StarForce driver is not compatable

[tyler4402]

Hi all. I have just reinstalled my Silent Hunter3 after making the mistake of installing Windows7 Pro as my operating system.

Now the SH3 game won't start as I get a message that the “StarForce protection driver is not compatible and has been deactivated”.

Does anybody know if there is an upgraded driver, or a work around for the problem? Or is my favourite game kaput ?

[Sailor Steve]

The workaround I used was to buy a newer, Starforce-free copy of SH3. Very cheap, and if you go through the link at the bottom of the page Subsim gets a small cut. :sunny:

[Robin40]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=160118

[tyler4402]

Windows7 SP1 32 bit
BIOS Award F3 V6 00PG
1 500Gb HDD Operating System
1 250Gb storage drive
1 80Gb storage drive
Gigabyte H55M-D2H rev 1.4
Intel Core i3 550
Memory 2 x 4096
Nvidia GeForce GTS 450
Controller Intel 3400 2port ATA- 3B26
Comodo Firewall
Avast - Anti virus


Hi Steve My thanks for your fast response, I am out of touch as for the last 6 months I have been sorting out my PC problems after changing to Windows7, I did not know there was a version 5, so if I need to buy another disk I would like some info first, for questions like is version 5 the Atlantic war? if you can tell me where to look for more info I will be grateful.
I also have a SH4 Wolves of the Pacific that I have never played, as my last PC was not good enough, although this uprated PC might be.
Regards Robert.

[Herr-Berbunch]

As nice as it is to buy another copy, following the stickied thread regarding SH3 and Win 7 worked just fine for me and includes the official get-rid-of-StarFarce solution.

That said, make sure anything else you buy is via the Amazon/Subsim link. ;)

[Sailor Steve]

I did not know there was a version 5, so if I need to buy another disk I would like some info first, for questions like is version 5 the Atlantic war? if you can tell me where to look for more info I will be grateful.
If you're talking about SH5, it's been out almost two years now. It is set in the Atlantic. It is nothing like SH3. It is better in some ways, but still lacking some essential features. Whether or not you like it depends on what you want from your gaming experience. I suggest you read the SH5 forums to figure that one out.

I also have a SH4 Wolves of the Pacific that I have never played, as my last PC was not good enough, although this uprated PC might be.
Is your SH4 copy the original or the U-Boat Missions Gold edition. Whether your want to play an American Pacific war game or not, you're better off with the full edition, as it fixes some problems and most of today's mods are geared toward that version, and some won't work at all with earlier versions.

[tyler4402]

Hi again, thanks for your help, the SH4 disk is about 3yrs old and I can't see anything saying gold on the disk, so I think it will be one of the first v4's
I guess that Herr B must have been lucky as my version will not work as the message says the protection driver is now deactivated, includes the official get-rid-of-StarFarce solution. does this quote man that there is a way of uninstalling the driver to make the game work? If so where do I find this solution?
I will check ot the SH5 forums as the Atlantic war is the prefered one, regards to all Robert.

[SquareSteelBar]

http://www.star-force.com/support/drivers/

Look to the bottom of the page

[tyler4402]

Hi SSB

Thanks for your suggestion, I did download the driver update but it did not work, so I downloaded the starforce driver uninstaller, and that does not work either and I still get the message when I start up the PC, so it looks like I will have to mend it with a more up to date version,
Regards to all, Robert.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I'd recommend uninstalling SH3, cleaning with a reg cleaner (I use ccleaner - it's quick and free, and I've had no hassles with it). Reinstall as per stickied thread (don't run game, sf remove and no disk blah blah). :yep:

If you'd installed and tried to run game before doing what's suggested it probably wouldn't work.

[tyler4402]

Hi again SSB, Many thanks for your prompt reply, sorry I'm no good at abreviations and little unsure on a couple of points

Reinstall as per stickied thread ? and "sf remove and no disk" ?

I do use crap cleaner at the end of each week and after every uninstall, it's very good. Regards Robert.

[Herr-Berbunch]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=160118

Also -

When you install the game, do not install in the default location, instead create another folder outside of that (Program Files) and install there.

[GT182]

Tyler, send me a PM and I can send you all you need to remove StarForce from SHIII. There will be a cleaner to to remove any leftover SF junk. You'll have to load SHIII first tho but DO NOT run the sim, and then use what I have. No need to buy another disc of SHII unless you want a clean copy and the 1.4 Patch already in it.

As for SH4, get the last patch UBI put out for it and install it. Then you'll be all set.... no copyprotection, and IIRC you shouldn't need the cd to play SH4.

[tyler4402]

Hi GT 182
Did you getn my PM?

[Robin40]

Hi GT 182
Did you getn my PM?

read this thread

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=160118

[tyler4402]

Update

Hi guys, I have mucked about with this for long enough, thanks for all your ideas but I think I will mend it with a new one, via the Amazon/Subsim link.
Regards Robert :DL

[tyler4402]

Hi again
I am a little confused as I have been on the UK Amazon Sub-Sim site and found two SH3 DVD Disks one quite cheap at £2.49 sold by Focus Multimedia, and the other sold at £9.97, I wonder if there is any difference besides the price?
And unfortunately there does not seem to be a a way of telling if they are the latest copies of SH3 without the dreaded SF incorporated, or old stock copies.
And I am also a little worried as I have not found anything in the game reviews that say they are Windows7 compatible, only XP and 2000
Regards Robert.

[Sailor Steve]

The Revival version is definitely newer and Starforce-free.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-Hunter-III-PC-DVD/dp/B0035ER6F0/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1327171322&sr=1-1-catcorr

That's the only one I can vouch for. As for Win7, SH3 came out before there was a Win7. Many players will tell you it works fine on Win7 as long as you install it outside of Program Files.

Be sure to use the link at the bottom of the page so Subsim gets a cut.

[tyler4402]

Many thanks Steve

My order has been placed, regards Robert.