Insimenator.org

As many of you are aware, EA's The Sims 2: Bon Voyage, which was recently released, came with an anti-piracy software called SecuRom attached.  This program was not listed in any of the documentation available prior to installation, nor is there any option given to you to skip it's inclusion during the installation process.  Therefore, it installs on your system without knowledge or consent.  

There are many conflicting opinions on what this program will and will not do, but it is a potentially problematic software, that cannot be uninstalled without messing around in your registry files and/or reformatting your hard drive.  

EA stickied a post regarding SecuROM earlier yesterday morning.  The post made by MaxoidVanquish (aptly named) gave lots of links to Sony's website for SecuRom, but offered absolutely no official means of getting the program off of our systems.  Instead we were told that removal was not recommended as other EA titles might require it's use.  Little consideration for those of us who don't want the program, nor do they want any of EA's games on their system anymore.  This is not a good thing. EA's response to the situation is located here:

Bon Boyage and SecuROM Update! (http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?threadID=f4f3ae5709a6c367ce3b7dc30d00396a&directoryID=189&startRow=1&openItemID=item.189,root.1,item.43,item.104,item.41,item.127,item.23)
  
If you feel that their actions warrant some form of legal action, or even just want to get your money back for the game and/or any damage caused to your system, then I strongly suggest that you contact the appropriate agencies in your area for assistance.

Here are a few links which may be useful to you.  Remember to read their suggestions carefully before deciding on your course of action.  I'm by no means an attorney of any sort, but there may be implications in which way you proceed.  If in doubt, talk to a lawyer directly before committing to a course of action.  You may find many referral agencies in your area that offer low/no cost consultations.  So, utilize them if needed.


Useful Links:

For official letters of complaint:
Electronic Arts, Inc.
209 Redwood Shores Pkwy
Redwood City, CA 94065

A listing for ALL Attorney Generals in the US:
http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php (http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php)

National Association of Consumer Advocates:
http://www.naca.net/ (http://www.naca.net/)

The Better Business Bureau (for US and Canada):
http://welcome.bbb.org/ (http://welcome.bbb.org/)

Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/index.shtml (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/index.shtml)

What is SecuRom? by Beosboxboy
http://www.insimenator.org/showthread.php?t=61551 (http://www.insimenator.org/showthread.php?t=61551)

Celesta92059 has also graciously decided to post as much information as possible regarding this issue in her guestbook at the EA BBS.  The link to the main site is:  http://thesims2.ea.com/ (http://thesims2.ea.com/)  I don't want to give the direct link on this his/her guestbook, as EA is doing everything in their power to hide this whole issue from the eyes that glance their site.  There have been many locked and deleted threads and all posts regarding SecuRom have been moved to the Technical Forums, where they are making their final push to reclaim the boards.

So, please, if you feel strongly about this, take action. Let the company know that their behavior is unacceptable and that, as paying customers, we're not going to take their deceptive and dismissive practices lightly.

Thanks for reading!

Admin note: It's your choice what you do with your game, but I would like to remind you of the site rules which prohibit the posting or requesting for any illegal cracks, warez, etc. This includes no-cd cracks for the games.

Thank you, Auronette.  This is a very important information update, I will make it a sticky.

I would like to know what I need to get rid of in my registry. I'm fairly good around it and I would delete it. If it messes up my computer it's not like I can't fix it or help someone who can't. I will NOT be buying anymore Sim games if this is how EA is going to treat it's consumers. No way!!!!!! Sorry if I wasn't supposed to post in here. This just (a lot of words I can't use here) me off.

Thanks BBB for the sticky and for referencing it in your post.  :)

PiperK,

If you check out BeosboxBoy's thread What is SecuROM? (http://www.insimenator.org/showthread.php?t=61551) it lists a removal method for you to try.  I myself had my computer tech do a complete reformat, but I wanted to be absolutely sure the thing was gone.  The choice is up to you.  

Good luck!

