SecuROM Discussion Thread

[gorobei]

Umm.

I installed the demo, but there's no sign of SecuRom in appdata or registry. The machine running it is W2K. What's going on here?


[And Yes, i have hidden folders viewable.]

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: gorobei
Umm.

I installed the demo, but there's no sign of SecuRom in appdata or registry. The machine running it is W2K. What's going on here?

I couldn't find it either.

 

[TBSN]

OK, so I opened Regedit and under HKEY_CURRENT_USER->Software I found the SecuROM folder.

The first folder in that folder is named "!Caution! NEVER DELETE OR CHANGE ANY KEY".

Hmm, interesting name. When I click on that folder, it says that it cannot open it: error while opening key.
I can open the rest of the folders under SecROM.

Should I just delete the whole folder?

 

[CP5670]

Yeah, that's the troublesome key. You need a third party program to get rid of it, like the RegTrash thing I mentioned earlier.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: gorobei
Umm.

I installed the demo, but there's no sign of SecuRom in appdata or registry. The machine running it is W2K. What's going on here?

I couldn't find it either.

I do not think that SecuROM is in the BioShock STEAM demo, I am basing my information on whether the BioShock (nonsteam) demo has it based on websites and what other users are saying. It is possible that 2K games removed it from the demo, I do not know. If you have installed the BioShock demo that did not come from steam, run rootkit revealer and see if it picks up SecuROM. If it does not, then do tell what the date on the download was or if there was a version change.

You two playing the STEAM demo? It should not have it.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
I do not think that SecuROM is in the BioShock STEAM demo, I am basing my information on whether the BioShock (nonsteam) demo has it based on websites and what other users are saying. It is possible that 2K games removed it from the demo, I do not know. If you have installed the BioShock demo that did not come from steam, run rootkit revealer and see if it picks up SecuROM. If it does not, then do tell what the date on the download was or if there was a version change.

You two playing the STEAM demo? It should not have it.

I downloaded the demo from Gamers Hell about 5 minutes after it was released I already uninstalled the demo and deleted the installer but I definitely ran Rootkit Revealer before that and it didn't find any NULL keys or anything I've seen described on forums.

I just double checked manually in HKCU\Software and found a Securom key with 3 or 4 entries. I had no problem deleting that with RegEdit.

 

[Zbox]

As far as I know SecuROM is in the BioShock Steam demo.

The Steam demo refuses to run if process explorer is open...

 

[TBSN]

OK, I scanned my computer with Rootkit Revealer. I don't know much about registry keys or whatever so bear with me. There are 4 items that show up. Does this mean that they are connected to SecuROM, or could they be important to the OS?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Zbox
The Steam demo refuses to run if process explorer is open...

That almost confirms that SecuROM is in the steam demo as well

Do you get an error message?

There are 4 items that show up.

Post a screen shot of it and I will take a look.

 

[Mem]

Ars Technica has their say on the subject Clearing the air: Bioshock does not contain a rootkit .

The 2k Games FAQ for the game even addresses this issue, stating: "SecuROM DOES NOT USE any root kit technology in its implementation. SecuROM Product Activation does place a folder and registry keys on your system. These folders are used only for storage of license information and information to assist with disc authentication. Please do not modify or delete these files. Tampering with these files may result in authentication issues."

Systems like SecuROM attempt to defeat common modes of piracy, but are indeed loathsome to gamers, as they quite often cause problems for legitimate users who have paid full fare for their games. They also make it difficult for gamers to move game data to a hard drive for easier play and quicker access.

You can read the rest in the above link.

 

[Zbox]

after running process explorer and launching the Bioshock demo from Steam:

Bioshock-Demo Only:

A required security module cannot be activated.
This program cannot be executed (5024).

Please have a look at http://www.securom.com/message.asp?m=module&c=5024 for further, more detailed information.

 

[TBSN]

I found this explanation on how to delete SecuROM on the Eidios Forums:

After some investigation I found a way how to completly remove Securom from my PC. Here is it:
1. stop UAService7 service (CTRL+ALT+DEL, find it and kill it)
2. using e.g. Autoruns (http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html) remove this service and delete the file \windows\system32\UAService7.exe
3. delete the folder Documents and Settings\<your_user_name>\Application Data\SecuROM
4. delete the folder Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SecuROM; in case of any deletion problems use DelInvFile tool
(http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm).
5. delete securom registry keys using regedit
6. key named HKLM\SOFTWARE\SecuROM\!CAUTION! NEVER DELETE OR CHANGE ANY KEY* contains embedded nulls and cannot be removed using regedit; use e.g. RegDelNull tool (http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/RegDelNull.html) instead of it.

Original Thread

I still haven't been able to get rid of it, but maybe others will have more luck...

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Yup, SecuROM won't start if PE is running, or even if the driver is still loaded after PE has been closed. A restart will be required. There are some programs out there that can circumvent this by temporarily hiding the driver handle (usually by renaming it) from SecuROM. There are also other programs like PE that aren't blacklisted by SecuROM.

I guess they don't want anyone to know what SecuROM is actually doing.

 

[gorobei]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: gorobei
Umm.

I installed the demo, but there's no sign of SecuRom in appdata or registry. The machine running it is W2K. What's going on here?

I couldn't find it either.

