X-Ways Forensics Dongle

As a genuinely licensed user of X-Ways Forensics, you are provided with a small sophisticated USB hardware device that unlocks the software that is required for execution of the software.

Our dongles have the following advantages:

• A dongle driver does not need to be installed. No reboot is required after attaching the dongle. Since X-Ways Forensics does not need to be installed either, that means you can run X-Ways Forensics directly on a live machine from media such as a CD or USB stick, without unnecessarily destroying data by overwriting free space on the subject drive, without unnecessary changes to the system registry, etc.

• The dongle does not act as a USB mass storage device, but as a human interface device (HID), just like a USB mouse. Like that, the dongle usually is not affected by USB port security locks enforced by administration.

• The software may be installed on several of your computers at the same time even if you only own a single license, for your convenience. Attaching the dongle renders an installation executable. A dongle can be quickly exchanged between different computers.

• Your license is represented by a physical object. It is easy to connect to your system. Install or simply execute X-Ways Forensics, plug in the dongle, and everything works.

• You can store textual information inside the dongle from within X-Ways Forensics. Use this to have notes always available when working with X-Ways Forensics or simply to personalize your dongle with your name and address. The dongle could thus be a good place to store some hints, best-practice procedures or the like you wish to keep handy when using X-Ways Forensics.

• The dongle helps us to protect against software piracy and consequently to keep prices reasonably low.

• It can be insured against loss or theft, free of charge. (Otherwise lost means lost and no replacement.)

There are different types of dongles:

• Regular dongles (color: green) represent 1 license each and allow 1 user to execute X-Ways Forensics on 1 computer at a time each, even multiple instances of the program. Multiple dongles attached to the same computer (e.g. terminal server) are supported as of v16.5 to allow for multiple simultaneous users.

• Multi-user dongles (color: green) represent more than 1 license each and allow x users (but no more than 50) to execute X-Ways Forensics on 1 computer (e.g. terminal server) at a time.

• Network dongles (color: red) can represent 1 or more licenses (depends on how many licenses you order/have) and can be accessed by the software on the network. A dongle server program that we supply must be run on the machine with the dongle so that the dongle can be found. Supported by v16.8 SR-10, v16.9 SR-4, and v17.0 and later. If a network dongle with no more than 50 licenses is attached locally, it works exactly like a regular or multi-user dongle (depends on the number of licenses). With more than 50 licenses, it can only be used through the network interface (i.e. the dongle server program must be running on that computer).

How many simultaneous users a dongle supports, i.e. how many licenses it represents, can be verified in X-Ways Forensics at Help | Dongle. When multiple users at the same time share a regular dongle (which in fact must not be shared) or a multi-user dongle and they exceed the maximum number of allowed simultaneous uses (1 for a regular dongle), then the new user will push aside a previous user, i.e. a previous user will be requested by the software to save and stop his work and will eventually be kicked out. The behavior may change at any time. With a network dongle if the maximum number of allowed simultaneous uses has been reached, new users have to wait until the session(s) of a previous user terminates.

If you would like to exchange regular dongles that you already have for 1 network dongle, you can find pricing and an order form here (pricing subject to change). All the dongles that you wish to swap must still be functional and returned to us upon receipt of the network dongle, and they must actually reach us (you can request deactivation codes for them and apply them to at least make them useless when you send them out).

If you opt for 1 network dongle instead of regular dongles already when purchasing new licenses, please find the extra charge (subject to 19% German VAT if applicable) depending on the number of licenses below:
1: +89 €
2: +78 €
3: +69 €
4: +60 €
5: +50 €
6: +39 €
7: +28 €
8: +20 €
9: +9 €
10 or more licenses: no extra charge
If you wish to order your licenses with anything other than regular dongles, you must select that with your online order/must specify that on a purchase order sent to us, or else you will get regular dongles!

Network dongles are sent out in an inactive or only temporarily usable state and once received must be activated with an activation code. All dongles remain our property. If you are interested in a multi-user dongle when buying multiple licenses, please ask first.

Four more dongle subtypes can be distinguished:

• XWF: Dongles for X-Ways Forensics unlock the full functionality of X-Ways Forensics.

• IMG: Dongles for X-Ways Imager unlock only certain functions of X-Ways Forensics, those for disk imaging, sector copying and internal RAID reconstruction.

• INV/CTR: On request, organizations that already use X-Ways Forensics, may order licenses for X-Ways Investigator or X-Ways Investigator CTR with dongles (regular dongles, multi-user dongles or network dongles). Those dongles unlock X-Ways Forensics with the functionality and user interface of X-Ways Investigator or X-Ways Investigator CTR, respectively. Useful if you do not run any license management software and wish to ensure using dongles that X-Ways Investigator cannot be used more often simultaneously than allowed by the number of licenses that you have. The customer is responsible for ensuring that the users get an installation of X-Ways Forensics, not X-Ways Investigator, so that the software gets unlocked by the dongles.

Weight: approx. 7 g ~ 110 grains ~ 1/4 ounce
Dimensions: 5.3 × 1.6 × 0.7 cm or 2.07 × 0.62 × 0.37 inches
Material value declared when mailing the dongle overseas: EUR 6

As a licensed user of X-Ways Forensics until further notice you have the option to run WinHex with the same full functionality as X-Ways Forensics, plus disk editing and data erasure ability, a special WinHex version that also requires the dongle.

Please note that we will replace malfunctioning dongles (i.e. errors not related to a loose connection at the USB port) at no cost if sent back to us. Physically damaged dongles can usually be replaced for a nominal fee if sent back to us. Important: Please note that we will replace lost, misplaced or stolen dongles only (no exception) if they were insured (which is free), for a higher fee. If not insured, to receive more dongles you would need to purchase new licenses, and in that case we can 1) give you a discount and 2) apply the calculatory value of any outstanding update maintenance that was programmed into the lost dongles (and blacklist those dongles in future versions).