SecuROM - 4 Life Time Install Limit

[Wacker]

Damn I wish I had read this thread before I bought the game

[pedroantonio]

I know this is a little old, but I just want to add that the last version (downloaded today) of the Securom diagnostics tool has allowed me to revoke the licence of Arkham Asylum Goty.

The download is here:

https://support.securom.com/diaghelp/download1.html

After install it, I searched for applications with securom in the drive where I have steam installed, some of them appeared. Then I selected Arkham Asylum and went to the menu "application" and hit "revoke", a little window appeared telling me that the application has been installed with the serial "..." (insert there the serial of you installation, i checked mine and was the same shown by steam), and offering the possibility of doing and online revoke or a manual revoke, i clicked on "online revoke" and after 2-3 seconds, a message appeared telling the licence had been erased.

I have used the diagnostic tool in the past and I don't remember it having the option to "revoke", so I thought that I should tell my experience, maybe it can help somebody.

[m.letcher]

What is the definition of a 'machine installation' for PC's anyway?

Apparently, an OS upgrade counts. Is it tied to a CPU or motherboard?

1) How about a video card upgrade?
2) Memory upgrades?
3) HDD replacements? If so, how about USB HDD add-on's?
4) How about a monitor replacement providing new video options?

Where is this defined anyway?

And, oh by the way, after a couple years of GfWL working in the background with autologin enabled, my ISP decided to shift things around a bit. Apparently, this caused Windows Live to 'reset' my Hotmail account that GfWL was linked to and I've lost access to the previous 'gamertag' (profile) account and its saved games, etc. This also hosed Bioshock2 and Fallout3. Thank you GfWL!

[seseorang]

It's a unique hardware key.
It's not install limits, but activations only. You can play on any 5 computers with them all being active.
It is said you can reinstall the OS and keep the existing activation and not use one up.
On removal, it is supposed to remove itself and give back that activation. I would use a revoke tool FIRST and then uninstall.

[m.letcher]

You avoided the question.

What 'hardware' is the key attached to?

Unanticipated failures will clearly not have a chance to be revoked and re-installed. PC users migrate through hardware frequently, unlike the 'Red Circle of Death' replacement model for consoles.

[ggzzwow]

sticky

[abortabortabort]

-1 customer for this game.

SecuROM only harms paying customers. This means that unless I get or borrow an Xbox, I won't be playing this until they remove SecuROM.

Steam DRM helps paying customers by offering great deals. Steam helps developers by removing used game sales too.

[CenturyChild]

Its not 4 activations lifetime.

it is 4 activations (I/E 4 different PCs) at any given time.
Uninstalling the game, or revoking gets a activation back.


So, essentially, you can have the game installed on 4 PCs at the same time. To install on another machine, you need to uninstall the game from 1 of the others, or de-authorize that machine.


This is no where near as bad as many make it out to be. Why do you need the game on more than 4 machines?
If you De-Auth you'll never have a activation issue, no matter how many time you may re-install your OS. Worst case scenario, email them and you'll be back up in running shortly.


As far as the activations go, Securom looks at your hardware. Motherboard, CPU, possibly OS etc and issues that PC a Hardware Id number. That number is unique to that PC, much like how Windows does its activation.

So your key can have 4 different Hardware IDs tied to it before you need to De-Auth one of them.

[DaD3VIL]

No sale. Would've bought it without the DRM.

[stevethepocket]

Originally Posted by CenturyChild

Its not 4 activations lifetime.

it is 4 activations (I/E 4 different PCs) at any given time.
Uninstalling the game, or revoking gets a activation back.

Except they never tell you this. So if you decide to wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows because you've got problems you can't fix any other way, and don't think to uninstall your games first (and really, who would?), there's one activation you'll never get back. And if your computer goes kaput and you can't get back on to uninstall the game, there's one activation you'll never get back.

Really, if there's any situation where you are able to lose an activation forever, by accident, they're doing it wrong.

[daeth]

Originally Posted by Wacker

Damn I wish I had read this thread before I bought the game

Same. Would definitely not have bought the game. Complete waste of money paying for a rental like this.

[mrwar]

Originally Posted by smtap

I've got no interest in keeping track of which Securom games I have installed on which of my machines, and I certainly don't want to have to take the time to de-authorize them all any time I reformat.

EXACTLY. -1 sale from me, too.

[BoClucky14]

Originally Posted by stevethepocket

Except they never tell you this. So if you decide to wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows because you've got problems you can't fix any other way, and don't think to uninstall your games first (and really, who would?), there's one activation you'll never get back. And if your computer goes kaput and you can't get back on to uninstall the game, there's one activation you'll never get back.

Really, if there's any situation where you are able to lose an activation forever, by accident, they're doing it wrong.

You got proof?

I have installed it on my desktop (+1), wiped it, reinstalled it (1+1), installed it on my laptop (1+1+1), installed it on another laptop (1+1+1+1). Technically, that's, by your reasoning, my limit (4). I'm willing to bet I can still install it on another PC. I'll do that tonight as proof

[stevethepocket]

Originally Posted by BoClucky14

You got proof?

I have installed it on my desktop (+1), wiped it, reinstalled it (1+1), installed it on my laptop (1+1+1), installed it on another laptop (1+1+1+1). Technically, that's, by your reasoning, my limit (4). I'm willing to bet I can still install it on another PC. I'll do that tonight as proof

I've heard rumors that the GOTY edition either has no limit or still has the monthly reset or something, but as far as I know there's never been any official word one way or the other from Eidos or Square Enix or the SecuROM guys or anything. Which is the other thing I hate: Companies refusing to communicate with their customers over something as vital as whether their game will lock them out of playing it or not. I've found it's best to just assume the worst rumors are true until they're officially denied, because that way I can't fall victim to issues I didn't see coming.