I do not think that SecuROM is in the BioShock STEAM demo, I am basing my information on whether the BioShock (nonsteam) demo has it based on websites and what other users are saying. It is possible that 2K games removed it from the demo, I do not know. If you have installed the BioShock demo that did not come from steam, run rootkit revealer and see if it picks up SecuROM. If it does not, then do tell what the date on the download was or if there was a version change.

You two playing the STEAM demo? It should not have it.

I think the download was from gamershell. opened up a ProcExp and demo gave SecuRom error.
ran rootkitrevealer and got 3 entries:

HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\Secrets\SAC*
HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\Secrets\SAI*
HKLM\SECURITY\Policy\Secrets\XATM:7bb4ff39b583-4f0d-a30a-c4ecd4605*

So registry entries but no "doc&setting\user\appdata\secuRom"

 

[aCynic2]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

[*]I am angry about this DRM in games

• Vote with your wallet and do not buy the game and just live without it.

• 
  
  This is what I intend to do. Now that I know what SR will do to my very expensive machine, I'll avoid any game that attempts to install this on it.
  
  However, I don't think publishers/developers are making it known up front if they are using that POS, so I think it's gonna be an after-you type of test.

 

[seanp789]

Nothing new here...
a) why does a single player game have to connect to the internet to be played?
b) even the music industry is offering DRM free songs, when has DRM every really helped a game sell more copies?
c) if a company violates its own license agreement when does the class-action start.
d) seriously, who the **** said to Sony "hey that sounds like a great idea, lets put that in our game"

I've waited years for this game only to boycott b/c of this crap fest

 

[nova2]

"seanp789 said: when has DRM every really helped a game sell more copies"

take a look at:
> splinter cell chaos theory - that didn't get starforce cracked by RELOADED for 13months 26 days
> 'implementing crack protection for spyro' - they had good success, but not nearly as good as chaos theory.
http://www.google.com/search?&...otection%20for%20Spyro

Now, if you personally don't believe DRM can help increase sales during the first 30-60 days (or several months), that is your oppinion, one I do not agree with.

 

[Pocatello]

I guess I won't be getting the PC version of Bioshock after all.

 

[nova2]

go for it.

compare
http://www.metacritic.com/game...forms/xbox360/bioshock
and
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/bioshock

 

[hooflung]

Originally posted by: nova2
go for it.

compare
http://www.metacritic.com/game...forms/xbox360/bioshock
and
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/bioshock

I don't think anyone is stating the PC version is not as good. You fail to realize that people don't like it when DRM is put on the PC without knowledge. Next thing they will say is that we don't actually own our computer hardware and it is ok to put 'trusted' computing chips on video cards that interface with the OS. Oh wait, that is exactly what they are going to do.

This is about Consumer rights. Where do we, as consumers, draw the line with lobbying companies in the digital age. Xbox 360 version pops in and play's as expected. The PC version does not and there is 'uncertainty' and 'lack of trust' already with the technology known as DRM to warrant companies to find ways to meet their customers half way.

 

[nova2]

@hooflung: The DRM (the very common securom) is for Bioshock only. It is only run when you run Bioshock.
(but note, i guess, if you install it as a limited user, then there is a service installed, i don't know if it runs automatically or on demand only, also note most winxp users run by default as an admin and not limited user)
So it probably does not significantly matter to most if they knew or didn't know about securom.

I don't know about you, but I'd expect Bioshock (a AAA game or whatever you prefer) to come with
some kind of DRM like many other triple A PC games.

As for TCG: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing_Group
that's a whole nother issue that goes beyond what securom does for Bioshock in this securom specific topic.

I know that it could be much worse, but it isn't for Bioshock's Securom .
As for Bioshock's 5x5 activation limit, if they don't remove it completely later on, that'd be weird and lame.


Personally I prefer when disc authentication is removed after the company has gotten most of its profits out of the product.

 

[imported_Bee]

quite an interesting read for you folks: here

So, I'm pretty sure the developers of Bioshock (Levine and his team) didn't have anything to do with the decision to choose the worst incarnation of SecuROM on their latest game. Tim Perry must have been getting tons of hatemail lately. It seems 2K didn't like the thread (probably because Ken mentioned his name ) but couldn't delete it soon enough....

 

[nova2]

"bee said: the worst incarnation of SecuROM"

whats so bad about bioshocks securom version? (i do not mean the 5x5 activation limit)

I see people hating on it but I haven't seen any good reasons why.

 

[imported_Bee]

Originally posted by: nova2
"bee said: the worst incarnation of SecuROM"

whats so bad about bioshocks securom version? (i do not mean the 5x5 activation limit)

I see people hating on it but I haven't seen any good reasons why.

these are a couple of new "cool" features of Bioshock's SecuROM version:
1) for $50 you purchase a license to rent the game for up to 5 x 5 installations. Pray that their activation server is online, YOU must be online anyway.
2) they limit your rights to install whatever software you like on your computer.
3) they create a potential security hole on your computer which can be exploited by an experienced hacker.

need more?

 

[Stas]

he obviously didn't RTFM.

I would also like to note that some people blame the developers of a game for including some BS DRM hacks. The truth howerver, is that developers write the code for the game, everything else is done by the publisher. I'm considering donating $20-30 (I don't think software monst... giants like Ubi and EA give them more than 50% from a sold copy) directly to the dev team while downloading the game and using a crack