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.

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.

Update from me on SecuROM (aptly sub-titled suckurom by someone):  My game crashes regularly & if I didn't value BV so much, I'd give it away with its Prima Guide & reload the game to Seasons as the last update that is worthy.  I find these 2 files each time before I start up (Accessory.cache & Groups.cache) & delete them. The game will regenerate these files without the screwups in them-- there may be other screwups but this lightens the load.  It takes longer to start the program but I get fewer lockups & crashes.  I have no intention of buying anymore Sims2 add-ons & I certainly would not buy Sims3 & let those wild buccaneers from EA into my computer further.  Soon there will be other 3D games that don't involve recharging electronic killer blasters or driving at amazing speeds.  I don't trust the guys at EA not to write programs directly into my computer from their computers.  EA computer, writing directly to Roger's computer in Ring0: EA puter--"You will do exactly what I say." Roger's puter-- "Yes master."  Unhappy simming, Roger9.

to Zelia Theb:  My CD drive does what you describe during the Sims2 game after I loaded Bon Voyage. Previously I had everything except stuff pacs up to Seasons & I had no problems. Now, while playing the game, if I take pics & go to 'Storytelling' to label the pics, the SecuROM program thinks I'm stealing something & starts rattling the CD drive.  If I forget to take the BV CD out of the drive at the end of my game play, sometime the SecuROM program starts up if I'm downloading Sims stuff from the net.  Occasionally, the drive goes crazy when I doing things totally unrelated to the Sims. It's the SecuROM program attached to Bon Voyage & everything since then.  I'm sure of it now.  It has nothing to do w. heat or fans.  I have a brand new Quad4 CPU, tons of hard drive space & 2 gigs of RAM.  Recently, I've been experiencing many lock-ups & crashes that I never had w. Seasons.
to Tenshii Akari:  I tried deleteing the Accessory.cache & Groups.cache a couple of times lately before I read your post-- got the info from SimWatch-- & it certainly helps.  I also removed the file 'ContentRegistry' but that one does not regenerate in my game.  Those 3 files are tagged onto the File 'The Sims 2' without a sub-folder.  But-- where or where is 'cigen.package' ?  Thanks for Reading this. Roger9.

Hi rockguitardevil-- it would help other people if you would tell us about your machine, the CPU, RAM & video card & size of hard drive when you have no problems so people buying a new machine would have some idea of what to buy when they are upgrading. roger9.

To Tomkat-- been away. Read your post & I think you should tell us how to get a no-cd/dvd unless it's illegal or very fattening. I also think people posting their problems & successes about SecuROM should say what hardware they have & whether they run Windows XP or Vista (or ME, or 98,etc). Then we would have better knowledge about what systems SecuROM is screwing up.  Another point to Tomkat-- You don't legally own all your games.  If you read the licence agreement that they make you sign when you download the game from web or CD, you will usually see legaleeze statements about your limited right to use the game, your total prohibition from copying it or any parts of it, & on & on.  If you own a car you can do what you like w. it-- If you own a game, there is very little you can legally do with it except play.  So I'm taking my own advice above in this post & here goes:
My computer has an Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 @2400MHz, Ram: 2x 1024DDR2-SDRAM, Nvidia GeForce 8800GT video card & a ST3320620AS 320 GB hard drive which is 10% used. I am operating w. Windows XP Home edition 5.01.2600 Service Pack 3.  This should be enough power to run anything & any game now in existance.  BUT-- It still takes me 2 or 3 tries to start up Sims Bon Voyage.  Once it's running, I have no problems w. freezes or other crap.  If the computer has been running & I had time away from the desk & it's in sleep mode, starting up I always get some error message. Either it's a dark screen w. a frozen load that won't ever respond to control-alt-delete. I have to shut the unit off manually & start again. Or, the BV CD sends messages like, "Take the backup CD out of the drive & try the original disc."  I don't have a back-up, I wouldn't know how to make one & I am using the original BV CD that came w. my purchased game.  The third error message is "Time out. Insufficient time to search for the disc. Try Again?"  You can imagine my frustration when I get all 3 of these error mesages in one attempt to play the game, one after the other. If I didn't enjoy the BV add-on so much, I would delete the whole mess (after saving my documents, of course) & reload up to  Seasons & play with that.  Does anyone know if EA plans to fix this mess or are they just moving on as usual?  Roger9

