Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) Technical Problems StarForce FAQ

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" /> IMPORTANT <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/exclamation.gif" alt="" />

The Windows XP Service Pack 2 [color:"red"]BETA[/color] is reported as being not totally compatible with StarForce, so be sure you use a [color:"red"]FINAL[/color] version of Windows XP Service Pack 2 if you encounter problems with the game.

I'm waiting for a crack (or a patch that removes the check) before I'll consider purchasing BD - there's no way I'm running a game where I have to keep putting in the CD every time I want to play. Given the increasing number of publishers that are deciding to reward their customers rather than treat them like potential thieves (Stardock with Galactic Civilizations, Epic with UT2004's latest patch, LucasArts with Jedi Knight) isn't it about time Larian started taking note?I couldn't agree more. I personally think whoever decided on this should be sat in front of a PC and made to swap CDs 5-10 times an hour all day just to replicate a gamers' experience...

The wait is over. StarForce has been reversed. To nothing.
Actually, it's quite easy - anyone can do it at home with basic PC knowledge. All You need is a CD image creator tool (such as Nero) and an emulator (such as Daemon tools) - and the StarForce cleaner provided by those pricks if You installed this crap before.
So much about the famous StarForce 3 protection. You pathetic bunch of loosers. What did You expect? Noone likes You, most - if not all - of the customers are against You. Wonder how much loss You caused to Larian studios and the end users as well... I wish they sued Your a** off... What stupid f**** You truly are. LMAO
Ladies and gents, You will need to search for the info how to do it by yourself as I don't want to make the StarForce makers' life any easier either. Just search the net, and You will find it sooner or later.
Mods are free to ban me - I said what I had to say. Free speech... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Would it actually make you go away????

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" />

so just for those paranoid people out there. After I installed BD and ran the configuration the configuration tool DID in fact try and connect to the net.

The only reason I know this is because my firewall logged this application...

configtool MFC Application - version 1.0.0.3 - c:\games\Beyond Divinity\configtool.exe

...and then blocked it's a**

me he he.

great day
SD

ConfigTool is not protected with StarForce. We wrote this tool ourselves, and it doesn't make any network connection.

Which web site was aimed ? Could you provide us with your version of ConfigTool.exe ? We'd like to investigate : support@larian.com

It probably had nothing to do wiht the config tool, a lot of adware/spyware initialises whenever a program file (or any exe) gets run. If he looks in his firewall log, he will notice a file with a complete different size than what it should be, since the spyware added a couple of commands.

Downloading a program like (i love this one) Spybot Search and Destroy will hunt out and kill the culprit....

(and dont even think of telling me that it didnt find anything MS comes STANDARD with 9!!!!!!)

Hey Drealmer,

for sure, is it okay that zip and attatch my configtool.exe to support mail adress and just give reference to this post ?

Timestamp on it from what I can see is :

2004/03/16 02:11 AM

And according to Sygate the version is :
1.0.0.3

Will see if I can dig target adress out of my logs.


SD

Lady_Rain,

that might well be you know, initially when I installed firewall I killed loads of little spyware apps. Would not surprise me if any new ones managed to tag themselves onto my files.

Will send configtool to Larian anyway. But will go and see if I can find anything in my logs.
cheers,
SD

Hope you find those unwanted critters in your computer... if you need any help, shout. Keeping data safe and in safe working condition is what i do for a living... try that application i pasted the link to... its marvelous, and MUCH better than addaware and whatever else is on the market. That together with TRend-Micro's Pc Cillin (also with built in firewall)is a Excellent team. my computers are under constant internet "attack" with clients doing (whatever it is that they doing... after viewing 1 history file i DONT wanna know)....

(No offence meant against sygate, its a GREAT transparent proxy(with some nice features like using 2 different devices for sending and receiving - or was this feature analogX's feature? - not sure now the last time i used either of them was just over a year ago), but its firewall is not the most secure i have ever seen.)

On top of that, we are in the middle of all the universities in the city... so you can immagine what these computers go through.... they solid, never a problem, and so far they have never been hacked either <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> (hold fumbs)

Stormdemon : I got your mail containig configtool.exe. I checked it for viruses and trojans, nothing found. I ran it extensively with and the firewall never triggered. The tool is identical bit for bit to the original one. And finally, in the DLL dependency list, there's nothing about networking.

So I can really affirm : this configtool.exe would never access the network by itself.

The problem is related to something else... Maybe a trojan infected some Windows DLL called by configtool ? This would explain why the program name triggering the firewall is configtool.exe... Can't you find back which web site or IP was targetted ?

hey Drealmer,

thanks for following up on this. I ran Spybot : Search & Destroy as Lady_Rain suggested, and indeed found a few interesting things tracking me.... sobs !

