How to get rid of SecuRom, NOW

[jsalemi]

As long as you don't run the game from the "official" .exe, you shouldn't get SecuRom on your machine.  So don't install the new patch until a new no-cd.exe is available.

[toad]

I followed all the steps at the beginning of the thread, but I'm stuck on this one:
Step 4: Removal of Securom files under "C:\Documents and Settings". I've unhidden hidden files, and I've unchecked 'Hide protected operating system files', but I still can't see a Securom folder.  I've successfully completed the preceding steps.  Does that mean that Securom is gone, or have I just not been able to find it?

[jimbo]

I tried the new "no cd" crack and it doesn't work. I still get emulation detected. I replaced the exe. Do I have to do all that regedit things to get the no cd to work? The crack I got is found on gcw. But does not fix my problem after I installed the patch. Thought it removes the securom and lets me play but samething "emulation detected". I dont have anything like that besides nero and I removed it to check and samething. Any help please because I want to play freetime. The patch fixes some problems I have.

[lauriej]

I tried the new "no cd" crack and it doesn't work. I still get emulation detected. I replaced the exe. Do I have to do all that regedit things to get the no cd to work? The crack I got is found on gcw. But does not fix my problem after I installed the patch. Thought it removes the securom and lets me play but samething "emulation detected". I dont have anything like that besides nero and I removed it to check and samething. Any help please because I want to play freetime. The patch fixes some problems I have.

you need to wait until they create a new no cd crack the one posted is for the last patch.  new version should be 1.2

[Lullabelle]

 I followed the removal directions for SecuROM, and I can't seem to find any traces of Securom, anywhere. I'm sure I have it, but it's not showing itself to me. I even tried downloading a program to detect rootkits or something of that nature, the program wouldn't even run(maybe I did it wrong?) I've been searching online for 1 1/2 months, trying to find a way to play my Sims2FreeTime, but nothing seems to work. The weird thing is, it used to before any of the patches game out. I mean sure it had a few bugs, but nothing unlivable. Now my game crashes literally two minutes after I load any house! I t just says "This Application has crashed. The program will now terminate" I deleted all my CC, tried uninstalling and re-installing the game, tried both pacthes(old and new), I tried without patches, nothing works. My computer was just recently re-formatted(a week before loading Sims2) I thought that might get rid of SecuROM, but I don't know I did install the latest patch but my game crashed instantly after neighborhood pan around, so I unstalled all my EPs and SPs again. And now I'm trying to locate the new SecuROM that came with the patch, and FreeTimeEP. But It doesn't show up, when I followed the "REMOVE SECOROM" directions.??  Can anyone help??   
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 6/2/2008, 22:05:56
       Machine name: AMBURE-PC
   Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.longhorn_rtm.080118-1840)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: HP-Pavilion
       System Model: GG038AA-ABA a6109n
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+ (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
             Memory: 2046MB RAM
          Page File: 1358MB used, 2974MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 10
  Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce 8500 GT
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0421&SUBSYS_C7403842&REV_A1
   Display Memory: 1007 MB
 Dedicated Memory: 241 MB
    Shared Memory: 766 MB
     Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
      Driver Name: nvd3dum.dll,nvwgf2um.dll
   Driver Version: 7.15.0011.7516 (English)

[Lullabelle]

I followed all the steps at the beginning of the thread, but I'm stuck on this one:
Step 4: Removal of Securom files under "C:\Documents and Settings". I've unhidden hidden files, and I've unchecked 'Hide protected operating system files', but I still can't see a Securom folder.  I've successfully completed the preceding steps.  Does that mean that Securom is gone, or have I just not been able to find it?

I don't even know how to get to my hidden files, so "c:\Documents and Settings" says access denied.

[ElfPuddle]

Am I correct in reading that you're playing with the newest FreeTime patch? Unless you have the no-cd crack for it, that just might be your issue.

[Tchan]

I've followed the instructions as well and it can't find a thing. I know I have SecuROM because I've got FT (even though I haven't installed either patch) and I've noticed it killing my programmes one-by-one (starting with Norton Antivirus, which is now dead as a doornail, and Nero is surely the next to go), but there's not a sign of it on the computer. I ran through cmd and it can't find any null keys at all, nor can I find a \Securom folder in Application Data (or, indeed, anywhere). This is really taxing! Any ideas?

[morriganrant]

To those not finding a trace of it, did you install FT while on the Admin account or on a secondary account? Aren't the files on the non-admin accounts labeled differently? It's somewhere within the first few pages of this thread. Can't look right now.
As for emulation software detected, that is a securom problem. If you installed the second patch, well good luck with that. You need an updated no-cd for it and we don't have one yet. Sim city societies gave me the same hell with the third patch. I had to uninstall then remove securom ...again. If that is just with installing FT and maybe the first patch, then you need to put in the no-cd and then remove securom from your pc.

[Tchan]

Admin account, I believe. It's the main one.
I went searching for the SecuROM folder in all my accounts. No cigar yet.

[jolrei]

Admin account, I believe. It's the main one.
I went searching for the SecuROM folder in all my accounts. No cigar yet.

I believe that if you install the "infected" EPs on an Admin account, you often do not get a securom folder - I did not.  I only got the registry entries when I installed BV, for example.

If you can't find the Securom folders, but have removed the registry entries and followed all the steps, and then run from the proper no-cd, I would think your system is clean.

