I have a portable PC with SolidWorks that has some hardware problems. The plan was to deactivate SW while it was repaired just in case it did not survive the repair. That way I would have the install available to a new PC or the old one if it was repaired. My main workstation is still OK, this portable is used when I travel to a vendor.

The problem is that I started SW, and selected the deactivate option and the 'transaction failed'. I think this is not a problem, but it actually did deactivate the license on the computer but did not release it with SW. Now when I attempt to start SW is does not work and gives me a message that I have exceeded the activation limit. So now I am in an endless loop.

Any idea how to fix this? It does not even give me the option to enter my serial number. This is a 2013 license that is off maintenance. Everytime I contact SW they want  an the update fee but for me I would have to update my CAM, Rendering, and EDA as well. That will be somewhere around $10k and I cannot pull that off. I just need my existing software to work.

Hoping this is easy.....thanks in advance to anyone willing to help.