First use guide for Atola DiskSense

Here’s how to install Atola Insight Forensic software and connect Atola DiskSense hardware unit for the first time to start imaging evidence devices.

Step 1. Download and install Atola Insight Forensic software

Atola Insight Forensic software requires a PC with Windows 10/11 (64-bit). Check minimum and optimal hardware requirements before installing the software.

  1. Go to the Atola Insight Forensic Downloads page and download the latest version of the full installation package.
  2. Run the installer and proceed with setup steps.
    If Windows warns you about an unrecognized app, click Run anyway and allow the app to make changes to your device.
  3. Optional: If you don’t have Microsoft .NET and Microsoft SQL Server on your computer, the installer prompts to install these components.
  4. After the installation is finished, reboot your computer. Don’t launch Atola Insight Forensic software yet.

Step 2. Configure your network

DiskSense is pre-configured to use a static IP address.

If your computer has no Ethernet port, you can use the USB-to-Ethernet adapter included in the package. Connect it to your computer before configuring a network.

Use a static IP address

  1. In Windows, open Network Connections: press Win+R, enter ncpa.cpl and click OK.
  2. Right-click your Ethernet adapter, and then select Properties.
  3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4, and then click Properties.
  4. Enter the following network settings:
    • IP address: 10.0.0.XXX, where XXX can be any number from 1 to 254 except for 188.
      Default IP addresses of the DiskSense unit are 10.0.0.188 and 192.168.0.188. The IP address of your PC's Ethernet card must be different from that of the DiskSense unit.
    • Network mask: 255.0.0.0.
      If your PC and the DiskSense unit belong to different subnets, the connection can’t be established.
    • Gateway and DNS server can be left empty or set to any value.
  5. Click OK.

Step 3. Connect DiskSense

  1. Before setting up and connecting DiskSense, write down or take a photo of the Device serial number. It is located on the bottom of the DiskSense unit. You will need the Device serial number on Step 5 to activate the Atola Insight Forensic software.
  2. Plug the power supply cable to the DC IN socket on the back of the DiskSense hardware unit.
  3. Connect an Ethernet cable to DiskSense ETH1 port.
  4. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to your PC or router.

Step 4. Power on DiskSense

  1. Make sure that there are no USB devices attached to the DiskSense hardware unit.
  2. Using the PWR switch on the back panel of DiskSense, power on the unit.
  3. Wait for the Unit Status LED on the back of the unit to stop blinking. It can take up to 30 seconds.

Step 5. Launch and activate Atola Insight Forensic software

To activate Atola Insight Forensic software, you need the Device serial number of the DiskSense hardware unit. It is located on the bottom of the DiskSense unit.

  1. Launch Atola Insight Forensic.
  2. To prevent blocking communication between the software and DiskSense hardware unit, in your firewall and anti-malware, allow access for insight.exe.

There are three options to activate Atola Insight Forensic:

  1. Online activation. Choose this option if your computer has an internet connection.
  2. Offline activation. Choose this option if your computer does not have an internet connection, but you can use a USB drive.
  3. Offline activation by code. Choose this option if your computer does not have an internet connection and you cannot use USB or any other removable drive.

Online activation

To activate Atola Insight Forensic online, you need to have an internet connection on your computer.

  1. In the Activation dialog, choose Online activation and click Continue.
  2. Fill out all fields in the Activation form and click Continue.
  3. Atola Insight Forensic confirms that activation has been successfully completed. Click Finish.

Offline activation

To activate Atola Insight Forensic offline, you need another PC with internet connection and a flash memory stick.

  1. In the Activation dialog, choose Offline activation and click Continue.
  2. Fill out all fields in the Activation form and click Continue.
  3. Save the Activation****.aa file to a USBstick.
  4. Using another computer connected to the internet, go to activation.atola.com.
  5. Click Choose File to upload the Activation****.aa file from the USB stick, enter your email and click Submit.
  6. Atola sends you an email with an Activation response file: Response****.ar. Save this file to your USB stick.
  7. In the Insight Activation dialog, submit the Response****.ar file from the USB stick and click Continue.
  8. Atola Insight Forensic confirms that activation has been successfully completed. Click Finish.

Offline activation by code

To activate Atola Insight Forensic offline by code, you need another device with internet connection (PC or mobile).

  1. In the Activation dialog, choose Offline activation by code and click Continue.
  2. Enter Device serial number located on the bottom of the DiskSense unit and click Continue.
  3. Save the following information from the Insight Activation dialog:
    • Hasp ID
    • Insight version
    • Checksum
  4. Using another device connected to the internet, go to the Atola licensing webpage: activation.atola.com/ActivateByCode.
  5. Fill out all the fields on the Atola licensing webpage, including:
    • Device serial number (from the bottom of the unit).
    • Hasp ID, Insight version, Checksum (from the Insight Activation dialog).
    • Your email, phone number, and organization.
  6. Click Submit. Atola licensing webpage generates an Activation code and also sends it to the email address you provided.
  7. On your computer, go back to the Insight Activation dialog, enter your Activation code and click Continue.
  8. Atola Insight Forensic confirms that activation has been successfully completed. Click Finish.

Run Atola Insight Forensic on several computers

Activation details are stored in the DiskSense unit itself. If you decide to install the Atola Insight Forensic software on another computer, there’s no need to reactivate it.

It is permitted to install multiple copies of the software on many computers and use a centralized database for convenience. See Network database setup.


Change or reset an IP address of DiskSense

Change an IP address

To change the IP address of the DiskSense unit, choose one of the following:

  • Run Atola Insight Forensic and go to Insight > Modify DiskSense Unit IP
    Or,
  • Use DS Unit Update Tool, by running the DSEthernetUpdate.exe file located in your Atola Insight Forensic folder.

Reset an IP address

  1. Power on the DiskSense hardware unit.
  2. While the unit is booting, press and hold the small IP RST button on its back side.
  3. Still holding the IP RST button, wait until the Unit Status LED stops blinking.

Now the unit has default IP addresses: 10.0.0.188 and 192.168.0.188.

10Gb network connection

For saving time when imaging to a network folder, we recommend using a 10Gb Ethernet extension module.

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