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Cummins INSITE License Transfers: Tool Instance IDs, Transfer Limits, and Licenses That Disappear After a Laptop Swap

Cummins INSITE licences are tied to a Tool Instance ID that is unique to each computer, so replacing a laptop means the licence has to be moved. Cummins allows only a limited number of transfers before revoking the licence. This guide covers what to gather, how the transfer works, and what to do when licences vanish from a working machine.

Cummins INSITE licences are tied to a Tool Instance ID, which is generated per installation and is unique to the computer INSITE is installed on. Replacing a laptop, rebuilding one, or moving INSITE to a different machine all produce a new Tool Instance ID, and the licence has to be moved across before INSITE will work. Cummins permits only a limited number of these transfers before the licence is revoked, which is the point most shops discover the limit exists. This Updates & Licensing guide covers what to gather before requesting a transfer, how the process runs, and what to do when licences disappear from a machine that was working.

For the "Programming Not Allowed" error and licence renewal, see the Cummins INSITE licence renewal article. This guide assumes the licence itself is current.

There is a limit on how many times a licence can move

Cummins allows a licence to be transferred only a small number of times — in practice around four or five — before it is revoked and can no longer be reactivated on any machine. Once that limit is reached, the licence cannot be recovered, and a replacement has to be purchased through the Cummins Marketplace.

This matters most for fleets and utilities that move laptops between sites or swap machines for testing. Each move consumes a transfer. Treat transfers as a limited resource:

  • Move a licence only when a machine is genuinely being replaced, not for temporary testing.

  • Where several technicians need INSITE, buy the seats rather than moving one licence between machines.

  • Keep a record of every transfer, including the date and the Tool Instance ID it moved to.

If you are unsure how many transfers a licence has already used, ask AE Tools to check before requesting another.

What to gather before requesting a transfer

Having these ready means the request can go to Cummins in one pass:

  • The Tool Instance ID of the new computer. Open the Windows search bar, type License Configuration Tool, and open it. The Tool Instance ID is displayed there.

  • The Tool Instance ID of the old computer, if the machine is still accessible.

  • The AE Tools order number for the original purchase.

  • The account email the licence was purchased under.

  • How many licences are being moved. If you are moving several seats, list them all in a single request rather than opening one per licence.

How the transfer runs

  1. Submit a support ticket with everything above, or call AE Tools with the Tool Instance IDs to hand.

  2. AE Tools submits the transfer request to Cummins.

  3. Cummins issues a new Basic Key and Functional Key against the new Tool Instance ID.

  4. Enter both keys in the License Configuration Tool on the new machine.

  5. Open INSITE and confirm both keys show as active, and that programming functions are available rather than just diagnostics.

Transfers are processed by Cummins rather than by AE Tools directly, so allow time. A request submitted in the morning is often resolved the same day, but it is not instant — do not schedule a truck against a transfer that has not completed.

Licences that disappear from a working machine

Licences can vanish from a machine that was previously activated, most often after a laptop has been swapped, reimaged, or had its configuration changed while INSITE was installed. The licence usually still exists on the Cummins side and can be reissued against the current Tool Instance ID.

  1. Open the License Configuration Tool and record the current Tool Instance ID.

  2. Note whether either key still shows — sometimes the Basic Key remains and the Functional Key is gone.

  3. Submit a support ticket with the current Tool Instance ID, the original order number, and the previous Tool Instance ID if you have it.

  4. AE Tools requests reissued keys from Cummins.

Once activation succeeds, leave the License Configuration Tool alone. Reconfiguring it after a successful activation is a known cause of keys failing to persist, and each recovery attempt risks consuming another transfer.

An expired licence cannot be transferred

If the licence expired before the machine was replaced, there is nothing to move — it has to be renewed or repurchased first, then activated on the new Tool Instance ID. If AE Tools reports the licence as expired when you request a transfer, this is why.

If the licence still will not activate

Submit a support ticket including:

  • The Tool Instance ID of the machine you are activating on.

  • The Basic Key and Functional Key you were issued.

  • Whether the keys were accepted and then disappeared, or were rejected outright.

  • The original order number.

  • How many previous transfers you are aware of.