BV and no CD?

[rhondalatte]

There are other files? I'll have to look again. Aside from what was in the registry, the only other SecuROM thing I found was an empty folder that was hidden. I looked in System32 for a file mentioned above and it wasn't there, so the empty folder seemed to be the only thing I had.

Aside from that, the image seems to work great. No problems yet. I'm playing now and will check the registry again when I'm done to see if SecuROM returned.

Edit: Ugh, it still came back. All the registry files returned. So far, though, those are the only files I can find. This really annoys me, because I got into BV enough to miss it if I have to stop playing to keep SecuROM out for good.

try this:
xo

http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm

[Kigan]

Ugh, seems to re-install it every single time I run it. *sigh* From what I see, there is no permanent way to remove it and keep playing BV. Well, one way, but that always makes me nervous and I wouldn't know how to go about it anyway.

[moonsgal]

are you sure your not running the original .exe? If you are it will still keep reinstalling securom.

[Kigan]

Eh...Perhaps I am. I may not have done it right. I followed the steps provided to create, mount, and use the image, but perhaps there was something else I was supposed to do?

[Daimon]

Oookay. I am the least Windows savvy person on the planet. Please run this past me slowly and in friendly letters only.

Is there, or is there not, a way to install a copy of BV that does not install SecuRom? I can see that there are ways to -remove- SecuRom, but I will not be allowed to install the game if I have to install that piece of crap in the first place.

Thanks.

[bowrain]

I'm using vista, and I don't have secuROM. I'm sure, I've triple checked it. Nothing in the appdata\roaming, none in the registry, none in system32.

What I did is that I bypassed the launcher and use a no-cd exe right after I install the game, so I never let the launcher and the original exe run, not even once. And yes I've play the game while connected to the internet..

[jsalemi]

Yes, the secret to never getting it is to never run the original .exe.  Even using the original .exe with a mounted image will load SecuROM, because it loads at first execution, not during install.  The only way to avoid it is to have a no-CD .exe first, and use that as soon as you install the game.

[Solowren]

Eh...Perhaps I am. I may not have done it right. I followed the steps provided to create, mount, and use the image, but perhaps there was something else I was supposed to do?

It doesn't matter if you're running an image or not if you still use the original .exe to start up the game. That's what does it, not the program itself.

[Kigan]

Ah, I see. I guess I didn't get that.

So, if I get a no-CD.exe and then remove SecuROM, will it run without bringing it back?

[jsalemi]

Yup.

[squish]

Just being overly cautious: but opening BodyShop won't set off SecuROM to install, will it?

I've just formatted my PC, had my CD/DVD drive's firmware reinstalled, and I've installed all the games again, and have put in the no-CD straight away (I'd opened the launcher last time for some reason before using the no-CD), but I haven't started playing yet.

[jsalemi]

I don't believe Bodyshop is a problem, since you can run it without the CD in the drive.  Since it doesn't need to check for a CD, it doesn't need to install SecuROM.

[squish]

Great, thanks! Better safe than sorry 

[JacquiES]

I used Moron's version of creating an image.  It worked fine and I got the game to run.  However, secuROM is back in the registry ever time I start the game.  Does this mean that this is not a good way to keep that off my computer and the only way is to get a no-cd crack?

[Invisigoth]

I used Moron's version of creating an image.  It worked fine and I got the game to run.  However, secuROM is back in the registry ever time I start the game.  Does this mean that this is not a good way to keep that off my computer and the only way is to get a no-cd crack?

Yes, you must use a cracked .exe to keep secuROM off your system.

[JacquiES]

Thanks.  Last dumbass question- if I get the no-cd crack, can that run off of what I already have on my comp or do I have to reinstall all of the games?

[kutto]

You just need to replace your most recent .exe, and replace it with the no-cd crack. The other ones won't matter. You can even go so far as to delete the original .exe.

[Solowren]

Abbriella- SecuROM was shipped with H&M Stuff and Bon Voyage, that's it out of the Sims 2 games. As for other PC games, I cannot say.

[Venusy]

Abbriella- SecuROM was shipped with H&M Stuff and Bon Voyage, that's it out of the Sims 2 games. As for other PC games, I cannot say.

HAHA see some of you people think it was just because of bon voyage wihout thinking you freak out without realizing that one of your other sim games has it on there. Thanks Solowren for the info i am sure tha the other people going crazy over this might feel better to know they already had it in there system insted of getting all worried about something tht is nothing! And going in on the paranoia of others no offence 2 any of you out there. Im sure it was soething new and nobody realized it. But my question is this why is everyone so worried aout it being on the computer. I mean is it a way for maxis to track if someone is using a cracked game. Then i could see a little worry but other wise i just dont understand. And the whole thing about the launcher what is wrong with that? Is it because it is a cracked game i am really confused?

