Sony

[Rockin Robbins]

Edited: marean_m is mistaken. SecuROM continues working after installation, no matter what Sony told the developers. Every time SH4UBM is started SecuROM scans running processes for Process Explorer and probably the other Microsoft Sysinternals utilities by Mark Russinovich. If it finds any such processes running SH4UBM stops in its tracks and displays:


Note what program is displaying in the "dialog" box: SecuROM. Click the link and SecuROM spills the beans:


My recommendation is that people not purchase the U-Boat Missions Add-on until Ubi can fix this abomination. If you are not affected, think about what you do as company encouraged by the success of its disdain for customers (Sony, not Ubi. I believe Ubi and the devs were told this wasn't going to happen. At least it would have to be proved to me that they knew better before I would throw any of the blame their way) will grows more and more intrusive, financed by the money you pay for its product. Sony sold it to you without your knowledge or consent. Sorry maerean_m, that is a definition of evil in my book.

It's time to say "The nonsense stops here!" I own my computer and I reserve the right to run whatever lawful software I wish to run for lawful and honorable purposes. Ubi has a right to protect its product and I believe that is all Ubi was trying to do. I believe Sony lied and in the process they destroyed Ubi's customer goodwill. I certainly will not be purchasing any more Ubi products until the Sony garbage is totally gone. Copy protection is entirely legitimate. This garbage is not.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Then assuming it has no functions after installation we can all leave this thread and begin swapping war stories.

Time to brush up on my German!!! how many liters in a kilometer?:rotfl:

All that for nothing RR. Get squared away, ship shape and head out on patrol

[jimbob]

Hello Mrs Securom.
j/k

Originally Posted by maerean_m

You can play SH4 without the need for the disk to be in the drive.
Personally, I don't know any other company that does this. All my games either require the disk on start-up or use an online check (e.g. Steam).

Check out X3 The Reunion, they pulled the impossible longtime ago
and took away the "need of the cd" for playing in a patch.

It's a space sim allrite, but they got a nice community going
with a lot of mods to add.

Pretty much like Silent Hunter, but in space.

:rotfl:

[Seeadler]

Originally Posted by maerean_m

You can play SH4 without the need for the disk to be in the drive.
Personally, I don't know any other company that does this.

- Egosoft -> X3
- Microsoft -> FSX, once activated no disk is required
- Sonalyst -> Dangerous Waters
- Lead Pursuit -> Falcon 4.0 AF

[stabiz]

A big to Ubisoft for removing that requirement from SH4.

[jazman]

So, I switched directories to try the addon: I switch the big install directory, but I just renamed the one under "My Documents", not switching. The SH4 directory associated with the addon is "SH4_UBOAT".

So I try to start the game, and up pops a dialog box:

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=5025 for futher, more detailed information.

And there's only an "Ok" button there.

In other words, the game won't create a new SH4 directory for me. It won't work. Now, how about the SecuROM directory under my Application Data folder?

I rename it SecuROMx, and I get the same error.

Guess what? Don't try this at home. I reset everything to run the add-on, and I still get the error.

EDIT: OK, this is all Operator Headspace Error. I started Process Explorer to test RR's thesis, and promptly forgot what the heck I was doing.

[jazman]

So, you can't run Process Explorer if you want SH4 working? I have verified this. Sheesh.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Originally Posted by maerean_m

Let's make things clear for everyone:

• The add-on uses one part of SecuRom.
  • SecuRom has one component for online activation.
    The add-on makes use of this component and only for the download version (which seems to be the only version of the add-on that is being sold at the moment).
    When activating, SecuRom accesses a server to check if the activation is correct.
    After the activation, the SecuRom module will not access any server, ever.
  • SecuRom has one component for disk checking when starting the game. The add-on doesn't use this component.
• There is no crack protection in the add-on (like the big eyes and the 2D crewmen in the gold version).
• SecuRom is not StarForce.
• SecuRom is not evil and is only used to ensure that the download version is being used only by people who bought the game.
• SecuRom stores some keys in the Windows registry, but doesn't contain a "rootkit" or any other modules that people associate with "conspiracy theories".
• You can play SH4 without the need for the disk to be in the drive. Personally, I don't know any other company that does this. All my games either require the disk on start-up or use an online check (e.g. Steam).
• You are perfectly safe.

ALL of maerean_m's post sounds absolutely reasonable to me!

I would have posted my findings
(and I'm not a computer neophyte by ANY means!)
but maerean m covered them all.

I run programs that would make most people shiver and
proclaim me a Pirate!!

But it all works fine!!

Put the SecuRom issue to rest!!!

And why are you running Process Explorer while playing anyway?
Process Explorer itself is a system hog.
There are much better programs.

[jazman]

Originally Posted by privateer

And why are you running Process Explorer while playing anyway?
Process Explorer itself is a system hog.
There are much better programs.

Examples?

Originally Posted by jazman

And why are you running Process Explorer while playing anyway?

Examples are easy to find if you know what your are doing.
Answer the question I posed first.

[MONOLITH]

Originally Posted by maerean_m

Let's make things clear for everyone:

• The add-on uses one part of SecuRom.
  • SecuRom has one component for online activation.
    The add-on makes use of this component and only for the download version (which seems to be the only version of the add-on that is being sold at the moment).
    When activating, SecuRom accesses a server to check if the activation is correct.
    After the activation, the SecuRom module will not access any server, ever.
  • SecuRom has one component for disk checking when starting the game. The add-on doesn't use this component.
• There is no crack protection in the add-on (like the big eyes and the 2D crewmen in the gold version).
• SecuRom is not StarForce.
• SecuRom is not evil and is only used to ensure that the download version is being used only by people who bought the game.
• SecuRom stores some keys in the Windows registry, but doesn't contain a "rootkit" or any other modules that people associate with "conspiracy theories".
• You can play SH4 without the need for the disk to be in the drive. Personally, I don't know any other company that does this. All my games either require the disk on start-up or use an online check (e.g. Steam).
• You are perfectly safe.

This is all I need to hear.


For the panic stricken, I'd imagine you could remove just the secureRom files after you've unlocked the add-on?

There are no files to remove.
It is only away to insure you have your install.
No processes run afterwards.
It does not mess with installed programs
(I run IDA often and I'm sure the Dev's know what that is).


It's a non-issue!!!
Let it die.

[MarkShot]

After installing the add-on.

Can you run PE and SH4 1.5 together or not?

I do run PE as a replacement for TM.

Thanks.

[MarkShot]

After installing the add-on.

Can you run PE and SH4 1.5 together or not?

I do run PE as a replacement for TM.

Thanks.