I know this is long, but I'm not good at doing links...sorry.
A simmer posted this today:
After having many issues trying to maintain the use and control of my optical drives and firewall software security levels since the installation of Bon Voyage and therefore the crappy piece of drm software that is securom, I finally gave up and formatted and reinstalled my system with one very important change. I changed the internet security suite I use to a product by F-Secure.
The first time I attemtped to run Bon Voyage after locking down internet access to the Launcher and game executable and other executable files in the tsbin directory, I got the following message from my firewall:
System modification Attempt:
System control has noticed that an application is attempting to modify the system which is potentially dangerous. The application is: CmdLineExtInstallerExe.exe. Upon a casual search, I was not able to even FIND this file but after turning on the "view hidden files" option I did find it in the following directory:
c:\Documents and Settings\rlc\Local Settings\Temp. When I checked the properties of this file, I found that the signer of this file was SonyDADC Austria AG!!!! I also found the following files in that same directory:
drm_dialogs.dll - properties listed as SecuROM Dynamic DAta Module version 1.2.0.4 Copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria drm-dyndata7330014.dll - properties listed as SecuRom DynamicDataModule Version 1.0.03 copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria AGdrm-dyndata7330017.dll-properties listed as SecuRom DynamicDataModule Version 1.0.03 copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria AG It gets worse from here. This stupid installer file somehow in spite of my firewall settings that are supposed to deny its ability now and forever to alter my system keeps attempting each and every time I load the game to ALTER MY SYSTEM! I always deny the right but the thing is, I tell it every time that I want this application blocked from making any changes permanently but somehow the drm software still gets to attempt to change my system each time. Thank goodness for a good security suite that I get to block it every time but this is ridiculous!!!
This Maxoid Sam's 'explanation' of her findings:
Quote from Maxoid Sam:
(I edited out posters name, other than that it's exact)
I agree that this looked fishy when I read it,
so I sent it to Sony DADC asking for a response. I've juxtaposed the OP's text a bit in my post to hopefully make this easier to understand:
When a player installs Bon Voyage, several files are loaded into the C:\Documents and Settings\...\temp directory as described here. This is a common practice for most software programs (including The Sims 2). SecuROM does this as well. If you visit that directory on your machine and view the hidden files (Windows will allow you to do this), you will likely recognize files and icons from every piece of software you have installed.
These kinds of files are usually set to be "hidden" so that a user does not accidentally alter them. Doing so could cause your software to no longer function.
These files are activated upon launch of the game, as the game is going through it's license check to ensure that the "executable" (the game program) being run is a valid, licensed copy.
Poster:
The first time I attemtped to run Bon Voyage after locking down internet access to the Launcher and game executable and other executable files in the tsbin directory, I got the following message from my firewall:
System modification Attempt:
System control has noticed that an application is attempting to modify the system which is potentially dangerous. The application is: CmdLineExtInstallerExe.exe.
This file is used to is to allow the ability to perform the generation of the analysis file for customer support.
Poster:
I also found the following files in that same directory:
drm_dialogs.dll - properties listed as SecuROM Dynamic DAta Module version 1.2.0.4 Copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria
This dll is used to return the proper error dialogs should an issue with an attempted launch occur (DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_link_library).
Poster:
drm-dyndata7330014.dll - properties listed as SecuRom DynamicDataModule Version 1.0.03 copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria AG
A dll used for specific communication between a certain version of SecuROM and the optical disc drive.
Poster:
drm-dyndata7330017.dll-properties listed as SecuRom DynamicDataModule Version 1.0.03 copyright
2004/2005 Sony DADC Austria AG
A dll used for specific communication between a certain version of SecuROM and the optical disc drive.
The F-Secure program uses the terminology "modify the system" to describe those files being called when you start the game. That specific terminology is certainly alarming, but technically accurate, as the files in that \Temp directory are technically known as "system files" and they are being modified as the game starts and runs it's licensing check.
Poster:
This stupid installer file somehow in spite of my firewall settings that are supposed to deny its ability now and forever to alter my system keeps attempting each and every time I load the game to ALTER MY SYSTEM! I always deny the right but the thing is, I tell it every time that I want this application blocked from making any changes permanently but somehow the drm software still gets to attempt to change my system each time.
