C3 Complete Issue: CD/DVD Emu Software Detected

[snoopy369]

Let me start this off with 2 things:
1) I have a second, legal, copy of C3 (Complete) that I am using here. Not pirating, copying, or doing anything even a little bit illegal. I bought a second copy to use for PBEMs on my vacation.
2) The computer I'm installing to is not mine, and thus I'm not familiar with everything on it. I don't doubt that some piracy/other illegal things are probably done using it, however; but I'm not sure of exactly what - thus not sure what may be causing my problem.


Okay. The problem is, after installing Civ3-Complete, and starting it up, I receive an error:
"CD/DVD Emulation software has been detected. Please disable all CD/DVD emulation software and re-start the game"

Using Process Explorer, I have confirmed that nothing of the sort is running on the computer at the moment. I can't say for sure that it's not somewhere on the computer's HD, but it's not running - I don't know the names of any CD EMU software, but I don't see anything in the programs menu that screams "CD Emulator"...

CivFanatics had some suggestions, but they mostly related to "CD not found" and didn't help...

Computer stats:
Win ME (ouch)
P3 850mhz
512MB ram
40g HD + 80g HD
Compaq DVD/Rom drive, and TDK DVD/RW drive (happens in either one)

Any suggestions?

[joncnunn]

I wonder if your problem is simply that you have 2 DVD drives as C3C copy protection is only expecting 1?

[vmxa1]

This is called blacklisting. A product like SecuRom is used by a vendor to detect applications such as Deamon Tools. If it does, it presumes you are trying to priate their software.

[Ljube]

Please post a report of all installed software on that computer, or meet me on msn this evening.

[Rogerdude]

"Daemon Tools" and "Alcohol" are two very popular drive emulators.

[vmxa1]

Yes I have Alcohol120 for several years and love it. No more mounting CD's and I can switch games immediately.

Blacklist are updated by protection schemes all the time, just putting on a patch usually breaks the emulator and you then need an updated emulator.

Actually I would expect that anyone using such a product would zoom to their wen and see what is the impact of any game or patch used.

[Solver]

Actually, product blacklists are both stupid and annoying. They violate the presumption of innocence - if a person has Alcohol 120% installed, that doesn't mean he is going to pirate the software. Alcohol is very useful for a whole number of legal uses as well. Next, a program that does something like that basically tries to tell you what you cna and what you can't have installed on your computer, which is downright ridicilous. Finally, this is yet another case of when copy protection creates problems for legal users, problems that illegal users do not have.

[vmxa1]

Not sure it if it stupid, but it is annoying and should be illegal. Now that I think about it, you are right, it is stupid as it will be defeated anyway.

[Daddy-O]

This is SO annoying. I like to burn a copy of my games and play with the back up. I've got 3 kids that seem to be able to scratch every CD without even trying. CivIII Complete won't allow me to make my legal backup copy. So I am using CD Skins. But this doesn't help Snoopy369.



I know people spend months and years writting this code and should be compensated. I'm not saying there should be no protections on games but when you start blacklisting other applications that should not be on a PC. You've gone too far. What next? Windows won't boot up when it detects OpenOffice?

[Solver]

Windows won't boot up when it detects OpenOffice?

Though you're saying that sarcastically, who knows what will happen with the Fritz chip, "Trusted computing" and so on.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Not sure it if it stupid, but it is annoying and should be illegal. Now that I think about it, you are right, it is stupid as it will be defeated anyway.

It's defently stupid since it only just makes it worse for the customers while often it doesn't really matter for pirates because they break it anyway

I have seen too many games where the copy protection only hurts the actual buyer of the product, where it creates bugs in the game, bugs that those with a no-cd crack never sees... brilliant..!

[Daddy-O]

Solver,
Sarcastic - maybe. Cynical - definately. It's coming.