The "Sentinel Key Not Found" error in Autodata (commonly version 3.45) indicates that the software cannot communicate with its license protection dongle or its digital emulator. This issue is often caused by driver conflicts, missing registry files, or administrative permission restrictions. Common Causes of the Error
The “Sentinel key” refers to a USB hardware dongle (from SafeNet / Sentinel) that acts as a copy-protection license key for Autodata. The error means the software does not detect the dongle, even when it is physically plugged in.
Try temporarily disabling your antivirus to see if Autodata opens.
You must specifically "pass through" the USB device from the host machine to the guest operating system in the VM settings.