A technique for accessing features of a hardware adapter includes reading a first key from a hardware adapter and attempting to decrypt the first key with a second key. In response to the second key successfully decrypting the first key: encrypted code from the hardware adapter is read; the encrypted code is decrypted with the decrypted first key to generate unencrypted code; and a default code in an executable flash sector of the hardware adapter is over-written with the unencrypted code. In this case, the unencrypted code facilitates access to at least one feature of the hardware adapter that is customer specific. In response to the second key not successfully decrypting the first key, the default code in the executable flash sector of the hardware adapter is not over-written. In this case, the default code facilitates access to one or more features that are not customer specific.