SecuROM is a protective privacy package designed by Electronic Arts to prevent people from altering or copying parts of their programs.  It seems to affect different computers in different ways. Read up at http:\\securom.sublimesims.net\ for more detail. For those who report no changes or problems in their computer behaviour, aren't you the lucky ones?  I have to reboot my brand new computer before I put the Bon Voyage disc into the machine, every time.  It's still worth having that tropical island in my game, though.  Roger9

to:mary-- I think what I read about SecuROM on the SAS site is 'scary' in as much as people are claiming sustained damage to their hardware & software programs after loading Sims2 Bon Voyage w. SecuROM protection. I think the SAS site is a good idea-- it's good to examine what SecuROM does to people's computers & let the general public know whether this is a real threat to the average computer's ops system by an over-zealous programmer at EA trying to protect their intellectual property from being stolen & used by other game design groups or-- you still with me?-- just a greedy program you can unload & everything in your system will be OK again.  To deelicious1920:  From what I've read, SecuROM is a piracy protection program that Electronic Arts has included w. Sims2 Bon Voyage, one of the Fashion Packs for Sims2 (I can't remember which off-hand) & every program since then including Free Style.  People have claimed that, after loading BV or Free Style, they cannot burn CD's & other programs on their computer have been altered. I suggest you visit Mary's SAS site w. web addy above to get more info. Roger9.

I forgot to mention one thing I think is important.  I asked for Windows XP on my new computer instead of Vista.  I hear the problems in Vista only complicate the problems in SecuROM.  Also, The BV CD disc, on startup, asks me frequently to use the original game disc instead of the backup disc.  I don't have a backup disc.  I just take the game disc out of the drive & reinsert it at a different angle.  SecuROM never asks twice.  I also want to tell people reading this, I hate people who steal intellectual property, that is artistic designs & writing & computer programs.  I have had furniture designs stolen from me in my design career & I know the pain.  Have a look at this site.  http://securom.sublimesims.net/smf/index.php It is a pretty scary place to visit but they seem to have a serious attitude.  Roger9

In February, this year, I lost the game owing to crashes. I also lost my backups. Long story. Recently, I bought a new computer-- Quad core CPU, 2gigs RAM, a wicked video card w. 520 ram on it, tons of hard drive space-- I reinstalled.  I have all the add-ons to Bon Voyage (BV).  I loaded everything up to Seasons & started rebuilding & populating Pleasantvew.  I found my 1000 downloads, still zipped, on another computer.  I have unzipped & installed most of them over a week. Then I installed BV w. the dreaded SecuROM.  While running with Seasons, I could shut off the game, go online & download some stuff-- not mods & hacks, mind, just stuff like eyes & clothes-- put them in the game & go back in.  After installing BV. I have to do this:  Make sure the BV disc is never in the machine unless I'm about to go into the game. Re-boot my machine everytime I download any product from the net & install it into the game.  Re-boot my machine each time, after I close the game & make sure I remove the disc from the CD drive.  If I don't take these precautions, the brand new state of the art computer jams & goes to black screen where even CntrL-alt-delete won't get me to Task Manager & I have to unplug the whole thing, reconnect & then boot up new.  If I leave the BV CD in the machine, it starts up chattering when I'm doing things totally unrelated to Sims2.  Like a rookie cop that's gotta look at everything I'm doing. It's un-nerving.  I must say the game runs well when I get it loaded & the load time after the Custom Products Screen is fast.  I assume SecuROM stops looking around then.  I have heard rumors that SecuROM writes itself to Ring0 instead of Ring3 which puts it in charge of the basic ops system (Windows) if it wants.  That's scary.  I may delete the whole game & reload up to Seasons but I really liked Vacations in the old Sims1 game & I'd like to try BV here before I make a final decision. I certainly won't be buying Free Style or the new Sims3 game when it comes out.  Happy Simming, Roger9

