Automation License Manager - Communication Error (V15 and V15.1)

"The licensing of STEP 7 Basic could not be completely finished because a communication error occurred in the local Automation License Manager service."

This is the message I receive when trying to open a block or add a device in TIA.

Background:

I have been using V15 successfully for over a year.  I needed to download V15.1 to open a project that was written in V15.1 and download it to a machine in our factory.

My VAR sent me to the correct website from Siemens where I could download V15.1.  The download was a success, but now I am receiving this error when trying access a project in V15.1.  To make matters even worse, I am now receiving the same error message when trying to access files in V15 (files that I have accessed many times in the past)!

I have already done some common troubleshooting:

I am running V15 and V15.1 as Administrator.  I have uninstalled and reinstalled Siemens Automation License Manager V6.0 +SP1.  I have tried opening Automation License Manager by itself and I receive a new error - 'No connection to the Automation License Manager Service' (see picture attached).

Any suggestions? Has anybody encountered similar errors?

Thanks in advance! - Nick

SOLVED

Ended up being an issue with the Automation License Manager that our IT dept had seen before.  Automation License Manager needed to be 'restarted' in 'services' and run as Administrator.