Aladdin and Hasp key driver removal

[Iraklis1957]

Dear sirs,
This my first post and I would like to apologise in advance for any mistakes.
As the title suggests I have an entry with the yellow sign in device manager,and it refers to the Aladdin and Hasp key driver which I never installed nor do I know of a way to see which piece of software did.I may have agreed to its installation but still Ithink I should be able to uninstall it.I am running Win Vista home premium 32 bit.I have done some efforts to uninstall it and it does not appear in add/remove in control panel.I even managed to follow and finished succesfully all steps described in a relevant KB article(I can provide the link if you like)from another forum.The problem is that at each logon windows is asking to reinstall the missing drivers.Ichanged auto play into "ask me every time"and I press "don't show for this driver again" but same ol' same ol'.I understand this software is valuable to some and it should be well protected but I think it should be easily removed if you don't want it.There is nothing more I can think to do so any fyrther instructions(determine which if any other programs start it,any registry entries)would I assure you be very much appreciated.
Sincere thanks and my best regards,
Nikos

 

[LookinAround]

List any Problem devices

• Click the Start orb. Type msinfo32 in the search box then hit Enter. Click the + sign next to Components to expand it
• Click Problem Devices. Anything appear?
• If yes, click on it, Ctrl-A to select all, Ctrl-C to copy it, Ctrl-V to paste into next post
• On the other hand, if no devices are listed, tell me so

 

[Iraklis1957]

Aladdin USB Key USB\VID_0529&PID_0001&REV_0100\1&79F5D87&7&01 This device is disabled.
Aladdin USB Key USB\VID_0529&PID_0001&REV_0100\1&79F5D87&7&02 This device is disabled.

 

[Iraklis1957]

The first post is with the drivers disabled by me and this one is as it was after all the steps I took.I would like of course first of all to thank you for taking the time to assist a complete stranger.I guess internet is not al bad.I would also like to ask you if it is o.k and it will help to post the link to my earlier advisor.So here are the details:

Aladdin USB Key USB\VID_0529&PID_0001&REV_0100\1&79F5D87&7&01 The drivers for this device are not installed.
Aladdin USB Key USB\VID_0529&PID_0001&REV_0100\1&79F5D87&7&02 The drivers for this device are not installed.
Thanks again

 

[LookinAround]

Hi Iraklis1957,,, and welcome to TechSpot!

You must have a USB security device connected to your computer. It looks like a flash drive - but it's not. Do you have anything that looks like a flash drive connected??

If you open Device Manager you see a device with yellow icon. Once the USB security device is removed, the device and yellow icon will disappear.

Next, question: Where did this device come from?? It is typically used to protect a software product (where the software won't run unless the device is connected AND its drivers installed)

 

[Iraklis1957]

That is the mystery because I don't now,nor had ever ,to my knowledge,plugged any USB security device to my PC.Anyway at the moment I assure you there is no USB device of any form plugged in.I believe some kind of software needed to emulate it but since I'm using the pc 10 years now and have installed and uninstalled many I don't know how to determine which one triggers it and eventually get rid of.
Thanks again.

 

[LookinAround]

Download USBTreeView. Run the 32- or 64-bit version as appropriate for your version of Windows.

> Capture a screen shot of the left pane
> Click File->Save Report. Save as a txt file on your Desktop. Upload the report to your next post

 

[Iraklis1957]

I hope I got it right.

 

[LookinAround]

Yes. You did everything right. But must admit I'm surprised that your HASP device doesn't appear in the report.

Let's try this: Open Device Manager, find its entry with the Yellow sign. Right click->Uninstall. Reboot. Does the device re-appear? or is it gone?

 

[Iraklis1957]

As you can see it is still there.

 

[LookinAround]

I must admit your data has me confused

Let's try something else. By default, when you open Device Manager it displays devices "by type" (each category you see in DevMgr such as Network, Monitors, Disk, etc. are "types". Even "Other" is a "type". As an example, I connected a USB camera and uninstalled its driver. Notice it appears under Other devices.

​

But we can change the Device Manager view so that it displays devices "by connection" (this shows how devices connect to one another). Let's change the view
> At the top of DevMan menu click View->Devices by connection.
> Click to expand each ACPI devices and then the PCI bus
> Expand the the devices under PCI Bus to find the Alladin USB Key

Is it listed? Please post a screen shot. Here's an example for my case when I view "by connection". It reveals the web cam is connected to the USB bus. What do you see? Let me have a look so I can try to interpret the connections and where the Alladin key fits in.

​

 

[Iraklis1957]

First of all I would like you to know that I truly appreciate your efforts .That said, here is the latest screenshot:



I hope it proves helpful.

