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[KB214]Key Detection Problem with Toshiba Notebooks

PcVue miscellaneous
14 years ago
By RM
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Applies to:

PcVue all versions.
This article contains obsolete references.
Summary:

This article describes how to handle a problem with detecting protection keys (dongles) on Toshiba notebook computers.
Details:

The Sentinel Superpro key is not recognized on the parallel port of a Toshiba portable PC.

This is a known problem with detection of parallel ports on Toshiba portables.

The Sentinel System Driver (the key driver) searches ports by a low level method (in the BIOS), not through Windows.

On Toshiba portable PCs, the parallel port parameter I/O Port is defined as Not used by default. This prevents automatic control of the port by the driver.

Note

Windows allows operation of the printer parallel port even if this parameter is defined as Not used.

Solutions

Solution 1

You can modify the BIOS settings:

  1. Restart your computer while holding down the Esc key.
  2. Press the F1 key to enter the BIOS.
  3. On page 1 of the BIOS, ensure that Parallel Port is set to ECP.
  4. On page 2 of the BIOS, change parameter I/O Parallel Port from Not used to LPT1.
  5. Save the changes then exit the BIOS by selecting the Exit option.
  6. Restart Windows.
  7. Check whether your PcVue now works normally (i.e. recognises the dongle).
  8. If the problem persists, reinstall the Sentinel driver SSD5411-32bitInst from the PcVue DC-ROM.

Solution 2

If you prefer not to modify the BIOS:

  • In Windows, use the Sentinel System Driver Configuration Utility:

Configuring the Sentinel System Driver after installing Sentinel System Driver 5.41

  1. Download the latest Sentinel System Driver, SSD5.41.
  2. Install it in the normal manner.
  3. Reboot the PC.

After rebooting:

  1. From the Control Panel, double-click the System icon to open the System Properties page.
  2. Select the Hardware tab then the Device Manager button to open the Device Manager dialog.
  3. Click the ‘+’ sign next to Ports (COM & LPT) to expand the tree.
  4. Double-click on ECP Printer Port (LPT1) to open its Properties dialog.
  5. Click on the Resources tab to view the resources used by the adapter.

In the Setting column, the first value of I/O range is the address of the parallel port:

Driver_ECP_Printer_Port_properties_dialog

Perform the following steps to configure the Sentinel System Driver to use the port:

  1. Start the driver configuration utility SetupSysDriver.exe. It is usually located at C:\Program Files\Rainbow Technologies\Sentinel System Driver.
  2. Click the button Configure Driver to display the Sentinel Driver dialog.
  3. Click the Add button to open the Add Port dialog.

driver_Add_Port_dialog

  1. Click the OK button; a confirmation dialog is displayed.
  2. Click the OK button in it to display the Sentinel Driver Ports dialog. It should show that a User Created port has been added at address 378.

driver_Sentinel_Ports_dialog

  1. Click the OK button to close the dialog.
  2. In the File menu, select Exit to close utility.

Created on: 26 Nov 2010 Last update: 26 Aug 2024