PROMOTIC HW Key

Basic information:

PROMOTIC hardware key (further "HW Key") serves for the protection of the PROMOTIC system and for the protection of the designer's "know how". There is burnt the complete information about purchased license in this key. The HW Key is the most commonly used license carrier.

Each PROMOTIC HW Key is labeled by 4-digits number that identifies the license number. This number can be found on the white label that is attached on the HW Key. The information regarding the connected key can be obtained in the runtime mode by the Pm.LicenceInfo method, or in the INFO system of running application - /SYSTEM/License page.

The PROMOTIC system uses SENTINEL license keys manufactured by the SafeNet Ltd company. When ordering a PROMOTIC licence several different key types can be choosen:

USB key: of the standard size is plugged in the USB port of the PC.

USB key: of the minimal size is plugged in the USB port of the PC.

WARNING - this key type is functional from version PROMOTIC Pm8.2.16.

USB key: connected to USB port on PC motherboard.

WARNING - this key type is functional from version PROMOTIC Pm8.3.8.

According to the license content we distinguish 2 types of PROMOTIC HW Keys:

- Development HW Key. It is supplied together with the PROMOTIC development environment (at a price of the PmDev license) Without the development HW Key the PROMOTIC development environment runs in the PmFree regime.

- Runtime HW Key. It is used as a PROMOTIC runtime license bearer. With the runtime HW Key the PROMOTIC system runs always in the application runtime mode. With this key the application cannot be edited or modified.

Other licenses can be added into the runtime HW Key anytime. This can be done either by "overburning" the HW Key (i.e. the key has to be conveyed) or by sending the file (e.g. by an email) with the content of new license, see License file SWK extending the content of license key.

Note:

For the correct behavior of the HW Key it is necessary to set parameters that can be changed by the Hinstall.exe program (it can be launched from the DOS command line) that is located in the PROMOTIC folder (\Pm). The PROMOTIC installation program sets these parameters by default but in special cases it is possible to change the parameters by the user. The basic commands of the HInstall program:

Caution in OS Windows Vista, 7, Server 2008 it is necessary to run as Administrator

>\Pm\Hinstall -i .. Install HW Key driver

>\Pm\Hinstall -r .. Remove HW Key driver

>\Pm\Hinstall -h .. Display next possible commands

>\Pm\Hinstall -info .. Statement of the installation state (version, priority for searching the key, etc.)

Known problems with the installation of the HW Key driver

- Similar problem is connected with the OS Windows 2003 Server operation system. Very strict data protection policy (DEP) is apllied by default after installation. This prevents the PROMOTIC system from acessing the HW Key although the device driver is installed successfully. The possible solution is to lower the noexecute parameter serurity level in Boot.ini file (hidden, system).

Procedure:

1. Click on the Start button, right click on This computer and select Properties.

2. Go to the Advanced section and to the System boot and recovery group frame, click on the Settings button.

3. In the System boot group frame click the Edit button. The Boot.ini file is then opened in the Notepad.

4. In the notepad open the Edit menu and click the Find command.

5. Enter /noexecute into the Find field and click the Find next button.

6. In the Find window click the Cancel button.

7. Replace the text policy_level by the AlwaysOff string.

The Boot.ini row should now be: /noexecute=AlwaysOff. Additional information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352.

- Problem connected with running the PROMOTIC application on OS Windows servers and virtual machines.

Although it seems the installation of the key driver on this OS is completed successfully, the application cannot be lauched due to the inaccessibility of license. See:

- PROMOTIC system and Windows remote desktop

- PROMOTIC system and virtual computers

- PmNetKey

- PmRtManager - manager of running apps

- In the terminal service client process (remote desktop) it is not possible to access the HW Key driver.

The reason is insufficient permision of the logged-in client for computer hardware access. This also concerns the driver that is used for HW Key access.

The PROMOTIC system cannot be installed in this mode.

History of HW Key drivers compatibility based on OS Windows and PROMOTIC versions

Installation of HW Key drivers is a part of PROMOTIC system installation. This way the application can accesss the contents of the HW Key via the driver. There may be problems in situation when an older PROMOTIC version is installed on a new OS Windows that was not known at the time the PROMOTIC version was released. The following overview sums up the compatibility of drivers and OS Windows.

The version of installed driver can be identified by running the HW Key driver installer with the -info parameter. For example: c:\Pm\hinstall -info.

Running the installer of HW Key driver with -? parameter, for example: c:\Pm\hinstall -? will indicate the version of the driver that is contained in such installer.

HW key driver		Promotic version		32/64 bit Windows											XP	Win7
version	Date	7	8	2000	XP	2003	2003 R2	Vista	2008	2008 R2	7	8	2012	10	embed	embed
4.99.5.20	09/2005	7.1.0-7.1.5	-	Y	Y	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Y	-
4.104.5.24	09/2007	7.2.0-7.5.3	-	Y	Y	Y	-	Y	Y	-	-	-	-	-	Y	-
5.75	12/2009	-	8.0.3 - 8.0.8	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-	-	-
5.86	01/2010	7.5.4	8.0.9	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-	-	-
5.95	10/2010	7.5.5-7.5.7	8.0.10-8.1.10	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-	-
6.51	10/2012	-	8.2.0	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-
6.55	01/2013	-	8.1.11, 8.2.5 - 8.2.7	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-
6.56	03/2013	-	8.2.8-8.2.10	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	-	-	-
6.60	08/2013	-	8.2.11-8.2.15	-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
6.62	05/2014	-	8.2.16-8.2.21 8.3.0-8.3.4	-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
7.32	04/2015	-	8.2.22 8.3.5 --8.3.7	-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
7.41	11/2015	-	8.2.23 8.3.9 -->	-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

Y is designed for specified OS Windows version

- is not designed to work with the OS Windows version

Recommendation:

If the older Promotic version is installed on newer OS Windows and the HW Key driver provided with PROMOTIC is not functional, then it can be replaced by:

- up to version 7.3.8 by the DriverHWkey_4.104.5.24 driver

- from version 7.3.9 by the DriverHWkey_6.51 or newer DriverHWkey_7.41 driver

- for Windows Embedded there is a special driver HASP_XPE_5.95

- the 6.60 driver supplied since version Pm8.2.11 that supports Windows Embedded and OS Windows 7 Embedded standard SP1

Promotic

PROMOTIC HW Key

Known problems with the installation of the HW Key driver

History of HW Key drivers compatibility based on OS Windows and PROMOTIC versions

See also: