need to activate your licenses onto the iLok key using the https://www.ilok.com/#!license-manager software. Neither Inspired Acoustics nor Milan Digital Audio are involved in this process.

Sample set migration process: converting the licenses of existing sample sets and downloading the new sample set versions

Note: the following description has been edited multiple times since the first release of Hauptwerk V. The Hauptwerk software has been updated to later versions (VI, VII) since then. Therefore the migration process has also changed a little but the main steps remain the same. We use a '+' symbol to represent all versions of Hauptwerk starting from version V.

Upon purchasing Hauptwerk, you will receive a detailed step-by-step instruction by Milan Digital Audio on how to migrate sample sets. In this section, we only cover the process in general to give you an idea of the entire process, and then cover those parts that involve Inspired Acoustics in more detail. 

During the migration process, the new version of Hauptwerk will read your Hauptwerk 4 USB key and move your existing licenses from your dongle to a license update request file that needs to be submitted to Milan Digital Audio via their web form on their website. This website will then convert your licenses to the Hauptwerk V+ compatible PACE iLok license system and assign the licenses to your account. The conversion is made by Milan Digital Audio and PACE and Inspired Acoustics are not involved in this. If anything does not work as intended, please consult with Milan Digital Audio directly. After the migration/conversion process has finished, your iLok account should automatically contain the new licenses for the sample sets. No Activation Code or anything else should be entered - the licenses will be assigned to your iLok account automatically.

Migrating licenses from the Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle to the Hauptwerk V+ iLok system

1. Migrate your licenses following the step-by-step instructions of Milan Digital Audio from within Hauptwerk V+. These instructions were sent to you by e-mail from Milan Digital Audio. In the iLok License Manager software, please Activate your licenses to your physical iLok key or to a Cloud Session.

2. Hauptwerk V+ has to identify new sample set licenses, so before installing any new sample sets in the Hauptwerk V+ format, please download and install the latest “licensing package” containing this information from Milan Digital Audio through their website: https://www.hauptwerk.com/licensingpackages

If the iLok licenses of your migrated sample sets cannot be found on your iLok account, please contact us via Support.

Accessing and downloading the new Hauptwerk V+ compatible sample set installation files 

3. The download packages for the migrated sample sets are assigned manually, please contact us via Support and we will assign the sample sets to your account.

4. Then please visit the My Products page where you can find the installation package for the migrated products.

5. Download the installation package and install the newly downloaded sample sets. There is no need to uninstall the sample sets. When prompted, proceed with the re-installation.

6. After your sample set is installed, you can load it. Your settings should be kept intact. During the first loading, Hauptwerk V will re-cache the organ, this is a one-time process, subsequent loads will be made from the cache and will be faster.

I have an iLok license for my Inspired Acoustics sample set, but I do not have an Activation Code, so I cannot register and access the sample set to download it from the Inspired Acoustics website.

If you already have a license on your iLok account but you do not have an Activation code, it is likely that you are having a product that was upgraded from an earlier product version designed for Hauptwerk 4. In this case, Inspired Acoustics has provided you with a Serial Number for the Hauptwerk 4 version of the product. Please register this Hauptwerk 4 product version, then contact us and we will assign the new download packge to your account.

It might also be the case that you have a transferred license from someone else. In this case, you need to finish the license transfer process by contacting us to access the downloadable files.

How do I transfer a license of an Inspired Acoustics sample set for Hauptwerk V?

It is legal to transfer a license of an Inspired Acoustics sample set to another user. Assuming you are not doing this as a business, this is not a reselling situation and you do not need to ask for permission to do this. 

Transferring a license using the iLok account to another customer is done in two steps.

1. Transfer the license using the iLok License Manager tool.

2. Transfer the download access via the Inspired Acoustics website.

After finishing Step 1, please contact us to proceed with Step 2. Note that not all licenses are transferable, for example, Not For Resale licenses are not transferable.

How do I transfer a license of an Inspired Acoustics sample set for Hauptwerk 4 after Hauptwerk V is released?

Since the Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle management will be unsupported by Milan Digital Audio from 4 months after the first release of Hauptwerk V, you cannot transfer licenses of Inspired Acoustics sample sets compatible with Hauptwerk 4 anymore without transferring your dongle physically to the new customer.

Can I avoid reinstalling all my sample sets when upgrading to Hauptwerk V?

If a sample set was encrypted or copy-protected in Hauptwerk 4 (or earlier versions), it will have to be reinstalled since Hauptwerk V uses different encryption and copy-protection systems.

Can I avoid re-downloading all my sample sets when upgrading to Hauptwerk V?

