Why does the NinjaTrader machine ID change?

The NinjaTrader machine ID is generated based on a computer's fundamental hardware and software. A change in any of the following can cause the machine ID to change:

• BIOS (Basic Input-Output System) / UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) version
• Windows Operating System update
• Firmware or hardware driver update
• Hardware change (new hard drive, motherboard, RAM, or a different computer)

A hardware change will almost always change the machine ID, while a Windows update only rarely does.

If a valid FlowBots product license is in use, and an invalid license vendor notification window appears when starting NinjaTrader, this is an indication that the machine ID has changed. If the machine ID has changed, the user will need to update the machine ID that is linked to their product license.

How to update the machine ID on your FlowBots license

To change the machine ID associated with a product license, you can use the following steps:

• Go to the License Manager page to check or change your machine ID. The link to this page is https://flowbots.ninja/my-profile/machine-id.
• The machine ID is tied to your product license and may have changed due to a Windows update, a new NinjaTrader installation, or a change in hardware or computer.
• After a change, you must wait two hours to be able to change it again.
• After making the change, restart NinjaTrader and check if the product can be run. If the product does not work, send a screenshot of the invalid license window that may appear during NinjaTrader startup to support.

Updating your machine ID is free. It is part of the product license you already own, so changing it in the License Manager does not create a new charge or require an additional purchase.

What NinjaTrader itself does when the machine ID changes

Separately from your FlowBots license, a machine ID change also affects NinjaTrader's own platform. As a deliberate security feature, when NinjaTrader detects that the machine ID has changed it automatically removes your NinjaTrader license key, your connection username and password, and other sensitive information. This prevents someone from accessing your account simply by copying your files onto another PC.

If this happens, you can restore access in NinjaTrader with these steps:

• Re-enter your NinjaTrader license key: in the Control Center, go to Help > License Key and paste your license key.
• Re-enter your connection credentials: in the Control Center, go to Connections > Configure, select your connection, enter your username and password, and click OK.

Once your NinjaTrader license key and connection are restored, and your FlowBots machine ID is updated in the License Manager, your product should start normally again.