USB Lock AP is among a breed of software that restricts USB device usage on computers. It is used widely in schools and libraries to prevent unauthorized copying of files, spreading of malware etc.
The software operates by blocking all USB devices from initializing. Any time you plug in a device, it asks for a password, failing which the screen is blocked out until you remove the USB drive. I have had to wrestle with this intrusive software ever since I got to college. As any geek worth his salt would do, I set about finding ways to disable and bypass the USB locking software. The method is rather long, and for most purposes, using an online file storage would be better, but this is an option for when you really need to plug in a flash drive.
This method is specifically for USB Lock AP software, but these steps might also work for other applications that restrict or disable USB access.
You need to have the administrator password for the Windows system you’re attempting this on. If you are logged in as a restricted user account, use Ophcrack to find the admin password, or Ntpasswd to reset the admin password.
Now, login as administrator on Windows.
Open Task Manager either from search box or by Control + Alt + Delete. Find the process named ksalsdkf.exe and kill it.as
Now, open an explorer window and go to Tools -> Options -> view hidden files.
Assuming that the Windows install partition is C: and all programs are installed there, go to C:\Program Files\USB Lock AP. If the program folder is different, you can run a search to find it.
Delete all files in this folder. This will get rid of the software forever. Now, restart the computer.
It is likely that the USB drive or any other device you plugged in will not be detected. I know this because mine wasn’t!
To fix this, go to Device Manager (from search box or right click on Computer icon -> Manage).
You will see that one of the USB 2.0 devices has a yellow mark on it. Right click and uninstall it.
Now, replug your USB drive – it should be detected now.
In some systems, USB drives might be write protected, meaning that you can’t do anything useful even after disabling USB lock and getting the thumb drive detected. I encountered this error and gave up the first time. I later came across this Makeuseof article to fix this error.
