Using a Crack with AnyGameStarter

[Darby]

Thanks to Zazazu and others (baaa!) in the SuckyROM thread, I have rid my computer of that crap and am now playing my full game (everything up to AL) from a crack. 

However, I also have a 'hood in which I'm running an apocalypse challenge that was started before I got FT and AL, and I'd like to use Numenor's AnyGameStarter to exclude those two EPs from it.  Problem is, I can't figure out where to install the cracked exe for BV in order to run this "anygame".  Hepl, pleeze?

I've exhausted my best Google-Fu and use of the search feature, but have not been able to find the answer.  I'd ask Numenor himself except that he apparently does not approve of the use of cracks and wouldn't, I'm sure, tell me - assuming he even knows.

[Gwill]

Where on earth have you been looking?
Last I checked http://www.gamecopyworld.com had no-cd cracks for every EP with and without patch installed.

[Darby]

Not looking for the cracks themselves - I've got those.  My question was, where do I put the crack for an AnyGame?

I may have finally figured it out this morning while taking a closer look at things in hopes that I could articulate all this well enough to not sound like a complete idiot.  So...

I know the AL crack for my full game goes in C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Apartment Life\TSBin, and all is working brilliantly on that score.  Now I think the BV crack I need to use for my any game goes in C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles.  The shortcut generated by AGS points to an application called "hidcon" that's inside the AppFiles folder, so that same folder is where I now have the cracked BV exe.

New problem, assuming I've even got the crack it in the right place now, is that it's not working.  When I try to run the BV anygame by clicking on the BV crack shortcut, I get an error that's simply a red circle with a white "X" in it.  What am I doing wrong?       

   

[Zazazu]

I would suspect it needs to go in the same place as for your full game. Like with AL, but C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 BonVoyage\TSBin.

[Darby]

That was my first thought, but how do I get the BV crack shortcut to recognize I'm trying to access the anygame rather than the full game? 

ETA: When I try to launch it from there, I get the error that I'm running the wrong version and need to use Apartment Life instead. 

[bowrain]

Just click on the AGS shortcuts. I use AGS all the time and I use no cd crack. Just make sure you have the no cd crack properly installed on the latest EP of the AGS setup.

[Darby]

Tried that too, but it just asks me for the BV disc.  Is the AGS AppFiles folder indeed proper place for the crack?   

Edit: I've tried five combinations of setups for getting this damned thing to work, but still no go.

Combo 1: BV crack is in C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 BonVoyage\TSBin and I click the BV crack shortcut to launch.
It tells me I'm running the wrong version and need to run Apartment Life instead.  I assume this setup has no way of recognizing that I'm trying to launch an AnyGame as opposed to the full game.

Combo 2: BV crack remains in TSBin folder and I click the AGS shortcut to launch.
It tells me to insert the BV CD.  Makes sense as the AGS shortcut is pointed to "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\hidcon.exe" Start_AnyGame1.bat  -f -f -noparam - not the BV crack.

Combo 3: BV crack is now in "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\BVNOCD.exe.exe", which is the same folder the AGS shortcut points to.  My thinking is that in an AnyGame, the "hidcon.exe" is analogous to the EP6 exe in the BV TSBin folder, so it seems to make sense that might be where the BV crack needs to go.  But, I attempt to launch with the BV crack and that's when I get the red circle w/white "X" error.

Combo 4: Same as combo 3, except I try to launch with the AGS shortcut.
I get the same result as combo 2 wherein I'm told to insert the BV CD.  So having the BV crack in the same folder as the hidcon.exe does not get AGS's attention.

One last thing I tried was to point the AGS shortcut to here: "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\BVNOCD.exe.exe".  Got the red circle w/white "X" error again, as in combo 3.

I'm totally out of ideas.  Again, halp?      

[Mootilda]

Combo 1: BV crack is in C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 BonVoyage\TSBin and I click the BV crack shortcut to launch.
It tells me I'm running the wrong version and need to run Apartment Life instead.  I assume this setup has no way of recognizing that I'm trying to launch an AnyGame as opposed to the full game.

Combo 2: BV crack remains in TSBin folder and I click the AGS shortcut to launch.
It tells me to insert the BV CD.  Makes sense as the AGS shortcut is pointed to "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\hidcon.exe" Start_AnyGame1.bat  -f -f -noparam - not the BV crack.

Combo 3: BV crack is now in "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\BVNOCD.exe.exe", which is the same folder the AGS shortcut points to.  My thinking is that in an AnyGame, the "hidcon.exe" is analogous to the EP6 exe in the BV TSBin folder, so it seems to make sense that might be where the BV crack needs to go.  But, I attempt to launch with the BV crack and that's when I get the red circle w/white "X" error.

Combo 4: Same as combo 3, except I try to launch with the AGS shortcut.
I get the same result as combo 2 wherein I'm told to insert the BV CD.  So having the BV crack in the same folder as the hidcon.exe does not get AGS's attention.

