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Minimal USB Token Driver Installation Guide (Windows 10/11)

Posted by Sonny Yu on Apr 21st 2025

Supports: Aladdin eToken, Gemalto IDPrime, SafeNet, Axalto, and similar USB tokens or smart card devices

Files Required

To install your USB token or smart card reader driver manually, make sure the following three files are in the same folder:

  • your_driver.inf – Setup Information File

  • your_driver.cat – Security Catalog (Digital Signature)

  • your_driver.sys – System Driver File (Kernel-Mode)

Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

Step 1: Plug in the USB Token

  • Insert your USB token (e.g., eToken Pro, Gemalto IDPrime) into any USB port.

  • If Windows shows a “Device driver not found” message, this is normal.

Step 2: Open Device Manager

  • Press Win + X → Select Device Manager

  • Look for:

    • Unknown Device or Smart Card Reader under Other Devices

    • Or an entry under Smart Card Readers with a yellow exclamation mark

Step 3: Manually Install the Driver

  1. Right-click the unidentified device → Select Update Driver

  2. Choose:
    Browse my computer for drivers → then →
    Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

  3. Click Have Disk

  4. Browse to the folder with your .inf, .cat, and .sys files

  5. Select the .inf file and click Open → OK

  6. Follow the prompts and click Install

⚠️ Note: You may be prompted to confirm installation if the driver is unsigned or self-signed. Click Yes or Install Anyway if you're confident about the source.

Step 4: Confirm the Driver is Installed

  • The device should now appear under Smart Card Readers, USB Devices, or its official name (e.g., eToken USB Token).

  • You can double-click it in Device Manager to check status, version, and other properties.

Optional: Unsigned Driver Note

If your .cat file is not WHQL-signed, you may need to temporarily disable driver signature enforcement in Windows. Let us know if you need help with that step.

Driver File Summary

File Type Purpose
.inf Installation script for Windows
.cat Digital signature metadata file
.sys Core driver file used by Windows kernel system

Download Driver

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