What's your take on Securom?

[homerette]

Here's my take on SecuROM:

*I used my factory installed disc drive to back up my personal information once a week.

*After installing BV, I could no longer use my disc drive.

*After researching and following every instruction from my computer manufacturer, EA and burner manufacturer, I still couldn't use my disc drive.  Then I heard about SecuROM, and the issues listed on EA's very own site were identical to my own.

*After using the removal tools EA provided, I still couldn't use my burner.

*After finding and using the SecuROM removal tools at SAS/RYG, I found SecuROM still on my system in spite of using the removal tools.

*I removed SecuROM and now I can once again burn cd/dvd's.

I don't pirate; I personally don't want to or agree with it.  I believe that game manufacturers' have the right to protect their products.  I don't, however, believe that they have the right to interfere with the legitimate operation of my computer, nor do I believe they have the right to lie to me about the products used.  In my experience, EA did all of those things.

[abaris]

Like or not, I think around 50% of all games that come out these days have Securom. So are you going to quit playing games just because they have a copy protection? You just insert the disc and play. It's no big deal.

The answer are no DVD/CD patches. That's what I am doing. They may be in the grey zone, but being an IT journalist for quite some time now, I make it my policy not to install something on my computer, that has close relations to malware and have at least the potential of the "ET phones home" syndrome.

The mentioned starforce of course is another one of these goodies.

[Paden]

Just because some people don't have problems with SecuROM, doesn't mean that others haven't. I'm one of the unfortunates that have and let me tell you, I'd love to take that DRM and ram it down the throat of whoever invented it and see how well they function after the removal. Check out the PRISM if you want to take off the blinders and actually find out what it's all about.

[roger9]

My new situation w. Bon Voyage & Securom.  First let me say I don't copy games for any reason & I take the copyright agreement with manufacturers seriously.  I find most software designers reasonable & respectful of their customers.  EA, packaging SecuROM for the first time w. their Bon Voyage add-on to the Sims, are not respecful of anyone's computer software or hardware.  I have posted my problems earlier in this thread-- the lock-ups, the crashes, the need to take the original game disc out of the drive everytime before I shut down & endure frequent error messages that were just plain silly when I tried to load Sims@ again.  After reading the whole site 'reclaimyourgame' and several other related sites, I took the chance of wrecking my ops system by going into my regedit, sys32 in Windows, several other places including my Docs file-- and deleting all the files related to SecuROM.  I followed instructions carefully.  I found & downloaded a 'no CD patch' from a site called GameCopyWorld.  I can joyously report that it's fun to play the game again.  At start up, it loads to neighborhood in less than 2 minutes.  I have 80% fewer crashes & no stupid error messages  like 'use the original game disc' etc.  I can close the game to do other things w. my computer & open again in much less than 2 minutes.  I cannot buy any additional Sims add-ons because those discs would load SecuROM all over again.  I don't want to go thru' the nerve-wrack of doing this again.  I caution anyone planning to go this route of the dangers.  Before following the removal instructions, back up all important files everywhere in your computer & don't do this when you're tired-- you're risking screwing yourself back to a reformatting of your hard drive. Be aware that the back ups you just made are probably infected w. SecuROM so, if your computer ops system is not diminished by your scrubbing out SecuROM, you should delete the backups afterwards.   There are now game review sites that will tell you if new games coming out for sale have SecuROM on them for security.  I respect EA's desire to protect their intellectual property but, at this time, they are only screwing their customers w. SecuROM cause-- according to the web sites I've reviewed-- it only takes between one day & a week to crack the security codes in Sim games & then the barbarians are copying the discs & selling them over the net.  I'm happy when my computer is happy.  I knew I had a general problem when, one day, I had forgotten the Sims Bon Voyage disc in the drive & it started chattering furiously when I went on-line.  I hadn't played the Sims for 24 hrs. What was SecuROM doing?  Reporting to headquarters?  Roger9.

[abaris]

Be aware that the back ups you just made are probably infected w. SecuROM so, if your computer ops system is not diminished by your scrubbing out SecuROM, you should delete the backups afterwards.

Backups aren't infected with Securom. Securom is rooted deep within your system, not your neighbourhoods or any other given stuff on the surface. It's, like I ave said many times before, basically a root kit with the potential to bring harm.

Mind the word potential!

For me though, any potential to change the setup of my rig without my knowledge, is intolerable. Most users probably won't face any difficulties unless they run virtual drives or use software like Alcohol or daemon tools. In this case securom might demand the removal of said software and drives.

[Tenshii~Akari]

As despicable as SecuRom may be, it is not a virus, as abaris has said.  Your backups will still be safe to use.  To clarify on what a rootkit really does:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

SecuRom is along those lines by disallowing certain parts of your machine to function correctly whenever it sees a "potential" threat of pirating, though not in direct control of another hidden "user", but of bad coding itself.  People have gotten lucky, like nobody7382 and others, but there are still others who have come across problems because SecuRom doesn't like their hardware or software installed, even legal software.  As invasive as that is, I don't blame people for being angry about it... heck, I was quite angry about it when I first found out it does that, but I've since calmed down over the issue, seeing as it won't do me any good to be yet another "unaffected rager" about it.  :lol:  And yes, the potential of people making up stories about it on the BBS and other sites is there... but honestly we can't rule out the possibility of said stories being true, right?  (...well, the "outlandish" ones are most likely unbelievable, but those along the lines of the normal symptoms that everyone has experienced should be considered.)

[luf100]

I must not have problems with SecuRom, because I don't even know what it is. I have Bon Voyage and Freetime, and I don't remember ever having problems with them when I installed them, or anything after they were installed. O_o

[Tenshii~Akari]

I hear that someone (or a certain company) is getting sued.  :twisted:

Interesting, though... wonder how this whole case will turn out.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on the news matter.  :lol:

[EKozski]

Ther'a another class action suit over their Sports Games too.

[abaris]

Interesting, though... wonder how this whole case will turn out.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on the news matter.  :lol:

Yeah, that's why I always say, that this piece of crap doesn't get an invitation to my hard drive. It's just another step of corporate suits adressing the consumer as the enemy. You're very welcome to deliver your money, but don't mind if we're taking over your computer.

I certainly hope they pay dearly - more than a whole legion of pirates would cost them.

[roger9]

Maybe if enough of us sent e-mails to our favorite game review sites, they would start by testing the security programs that the game designers were using & report whether the new games were safe to use when they were released.  It's not just EA that is buying SecuROM from Sony to prevent piracy. Roger 9.

[andy_matthews]

I hear that someone (or a certain company) is getting sued.  :twisted:

Interesting, though... wonder how this whole case will turn out.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on the news matter.  :lol:

I read that in school today. Maybe SecuROM will be gone as a result...


Oh, and I found http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/09/23/Spore.pdf

[cuddles]

I can't wait to see what happens to the Spore DRM lawsuit!

[abaris]

But do you know what pisses me off the most?
To some postings I read someone uploaded a hacked version to a torrent site, just 7 hours after the sales officially started.

So they are plaguing us with a software that did nothing to stop the pirates at all. What a shame.

Yeah, that's the major issue. Disk protection - each and everyone - is useless and only there to annoy those, who are actually willing to pay. That's corporate wisdom at its finest. Annoy those who're still paying for your crap and maybe you can generate a whole new generation of pirates by pissing off your customers.