SafeDisk & SecuRom Removal - How do you remove these files?

Disclaimer:
This thread has nothing to do with the process of copying games or software.​

I've been very a happy pc user for 15 years. I've supported the software industry and devoted countless hours of time at work helping others with there pc problems. Even when I come home I still "manage" to reak of a helpful smell, since everyone still comes up to me and asks me to help fix there pcs at my door! & yes I still do... I've always loved computers and software. But we're all getting into an ever changing era. I would like to think of our day and time as a "trial" period. Software has come a long way and so have pcs. I've put up with numerous pc related problems with a shrug, when most would have a breakdown and smash their towers to the ground. I'm not an avid gamer, but I do own many game titles which I barely play since I work so very much. I recently bought "Prince Of Persia - Warrior Within" in a discount rack at wal mart for $10. Before installing the game I went online and did some reading to see how I could configure my joypad once it was up and running. I accidentally ran into a thread which mentioned the fact that most pc games come with copy protection files that secretly make there way into your pc during game installation. Most of these copy protection files cause hardware failure or system instability. When I read about this intrusive scheme I freaked out. How dare companies place files which can potenially ruin the buyers computer?





So I sadly state that I own the following pc games with their corresponding copy protection schemes:

Prince Of Persia - Warrior Within: SafeDisc v4.00.001

Hitman - Silent Assasin: SecuROM v4.83.11.0026

Hitman - Contracts: SecuROM v5.03.03.0040

Hitman - Blood Money: SecuROM v7.00.00.0018

Call Of Duty 2: SafeDisc v4.60

XII: Some versions with SafeDisc v4.00.002, and some versions possibly use Starforce (unknown version)

Men Of Valor: SecuROM v5.03.06.0012

Contract Jack: SecuROM v4.85.07.0011

Max Payne 2 - The Fall of Max Payne: SecuROM v4.85.04.0018






I did a lot of reading about these copy protection schemes, and I feel very upset about the measures companies have been taking. Yes I do respect their opinions and wish all companies their fair profit of the mighty dollar, but as an anti-pirater I go agianst such computer file schemes being placed on my system. I am currently under the umbrella of three copy protection schemes lurking around my pc (SecuRom, SafeDisk, & Starforce).

I've done some reading online about the adverse effects from the Starforce copy protection that is installed on a users pc during software setup. It seems that this is the worst case of copy protection schemes that one can encounter. It can supposedly ruin the lasers in your disc drive(s) even when you are'nt burning cds/dvds. The starforce protection scheme can make your drives fail when playing back dvd movies or burning simple data such as documents, pictures, etc. It can even make your pc restart out of nowhere while playing retail audio cds. I've done quite a lot of reading about starforce and welcome anyone who wants to remove it, and feels they have been infected with this copy protection scheme on their system. The following link is the actual starforce removal tool from the actual company: (visit www.star-force.com 's support section, if you would like to verify that this is legitimate)

Starforce Removal Tool



Great so by now I've combated starforce and now I'm left with safedisk, and securom on my system. My question is...


Does anyone know of an official way to remove SafeDisk or SecuRom off my system? (Every version)



Note:
Removing it off one's system has absolutely nothing to do with creating backup copies of games/software. This is a legitimate question as to how one can remove the copy protection schemes once they are already secretly installed on a users system during software setup. I know what your thinking... "But wait does'nt the old saying go that once you remove the copy protection schemes off your system the software that once used this refuses to work?" The answer is yes in some cases and no in others. But the question I have asked anyone to help me out with is more of a removal question once the software has already been uninstalled. (Because uninstallation of the copy protected software does not remove the copy protection scheme files. I can't sleep knowing such intrusive, disrespectful, virus prone, and potentially hardware killing files are on my system. By the way if you cannot help or have unuseful comments please do not reply... You'll just be spamming this thread.





Thank You

 

SafeDisk and SecuRom are on the media, not your computer. It may also be part of the executable for the game, but the protection scheme doesnt tap into your OS like starforce does.

 

There was actually an interesting discussion on Starforce in this thread, which included removal instructions, and a list of games toting this shtuff.

As for SafeDisk and SecureRom, Adrynalyne's right, and IIRC, most disc imaging/burning apps have a means of removing this protection.