It was also shipped with the Deluxe Edition and Pet Stories, but no one noticed (H&M Stuff used the Pets/Seasons executable, so SecuROM didn't get installed on most user's machines, no one needed to buy Deluxe Edition, and noone bought Pet Stories at all). They are worried about it being on their computers because it has been proven that it is incompatible with some CD burners, anti-virus programs, firewalls, etc. Also, it provides an easy back door for hackers to gain admin access to your PC. And it doesn't provide a way for Maxis to track who's cracked the game, as it doesn't work on actual pirated copies. It only works if Joe gives a copy of the disc to Jane, not if someone releases a disc image onto the internet.

[witch]

Okay people. So i have no clue really what you are talking about with the dameon tool thingy. Okay i am really tiered. I have a 6 month old who refuses to sleep durning the nght so please ignore spelling and stuff and a 5 year old who was up all night and sayed home from school sick with the flue or something.

I can spell even when I'm tired, what's more, I can use punctuation too.

Anyway I dont know why you are so worried about the one file because i dont really know what it is or what it does and my mind can only focas so much right now but i do not have bon voyage istalled yet an i did a search on my computer anyway and i found out that i have the file too. So could it be possible that a bunch of you actually had the stupid thing installed on yourcomputer before you installed the game? And you didn't know about it until you did a search and had gotten your selves all freaked out and worked up?

So, because you have no idea what SecuROM is and no concept of how computers work, nor do you understand the damage SecuROM can do, you therefore feel qualified to tell knowledgeable people they are freaking out over nothing?

Instead of hanging out at some random forum and mouthing off in an illiterate way, to people you don't know, about a topic of which you know nothing; why don't you go and see if your child has the "flue" or something? Make yourself useful.

[jsalemi]

HAHA see some of you people think it was just because of bon voyage wihout thinking you freak out without realizing that one of your other sim games has it on there. Thanks Solowren for the info i am sure tha the other people going crazy over this might feel better to know they already had it in there system insted of getting all worried about something tht is nothing! And going in on the paranoia of others no offence 2 any of you out there. Im sure it was soething new and nobody realized it. But my question is this why is everyone so worried aout it being on the computer. I mean is it a way for maxis to track if someone is using a cracked game. Then i could see a little worry but other wise i just dont understand. And the whole thing about the launcher what is wrong with that? Is it because it is a cracked game i am really confused?

SM Burpie, is that you? 

[morriganrant]

Venusy is quite right. It has been shipped in Deluxe (but most people did not need it), Pet Stories (no one wanted it), H&M and BV.
Another note, It is also on Bioshock, Oblivion (probably not the older ones), EA sports games(who has those for their computer? Ew.), Tomb Raider: Legend, Fear, MotoGP 3, Ultimate Racing Technology, Total Overdose, Vietcong 2, and many many others. So how well do you know your computer and games? Not very well I'm betting. Many people have been having problems for a long time but did not realize what was causing it and did not make the connection.

You should not try act like an expert on a subject you have admitted to knowing nothing about. Many people have H&M an have no problems, but that is because it never ran from it's own .exe, BV runs from Sims2EP6.exe (that's what securom is on, other then the cd). That is why there are a million and one problems cropping up. Had you bothered to read anything at all on here or in this thread then you would know that.
Why not Google Bioshock and Securom 7 to see what people are saying? The Sims 2 community isn't the only one having problems. So are you telling everyone that is having problems that it is all in their head because your computer is just fine? That is a little presumptuous. Everyones computer is different, they have different hardware, different software, different files. There are people who are having no problems at all, but there are many who are, so do you mean to say that those having problems and who are angry should be ignored because thre are people who have no problem what-so ever? Damn it people, how hard is it to google something and do your research before opening your mouth?

[kacidama]

It was my understanding that the dvd version released in Europe didn't contain SecuROM - but I did the check anyway and I found a (empty) hidden file which could have come from the H&M pack

[MutantBunny]

Oblivion, Elder Scrolls (newest versin) does not have copy protection. And good for them!

[J. M. Pescado]

It was my understanding that the dvd version released in Europe didn't contain SecuROM - but I did the check anyway and I found a (empty) hidden file which could have come from the H&M pack

L&P. International version still has.