 

[LookinAround]

You were right!! It IS a virtual device - connected to the "Virtual USB Bus Enumerator".

The virtual usb bus probably came bundled within another piece of software. My guess it was either a) software you paid for or b) software on a "free trial" arrangements
> Are all your paid programs working OK?
> Do you still have any trial software installed? Does it still work?

I can look at all the programs you have installed. See the instructions HERE.

p.s. I'm happy to try and help

 

[Iraklis1957]

Dear sir,all my paid programs are o.k and as for free trials I try to avoy them,with the exception of a very ,I believe,fine anti virus program and the from time to time necessary for the task needed freeware programs.I don't usually, if it's possible, leave comp. issues unresolved but this problem was way beyond any of my skills if I had any to begin with.But as we Greeks say "If you ask the rjght question.....".If you still believe it will help I can post all my installed programs but and please don't think,I'm ungrateful,I'd rather not.
Best regards,

 

[LookinAround]

Not a problem. I completely understand. Run MyUninstaller. Click View to do the following settings
> Show Windows Update - off
> Show Office Updates - off
> Show Items with no Uninstall - ON
> Show system components - off

That should reduce the number of entries displayed. Next, click on the column header labeled Company. This will alphabetically sort the entries by the vendor. You can ignore anything still listed from Microsoft.

Do you see any Entry Names or Companies with perhaps tell-tale words like Virtual, Alladin, USB etc. that we might suspect?

​

 

[Iraklis1957]

I'll have to upload the report because to try and make something out of it would be, to say the least,very optimistic.I was hesitant because more than 500 people watched ,and propably still do,your efforts.But some unexplained entries:
==================================================
Entry Name : Branding
Product Name :
Version :
Company :
Description :
Obsolete : No
Uninstall : Yes
Installation Folder :
Install Source :
Web Site :
Installation Date : 2/9/2012 13:14:14
Uninstall String : Rundll32 IedkCS32.dll,BrandCleanInstallStubs
Installation Change String:
Quiet Uninstall : Yes
Registry Key : Branding
Installer : Unknown
Root Key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
System Component : No
==================================================
or
==================================================
Entry Name : DirectDrawEx
Product Name :
Version :
Company :
Description :
Obsolete : No
Uninstall : No
Installation Folder :
Install Source :
Web Site :
Installation Date : 15/2/2011 4:55:49
Uninstall String :
Installation Change String:
Quiet Uninstall : No
Registry Key : DirectDrawEx
Installer : Unknown
Root Key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
System Component : No
==================================================
had me really worried.

 

[LookinAround]

As luck would have it, I'm home, just saw your post and downloaded a copy. Go ahead and delete the txt file upload from your post.

I'll get back to you later

 

[Iraklis1957]

O.k

 

[LookinAround]

I don't see anything that looks like a uninstaller for this thing in those entries

Check this next: How long has this problem been around? Would have an old System Restore Point with a date prior to this problem? You can find screenshots of what I'm referring to HERE

> Choose System Restore from the Programs menu
> What's the date of the recommended restore? is it old enough?? Then we'll use it.
> If not, select Choose a different restore point. Do you see anything with a date old enough? Then we'll use it.

If there was a restore point with a date prior to the problem, try doing a System Restore.

If not, my next question.. do you have your machine backed for worst case? Cause we can also try uninstalling from Device Manager and but I'm not 100% about this thing uninstalling itself properly. So would have to proceed at your own risk and choice.. and would want you prepared for worst case, just in case

 

[Iraklis1957]

My earliest restore point is in 2011.I guess I could try restoring and see what we get.I have my machine backed,yes.I make back ups every month.So here goes!

 

[Iraklis1957]

Sorry!No luck.there were ,I guess,entries for multiple restore points but they did n't "finish succesfully".Only option remaining device manager? O.k.Did you have a chance to look at those other entries?I tried to uninstall USB Remote NDIS Network Device by InstallShield but unsuccesfully.Thanks again.

 

[LookinAround]

Create a new System Restore point. Right click on the Virtual Bus Enumerator select Uninstall

EDIT
yes, I looked at the other entries but all seem legit and couldn't find one I thought might be related to the Virtual Alladin thingy

 

[Iraklis1957]

Create a new System Restore point. Right click on the Virtual Bus Enumerator select Uninstall

EDIT
yes, I looked at the other entries but all seem legit and couldn't find one I thought might be related to the Virtual Alladin thingy

Done.Should I reboot?

 

[LookinAround]

Yes. Reboot as well <fingers crossed!>

 

[Iraklis1957]

It seems like you got it.As you can see from the screenshot ,it seems like it's not there.Thank you, very much.I don't know what else to say but my thanks are sincere.
I wish you all the best.