When the second to last iL2 expanison pack Pe-2 and the final *complete* game 1946 both have secure-rom attached.

This post in no way advocates warez etc. But if you own the game, paid your money the game is yours to have. And how you use it *for you and you alone* is up to you. The iL2 communty semi-quietly and mostly thru Squadrons ( clan if you will ) forums tell thier members how to get around it. I am not technicly (s.p) versed enough to tell you if the same proceedure would work for Bon Voyage or not. But a No-CD patch was used and was it something specifically in that patch i do not know.  You installed the game and *BEFORE starting it for the first time* you replaced the .exe with the no-cd .exe and secure rom would not install. I know from looking tonight that there is a no-cd patch for it. And NO I will not tell you where it is, find it yourself. And Im not sure if the no-cd patch I saw will work with the new patch from Maxis or not ( depends if the patch changed the exe at all )

I dont have BV so I cant test if thats the case maybe one of ya'll that have it wouldnt mind trying. Whats one more fresh install of windows ;) .

Analog Kid

Hey PiperK1980, there's a really good thread over at maty how to remove securom and play bv. Its a sticky in the podium section.

All this talk, made me check and Sims 2 Deluxe also has SecuROM in it. :( .

Analog Kid

They said H&M stuffs pack has it too.  I have H&M.  I didn't know I was installing this anti piracy thing on my pc.  I wonder if that is why I have problems with so many programs I am using, mostly with my file manager program, PowerDesk.  I am having a hard time manipulating my files in ways I was used to.  I thought Vista was to blame but some things I am experiencing are not likely due to Vista.  Anyway, that is my problem to figure out.  I'm just commenting because it is not just Bon Voyage.  I am very mad.  They should put a disclosure on the package and people like me who are very novice with technical things can stay clear.  About piracy, I thought that is why we had to type in those awful long serial numbers.  That is not torture enough? LOL!

Thank you for all of the informative links, Auronette.  I'm sure everyone who is suffering from this whole situation will find them quite useful.  :angel:



You know, there was this one thread on the BBS that someone said they worked for a newspaper/magazine/website... or something to that affect.  Can't quite remember for sure, but I think they were one of the posters that was banned.  Not sure if this is the same person, but I sure as heck wouldn't be surprised if it was!  :lol:

Thanks I'll give it a try.

Thank you Auronette for the links and informative
I never even heard of SecuROM until I read your post then
Beosboxboy post about two days ago.

I most certainly will  



As I read more and more about this SecuROM'
It is just wrong!

One tiny voice added to many can bring  down empires… :albino:

In case ya'll dont know, and like it'll do any good :P there is an online petition. I signed it, just in case :)
 
From the canned email response I got after.
 
Dear Friends,
 
I have just read and signed the online petition: "Remove SecuROM From The Sims 2" hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petitionservice, at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/rsrts2/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and considersigning yourself.
 
Best wishes,
 
Me
 
BTW what the hell is a Moo-Bunny?

How come this wasn't a issue until now if its on other EP's and SP's?

Char
xxx

probably because those others werent as widely purchased

cause the previous stuff pks didn't run the .exe application that had securom software, since celebrations it was only required to run the latest ep and before bv the previous eps didn't have securom . Now bv has securom in the .exe application.

I have legitimately purchased every piece of the Sims game on my PC.  I've spent so much money to play this game, not just in software but in additional RAM and a bigger, faster hard drive and contributions to Sim sites.  I noticed the other day that Bon Voyage's minimum video card requirements have just (barely) exceeded what I have on my machine and was contemplating buying a new one if it became an issue.  But this news has got me thinking it's time to just retire the Sims 2 altogether and get on with my real life.

