SECDRV.SYS Not Loading in Windows 10; this will break thousands of older games.

Anonymous

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.

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293 answers

Anonymous

2015-09-10T00:03:45+00:00

Freelancer has the same issues and that's a Microsoft game! (an old one true)

As is MechWarrior: Vengeance
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Anonymous

2015-09-09T23:43:58+00:00

Its no where near an acceptable resolution.

I have to purchase games again.. through another vendor, to play them again?

Besides that, there is no guarantee even then that they will work in windows 10.

Sometimes half the fun is getting them to run, but this is just straight up blocking them from being able to be played, not an actual technical puzzle to figure out.

Even more amazing...

A Microsoft rep is quoted stating users should get "no cd patches".

Only a complete moron doesn't realize he is telling you to break the eula (no matter how old the software is)

As well as circumvent an item put in place to prevent pirating.

No there is a simple resolution to this, it doesn't require a rocket scientist, or a high level programmer to resolve it.

I'll setup a dual boot before I spend an extra $100 plus on software I already own just so I can use them, and even then its questionable whether they will work correctly.

I can deal with that, if its a technical issue, but not flat out blocking them.

Microsoft does not have the right to flat out block me from installing software I've purchased.

Sure they can put in security, but I should have the option, the freedom, to choose what software I legally install and use.

You ever wonder how many shares of stock MS has in other companies.. like Steam-ect?

I appreciate your words, and while it may be easier and less frustrating, it is not the right way to resolve it.
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Anonymous

2015-09-09T23:13:05+00:00

Hi folks,

I'm the guy that originally started this thread. While I'm disappointed at the changes (especially yesterday's that extended the SECDRV.SYS issue to Windows 8, 7 and Vista), the security bulletin from yesterday outlines steps you can take to start and stop SECDRV.SYS in those operating systems (the driver is still blocked from loading in Windows 10 even using the method in the link below):

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3086255

I have tested the elevated command prompt (a command prompt being run as Administrator) method, and it worked fine in Windows 8.

I understand the security reasons behind disabling the driver, so to the person(s) at Microsoft that deliberately included information on how to temporarily bypass the block in 8 / 7 / Vista so we could boot up our favorite games - thank you.

Dual boot seems to be the only solution
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