rec.autos.simulators

Starforce DOES NOT disable imaging, cloning or burning programs.  Some of
these programs MAY in some rare instances (usually on poorly configured PCs)
have a driver conflict with the Starforce CD driver.  In those instances,
it's usually a Windows/BIOS issue with the PC in question since Starforce
follows the 'rules' just like any other PC driver.

Same with de***s, they only fail to work when the game itself is running.
Next...

I just fail to see the proof. Starforce has had compatibility problems with
certain dvd/cd-drives, but that is just a problem that won't in any way ***
up your system - it just will not start the game. And these problems have
been largely corrected with updates to Starforce itself.

So, where's the proof again?

--
Mika Takala

When I shut it down, I encountered horrible problems. Every mouse
click would open four or five programs and the system, once rebooted,
would only run in MS-DOS compatibility mode. Uninstalling Xpand Rally
did nothing. Uninstalling the Starforce drivers returned the system to
normal.

I had the Starforce cleaner utility on my drive and found that
installing a Starforce protected game removed it. Had to download it
again just to get rid of Starforce's drivers.

My crime? Having a copy of CD-Copier on my drive.

When I asked the folks at Starforce, who recommended that I upgrade
the version of Starforce on my system, if upgrading would solve the
problem, they made no guarantees. I decided then that I wanted nothing
more to do with any Starforce protected titles.

You don't HAVE to.  In the extremely unlikely event that Starforce is
incompatible with your drive (just as likely as an incompatibility with
Safedisc or SecuROM) you can call up the folk at customer support and get an
activation key.  There was no evidence in your previous post, just people
moaning about not being able to get backups to work.

<rollseyes> If a copy protection allows you to easily make a backup then
what's the point of it?  What about Playstation 2 games?  It's not possible
to make backups of those and I don't hear too many people whinging.

Wrong.  The only legality in making backups of a game resides in the EULA of
that game.

You may also find that while you do have the right to make a backup copy
there's not necessarily a law preventing the publishers making it
difficult for you to do so (and if you're in the USA the DMCA makes it
illegal for you to work around those measures).

Isn't it great what Big Business can do?  :)

--

Mr Q
-------------------

It's my understanding that, starting with Win2K, MS allows certain elements
of the User Interface to run in Ring 0 for performance reasons.

If that is correct, what a dumb-ass thing to do.

-Larry

Cheers, uwe

--
GPG Fingerprint:  2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F  67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

Either way, dumb ass idea putting parts of the user interface in the
supposidly highly-protected ring-0.

I suspect the spyware and virus authors just love it though.

-Larry

Im sure not going to pretend I know why MS made those choices but Im not
presumptuous enough to comment on it without all the facts.

With MS products EVERYONE is a self proclaimed EXPERT....  Thats the biggest
problem I see ;)

Mitch

.

So, if something makes the OS hang, the user interface hangs too, requiring
a swift reset button activity?

There are compromises that are quite necessary to have running as high
priority / ring as possible. Some parts of user interface are part of those
things.

--
Mika Takala

-Larry