Question hardlock.sys giving BSOD while installing a program

[Abernecio]

Hello everyone.

I'm installing a program on a 1 month old Windows installation. The installer needs to install "an USB driver" because the program revolves around USB dongles.
I open the installer, I enter a key, and it starts to "install the USB driver" but hangs and then, 20 seconds later, it a BSOD appears saying it's "hardlock.sys" what failed.

After a little bit a search (and trying to avoid sketchy websites that end in "soft") I found out that it belongs to Aladdin Technologies and, to remove it, you could try and stop the service on Task Manager. The problem is that the only thing I can find on my computer is a file named hardlock.sys on the drivers folder and a registry of it on regedit. If I delete the file from the drivers folder, it still BSODs and "regenerates".

I tried the HASP purge command line thing, but it still BSODs due to the hardlock.sys.

I had successfully installed the program on a previous Windows installation which ran on a HDD and had Kaspersky as an antivirus, if that helps.

Has anyone had a problem like this?

Here are my specs: (this is a little bit old, but the only difference is that now it has a new SDD)
https://valid.x86.fr/nm7jt4

 

[rgd1101]

no restore point?
sound like issue with the usb dongles software

 

[Abernecio]

no restore point?
sound like issue with the usb dongles software

The thing is I can't install it.
I had a program that also relied on USB dongles, but I uninstalled completely before I tried to install this one.

 

[rgd1101]

The thing is I can't install it.

You mean uninstall it?
a restore point might help.
boot in safe mode?
contact the software developer for support?

 

[Abernecio]

You mean uninstall it?
a restore point might help.
boot in safe mode?
contact the software developer for support?

No, I mean install it. The software I'm trying to install has to install additional drivers. But when it is install those additional drivers, it hangs and a BSOD appears saying hardlock.sys failed. I just wanted to completely remove the hardlock.sys so I can proceed with the installation, but I can't find what program is using it.

 

[rgd1101]

if there nothing in the programs and files to uninstall. contact the software developer

 

[treysis]

@rgd1101 He doesn't want to uninstall it! He wants to INSTALL it! The software needs the driver to run (USB dongle)!

The solution is to install the updated driver from SafeNet, which takes care of this known problem since Windows 10 20H1/2004. After updating to the newest driver, the installation routine shouldn't try to install the faulty driver anymore because it recognizes a newer version.

 

[rgd1101]

I understand that he want to install.
but that hardlock.sys is causing issue which he want to uninstall it first.
what is this safenet?

 

[Colif]

i wonder what program is using Hardlock.
https://cpl.thalesgroup.com/software-monetization/all-products/sentinel-hl

what are you installing? what other USB dongles are you using? might be a conflict.

only link I find for safenet ends with a trojan warning from malwarebytes
there is this one - https://knowledge.faro.com/Essentia...ense_Driver_and_FARO_Remote_Update_System-RUS
but tbh I don't know what this stuff is.

looks at date of thread. locks it.