Hey guys, just did some looking around for ways to fix this problem. Check out *link removed* - I'm sure there's something there that'll be able to help :)

Have you guys read the latest round of BS we're supposed to believe?

http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?threadID=ca9cea8b8f6ed84fdc97f42d919e009d&directoryID=211&startRow=1&openItemID=item.211,root.1,item.104,item.41,item.127,item.23 (http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?threadID=ca9cea8b8f6ed84fdc97f42d919e009d&directoryID=211&startRow=1&openItemID=item.211,root.1,item.104,item.41,item.127,item.23)

Now BV is only to be played as a "temporary" EP....:smt104

Does that mean that the cash I paid for BV, which was full price as I bought it one release day was only temporary and I can get my money back?

^^  :oogle:  Why is the song "Going in Circles" playing in my head now?


Obviously, it's useless if you're going to do that now isn't it?  Why download it if you're going to just put the doggone thing back on?  And why after all this time does EA think people are going to trust customer support like that again?  :roll:

Thanks Zilla for the link- what I have read seems to be just a waist of time to use this tool…

 
"SecuROM doesn´t disable any drives.
Please be informed that SecuROM has no influence on the disc recognition under Windows. It appears that the issue is not SecuROM related.
The problem may be caused by an anomaly of your CD/DVD drive or a scratched disc."

Author:    MelissaPlyr822
How much longer must we endure this? I am glad to hear a FULL removal kit is underway, but that is still not the full solution to our problems. These problems will only return again once we decide to re-install these games with SecuROM on them. Just how often/gullible do they think we are in being willing to have our PCs messed with by adding and removing these games? I already gave them 2 chances with my system. No more! Enough is enough. We deserve the right to play the games we love in peace and with out having to deal with all of these issues, which many could have been avoided in the first place if they had posted on the box that SecuROM is included in these games. What we need to see is EA pull through for their loyal customers and provide a SecuROM free game of BV, H & M, etc. for us to use instead of having to turn to drastic measures of trusting hackers to provide a playable game that does not mess with our computers, which is the job that EA is supposed to be doing

The least they could have done is been honest about what they were going to do or not do in this case instead of waiting... http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?threadID=a3aaed73e9764ff83d0465bd15153160&directoryID=211&startRow=1&openItemID=item.211,root.1,item.104,item.41,item.127,item.23 (http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?threadID=a3aaed73e9764ff83d0465bd15153160&directoryID=211&startRow=1&openItemID=item.211,root.1,item.104,item.41,item.127,item.23)

:iamwithstupid11:

EA released a uninstall utility to remove the securom files:
http://thesims2.ea.com/help/detail.php?help_id=341 (http://thesims2.ea.com/help/detail.php?help_id=341)

What can I say?  I thank you very much for sharing this information.... to you, to Yakov, and to Celestia!  I have been fighting in the securom area for months now, with no real answers, no real help, and a whole lot of trolling going around.
Luckily there are those in the bbs area who are very supportive. Until they deleted the securom area, we had a good grouping of folks who were comparing our computer systems, in the hope of figuring out "Yes, this is a problem, no, that is not a problem."
We thought when we saw a message from MaxoidSam on Thanksgiving there was an end to the problem with the patch, but it was only a message to tell us that we were not having a problem, that securom did not mess with our systems, and that there were not that many of us complaining--so securom was not as widespread as we were making it out to be.  He said there are about 39 of you making statements over and over and over again; and a total of 141 in all complaints altogether. Not many have written our company. (of course I had to be a smart alleck, and ask for a special cd of the game that had no securom on it, since there were so few of us with the problem=didn't warrant an answer, I guess)
There was no way of answering this message, and it was locked up there at the top.
Now, the only place for us to talk about our mutual problems are in other places, in those who will allow us to talk about it; those who say it is not a problem. I beg to differ.  I am a creator here, and my computer was so whakko that I couldn't work with what I had.  It was lagging so much....well, it was a pain.  I am using another computer right now, until that one is fixed (sending me smoke signals--I think I need to replace a fan or something, but too broke to fix that right now--lol)
Anyhoo, I just wanted to let folks know what has been going on there. What we with problems have had to deal with. Please, if you have a problem, let them know--let them hear your voice. I am in there, as are a few others who are left.
Our securom area was deleted, but we are still in there, in the tech area. I am able to help with the creative area, but I read through the others ones, and it seems to me that there are a few more than 141 complaints in there.
They did finally bring out a patch, but it (they) didn't work for me. Darn! There were othes as well.  You had to use a different patch for each game, as well. After months of waiting for them to say something. I guess we're real hard to please in this.  I told them "I just want to play Bon Voyage, without the securom."
Sorry to go on about it.  I'll shut up here for now.
hugs,
Skye

They deleted the section? Sheesh. Yeah, nice going EA, that looks really good for your reputation in customer care...

