Technical Issues - Security ID Module doesn't work

First Things to Look at

Win NT/2000/XP users...(The most common problem.) Administrator privileges are required to install hardware drivers. If the ID module is not recognized, please ask your Administrator to reinstall FilmStar before contacting us.

Parallel port modules...Ensure that your computer's parallel port is enabled. The port is often disabled in networked systems with no local printer. Install a printer using LPT1 and/or check hardware setup to ensure the port is enabled.

Module type?...Did you install the correct module? There is a choice during installation and some users skip it. Try reinstalling FilmStar.

To check that the correct module is specified, click File... Configuration... Security. HASP users should click button 'HASP Information' to see the list of enabled programs. If you see User: ÿÿÿÿ... and/or no programs listed, it's possible the module lost its memory or was not programmed. This can be fixed remotely.

HASP driver...In rare cases, FilmStar setup fails to install the driver and new users need to run the HASP4 Driver Installer. Also, if you have not kept FilmStar support up-to-date it is possible that the driver is obsolete. The latest driver is also available on the HASP4 End-User Support Page.

Trade-in...Users may exchange old modules for new USB or parallel modules; the cost is $100/ea plus shipping! Since black Activator modules are no longer manufactured, it is possible that drivers for these will ultimately fail to work.

 

Windows XP SP2 USB Problem - 1

A user reported error messages such as "Installing device drivers failed", "Failed to start Aladdin device drivers", "Failed to start services in service control manager database".

You need to download the Aladdin command line device driver Hinstall.zip. Unzip the EXE and DLL files to c:\aladdin and, using Start...Run, execute hinstall.exe twice as follows:

1. c:\aladdin\hinstall.exe -r -kp -alldrv

2. c:\aladdin\hinstall.exe -i

 

Windows XP SP2 USB Problem - 2

After running Windows Update, you may experience FilmStar Security ID Module difficulties arising from a recent Microsoft optional driver update for Aladdin USB Key. There are two solutions:

1. Use System Restore to uninstall the update; as far as we know the update is not needed. (Please let us know if you find that it IS needed.)

2. Keep the USB update and install supplementary HASP driver

HASP HL Driver (HASPUserSetup.exe)

That should fix the problem; if not, also reinstall

HASP 4 Driver (hdd32.exe)

Parallel port HASP module...There have been sporadic reports of problems accessing the module. We cannot reproduce these errors. Reinstalling HASP device drivers (hdd32.exe) usually fixes the problem. This file is included on the FilmStar CD-ROM and may be freely downloaded from the Aladdin Knowledge Systems HASP End-User Support Page. The page also contains a command line installer (hinstall.exe) which offers installation options (see Printer Problem) beyond hdd32.exe.

Laptops...There is a known parallel port problem with some laptops which may be solved by reinstalling with a port delay. Assuming you have unzipped hinstall.exe to c:\hasp, type the following (300 recommended by Aladdin support as initial delay value) in the Start Run dialog.

If your installation is successful you will see a screen similar to the one below. If it is not successful (typing errors?) you will get a screen listing command line switches.

Switch -i stands for install. If hinstall is run without switches (Start Run c:\hasp\install.exe) a dialog lists available options; if run with switch -info, a dialog provides system information about the driver.  Note that portdelay is an undocumented command. Port delay might also be useful in cases where there is sporadic failure to recognize the module. If you run hinstall.exe without any switches 

USB HASP module...It seems that the automatic USB driver installation in Windows 98 can become confused. This could happen if the module is attached to the computer before HASP drivers are installed. If the HASP module is not recognized, please try the following: remove the USB module from the computer and right click on file name

c:\windows\inf\aksusb.inf

in Windows Explorer. Select Install on the subsequent menu and restart the computer after attaching the module. (Note: nothing appears to happen when you click Install.) If you don't get this right, you can use the Add New Hardware applet in Control Panel. The System Properties should resemble the following:

The HASP End-User Support Page includes a special driver for NT4: usb.zip (unzip password is USB4NT4). This driver is not guaranteed to work in all cases; please read the readme file and note the required conditions. The following was copied from the Aladdin Web Site.

Aladdin Support Technote...HASP Key Not Found...There are several possible causes of this problem:

  • The wrong HASP key is connected. Every program looks for its own HASP key, and you must have the correct one connected to the computer. 
  • The driver is not installed. Under all 32bit systems, and optionally under Win16 systems, the HASP Device Driver must be installed for any communication with the HASP key to occur.
  • Other devices on the parallel port could cause interference. This is only the case with older driver versions, and the latest driver is always most helpful.
  • A parallel device that has configured the parallel port to ECP port mode could cause the problem, if you use an old HASP Device Driver that doesn't support ECP. We strongly recommend using the latest version of our driver, (which supports ECP port mode, see Solution 1).

Please try each suggestion, one at a time in the following order. Of course, if you succeed in activating the protected program with the HASP key, there is no need to continue.

Check that the correct key is connected.

  1. Install the new version of HASP Device Driver, hdd32.exe.
  2. If the HASP key is still not recognized please disconnect any other device that is connected to the parallel port (for tests only), reboot and try again.
  3. Does the port work? Try removing the HASP key and print through the port. 
  4. Does the HASP work? Try moving the HASP to another PC to see if it is recognized there.
  5. Run HASP Diagnostics to see whether the key is recognized. If not, the problem might be a faulty key.

Parallel port Activator module (black case)...Nearly all problems were fixed by revised installation procedures implemented 30 Mar 1999. Should the module not work after reinstalling FilmStar and rebooting, run program checklpt.exe (in c:\winfilm\idmodule\ssi or ssi_nt) to verify that the parallel port is actually installed. If necessary, restart the computer and adjust BIOS parallel port setup parameters.  Parameters are accessed by pressing a special key (i.e. F2) at startup.

There are several advanced module parameters (normally left at default values) which can be adjusted by manually running ddinstal.exe (Win 3.1) or ddinst32.exe. (These programs are run automatically in silent mode during FilmStar installation.) Module parameters are described in ddinstal.hlp.

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