[gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Chris Walters]

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Some of you may remember the problem I was having with my SATA II HDD in
Windows XP (but not in Linux).  To recap:  My drive got switched from
UDMA mode to PIO mode in Windows (only).  I ended up having to reinstall
Windows.

After some careful investigation, I found that the problem was caused by
the copy protection of a game - Superpower 2.  Worse, the problem was
not corrected when I removed the game.  It took either a full reinstall
of the OS, or a restoration of the windows registry from before I
installed the game to fix this problem.

I know that this will not affect dedicated Linux users, but it can
affect those of you who use both windows and Linux.

Regards,
Chris
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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Mick]

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On Saturday 23 December 2006 10:23, Chris Walters wrote:
> Some of you may remember the problem I was having with my SATA II HDD in
> Windows XP (but not in Linux).  To recap:  My drive got switched from
> UDMA mode to PIO mode in Windows (only).  I ended up having to reinstall
> Windows.
>
> After some careful investigation, I found that the problem was caused by
> the copy protection of a game - Superpower 2.  Worse, the problem was
> not corrected when I removed the game.  It took either a full reinstall
> of the OS, or a restoration of the windows registry from before I
> installed the game to fix this problem.
>
> I know that this will not affect dedicated Linux users, but it can
> affect those of you who use both windows and Linux.

I've never heard of such a case before!  I can't even begin to understand why 
copy protection will screw up an OS' settings.  Have you complained to the 
game's suppliers?  Following Sony's screw-up with their copy protection 
trojan it may be time to start asking for compensation from all game coders 
out there who take liberties with your OS (even if half the problem may well 
lie with the particular OS?).

-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Daniel Iliev]

Mick wrote:
> On Saturday 23 December 2006 10:23, Chris Walters wrote:
>   
>> Some of you may remember the problem I was having with my SATA II HDD in
>> Windows XP (but not in Linux).  To recap:  My drive got switched from
>> UDMA mode to PIO mode in Windows (only).  I ended up having to reinstall
>> Windows.
>>
>> After some careful investigation, I found that the problem was caused by
>> the copy protection of a game - Superpower 2.  Worse, the problem was
>> not corrected when I removed the game.  It took either a full reinstall
>> of the OS, or a restoration of the windows registry from before I
>> installed the game to fix this problem.
>>
>> I know that this will not affect dedicated Linux users, but it can
>> affect those of you who use both windows and Linux.
>>     
>
> I've never heard of such a case before!  I can't even begin to understand why 
> copy protection will screw up an OS' settings.  Have you complained to the 
> game's suppliers?  Following Sony's screw-up with their copy protection 
> trojan it may be time to start asking for compensation from all game coders 
> out there who take liberties with your OS (even if half the problem may well 
> lie with the particular OS?).
>
>   
Actually I've read about such cases before:


http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2005/10/31/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights-management-gone-too-far.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Russinovich

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Sony_faces_class_action_lawsuits_for_DRM

-- 
Best regards,
Daniel


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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Chris Walters]

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Mick wrote:
> On Saturday 23 December 2006 10:23, Chris Walters wrote:
>> Some of you may remember the problem I was having with my SATA II HDD in
>> Windows XP (but not in Linux).  To recap:  My drive got switched from
>> UDMA mode to PIO mode in Windows (only).  I ended up having to reinstall
>> Windows.
>>
>> After some careful investigation, I found that the problem was caused by
>> the copy protection of a game - Superpower 2.  Worse, the problem was
>> not corrected when I removed the game.  It took either a full reinstall
>> of the OS, or a restoration of the windows registry from before I
>> installed the game to fix this problem.
>>
>> I know that this will not affect dedicated Linux users, but it can
>> affect those of you who use both windows and Linux.
> 
> I've never heard of such a case before!  I can't even begin to understand why 
> copy protection will screw up an OS' settings.  Have you complained to the 
> game's suppliers?  Following Sony's screw-up with their copy protection 
> trojan it may be time to start asking for compensation from all game coders 
> out there who take liberties with your OS (even if half the problem may well 
> lie with the particular OS?).

Hi Mick,

Yes, I did complain to the the game's makers.  I have yet to receive a
reply.  The funny thing about this game is that it uses a CD Key, yet it
continually checks the CD - this is not funny, since it puts stress on
my optical drive.

As for part of the problem being with the OS, I used this same game with
another system, running XP Pro, and this problem didn't occur.  Of
course, with windows, you never know...

Regards,
Chris

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RE: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Nelson, David (ED, PAR&D)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mick [mailto:michaelkintzios@gmail.com]
> Sent: 24 December 2006 13:25
> To: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org
> Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...
> 
> I've never heard of such a case before!  I can't even begin 
> to understand why 
> copy protection will screw up an OS' settings.  Have you 
> complained to the 
> game's suppliers?  Following Sony's screw-up with their copy 
> protection 
> trojan it may be time to start asking for compensation from 
> all game coders 
> out there who take liberties with your OS (even if half the 
> problem may well 
> lie with the particular OS?).
> 
> -- 
> Regards,
> Mick
> 


Unfortunately software developers can do a lot to your system under the guise of "copy protection". I for one think that there should be a written warning on the back of the box of every game that installs software on your PC for the purpose of copy protection. Some such as Starforce can cause havoc with a system.

David

Note: These views are my own, advice is provided with no guarantee of success. I do not represent anyone else in any emails I send to this list.

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Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Enrico Weigelt]

* Nelson, David (ED, PAR&D) <David.Nelson2@astrazeneca.com> wrote:

Hi,

> Unfortunately software developers can do a lot to your system 
> under the guise of "copy protection". I for one think that 
> there should be a written warning on the back of the box of 
> every game that installs software on your PC for the purpose 
> of copy protection. Some such as Starforce can cause havoc 
> with a system.

There also were some rumors about trojans on audio discs.
I'd really like to get one of those discs into my fingers, 
for an forensic analysis + criminal information.

Installing trojans is criminal (at least in .de), and should
be treated as such.


cu
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RE: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...

[Nelson, David (ED, PAR&D)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Enrico Weigelt [mailto:weigelt@metux.de]
> Sent: 05 January 2007 19:46
> To: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org
> Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] OT: Follow-up on the HDD problems...
> 
> 
> * Nelson, David (ED, PAR&D) <David.Nelson2@astrazeneca.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> > Unfortunately software developers can do a lot to your system 
> > under the guise of "copy protection". I for one think that 
> > there should be a written warning on the back of the box of 
> > every game that installs software on your PC for the purpose 
> > of copy protection. Some such as Starforce can cause havoc 
> > with a system.
> 
> There also were some rumors about trojans on audio discs.
> I'd really like to get one of those discs into my fingers, 
> for an forensic analysis + criminal information.
> 
> Installing trojans is criminal (at least in .de), and should
> be treated as such.
> 
> 
> cu

Are you referring to the Sony disks that installed 'copy protection'/'no
cd ripping for you buddy' software? This wasn't so much a trojan itself
afaik as a rather poorly written piece of software that could be
exploited.

And, of course, no-one knew it was there.

David
Note: These views are my own, advice is provided with no guarantee of
success. I do not represent anyone else in any emails I send to this
list.

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