Security Compliance

License count exceeded error in Patch Manager

This article addresses an issue that generates a license count exceeded error message when you launch the Patch Manager console.

First published date

11/29/2018 10:33 PM

Last published date

2/13/2026 4:47 PM

Overview

When you launch Patch manager console a warning or error message displays stating that the license count or number of purchased nodes have exceeded. Example:

Product section

Patch Manager

Cause

  • Patch Manager is connected to nonexistent or unmanaged computers, usually in WSUS assigned computers.
  • Patch Manager calculates the license count based on all machines currently in the domain and the Task History. The application consumes a node for every managed computer, including all managed clients and all managed WSUS, SCCM, and Patch Manager servers.  The source for these is managed Computer Inventory and WSUS Inventory tasks.
  • WSUS Server Clean Up Wizard is not scheduled periodically (weekly/monthly/quarterly).

Resolution

Perform the following steps to delete non-existent or unmanaged computers and any related tasks to free up the node licenses.

  1. Delete all computers from the Managed Computers.
    1. In the navigation pane, expand Enterprise and select Managed Computers.
    2. Highlight all the computers in this list.
    3. Click Delete Managed Computer in the Actions pane.
    4. Confirm your selection on the Delete Managed Computers window, and click Delete > Close.
    5. Alternatively, click on the Delete All Managed Computers option (right panel) and schedule periodically just before a scheduled Computer Inventory. This option is available in newer Patch Manager versions
  2. Delete items in the Task History that include unnecessary computers.
    1. In the navigation pane, expand Administration and Reporting and select Task History.
    2. At the top of the center screen, for Start Time, select "Any Time" to show all prior Task History.
    3. If you have any filters set for your Task History view, clear the filters to ensure all tasks will display.
    4. In the center pane, select the task(s) to delete. Press Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple tasks.
    5. In the Actions pane, click Delete Task. 
    6. Confirm your selection on the Confirmation window, and click Yes.
      The two most common Task History items that cause licensing issues are:
      • Managed Computer Inventory tasks targeted to the domain 
      • Delete Managed Computer tasks from Step 1
  3. Close all open Patch Manager consoles.
  4. Restart the EminentWare Data Grid Server service.
  5. If issue remains, go back to Step 2 and delete ALL items in Task history, then repeat Steps 3 and 4.

If the above steps still do not resolve the issue (noted in 1 case with a customer running 2020.2.4), run the Patch Manager Config wizard.

In other cases, this procedure may not resolve the problem because you are running an inventory for domain(s) that are no longer used. In this situation, perform the following steps:

  1. Delete the Managed and WSUS Inventory tasks from the Scheduled tasks. Take note of the domain(s).
  2. Recreate the inventory tasks. See the following procedures for details:

The inventory task(s) may require an extended amount of time, depending on your server/network, the number of endpoints in your Active Directory domain/OU, etc. 

After you complete all tasks, re-launch the Patch Manager MMC Console to verify the license issue is resolved.