This would be correct behavior. If you're seeing this dialog everytime you start the game, then the SecuROM is performing its check. If you were to be getting these errors at any other time during gameplay, then there could be cause for alarm, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here. skydancerSim, you can clarify that if you like.
Hope this answers the question and calms the concern. Thanks.
-sam
Then I go back to the Boards and I see this new sticky posted called:
"Important edit to "Official SecuRom Statement and FAQ safedisc"One of the major sources of contention about SecuROM is that once uninstalled from one's PC, the registry key remains behind in the PC's Windows Registry. The frustration has been, paraphrasing here, "I want it off, and I want it COMPLETELY off."
Another point of contention has been, again paraphrasing, "why switch to SecuROM if SafeDisc was so much better?"
Since we haven't had much success convincing anyone that leaving registry keys behind is a very common practice when uninstalling software in Windows, I thought I'd check something out.
SafeDisc is another of these software programs that does the same thing. If you uninstall a SafeDisc protected program, a SafeDisc registry key will still remain on your system in your Windows Registry.
I have added that clarification to our FAQ in the "Official SecuROM Statement" sticky thread posted above (question #19), to hopefully add a little more perspective to this situation. At a minimum, perhaps it will at least make those concerned consider a bit more what we have previously explained about how registry keys are files that do no harm to the functionality of a PC.
I realize that this is potentially only a small band-aid to apply to the frustration some players have expressed and some have experienced with their PC's. We are still collecting data to ensure that all hardware and software conflicts are addressed. I apologize for those who have had difficulties and I thank you for you continued help with that effort. I hope you've noticed we've created a new e-mail address for people everywhere to more easily (and cheaply!) contact Customer Support with their issues.
On another note: for others who are posting about the question of whether your specific consent was required to install a program that protected the program from duplication, as I have posted elsewhere: I'm not a lawyer, and we have posted an FAQ answer that addresses that situation. It's FAQ #16 in the sticky above.
Thanks for reading,
-sam
Then this was added to the FAQ #16:
*
all this was done today*
Added information about SafeDisc registry keys
16) Why isn't SecuROM disclosed in EA's End User License Agreement (EULA)?
A: SecuROM copy protection is an integral part of The Sims 2 Bon Voyage application.
SecuROM is not a separate installation on your computer. Copy protection has been part of every EA game title (including Maxis titles) for the past ten years, or more.
If you bought The Sims 2 Bon Voyage on disc, you weren't presented with an End User License Agreement ("EULA"). Like all of our packaged goods products, warranty information and our copyright notice is included in the manual.
If you bought The Sims 2 Bon Voyage online using EA Link or EA Download Manager, you did accept an EA EULA for the product and the EA Link/Download manager tool. The EA Link and EA Download Manager EULA states that you need to maintain an Internet connection and keep the EA Link/Download Manager installed so that your product license can be validated periodically.
We don't disclose specifically which copy protection or digital rights management system we use --in this case, SecuROM -- because EA typically uses one license agreement for all of its downloadable games, and different EA downloadable games may use different copy protection and digital rights management.
Me:
First, can anyone break this down in English because I feel dizzy from all of the circles I keep going in regarding secuRom and getting 'REAL' answers.
Questions I pose here...I will not get a direct answer from the boards.
1: Why in the world would you see this and state "It looked fishy to me also" and then deliver it straight to the lions (Sony DADC) for answers to an already smelly situation?
2: Then, you get your answers, post it as TRUTH because you got it straight from the secuRom customer service/support team. And we should believe this why?
3: After receiving your 'answer' you go and edit and add onto the sticky your new findings that you got from Sony, and that's suppose to, as Maxoid Sam stated, hopefully 'calm'?
4: And on top of that you reference a FAQ regarding safedisc and explain that safedisc remained on your computers as well while totally disregarding the fact that safedisc didn't shut down hard-drives, cause reformatting of computers and other issues. But we shouldn't be alarmed because safedisc is the same? Am I understanding this correctly?
Can anyone answer this more clearly?
Does anyone see how anything Maxoid Sam said helps the ongoing secuRom issues and problems?
And if you need to adjust or delete this due to length, I totally understand.
*forgive any typo's...I've really been working hard on this*
