SecuROM in download version of Sam&Max - Episode 201 - Ice Station Santa???

[DjNDB]

I just started my download version of "Sam&Max - Episode 201 - Ice Station Santa" and I got a SecuROM error 5024.

I thought SecuROM was only used in the DVD versions?

I now know it's complaining about Process Explorer, but i don't agree that i have to stop using my preferred Task Manager or, to fix it temporarily, restart my PC every time i want to start the game, just because of some paranoid user-restriction mechanism.

Please remove it from the download versions so i can play them without getting annoyed as it was with Season 1.

Regards,

Andy

[Maratanos]

You know, there are ways around SecuROM...

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by Maratanos

You know, there are ways around SecuROM...

Sure, but why should i have to resort to those?

Btw. i just found out that the more recent versions of Process Explorer don't make problems as long as they are not running at the time the game is started. That's at least helping with the current issue.

But anyway, SecuROM should not be in the DL Version. It's only a matter of time till someone runs into another problem with it.

[SoWhy]

I agree. Securom does not prevent any piracy anyway because sooner or later it's getting cracked anyway, mostly sooner. But it annoys people like me who paid for it and now can't play it (correctly/without restrictions on my PC). Please remove it from the DL Version!
(Remember Ubisoft and Starforce, it cost them a huge number of customers using a restrictive security software..)

[Nebulus88]

I agree with you guys, I totally disliked the idea that Securom was installed on my computer. I know that Securom is a CD/DVD copy protection, but there is no DVD or CD for the downloaded version - so why was securom needed in this case ? I would like an aswer to this problem.

PS: I discovered the fact that Securom was installed on my computer after the game refused to start a few times, invoking a securom error !

[tabacco]

Securom isn't just a disc protection system, they also do online activation. We switched to it because it works way better and unlocks more reliably than what we used to use.

Also, we don't use the level of securom that installs crazy device drivers and things.

[Maratanos]

Well.

Try this:

http://forum.sysinternals.com/printe....asp?TID=11086


Should solve your problem so long as they're not running concurrently.

[fpostma]

Originally Posted by Nebulus88

PS: I discovered the fact that Securom was installed on my computer after the game refused to start a few times, invoking a securom error !

There are no device-drivers installed for online-checks. Nothing extra is installed to be exact, it's just SD embedded into the Sam&Max executable/launcher. For that matter, SD only really installs it's own driver if you install the game as not-Administrator if I remember correctly.

The most annoying part of all of SD is indeed it has a list programs/drivers it doesn't want to see running. A new version of Process Explorer should unload properly on exit, it's on the wishlist but hard to get done. The current PE leaves the driver in 'memory' so to speak, which makes perfect sense but isn't liked by SD. Be aware that unloading PE using 3rd party programs might make your system less stable, you ARE moving a low-level kernel driver after all. Do take care. (would be surprised if that even works for Vista btw;-)

SD and PE operate on the same (low) level, SD wants to be alone and above all unseen Security by obscurity, ah well.. I asked SD support this once, here's their reply:

Originally Posted by SecuRom Support

'Process Explorer' has dumping capabilities as well as registry monitor / file monitor capabilities. This could be used to trace the behavior of SecuROM.

Therefore, we do not allow the game to start when this software is active.

We have no immediate plans to allow this software in the future.

Best regards,

SecuROM Support Team

Stuff like that does hinder acceptance of copyright-protection software though. Although I understand their reasoning.

I hadn't noticed SD in the online version myself, 'cos I don't run any of their black-listed programs at the moment

[DjNDB]

Originally Posted by Maratanos

Well.

Try this:

http://forum.sysinternals.com/printe....asp?TID=11086


Should solve your problem so long as they're not running concurrently.

As is stated earlier it also works with more recent versions of Process Explorer. I updated to 11.04.

[Nebulus88]

Originally Posted by tabacco

Also, we don't use the level of securom that installs crazy device drivers and things.

Maybe not, but I still had to use a disk editor to remove the files with strange names left behind in securom folder. And I disliked that pretty much.

[fpostma]

Originally Posted by Nebulus88

Maybe not, but I still had to use a disk editor to remove the files with strange names left behind in securom folder. And I disliked that pretty much.

What SecuRom folder, I don't see it here on my XP system??