Since encrypted and copy-protected sample sets designed for Hauptwerk version 2, 3 and 4 are not compatible with Hauptwerk V, you have to reinstall these sample sets to use them. The fastest way of obtaining the new installers is to download them directly from the Inspired Acoustics website. In case you do not wish to download large amounts of data, we can custom prepare a USB stick for you with your purchased product installers and physically ship you. We charge a small fee for this service covering the direct costs. Please contact us if you wish to get your new installation packages physically shipped to you and we will provide you with a link to order the shipment.

I have more than one Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle. Can I keep one of them and upgrade the other?

Technically, yes, but we recommend using different Hauptwerk versions on different computers. Hauptwerk 4 and Hauptwerk V are not designed to be installed on the same computer simultaneously and unless you are a highly advanced user to make this possible we do not recommend running Hauptwerk 4 and Hauptwerk V on the same computer. When migrating any one of your Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle to Hauptwerk V, that old Hauptwerk 4 dongle will be wiped and void, and only the other dongle(s) will keep working. You can also upgrade all your Hauptwerk 4 dongles and then all of them will be replaced with the new Hauptwerk V compatible licenses. Please note that if you wish to move certain licenses between your Hauptwerk 4 dongles before migration to Hauptwerk V, you will need to contact Milan Digital Audio and this process might cost some administration fee.

When I migrate my sample sets to Hauptwerk V, will my organ configurations, combination files and settings be retained?

Yes, they will be retained by Hauptwerk V. A one-time regeneration of the cache files will be required, though.

What are Activation Codes and how do I use them?

If you purchase a new Hauptwerk V compatible sample set from us using the PACE iLok system, you receive an Activation Code from Inspired Acoustics. These can be redeemed and will become licenses for the sample set, to be stored in your iLok account. When a license is in your iLok account, you can activate it to your iLok cloud or physical iLok USB dongle. The Activation Code for your product is displayed under My Products in your account. Activation Codes can be used one-time only.

What is the difference between a Serial Number, a Voucher and an Activation Code?

Serial Numbers and Vouchers are codes issued by Inspired Acoustics allowing you to identify your product transaction, such as a product purchase or download access redemption.

For example, you get a voucher code or serial number that allows you to register a product and download it. Also, it allows you to redeem an Activation Code, if one is required for your product to function.

Activation Codes identify your iLok licenses and are issued to you by Inspired Acoustics. If you received an Activation Code only and not a voucher or serial number, you can use the Activation Code both to redeem your download and to add the license of your product to the iLok License Manager. Activation Codes are recognized by the iLok License Manager and allow you to redeem and activate the license for your product.

If you are unsure if you have an Activation Code, a Serial Number or a Voucher, do not worry, because all of them will be recognized by the Inspired Acoustics website and will allow you to register your product.

Note that for migrations between sample sets for Hauptwerk 4 and Hauptwerk V and later products, in many cases, no Activation Codes are involved, but the licenses are directly added to your iLok dongle. For such products you already have a previous, Hauptwerk 4 compatible sample set registered with Inspired Acoustics, so the download access will be provided to you without the need of an Activation Code, based on the previous Hauptwerk 4 sample set you already registered.

What do I do if I am happy with Hauptwerk 4 and my current sample sets and I do not upgrade to Hauptwerk V at the moment?

You can keep using Hauptwerk 4 and existing sample sets as long as your USB dongle works, but Milan Digital Audio will stop providing technical support at some time in the future after Hauptwerk V is released. Note that when the software support for Hauptwerk 4 stops, you will not be able to contact Milan Digital Audio with questions or support requests. Please consult with Milan Digital Audio for further information.

After around 31st March 2020, you will not be able to activate new licenses since the Hauptwerk 4 USB dongle (the HASP dongle) will not be managed by Milan Digital Audio any further.

Inspired Acoustics, however, will keep supporting and releasing new sample set titles for Hauptwerk 4 as long as it is reasonable to do so with no firm end of support target date. Both current and new products compatible with Hauptwerk 4 format will not require dongle updates anymore starting from the date Milan Digital Audio stops managing Hauptwerk 4 dongles. So Inspired Acoustics sample sets from that time will work regardless of the inability to update your dongle. 

If you keep using Hauptwerk 4 until your dongle stops working physically, you might need to upgrade to Hauptwerk V to keep using Hauptwerk.

How does the refund policy of Inspired Acoustics change with Hauptwerk V released?

Generally speaking, there is no change, however, please note the following cases when interpreting the terms:

• Hauptwerk 4 compatible products delivered as a download and purchased after 1 April 2020 will not be involved a license update procedure, so they will not be refundable.

• Hauptwerk V compatible products delivered as a download will only be refundable in full within 14 days of your purchase if you have not yet used (redeemed or activated) your Activation Code. If you already used your Activation Code within 14 days and you decide to return the product, we can provide you with a partial refund only on a case-by-case basis. First we will need to remove your license to be eligible for a partial refund. The refund will be partial since a small administration fee will be deducted. Please contact us in such case.

The full return policy can be found here.