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.

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.

0 comments

293 answers

Anonymous

2017-06-21T14:48:21+00:00

It works just the same on any release build such as Creators Update. And if you dual boot that, both will activate and you have 2x Windows just the same.

I recommend against doing what doesn't suit you.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-06-21T11:51:06+00:00
My understanding is Windows DRM Blocking checks for the secdrv.sys file that is on the games disk

while the game is doing the copy protection disk check when you launch the game.

If this is accurate you still need a noCD fix to circumvent DRM Blocking, so installing the secdrv.sys file is

not necessary, or desirable. When using a noCD fix the secdrv.sys file is never accessed/read/opened, so any

malware that were to install to that driver ( which I have never heard of happening yet ) could not be launched.
- For me the real issue is - freedom of choice... You know, that wonderful right that is supposed to come
by living in 'free' and democratic nations. MS should make it possible to disable DRM Blocking. People will

do it one way or another. If made possible by MS it would theoretically be safer than having to use hacker methods.

Or are noCD hacks actually the safest option ?

.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-06-21T09:26:26+00:00

This is not an ideal approach to this problem! Windows Insider Preview builds of Windows 10 are beta software! This means that with any given build, or update, any feature, or even the OS itself can/will potentially have bugs, glitches, crashes, and even fail to function at all.

Insider preview builds should never be installed on your primary device, and should only be used for beta testing, and feedback purposes, just as Microsoft intended. Poking security holes in a (potentially) unstable BETA operating system can have unexpected results.

I recommend against this approach.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-06-20T15:30:41+00:00

You can opt into installing SECDRV on your system. It isn't secure and it requires some steps you might not want on your primary OS, or even on your primary computer, such as disabling secure boot, but you can run all those games that need the CD in the tray if you choose to. One way is to dual boot Windows Insider Preview and shoot holes in that Windows installation instead of in your normal OS.

Just look through this thread for the steps.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Deleted

This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Comments have been turned off. Learn more