I just checked my installation of Alcohol 52%, and it does have a means of getting around the protection, if not removing it. (I'm not certain how the technology works.)

 

I respect your opinion and thank you very much for writing back. But you are wrong about SafeDisk only being on protected game/software discs, and never actually being on a users computer.


Here is a quote from wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SafeDisc#Vulnerabilities)

Not only are you wrong about Safedisk but you are also wrong about SecuRom.


Here is a few quotes on SecuRom v4.6 - v7.x: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SecuROM)

With all this being said I am positive that some of these files are on my system. I have checked and found Safedisk's "secdrv.sys" on my system. As far as SecuRom files... Hmm I can't really say that I know they are on my system because I don't understand much of what those qutoes on SecuRom from wikipedia mean. From what I assume I believe SecuRom is only in the exe file of the game. So you may be right on that one but only because I can't understand all the lingo from the wikipedia quotes. It does mention that SecuRom v7.x installs "UAService7.exe" on a users system. I tried to scan for it but did'nt find anything. I probably will later as it must be hidden.

The point is I just want to take these files off my system safely. Because I know for a fact if you remove SafeDisk or SecuRom you may be damaging your system a lot more than repairing. I really don't want these files causing system instability, hard drive failure, dvd drive failure, or inviting virus'. I know I have SecuRom v4.6 to v7.0, and SafeDisk v4 to v5 on my system (and if you are right... some of those may only be on my game disks).

 

Good luck. I stand corrected.

Wkipedia has been wrong before so... better back yourself with other sources to be certain before you break your OS being overly paranoid.



You could always boycott these games, and use a Mac.



While you are it, make sure you boycott and not install Windows Vista, due to DRM mecchanisms built into the OS.

 

>>SafeDisc installs its own Windows device driver to the user's computer, named secdrv.sys.<<

I believe that secdrv.sys is part if windows XP's standard device driver set. (So just because you have secdrv.sys doesn't mean you have SafeDisc.) If SafeDisk replaces that driver with its own version or secdrv.sys that would be pretty despicable. It is possible that SafeDisc only installs secdrv.sys on computers that do not have that driver at all, which would be bad enough. I don't want drivers being secretly installed on my machine, which is what Starforce does.

Does anyone actually know how SafeDisc works? As another poster said, the wikipedia could be wrong.

 

Yes your both right. But what about SECUROM. Have any of you been able to understand the pc lingo in the quotes I posted above? I would really love to hear how SECUROM works in understandable terms.

[Please see the quotes from wikipedia above]


Thanks

 

Andryanline:

>>You could always boycott these games, and use a Mac.<<

Note that there are plans to put Safedisc on apple machines:

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/01/04/macrovision.safedisc/

:cry

 

Linux is more fun anyway. Which in truth, if you want to control what gets installed on your machine, piece by piece, Linux is the only way to go.

 

In English:

The first versions had copy protection with files on the CD.
The 4.6 versions used fake bad sectors on the CD to prevent copying.
The newest version uses a service thats installed with the game. UAService7.exe.

The service thing is new to me, but doesn't surprise me. For example, you have Adobe and several other companies (Microsoft even) doing the very same thing. Love it or hate it, its the price we all pay because of retarded as hell piraters.

It should be noted that I have many, many games installed in my Windows XP installation, and I do not have this service.

 

How can I tell if I have this service on my pc?

& How can I tell if I have safedisk files on my pc as well?

 

The SecuRom files stay on the CD, or in the installation folder of the game.

the service can be noted by going to start, run and typing msconfig.

Go to the services tab, and put a check in hide all MS services. If you have it, it should be there.

 

What would it be called? Just to confirm are you talking about Scandisk or Securom in the msconfig? (I gather your talking about Scandisk because you said Securom stays on disc only)

 

Im sure if you read my post again, its clear.

Sorry if it was confusing, but it should be pretty straightforward.

 

This was referring to your SecuROM question.

 

So it is completely safe to have the "secdrv.sys" file in c:windows/system/drivers?

I've read on the wiki page that it comes off some pc game discs and installs itself onto pcs, but yet someone else pointed out that it may come with windows. I need to know so I can remove it!!!!! Though I also heard that removal of something like this may cause system instability, yet keeping it does the same?? I dunno please help!!!!!!!!!