So it's really gone now?!  :shock:  That is soo~ ridiculous... :angry7:

"Yeah... uh let's go ahead and delete this section, cuz all the people here are posting the same thing over again... plus we have the patch out, so problem solved!!!!1!"

*delete*

So now they can claim it never happened... :roll:

So let me if I have got this straight.
This Securom thingy, downloads onto your PC every time you place your cd in the drive so you can play BV?
Well that would explain why some people are looking to use a "No-CD hack" to get round the problem.

I must admit, it seems a bit excessive to buy a game and then have to wipe it from your system because EA & Maxis have included a messed up Anti-piracy program in with the EP.
And this it seems, is basicly EA's PR line at the moment. "Thank you for buying our fine EP. SecuRom has not been proven to cause the problems you have described, and Sony have told us that the problem is with your system and not their software. But if you don't beleive us and you really don't wan't Securom on your system, here's a nice program to wipe it from your computer, Just don't bother re-installing and playing the EP again."

It seems EA have totally missed the point as well as the plot, Some of us like the EP, but we really don't want something included that is going to harm our system. After all. That's why we use Windows

I did'nt see any mention of getting your money back. So now you have an expansion pack that your afraid to use and a £30 coffee coaster. Nice!:coffee2:

And do we have any idea if EA intend include this Malware with Free Time?
It would be a shame if it does. And after all the hype and high expectations that I have been reading in the forums. :smt120

SecuRom was created By Sony, and it is not the first time Sony have been in hot water over their (almost fanatical) Anti-piracy measures.
The last instance I heard of was Sony's inclusion of anti-piracy software on some of their Audio CD's, with the intention of preventing people from downloading music onto their hard drives - "Attempt to download your music into the player of your choice and get this nice trojan absolutly free."
Sony were taken to court and found guilty of producing and distributing harmfull computer code and handed a very large fine :punch:. This was a serious PR disaster for Sony. So, they decided to remove all the "Infected" albums from sale, or at least, the ones the public now knew about.

It's a pitty that Sony have not learnt from their past mistakes, and a real shame that EA & Maxis have now got themselve mixed up with a bunch of suits who cause more trouble and harm than the hackers and pirates they are attempting (and failing miserably) to stop.

There are always going to be "newbies" who haven't figured out what is going on. People are afraid to go into the bbs area because of all the abuse that is put upon them.
I wrote EA, told them of my problems, begged them to tell me if they were going to remove the securom.  They wrote me that Securom was the program they are using now.  Seems like a stubborn attitude for a company that is going down right along with those games that wreak havoc with their machines.
Yeah, folks write in the tech area of the bbs to find answers to their problems, but there's the "attitude" problem in there.  
The patch did not work on my computer, and on others as well.  And when you use it, you have to use a different one for each ep or sp you have in your computer.
Bummer, really. And more folks are coming out with the problem.  The next issue is going to be when Vista updates their programs. What is that going to do?

I just learned about this- and it explains so much of the problems I was having with the brand new pc i bought *just to play the Sims on btw*.

I can't believe it... what nerve.

I have uninstalled the EP's and Stuff packs that were corrupted with Securom and have used the tool to remove it...

But now I am realizing that I am stuck with three EA products that I paid my hard earned money for... and I can't use them...

WHAT THE????

So much for running out to get Free Time this week- forget that.

Grrrr...

I am doing a quick looksie to see what else might have been "placed" on my pc lately....