Mind you, if you have other games that have securom and you play them from the disks or original .exe files, you will keep reinstalling it.

[Lord Darcy]

I believe that if you install the "infected" EPs on an Admin account, you often do not get a securom folder - I did not.  I only got the registry entries when I installed BV, for example.

Agreed, it was the same way for me when I installed BV patch the first time.

[Tchan]

I couldn't find the registry entries! I followed all the steps and it came up with nothing; no null registry keys and no sign of SecuROM anywhere, even though I KNOW I have it.

But at least that explains why there's no folder. Thank you. I did wonder.

(But it isn't getting rid of SecuROM. )

[jolrei]

Is it just possible that your system has some other difficulty.  If there are no securom entries in registry, and no folder, the likelihood is that there is no securom.

[Kazzandra]

Are you all using the original .exe? If not, a malware/spyware program might have rooted them out for you-- that's all I can think. Bizarre 

[Kazzandra]

Securom is well known malware now. I wouldn't be surprised if some programs have defined it as such.

[Lullabelle]

To those not finding a trace of it, did you install FT while on the Admin account or on a secondary account? Aren't the files on the non-admin accounts labeled differently? It's somewhere within the first few pages of this thread. Can't look right now.
As for emulation software detected, that is a securom problem. If you installed the second patch, well good luck with that. You need an updated no-cd for it and we don't have one yet. Sim city societies gave me the same hell with the third patch. I had to uninstall then remove securom ...again. If that is just with installing FT and maybe the first patch, then you need to put in the no-cd and then remove securom from your pc.

I only have one account It's the admin account.

[Lullabelle]

Are you all using the original .exe? If not, a malware/spyware program might have rooted them out for you-- that's all I can think. Bizarre 

I used the original .exe and had the new patch installed, and I still couldn't find any traces of securom anywhere. I know I have it I have all eps and sps installed and the latest patch installed . . .er did I took them all off . But I couldn't find any traces of Securom. I have followed every direction for locating it, but I doesn't show up anywhere. Anyone have any suggestions?

[witch]

I've just reformated my machine and I'm still searching for an anti-virus that suits. I thought I'd found it with Clamwin, because it only comes when called, but as it totally failed to update itself successfully in a fortnight, I've gone looking for others. I'm currently trying Bitdefender and AntiVir. Both of these tools enable me to search for rootkits, which is new to me in an antivirus program. I don't know whether they would work on SecROM, but both of them thought I was rootkit free.

[jolrei]

I used the original .exe and had the new patch installed, and I still couldn't find any traces of securom anywhere. I know I have it I have all eps and sps installed and the latest patch installed . . .er did I took them all off . But I couldn't find any traces of Securom. I have followed every direction for locating it, but I doesn't show up anywhere. Anyone have any suggestions?

If you play the game with your modem disconnected, and if you load onto an adminstrator account, you will likely not get a securom folder on your drive.  If you do not have the securom keys in the registry, you may have followed the steps for removal correctly and they may simply be gone.  If you can't find it, it may not be there.  Load from a no-cd crack in any case to avoid getting it back.  Has the added benefit of not wearing out your disks.

And please do not double post.  Use the "modify" button to add to previous post.  Double posting is bad, m'kay?

[Tchan]

Is it just possible that your system has some other difficulty.  If there are no securom entries in registry, and no folder, the likelihood is that there is no securom.

Are you all using the original .exe? If not, a malware/spyware program might have rooted them out for you-- that's all I can think. Bizarre 

I'm using the original .exe and I don't have a malware/spyware program; only Norton Antivirus & Internet Security, which SOMETHING has killed, so that's not finding any bugs or spyware. I'm trying to use my internet as little as possible on the computer because of this. (I'm on my laptop now.)
Is it really possible to not have SecuROM on my PC (I bought Bon Voyage and FreeTime, and ARRed TSS), but to have contracted some sort of bug that killed Norton? If I haven't got SecuROM, excellent. I mean, I don't have to get rid of it if I don't have it.
(But that doesn't change the fact that something killed my PAID antivirus program, and is letting in lots of horrors, mostly "benign" tracker cookies. I rarely use my internet on the PC; only to download CC and songs through Limewire, which has never once given my a virus.)

[IAmTheRad]

Ehh, I'm using the 1.1 nocd crack with patch #2.

It's a temporary workaround until patch 2 is nocd'd

[Tchan]

So that im not SO confused about everything. Is secuRom only from BV or any EP or SP after that? Im hearing all this stuff about it being on teen style stuff and pets and all this stuff. I've had that on my comp for a while but the only time i experienced installation issues was when i tried to install kitchen and bath. after that i couldnt install anything else. I tried uninstalling things and reinstalling not knowing the situation and now NOTHING works. Help.

It's not on Pets or Seasons. It's only from BV onwards, including stuff packs. TSS, K&B and H&MS all have it.

[lauriej]

Ehh, I'm using the 1.1 nocd crack with patch #2.

It's a temporary workaround until patch 2 is nocd'd

do you notice if the patch actually fixed anything?

[Kazzandra]

Ehh, I'm using the 1.1 nocd crack with patch #2.

It's a temporary workaround until patch 2 is nocd'd

do you notice if the patch actually fixed anything?

Why yes, it did, including the worst problems with Freetime. This is currently the set-up that I (and many others) are using. You can still get it here. Remember to download the corresponding 1.1 NO-CD crack.