Frequently Asked Questions for GateCycle Software

How Do I Configure EPP, ECP and Bidirectional Parallel Ports?

The GateCycle Hardlock® key may not function on computers with newer ECP, EPP or bidirectional parallel ports. If you experience trouble with a Hardlock key, check the system documentation and/or the BIOS settings to see if it has an EPP, ECP or bidirectional parallel port.

If your computer has an ECP, EPP or bidirectional parallel port, perform one of the following actions to use the Hardlock key security option:

Use your system's BIOS configuration utility to disable the ECP, EPP or bidirectional capabilities of the parallel port to which the Hardlock key will be attached.

Follow the steps below to add an environment variable that allows you to preserve the ECP, EPP or bidirectional capabilities of the system's parallel port:

1. Review your system documentation to determine how the BIOS setup utility works.

2. Use the BIOS setup utility to determine the mode your system's parallel port uses (bidirectional, ECP or EPP).

3. Write down the parallel port's base address as shown in the BIOS setup utility.

4. Review your operating system documentation to determine how to add an environment variable and set its values.

5. Using the documentation for adding system environment variables, add an environmental variable to your system's configuration named HL_SEARCH.

6. If the base address of your parallel port is 278, 378 or 3BC, set the value of the HL_SEARCH environment variable as follows:

Port TypeHL_Search Value
Bidirectional278i, 378i, 3BCi
EPP278i, 378i, 3BCi
ECP278e, 378e, 3BCe

7. If the base address of your parallel port noted above is not 278, 378 or 3BC, set the value of HL_SEARCH to include the base address you wrote down. For example, if your port is bidirectional with a base address of 2F8, set the value of HL_SEARCH to: "278i, 378i, 3BCi, 2F8i."

8. After you have configured the new environment variable, restart your computer; then restart the GateCycle software. If you have set the value of the HL_SEARCH environment variable properly, your Hardlock key should be recognized.

Hardlock® is a trademark claimed by Aladdin Knowledge Systems, which is not affiliated with GE.

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