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Hello,
I have discovered an unfortunate problem with Windows 10.
Many games from the early-mid 2000's used Macrovision's SafeDisc (version 2) as a means of copy protection. At game startup, Windows loaded SECDRV.SYS to verify an original game disc was in the drive, after which the game would start.
When you try to run ANY game which uses this SafeDisc form of copy protection in Windows 10, the following happens:
- You get an error window that tells you to log in with Administrator Privileges and to try again. This happens on any account, even those with Administrator access. The game fails to start.
- If you then set "Run as Admin" compatibility mode on the game's startup file, the message disappears, but the game doesn't start.
- Keeping a window open for C:\WINDOWS\SYSWOW64\DRIVERS shows SECDRV.SYS appearing at the moment you try to start the game. Based on its size, it appears to be the file that is present on the game disc (tested across several games), even though I see no disc activity and cannot find the file elsewhere on my system.
- The Windows event log shows that SECDRV.SYS failed to load.
- This happens both with an upgraded install (Windows 8.1 > Windows 10) and with a fresh Windows 10 install, with one of the games being installed immediately upon the fresh install completing.
- On my Windows 64-bit 8.1 system, C:\WINDOWS\WINSXS has a folder called amd64_macrovision-protection-safedisc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.16384_none_4e6b3758913c9240 with a SECDRV.SYS in it, presumably the one that ships with Windows. Windows 10 had such a folder in early builds, but it is missing from the release build. It appears SafeDisc support is missing entirely.
OTHER TESTING I HAVE DONE:
- I updated one of the games to a version that no longer required the CD check, and it started immediately and ran perfectly once the check was removed. However, this is possible only with a very limited number of games, or resorting to fixes that violate the game's EULA or put the user's system security at risk.
- I tried disabling driver signature verification and installing one of the games again; same problem.
- Multiple compatibility modes; same problem. XP (Service Pack 3) mode and / or Run as Administrator mode make the error message go away, but the games still fail to launch.
SIGNIFICANCE:
Unless this is fixed in Windows 10, a massive catalog of older games will cease to function in Windows 10 for the simple reason that they cannot pass the SafeDisc copy protection check. I am accustomed to some games breaking with every new version of Windows as technology progresses (for example, the loss of the ability to run 16-bit programs in 64-bit Windows), but this seems to be an unnecessarily harsh change.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
What really, really **** me off about this is that it is one of Microsoft's own games - FSX - that is , for me , the main problem. I can get the program itself to run on Windows 10 - especially the Steam version. But is my pile of add-ons like scenery, planes, Traffic that are, effectively, banned by Microsoft. I feel that FS2004 is a better all round game but this cannot be run on Windows 10 at all. I spoke to Customer 'Care' last year about it and they really couldn't give a stuff.
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**** you talking about, I spend hundreds of pounds on equipment and should research / test any possible solution to Windows becoming Apple. ****, back home on 7pro, it works. 8 was crap replaced by 8.1 all of that for toy computers. Now Windows will download auto and destroy anything they can't make money on, you'll have no choice. Apple was a no no at one time, Windows sadly have joined them.
All the instructions and links to get SECDRV working have been in this thread for over a year is my guess. The bat file is missing entirely how to get SECDRV installed - it is only about starting it when it is installed.
It's just beyond most people to get that vital part done, so I wrote that powershell script - check it out.
My advice is to just run Windows Insider Preview and keep your main OS encrypted or better yet on another computer entirely so it can do secure boot while your gaming machine runs all the 15 year old software.