THE NERVE- I still can't get over it. GRRRRR

Thanks for posting this :)
I just wondered if anyone knows wether Freetime contains secuRom?
I presume it has.
But its worth asking i guess.
Thanks =)

Yes, whipstickgostop, it has been confirmed.  And they very well might be sticking with Sony for the long run... unless another catastrophe happens like it did with some people's computers and BV on a grander scale.  Though even then, I highly doubt they'd have too many second thoughts... :?

It might not disable drivers. Why my new dvd rw is not recognized then? I can't play the sims cds or dvds becuse they are "supposed" to be back up copies and the are originals. Oh, I'm so very, very mad!!!!

It seems to me that EA is shooting themselves in the foot.  The old out of sight, out of mind mentality.  Not everyone has the memory equivalent to that of a gnat and most people hit by this will definitely remember.  It's rather amusing in that EAxis (by refusing to address this) is encouraging folks to use cracked copies just to avoid SecuRom.  I buy my games under the undoubtedly niave view that they are "safe".  No more.  I sit here staring at my shiny, new system, I have to ask myself..."Is it worth it?".   I think not.  That leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth and a bunch of useless CDs.

If you restart your computer, each time you plan to play the game - and you start the application from "All Programs", and not from the short cut - you will overcome all obstacles of the Securom, and will be able to enter the game without any problems.

I do it all the time. Never had any problem to play the game.

It's a nice thought, but usually the shortcut and the listing in "All Programs" normally call the same file.

Maybe your just one of the lucky people who can play the EP's without the code knocking your CD/DVD drive into orbit!

It really does seem to be a hit and miss problem. Some systems run the new EP's with no problems. Other systems have a mental breakdown...

I'm not playing devils advocate here (honestly I'm not!) But it seems that there has to be a common factor between the systems that are having problems?

I don't think that it's a matter of luck. I have Core 2, more than 7 months old, and I think most of the players bought it too.

Besides, if I try to activate the application, even after I surfed the net (not to mention changes I make in any folder of the computer) - the game doesn't upload, and I get a message, that the program doesn't respond.

ok so since I don't see a removal tool for kitchen & bath, is it safe to assume that it shouldn't have any problems like the others one have? Cause I just installed it and ran it and now I'm panicking.

Try running CD/DVD burning softwear. if it works then they might just have fixed it.

it let's me open NTI and get to the screen where you add tracks. I don't have anything to burn, but if the program loaded and got that far, can I assume that I'm OK?

http://reclaimyourgame.com

has some very interesting information about SecUrom including info on the pending lawsuits against EA. I for one am sick of EA treating me like garbage so I contacted the attorney who is handling the class action and urge anyone who is tired of EA carrying out these types of practices to send the attorney an email... Lets as the site say RECLAIM OUR GAME!!!

OH SH*T! I HAVE H&M! It's so obvious why it won't install! I will be complaining!

I always thought - "wow, I've never had these Securom related problems, I am so lucky!" Hmmpf, that was until I downloaded the AL patch from the exhange. Suddenly I couldn not play as Securom picked up my various DVD-writing programmes, which I refuse to disable, as my games are legit and I use the programmes often to make LEGIT movies etc.

Thought of uninstalling AL to get rid of the patch, but I was away on holiday and only took my AL disc with, not the box with the serial number.

I emailed Securom and EAxis, got a feeble reply from EAxis, telling me to disable any emulation software - blah blah, useless feedback. Securom requested my analysis log, which I duly sent, and they replied with a link to a new executable, which I used to replace the original executable, and voila, I can play again.

Needless to say, when I received an email from EAxis, wanting to know how their service was, and if it solved my problem, I didn't respond too favourably.....

Anyway, I thought I'd reply to this thread in case anybody else was having problems with Securom after getting the patch! There is help!  1rock

This has been very helpful I thank all of you for this information :kiss:. I wanted to ask BlooM where she got the no cd fix. That sounds like a good thing to have.

This includes asking about no-cd cracks.