One last thing I tried was to point the AGS shortcut to here: "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\AnyGameStarter\AppFiles\BVNOCD.exe.exe".  Got the red circle w/white "X" error again, as in combo 3.

I'm totally out of ideas.  Again, halp?      

I believe that you have two options:

1) Rename the original Sims2EP<x>.exe to Sims2EP<x>.SecuROM.  Rename the no-cd to Sims2EP<x>.exe.  Then run AGS as usual

2) Look though the AGS startup procedures until you find where it runs Sims2EP<x>.exe.  Change that part of the procedure to run your oddly named no-cd instead.

I am using option #1 without any problems.  However, I have also made changes to the AGS startup procedure to run forcecore.  Hint: look for something like %GameEXE%...

More info:
hidcon.exe is just running an invisible command prompt... look through the BAT files instead.  No access to my game machine at the moment, so I can't tell you the exact name.  If you're still having problems, I'll get you more info later.

Oh, one other thing.  If you actually ran a SecuROM exe during your attempts, you may have SecuROM on your system now.  That's why I prefer to rename the original EXE to something useless and replace it entirely with the no-cd.  I also like to rename the launcher to .SecuROM and replace it with FreeCell.

[Darby]

I believe that you have two options:

1) Rename the original Sims2EP<x>.exe to Sims2EP<x>.SecuROM.  Rename the no-cd to Sims2EP<x>.exe.  Then run AGS as usual

Fanfuckingtastic, Mootilda - it worked!!!  And made sense as soon as I read it!  I kept feeling like I had all the pieces of the puzzle and just needed the right configuration, but I've been too sleep deprived to think straight.  Thank you for helping this addled one.    

Just for fun FYI: Although I'm pretty sure I succeeded in removing SecuROM as per Zazazu's instructions, I decided there were so many other piddly little issues built up in my machine that it was time to just learn how to reformat the damn thing and be done with it.  Which I did.  Since then, the game discs have only been used to reinstall (admin account) and I've got a lean, clean-running, SecuROM free machine here.   

Anyway, as much as I've recently learned about my computer, I'm glad your first idea worked as I don't think I'd have quite been up to tackling your other suggestions. 

Thanks again, Mootilda!  *Running off to play my apoc 'hood for the first time in AGES!*   

[Argon]

Last I checked http://www.gamecopyworld.com had no-cd cracks for every EP with and without patch installed.

Actually that's not entirely true, University and the standalone version of Nightlife never got a crack and the base game never got a completely working crack because build mode never worked. (but you can probably use the deluxe cracks for the base game and NL) The only games that have any of the patched game cracks are Bon Voyage, Freetime, and Apartment Life.

[Issy]

Does that mean all the games up to Seasons is safe from Securom? 

I was planning on installing up to OFB on my other computer.  If I patch I wont be able to use the no-cd correct? (I'm quite sure I can't but I hate having to use the CD, I could always not patch the last EP if that is so).

[Mootilda]

EPs and SPs released before the Deluxe Edition (EPs up to Seasons, SPs up to Celebration!) don't have SecuROM, they use SafeDisc instead.  SafeDisc is much less harmful, so you don't need a no-cd to avoid destroying your machine.  Of course, if you want to run these earlier packs patched without a CD / DVD, you'll still want to find some way to run them... there are a number of options available.

Note: I've heard, but don't know for sure, that EA has since added SecuROM to those earlier packs, so you should be careful if you bought them recently (after May 2007?).

[BastDawn]

Does that mean all the games up to Seasons is safe from Securom? 

I was planning on installing up to OFB on my other computer.  If I patch I wont be able to use the no-cd correct? (I'm quite sure I can't but I hate having to use the CD, I could always not patch the last EP if that is so).

That's correct.  However, you can patch it and add on the Glamour Life pack and use the GLS no-cd instead; that's what I'm doing on my sucky computer.

[Issy]

Mootilda - That is good to know.  I'm fairly certain I bought them way before then but it doesn't hurt to double check.

BastDawn - Good thing is that the only stuff pack I have is Glamour Life.  Baa for the tip

[J. M. Pescado]

OFB predates SecuROM. You do not need to use a noCD crack on any patch of OFB.

[bowrain]

Last I checked http://www.gamecopyworld.com had no-cd cracks for every EP with and without patch installed.

Actually that's not entirely true, University and the standalone version of Nightlife never got a crack and the base game never got a completely working crack because build mode never worked. (but you can probably use the deluxe cracks for the base game and NL) The only games that have any of the patched game cracks are Bon Voyage, Freetime, and Apartment Life.

Actually, there IS a crack for base game with working build mode, it's the latest one listed at GCW. However, in my experience, you have to have the pirated cd in your drive (or have it mounted) in addition of having the crack in place to run the game.

In my case, I lost my base game CDs so I downloaded it off the torrent. The game won't run if one of those is missing (the CD image and the crack)