Was digging through my firewall logs, only access I could see that was round about the time I installed the game and ran the configtools was outgoing messages blocked to Gator.

but anyway, must say i'm way impressed with your response times. nicely done. I'm still waiting (week and a half) on a responses from another game's official forum.... and that is just to get me registered...eish

great day,
SD

I am glad we all could help....

@ drealmer

well there is the answer... the notorious GAIN.GATOR was active

(i sometimes wonder what would happen if we create (or modify) a worm like msblast and name it gainblast, set it to attack the gain servers... would they THEN get the message that they are unwanted!?!?!?!!?

Hey Lynn! People still [nocando] ing about StarForks? And spoons?

There is no spoon, you should know it by now <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If I might add something (perhaps not new) to this discussiong, my standing is this: Starforce is not a part of the game, so we should be informed that it is installed, but my major problem with this is that it is not removed from my system if I remove the game from my system. What are those drivers doing there when they are not needed by the game they were installed with?

I can get paranoid for a lot less I tell you! And I dont like it one bit.

Please have a look at this page for more information about the SF-drivers.

I have a collection of games for the PC that would probably make EB, Babbages and half a dozen OTHER computer game stores jealous! I would estimate that I have over 1000 current titles, ALL bought and paid for and still with the original disks and packaging.

One of the FIRST things that I do when I buy a new game (actually, BEFORE I buy the game...) is to go on line and search out a crack that will allow me to run the game without having to insert the CD all the time. A few years ago I purchased a Virtual Drive program to get around the copy protection in a few OTHER games (such as Virtual Pool 3). As soon as I get the game installed and running, I put the CD's away in the original boxes and store them in a safe place.

Let me say that I DETEST people who pirate computer software! Doing such things only drives up the prices for the REST of us. BUT I EQUALLY strongly dislike being FORCED to constantly insert and remove a CD in order to play a game.

I recently purchased Sacred (before discovering that it was "protected" by StarForce), and actually ENJOYED playing it without a cd for a while, until the update patch came out. THEN, when I updated the game, I was FORCED to use the CD to play. Also, the preformance of the game DROPPED with this change!!!

With regards to BD, I installed and played the demo for a couple of months before deciding to purchase the retail version of the game. I installed it, looked for a crack (couldn't find one...), and played a little with the CD in the drive. It just sat on my computer for a few weeks, and then tonite I tried it again. The ONLY thing that I could get was the Disk Detection Error!!! NOTHING had changed in my system (other than installing a few games). I tried using TM to remove any processes running in the background, but nothing worked. I even rebooted several times, disabvling various items from starting up on boot. But STILL I keep getting the DDError...

I have VOWED that I will NEVER AGAIN spend ONE PENNY on any game that has SF "protection" on it. It is just TOO FRUSTRATING, and games should NOT be frustrating!!! ...At least NOT until you get INTO them! LOL

I had planned on purchasing several copies to send to family and friends (I frequently do this...), but if possible I would be returning the copy that I purchased for myself!

Oh yeah, one other thing... I just wonder how many "damaged CD's" were returned to Larian??? I spoke to several people who got SO disgusted with the whole thing that they DELIBERATELY damaged their CD's, returned them to the store for replacement, and then returned the unopened REPALCEMENTS for a refund!!!

Way to go you guys! I don't normally condone such behaviour, but in THIS case I would have to sit and cheer for them!

Larian, PLEASE think of your customers in the future. Very few of us who use no-CD cracks, virtual drive programs, etc are looking to engage in piracy. PLEASE don't drive us away in your zeal to get at the wanna-be pirates!!!

About Sacred, you could check for an update to the virtual CD program, or look for a different one.

For BD, did you maybe mix up the CDs and use disk 1 rather than disk 2, or have both CDs in a drive? Probably not, but it could happen.

You could try updating the Starforce drivers, in case one of the other games cause a conflict.
Updating or removing StarForce drivers

If that doesn't help, in the error message (either 'disk detection' or 'no disk found'), click the 'Information' button, then when that finishes, click the 'View Report' button. Save the resulting text file somewhere, optionally zip it, and email it to Larian (support@larian.com) with a description of the problem. They can create a file the copy protection can use to check your system on startup, rather then the play CD.

Purchased Sacred had it cracked (no-cd) in about half an hour.. no biggie..
No daemen tools no emulators no nothin.. BUT I would like to say..
FOR THE LOVE A PETE!!!! STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT STAR FORCE ALREADY!!!!!
If your that pissy about freakin CD protections heres some advice..
wait till its been out a week.. Google variouse forums.. find out if it has StarForce..
THEN DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!!!
Face the facts.. not all but the majority of complaints are from people tryin to scam the game..
Hope ya don't buy HL2 ya might flat out go into cardiac arrest over that one..
Peace
Nilrem <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />