![]() ![]() Two of my notable cracks were Autocad and P-Cad a PCB design package. I am embarrassed to admit now, but for a brief period some years ago, I derived a certain amount of satisfaction using a disassembler and a debugger to patch software so that it could operate dongle free. The dongle might have been 'uncrackable', but the software it protected was not. ![]() The dongle was a sophisticated and 'uncrackable' device, to protect a high value product. Note: the author is John Walker, one-time President of Autodesk. introduced it in the domestic market in release 2.5 in June of 1985. When the introduction of this device went reasonably smoothly, Autodesk U.S. This is a transparent RS-232 device which AutoCAD probes and requires to be present in order to run. With the introduction of AutoCAD release 2.1, all versions sold outside the United States and Canada were protected by the “hardware lock” or “WIDGET” (Walker's Inline Device Guaranteeing Elimination of Theft). Would those who categorically asserted that the AutoCAD 'Hardware Lock' was always a parallel port device kindly join me in reading the opening statement on that page: I've just made an interesting discovery: **LINK** I'm so much in the dark here, I've changed my Avatar That's something to get your teeth into John S. Seeing the ground pins 18 to 25 being connected together could distinguish the dongle from a RS232 serial version ![]() Serial versions that plugged into the RS232 ports have been made The dongle could of been like this to pass all lines through to a printer. (with an ASIC or PIC chip the key data can be encrypted) The resulting KEY data being sent to the printer ports status inputs With the data lines set to one ROM address It could of been a ROM powered by a few pins set High (5V) It will need plugging into a parallel printer port at 378 hex USB dongles still seem to be used on low volume software where hackers would not get any return.Ī long time ago I found a photo of a parallel printer port dongle on line I think dongles are not so popular with popular packages is because the hackers got round them. Seasons Greetings to everyone, and make plenty of lovely swarf in 2018. I must also apologise if calling the dongle/PC an RS232 that’s what I thought it was.ĭespite the inconvenience of jumping between machines, the amount of use the CAD package would get from me, the very unhelpful response from the software company, the probability that the dongle was potted, and being rather long in the tooth myself, I’ve decided to abandon the idea. After such an overwhelmingly wonderful and generous response, it is pertinent at this stage, for me to reconcile the issue.īefore I do, I thank everyone for contributing so much in such a short time. ![]()
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