A software protection dongle is a digital content protection and unlocking device. They either unlock protected software functions or encrypt protected data when attached to a computer. Some dongles are dedicated to one particular software application, while others are multifunction dongles that offer protection against many different applications and technologies. These dongles are used for protection against rogue antivirus programs, spyware, adware, Trojans, and other malicious programs. The purpose of these is to limit the damage that can be caused by these malicious programs.
The software protection dongle comes with software that has been pre-installed on the hardware device. Once this is done, it cannot be uninstalled since the hardware device will have a locked copy of all protected applications. This is what makes the dongle a more advanced form of hardware that requires additional steps to protect the software from being uninstalled. There are two major ways to unlock the protected software: either through unlocking the boot code that is in use on the device, or by physically unlocking the device’s protection capabilities.
Owing to security considerations, most modern devices that come equipped with the software protection dongle have hardware keys that need to be removed before the software can be uninstalled. This prevents the user or even anyone else who might come into physical contact with the hardware key for uninstalling the application. It may sound complicated, but it is really easy. All you have to do is disconnect the dongle from the system and press and hold the power button for about three seconds. After this, remove the hardware key from the device and the software protection dongle will then be able to be uninstalled.
Most hardware protection dongles are not only limited to one application; they also provide protection for up to four applications. So, if you happen to get a software protection Dongle that has more than just one application installed, all you have to do is the other applications. You will then be able to uninstall the original software application from your system. However, it is very important to note that uninstalling software application from your system should always be the last resort, as doing so can render your device completely useless.
If your device is rooted or unlocked, there are two other methods to remove software protection dongles, aside from using the hardware keys that were mentioned earlier. The first method is to unlock the device and then use an unlocking software program to gain access to the internal memory of the Dongle. However, this process can prove to be extremely time-consuming and it might require technical expertise. The second method is to use the parallel port hardware keys that come with the software protection dongle. These hardware keys enable the user to manually enter specific commands into the device’s operating system, thereby unlocking the device and allowing it to run normally.
Finally, to completely remove software protection dongles, it is recommended that you use anti-virus or spyware remover program. These programs work by locating the infected files and then scanning the storage medium for viruses that may have embedded themselves into the software. They are highly effective in this regard and can be extremely useful for the removal of these persistent spyware threats. The anti-virus program may be downloaded from the internet for free and installation can be done by the person in front of the computer. Once the anti-virus program has been installed on your computer, run the scan/recovery function and let it completely eradicate all traces of spyware and any other viruses that have embedded themselves in the device’s memory. Once this is done, it is advisable that you remove the remaining files and reboot the system to finish the repair job.
