Technical Help needed - SH4 vs Windows 10

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Roger Dodger

I 'think' I'm beginning to understand what's happening here. There is a 'scanning' sub-program (by Sony) called SecuROM, which is 'supposed' to keep folks from pirating Ubi's programs. . . and if it can't/won't run, SH4 can't install at all. I'm assuming here that SecuROM is the "Required Security Module that cannot be executed", which gives the Error 8016 so the install won't finish. Does that sound about right?

Exactly correct. SecuROM runs first, scans your running processes for prohibited programs and only starts SH4 after your computer passes the test. SecuROM error messages are really cryptic and a trip to the SecuROM website is sometimes necessary to sort out the difficulty.

Originally Posted by Roger Dodger

Neither SecuROM or [your] Process Explorer are running on my computer, according to the Task Manager - either as a 'Process' or a 'Service'. SecuROM 'may' try to run only during SH4 install, but 'WHAT' is keeping it from running??

Now that I understand WHAT is happening, the next question becomes WHAT DO I DO ABOUT IT? I've seen on other boards that SH4 + Windows 10 works just spiffy. Am I the 'only' one that is having this problem? If it works for others and it works OK with Windows XP, I should be able to get it installed and working. [Or have I been relegated to the backwater of the war as Cargo Officer on a supply ship?]

Once again, as mentioned in the original post, this is a brand-new computer. Windows 10 was installed (on an SSD HD) as the original OS - it was not upgraded from Windows 7 or Windows 8[.1]. Other than updating some of the ASRock, Intel and other drivers, almost nothing has been added (to the SYSTEM). Why won't it work?

Some of the other games I mentioned in the original post are even more video intensive than Silent Hunter IV, but I have been able to install and run the programs - not always without a hassle. The entire ANNO series is by Ubisoft, and installed and ran without a problem at all - all the games I have anyways; Anno 1404, 1503, 1602, and 1701. All the Anno series are very video intensive, and all are by Ubisoft.

Here is what systemrequirementslab.com says about the Intel HD 503 video capability:

Features: Minimum attributes of your Video Card
...........................Required............... ....You Have
Video RAM: 128 MB [256 reccommend]..... 4.0 GB
..........3D:..................Yes................ ..... Yes
Hardware T&L..............Yes..................... Yes
Pixel Shader version..... 2.0..................... 5.0
Vertex Shader version... 2.0..................... 5.0

'They say' it won't work for SH4, even though it meets (and greatly exceeds) all the requirements needed/recommended (as shown above).

game-debate.com says it will work just spiffy (the graphics get 2 stars, the CPU and RAM get 8 stars).

So, it 'should' work. The only thing I haven't tried is downloading a new SH4 from Direct2Drive (the v1.0, v1.3, v1.4 and the U-Boat missions). I've already paid for the game (and U-Boat), and D2D 'should' have my record.

This method did work for Civilization II - I couldn't install it from the Install CD, and had to download a new one (for free) from http://gamesnostalgia.com/en/game/sid-meiers-civilization-ii. Now runs without a hitch, although the problem was somewhat different (installed OK, but crashed when choosing your Civilization).

I really like to get back to sinking Japanese shipping. Anybody have a solution?

LtCdr Roger Dodger

Most probably the situation is a double-sided one. Both sides are caused by the fact that in Windows Vista and above (Windows 10 is not unique in this regard) Windows system directories are protected by a vicious guard dog who bites if any of a list of unapproved activities takes place from that directory. SecuROM undoubtedly violates several rules there!

Also, SH4's structure puts your mods and mod activation software within the protected \Program Files (x86) directory. Just as soon as JSGME starts changing game file structure, Windows says "not so fast, bub!" And if the game would start, mods wouldn't work.

The solution is to install the game into a directory \Wolves of the Pacific attached directly to the root directory instead of within the \Program Files (x86) directory. Then the guard dog doesn't waste his time barking at your mods.

It is possible that Microsoft's changes have benefited some entry level users who don't have the knowledge of how to protect themselves. But it's absolutely guaranteed that UAC and all the other Microsoft guard dogs have severely inconvenienced all intermediate and advanced computer users. And their claimed protective function has been proven over and over again to be entirely minimal. These guard dogs have no teeth and only bite their owners!