Aperture 3 keeps asking for my serial numbers every time I launch it.

I'm writing this not because I have this problem (though I did have it) but because I couldn't find a direct answer here in Apple Support Communities but did eventually solve it.
After purchasing a new iMac to replace an aging MacBook Pro, I tried copying the original ProAppsSystemID file in /Library/Application Support/ProApps from the old to the new system, hoping that would transfer my Aperture license. That didn't work (for me), though Aperture continued working on the old MacBook Pro. I went digging and found my original Aperture activation keys (original and upgrade), entered those on the new iMac, and was finally able to launch Aperture 3 on the iMac.
My problem was that Aperture kept asking me for my serial number every time I launched it. I had originally purchased Aperture 2 and then purchased the Aperture 3 upgrade. As it should, when I supplied my Aperture 3 activation key, it noted that was for an upgrade and prompted me to enter my original key. After supplying my original Aperture 2 (full license, not an upgrade) key, it would continue and launch.
I could then use Aperture just fine, as before, however, its "About" window showed that it was "unlicensed". The next time I'd re-launch Aperture (after quitting it, obviously), I would have to go through the same process, supplying first my Aperture 3 upgrade key and then my Aperture 2 key, before it would finish launching.
I tried everything I could think of: uninstalling and reinstalling Aperture 2, upgrading again to Aperture 3, deleting Aperture preference files, and so on. I tried logging in as root and repeating everything. I tried "repair disk permissions". Nothing helped!
What seemed to fix my problem was going back into /Library/Application Support/ProApps and renaming "ProAppsSystemID" to "ProAppsSystemID xxx", relaunching Aperture 3, and entering the activation keys one last time. At that point, the "About" box properly indicated my version was licensed, and I was able to exit and re-launch Aperture without being prompted!
Although my problem is solved, I'm still a but mystified, however, because the file named "ProAppsSystemID xxx" is still there, its modification date is unchanged from when I renamed it, and a new "ProAppsSystemID" file has not appeared in that directory.
Also, it's a shame that Aperture's licensing is so fragile that this problem should arise at all. If there was something wrong with my system ID file, Aperture should have opened an error dialog or at least noted something in the system log. (It didn't, I checked.) Apple really should fix that. And here I thought only Adobe shipped egregiously stupid upgrade/licensing logic...

Thanks - this worked for me too - you saved me alot of heartache and wasted time :-)

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This is a duplicate thread - see here

Please help. Aperture is asking for my serial numbers again.

My Aperture and FCS applications are asking me for my serial number again. I've had them for a year now, why are they asking for my serial numbers again? I don't have the original packaging that has the numbers on them. What do I do?
Thanks,
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The_Jules wrote:
I have a similar problem.
I have a new MacBookPro and want to use Aperture on my new computer. But even copying the mentioned plist file doesn't change anything for Aperture.
What should I do? Type in the license on the new Mac?
Yes, just key it in manually. The license agreement allows you to install Aperture on one laptop and one desktop computer as long as both are owned and used by you. Keying it into a 2nd computer (as long as you're adhering to the license agreement) is not a problem.

Why does aperture keep asking for my activation key each time I open the programme?

I have aperture on iMac and macbook air - everytime I open aperture on air, it asks my name and key number. how do I get it to remember this? why does it do it?
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Be sure to enter the serial number, when you are logged in from an account with Administrator priveleges - otherwise the serial number cannot be stored.
Aperture is installed for all users on your mac, so the serial number is written to the system library, not the user library, and this requires read/write access for administrators. Do you enter your serial number using an administrator account?
When did this start? Have you migrated your system from another mac? Then you still may have an older ProAppSystemID file or Aperture cannot write to the System Library.
To stop Aperture asking for the serial number, first check, if you still have an old file "ProAppSystemID" in your System Library.
Quit Aperture.
Go to your MacintoshHD and open the folder "Library", then "Application Support", then "ProApps".
Remove the File "ProAppsSystemID" to the Desktop, if it exist and restart Aperture.
Reenter your serial number, hopefully for the last time.
Sometimes Aperture writes this file to a temporary directory, when it cannot write to the Library. If the above does not work, look at the temporary directory /tmp
Use the Finder's "Go" menu
Go > Got to folder and enter /tmp into the textfield. If you see the file there, move it to its proper location.
Aperture must be running, and you will have to wait a few minutes to be seeing the file appearin the /tmp directory.
In this case you may want to repair the permissions on your system drive; you can do this using the "First Aid" tools in "Disk Utility" (located in Applications > Utilities)
Regards
Léonie

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Be sure to enter the serial number, when you are logged in from an account with Administrator priveleges - otherwise the serial number cannot be stored.
Aperture is installed for all users on your mac, so the serial number is written to the system library, not the user library; this requires read/write access for administrators. Do you enter your serial number using an administrator account?
SInce you migrated your system from another mac, you still may have an older ProAppSystemID file or Aperture cannot write to the System Library.
To stop Aperture asking for the serial number, first check, if you still have an old file "ProAppsSystemID" in your System Library.
Quit Aperture.
Go to your MacintoshHD and open the folder "Library", then "Application Support", then "ProApps".
Remove the File "ProAppsSystemID" to the Desktop, if it exist and restart Aperture.
Reenter your serial number, hopefully for the last time.
Sometimes Aperture writes this file to a temporary directory, when it cannot write to the Library. If the above does not work, look at the temporary directory /tmp
Use the Finder's "Go" menu
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Regards
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