02: I have a pop-up saying "License expires soon" or "Licenses expire in X days" when editing a GPO. What do I do?

Once a new license key has been imported to existing On-Prem environment, you may notice a pop-up message in your GPMC console mentioning your old license key is getting expired soon.

One or more similar messages may appear in MMC/GPMC when editing a GPO.

As example, this can occur if you have two license GPOs in your domain.

For instance, two license GPOs are linked with the following expiration dates:
 

GPO 1: Expires March 1, 2023
GPO 2: Expires March 1, 2024

Note: The rest of this KB is generally around your GPMC editing machine and the pop-ups within the GPMC. If you’re getting client-side pop-ups, please refer to this article: https://kb.policypak.com/kb/article/1250-how-do-i-make-the-grace-period-licensing-pop-up-go-away/

Resolution for the Admin’s GPMC editing station:

• Unlink the old and expiring license after verifying that the new license will cover the same components and OUs/ domain as the soonto-be-expiring license. Delete the old GPO links as well from under any OUs/domain where it was linked. More details here: https://kb.policypak.com/kb/article/242i-just-installed-new-license-files-new-gpos-should-i-keep-or-delete-the-old-license-files-gpos/

Tip: You can use the LT tool to search through and find OLD licenses so you can be sure you only have one license remaining. https://kb.policypak.com/kb/article/490-using-lt-for-license-cleanup/

• On an example ENDPOINT computer (one that has the PolicyPak CSE; which can also include the Admin’s GPMC machine) verify the endpoint got the new license successfully. Use this KB article with PPUPDATE directions to see exactly if a machine is properly licensed: https://kb.policypak.com/kb/article/1078how-can-i-tell-how-a-machine-is-licensed-by-gpo-mdm-or-xml-file-and-also-know-for-what-components-it-is-licensed/

Now, on your machine, the one with the GPMC…

• Run GPupdate /force to flush out old licenses that were being delivered to your GPMC management station
• Close the GPMC, then reopen the GPMC.
• Try editing a GPO in GPMC, does the error message reappear
• If popups are gone, you are all done.

If you still get pop-up messages and the messages reference the registry, you should check under the following registry keys on your GPMC management station for any old information relating to the old license.

• License info held in Registry in the following locations (HKLM)
  SOFTWARE\Policies\PolicyPak\License Policies\
SOFTWARE\PolicyPak\License Policies\
SOFTWARE\Policies\PolicyPak\Licenses\
SOFTWARE\PolicyPak\Licenses\
• If any old info is found, then export those registry keys just in case they need to be readded back for some reason.
• Then once the registry keys are backed up safely to reg files somewhere you can safely delete any registry keys with old PolicyPak license info.
• Afterward, reopen GPMC and try editing a GPO again, does the message appear? If not, you are done. If yes, then open a support ticket for further assistance.