# Stone Cut Pro dongle not working - help!



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

I've been happily using Stone Cut Pro since it came out.

Of course, I'm unusually busy right now, and behind on some jobs. Was planning to work late last night and couldn't load Stone Cut Pro. Just tried again this morning after shutting everything completely down for the night. 

I keep getting "unable to find copy protection key" when I try to start the program. I am selecting "Run as Adminstrator." Dongle is in as usual. I've tried a different port. I've cleaned the dongle and ports. I've rebooted system. I only use Microsoft Security Essentials as a virus protection and have used both together for years.....HELP! 

I have an email into their tech support, but am really in a time crunch right now. I don't have time for this....

Anyone have this happen or have any idea what could be wrong?


----------



## BlingItOn (May 29, 2008)

Is it possible that your dongle may have gotten bent while it was in the USB port? This has happened to me before with another rhinestone program and I ended up having to purchase a new dongle. I have since purchase a flexible USB port extender made by Belkin to protect all of my dongles. If something falls or brushes up against my dongle it bends the extender and not my dongle.


----------



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

BlingItOn, I don't know... It's doesn't LOOK bent, and I don't remember hitting it or anything. But I didn't even know there was such a thing....

The red light comes on when it starts loading. It goes through all the fonts, and then when it gets to Initializing Scripts, it stops for a couple of seconds and then the "Unable to find copy protection key" pops up.

Ugh -- couldn't have happened at a worse time, but I guess that's when it happens....


----------



## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

Digital Art Solutions Knowledgebase :: Dongle not Found message when opening Stone/Smart Cut Pro


----------



## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

Digital Art Solutions Knowledgebase :: Dongle not Found


----------



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks for your replies. After close to a 2 hour call with tech help, it's a damaged dongle. A new one is on the way.

AND I've learned ANOTHER lesson in the dangers of procrastination.


----------



## BlingItOn (May 29, 2008)

That's what I thought it might be...Glad your replacement is on it's way. Here is a picture of the flexible USB extenders. Well worth spending the $10 instead of the cost to replace a dongle. They rotate in all directions. I use them now with all of my dongles and have not had to replace anymore.

I got mine from my local computer center but I have seen them online at Walmart. You can order online and have them shipped to your local store for pick up.


----------



## leapoffaith (Nov 8, 2009)

Thank you so much, BlingItOn! I never even knew such a thing existed, lol. I'll go get one. 

Honestly though, I'm not even sure how it benefits......Is the point of it that you leave the dongle in the extender all the time, and then just plug the extender in and out? So that you don't pull the dongle in and out all the time? Less wear and tear? 

Thanks a bunch!


----------



## BlingItOn (May 29, 2008)

leapoffaith said:


> Thank you so much, BlingItOn! I never even knew such a thing existed, lol. I'll go get one.
> 
> Honestly though, I'm not even sure how it benefits......Is the point of it that you leave the dongle in the extender all the time, and then just plug the extender in and out? So that you don't pull the dongle in and out all the time? Less wear and tear?
> 
> Thanks a bunch!


I leave my dongles plugged into my laptop all of the time. The flexible extenders are plugged into a USB 4 port extension. I like them out of the way and also I can have more than one program running at the same time too. The only time I ever take them out is if I need to work from my other laptop. 

If you have a dongle sticking straight out of the USB port and something were to fall on it it could bend or snap off. There have been times where I lifted up one side of my laptop to look under it and it cause the dongle to press against the top of my desk. I think this is how mine got bent. The flexible extender rotates from side to side and front to back so if I were to do that same thing the extender would bend and not cause the dongle to press on my desk top. Sandy McCauley from I Love KNK told me about them. I have never had anymore issues once I started using them. 

How much did you have to pay for a new dongle? Mine was around $80. That was for my ACS software. I have Stone Cut Pro too but I don't use it that often.


----------