To Ark Sky:  I take a lot of pics of sims & their houses in my game. I should have known off-hand, the pics are bmp not jpg.  They are about 480 kb. I posted 3 to Image Shack-- Roger before & after.  My just opened file there is Roger93 'cause Roger9 was taken by my imaginary evil twin.  Enjoy. Roger93

To Ark Sky: I don't even know where to find an 'image hosting website' or what it is. I've sent small files attached to e-mails before but most people send small pics inside e-mails now because of the viruses that got attached to external files.  I would need a step by step instruction on where & how to send the 2 pics to you.  Incidentally, I use AVG for anti-virus protection & my machine is clear of all, even spy-ware.  Roger9.

To Ark Sky:  OK, I've just finished playing a week of Roger's life.  He did become a vampire but he didn't like it one bit.  Count Jonathan Costillo & Roger had an affair-- the Count bit Roger on the neck in a state of high enthusiasm-- and Roger ended up being 'a creature of the night' after one bite.  Roger soon showed displeasure in 2 of his 4 want boxes-- One box said 'buy vampricillin' & the other said 'cure Vampirism'.  Count Jonathan actually brought $50t to the house when he moved in w. Roger & so he bought 2 vials of vampricillin from the Matchmaker (who actually makes house calls in the middle of the night-- really lucky for vampires who are tired of flapping away as bats in the night, trying to find their own coffins).  They both took the antidotes at the same time & violently turned back into mortal Sims w. their old skin colours.  They are really fond of each other so I think I'm going to keep them together. The only problem is Count Jonathan-- a former NPC, has retained the strange habit of holding his arm/cape in front of his face while he's walking-- even in his underwear.  They will both keep their vampire formals-- it helps get them a table at the Crypt O'Night Club when there is big name entertainment playing there-- you know.  Oh, I have a couple of small JPG shots of Roger as a vampire, a really cute vampire.  One with him snarling at Jonathan.  I'd like to send them to you if you could tell me how to upload them to this page or anywhere else you would like.  Thanks for all the fun,  Roger9.

Roger is not a vampire yet but he's hanging out w. a dude named Count Costillo whose teeth kind of give him away when he hisses.  Roger is playing w. matches in the proverbial dynamite shed.  Roger9.

I have played Sims2 for a long time now but I shied away from some aspects of the game such as werewolves & vampires.  Your Roger arrived in my game at the port of Montreal (Pleasantview's Downtown) from some mysterious European origin with a 'turn on' for vampires.  I found some black exercise gear for him to wear & a black Speedo for him to swim in.  He arrived w. a million dollars & even though immigration didn't believe his story of origin, they let him into Simsylvania.  He bought the House of Fallen Trees in Montreal-- the one w. 2 coffins in the very deep basement.  Before he moved in, Roger spent over 200,000 Simoleans on house renovations & new furniture, including expensive beds but he still likes a coffin in the basement when he's tired.  All my many Sims in Montreal love him, they walk by, come in & stay for days.  Married women, house servants from the expansive manor houses, school boys-- every sim thinks he's mucho hot.  He drives a black Hunka 750 & hangs out at night in the Crypt O'Night Club around the corner from his house.  He's recently met a Hungarian Count who occasionally hisses & disappears just before sunrise with some flimsy excuse.  I'm not sure that Roger wants to be a straight vampire or a gay vampire but I'm sure he's going to end up as one or the other if he isn't mugged by the 3 viscious ghosts who wander around the back yard at night.  If Roger comes home from the Club while it's still dark, he has to sprint across the back yard to use the rear stairs up to the house.  I worry about his health at times.  He's becoming a rich & spoiled playboy. Thanks for my namesake.  He's one slim beautiful male who doesn't need to muscle up to make this game exciting. Roger9.