Topic Title

I have an intermittent and annoying problem. In an unpredictable manner my DC11 will stop in the middle of a session and an error screen appears that says: "A hardlock required to run Datacad could not be found. Please install .....". I have to pull out the hardlock and reinsert it, click OK, and proceed. This fix will last anywhere from a week to 2 minutes, with the latter more often the case. A restart of my computer may or may not cure the problem. Occasionally, but rarely, I get a "hardlock missing" message when trying to start a session. DC tech support said they'd never heard of this before and suggested I try moving the key around to other USB ports - I've tried that and the problem persists in it's random fashion. HELP! I am running XP Media Center on a Gateway with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+.

You've probably already tried this, but so as not to ignore your post, maybe try updating the driver.

https://www.datacad.com/update/update_hardlock.htm

I'm getting a similar problem but it only happens on start up. I'm putting this down to the hub in which the hardlock sits. It has only happened since I started using it. If I take it out and put it in another port, it always works - even if it didn't in that port last week.

I guess if you plug the dongle directly into the back of your computer, it will be more reliable.

Hello,

Do you have any errors in the Device Manager, for any USB devices? Is the hardlock itself damaged at all? Have you used it on any other machines, to try to determine if it is the hardlock or the machine that is the problem.

Thanks to all who responded. I'll try updating the driver but since it works for extended periods of time I wonder how that could be the problem. I have tried USB locations on both the front and back of the computer. The dongle/key is only a few months old so I don't think it is damaged. I installed it when I recently upgraded and did not move it until the problem began. I don't know if I have a USB manager problem but this is the only sympton if I do.

PS - I don't have DCd installed in any other computers. Can I do that and move the hardlock around? One of the problems of course is that it may work fine for a week before screwing up, so sucessful operation in another computerc could take a long time to validate. On the other hand quick failure should prove the key is the problem. Thanks again.

...Can I do that and move the hardlock around?

Hello J.,

Yes. You can install it in as many machines as you need to develop your continuous work: at home, notebook, day work, etc.
In any case you will be using one license of DataCAD at each time, what is the object of the license grant, whose control is performed by the hardlock key use.

Thanks,
Miguel

I'm getting a similar problem but it only happens on start up. I'm putting this down to the hub in which the hardlock sits. It has only happened since I started using it. If I take it out and put it in another port, it always works - even if it didn't in that port last week.

I guess if you plug the dongle directly into the back of your computer, it will be more reliable.

USB Hubs can cause lots of problems, especially if they do not have a external power supply. There's not enough power in the USB port the hub was plugged into to power 4 or more devices. Even with a power supply, all of the devices eventually have to be squeezed down to the bus of the one USB port, kind of like a bottleneck on the freeway.