ME3 Could Not Activate/Keeps Making New License Folder

LordBthulu​ When you installed the Bios and the new CPU, did you change to an SSD from an HDD? 

Do you have more than one drive in the PC?

Is the EA app and the game both installed on the same drive, or do you have them on different drives?

What it sounds like, and I could be wrong, but when it creates a new one, the install to the original is not being located with the exe file. When the game is being launched, there is a mismatch somewhere from the install to the registry.

EA_Shepard​ 

Didn't change from an SSD to HDD.

There are several drives, one SDD, three HDD, one M.2

EA App is on the SSD and was there previously. ME3 is on one of the HDD and was also there previously.

Not entirely sure what that means. Should I uninstall/reinstall again and put em both on the M.2?

LordBthulu​ 

EA_Shepard​ question was if you changed from an HDD to an SSD. 
But you answered the question with your additional info.  

A M.2 drive is a SSD in this context, is your OS on the M.2? 

Trying to install the game to a SSD can't hurt. 

holger1405​ 

The OS is on the original SSD. If it had enough space id put the game there. I'll do a uninstall/reinstall on the app and ME3 sometime later tonight now that I'm home and put it all on the new SSD. I got some slow doodoo internet so ill report back tomorrow on if it works or not.

Sorry for disappearing.  I got EA App and ME3 on the same SSD and its still asking for a key to activate and making new License folders. However I went digging and saw two things.

1. Its generating logs now in the C: > ProgramData > EA Logs. "Mismatched machine hash in license. License Failure 3."
2. The License folders its making now don't have two dlf files, just one. 71183.dlf

I recall there being two differently numbered files before. Cant remember the numbers to the other one though.

Hope this helps.

EA_Shepard​ 

Bumping the thread just in case. Sorry for not replying for a few days.

LordBthulu​ This folder contains the diagnostic logs for EA games and the EA app store. These logs capture license validation, online checks, and error handling. Your machine's DRM system failed a license validation check for some reason.

Common Causes:

• Hardware upgrades (new motherboard, CPU, or SSD).
• VMs or emulators are changing system identifiers.
• EA app corruption (cache or license files out of sync).
• File tampering (license file edited, moved, or corrupted). This could be any file.
• Clock/time desync (system time differs from EA’s servers).
  
  

Most common ways to resolve this error:

1. Clear EA app Cache
   • Close the EA app.
   • Delete contents of:
     • C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Local\Electronic Arts\EA Desktop\Cache
     • C:\ProgramData\Electronic Arts\EA Services
2. Run the EA app as Administrator
   • Right-click EA app → “Run as administrator.” This ensures it can rewrite license files.
3. Force License Refresh
   • Sign out of the EA app → Sign back in.
   • Repair the game (right-click game → Repair).
   • This will request a fresh license from EA’s servers.
4. Check System Date/Time
   • Ensure Windows date/time and timezone are correct.
   • DRM often fails if there’s a mismatch.
5. If Hardware Changed
   • The EA app may require you to re-authenticate the game.
   • Sometimes you’ll need to reinstall the game for the license to bind correctly.

EA_Shepard​ 

1. Cleared everything.
2. Ran as admin.
3. I have the game on Steam but I tried to verify the files on Steam. Didn't work. Uninstalled on Steam. Installed on EA. Did steps 1 and 2 then did 3. Didn't work.
4. Date and time is correct.
5. Uninstalled and reinstalled on both platforms while going through the other steps just incase. Made sure not to have both platforms versions installed at the same time. Didn't work.

Am I missing something/being an idiot or is this situation just weird?

LordBthulu​ 

Try to remove the local Mass Effect license folder by hand again. 

• Close EA app and Steam completely. (not just minimized in the tray.)
•  Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box..
•  Enter or copy and paste: "%ProgramData%\Electronic Arts\EA Services" (Without the quotes) > hit ENTER.
• Delete the "License" folder.
• Test.

LordBthulu​ I am going to bump someone on it. Can you take a screenshot of the error, please?