A required security module cannot be activated

[Ham920]

I’ve been playing Silent Hunter 4 from Pearl Harbor to September 1944. I recently received the following error message when opening the game –

"A required security module cannot be activated. This program cannot be executed (6000).”

I Googled for solutions and found that the message had to do with the security Ubisoft puts on the game. I saved my SH4 folder with my game saves, uninstalled and then reinstalled the game. I read that a No CD crack could solve the problem so I downloaded a No CD crack and used it to execute the reinstalled game. It worked until I started adding the 1.5 version that allows you to run the game without the CD in the drive. The No CD Crack doesn’t work with the patches or the upgrade and I can’t use the SH4 folder to get back to September 1944. I’m not a PC genius and was looking for a simple solution. Is there an executable file that I can use to start SH4 1.5V? Has anyone received this error message and corrected it? Will Ubisoft have an executable file I could use? PLEASE HELP!!! I was hopingto be able to get tot the end of War - September 1945

[TorpX]

You should say what kind of operating system you use, whether you have the disc or Steam version of the game and such. I have never had any issue like you describe, but someone more computer savy will be along who can help you. Good luck. :)

[Ham920]

Thanks for the advice.

The operating system I’m on is Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3, the PC is Gateway Model 5200S, NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT graphics card, with a Realtek HD Audio rear output and I loaded the game from a disc rather than from Steam. I would very much appreciate it if anyone could help me clear this message and load the SH4 1.5 version.

[Rockin Robbins]

Hi. Welcome to SecuROM--protecting you from stuff the Sony behemoth deems threatening. You don't say what version of SH4 you are running.

The early versions had full-blown SecuROM. The d2d download version has a less toothy version of SecuROM (after they promised that SecuROM had been totally removed, the liars. That's reason enough never to buy the d2d version). What you are running into is SecuROM scanning your computer and comparing your installed software to a Sony blacklist of prohibited software. If you have one of them, for instance, Microsoft's Process Explorer, running, you get this message. The message doesn't tell you what is wrong. You have to study it closely even to tell that a silly game is trying to tell you what you can't run on your personal computer.

The complete contents of the blacklist is unknown. Identifying the offending software can be a problem because SecuROM feels no obligation to help you eliminate the offender. As in the example of Process Explorer above, the list contains software having no bearing at all on piracy and in Process Explorer's case, is a way to settle the score for a personal offense.

SecuROM does nothing to prevent piracy. It is a trojan horse of the worst type. It is fraudulently sold for big money to hapless game companies who think it will do some good. But it defends against harmless software, while the true piracy software runs unhindered. When people download pirated software, SecuROM is stripped completely from the game and the crooks who steal games are free from the abuse that comes from such trash. We, the ones who pay for the game are punished for being honest, with an uninvited trojan horse refusing to run our game unless we eliminate the blacklisted software, which it will not identify.

Don't blame Ubi. They are the primary victim of the fraud of anti-piracy software. It cost them at least 50% of sales for SH3, SH4 and SH5. Compared to any of us, they were much more heavily victimized. We are just secondary victims, bycatch in fisherman's language. Enjoy!

There is only one version of SH4 that does not contain the problem and that is SH4 Gold Edition. Since you can buy it for $5, that is your best solution. You'll have to uninstall your present version and then install SH4 Gold.

I have not and will not buy any DRM protected game until DRM does what it is supposed to do without impact on legitimate buyers of the software. There are just too many alternatives for my money and I don't feel a bit deprived. When enough people follow my example the situation will change.

Interestingly, if you can identify the offending software, you can write a batch file to shut it down, run SH4 and then restart the piracy software (RIGHT!!! Like Microsoft is publishing piracy software. Just go away! I'm running it). SH4 will run happily with the offending software actually running concurrently, proving that SecuROM does nothing at all that would prevent piracy software from being used. It is just a cruel and expensive joke on Ubi and us. I would argue that its effect is much worse than any piracy it would prevent, which is none at all. SecuROM is the harmful element. Piracy just provides games for those who would not have bought the game anyway. We, the honest consumer, buy the games we want and would do so in much greater numbers if the "anti-piracy" software did not exist. I have quit buying DRM infested games altogether.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/screenshot176.jpg

[Ham920]

Thanks for the information - you appear to be well versed on the issue. As you indicated in your reply, I am of course running a legitimate version of the game. It was the original version I bought that came in a box - version 1.0 I believe, which I upgraded by downloading the 1.5 version that contained the German Scenarios for SH4.

You indicate that if I upgrade to the gold version for $5.00 that will solve the issue. Is the 1.5 version not the gold version? If not where do I buy Or download the gold version? I assume if I upgrade to the gold version I can simply substitute the old SH 4 data that has where I was in Septemer 1944 for the new SH 4 data file from the gold version??? Thanks again for your help and your reply.

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, your data can remain intact. Uninstall SH4 with the installation program to get rid of SecuROM. There is an option to retain your data. Then install SH4 Gold, then any mods you had. Remember to install the exact mod configuration you were using before!

Then you will be able to play as if nothing had ever happened, all careers, missions and everything else intact.

[Ham920]

Thanks again. I've ordered a Gold copy of SH 4 and hopefully I'll be able to get back to my career. It really stinks that I have to buy another copy of this game to finish the career. It's a good game but there must be another way to protect the product from game pirates without causing issues for legitimate users. Thanks for your help.

[Rockin Robbins]

Here we had a game company with a handful of money and a problem. They met a less than honest "anti-piracy" company with a bunch of experience. The one with the money ended up with nothing but a bad experience. The one with the experience ended up with all the money.

Then they ran out at sign up with an even more egregious raper of customer and game company rights than Sony for SH5. At some point Ubi deserves their fate.

[aanker]

Is your shortcut to start the game configured to start using gu.exe? If so change that to use sh4.exe in the same folder where gu.exe is.

gu.exe checks for updates. There will be no more updates and even if there were you would hear about them here.

sh4.exe just starts the game.... nothing more.

I have never had an issue and patched from the original 1.0 release to 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, as they were released, then purchased the 1.5 add-on.

I noticed the gu.exe around 1.4 and changed the shortcut back to sh4.exe.

Happy Hunting!

[Ham920]

I went ahead and purchased the gold edition for about $10.00, saved my career files, loaded the gold edition, loaded my saved files and was able to continue my career from where I left off. I did not see aanker’s posting about using the gu.exe file until after I got the gold edition. Long story short, thank you both – Rockin Robbins and aanker - for your replies. I’m on my way again – thanks!

[aanker]

Main thing you're out on patrol again! :)

Happy Hunting!