How to Play Games with SafeDisc or SecureRom DRM on Windows 10 (2024)

Reaction to Windows 10 has been largely positive, but it introduces a few new problems into the lives of computer users. Gamers with a penchant for retro titles have been particularly hard hit with the news that titles that employed SafeDisc and some versions of the SecuROMDigital Rights Management systemare not supported.

So what can be done about this, and what is Microsoft playing at?

Don't Blame Microsoft

How to Play Games with SafeDisc or SecureRom DRM on Windows 10 (1)

First off, it isn't really appropriate to blame the immense technology giant on this occasion. Speaking at Gamescom this year, Microsoft's Boris Schneider-Johne explained how the decision to remove support for these retro titles is a result of making the operating system more secure.

“Everything that ran in Windows 7 should also run in Windows 10. There are just two silly exceptions: antivirus software and stuff that’s deeply embedded into the system needs updating – but the developers are on it already – and then there are old games on CD-Rom that have DRM. This DRM stuff is also deeply embedded in your system, and that’s where Windows 10 says 'sorry, we cannot allow that, because that would be a possible loophole for computer viruses.'”

The result is that if you want to play games like Crimson Skies to Grand Theft Auto 3 (yeah, it's out on Android, but you might still to play want the PC version), Medieval II: Total War and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 to the original The Sims, you can't without employing a workaround; meanwhile, SafeDisc has been known for some time to be unreliable, which is why it ended up being abandoned.

What Happened with SafeDisc?

How to Play Games with SafeDisc or SecureRom DRM on Windows 10 (2)

In November 2007 an "elevation of privilege" security vulnerability in SafeDisc was discovered, which enabled attackers to take complete control of a Windows PC. While later patched by Microsoft, it was one of many nails in the coffin of this form of DRM. Back in the mid-2000s, DRM security vulnerabilities were often used as an attack vector by hackers.

Asked for their opinion concerning its removal from Windows 10, developers Rovi Corporation observed:

“Safedisc DRM hasn’t been supported for a few years now, and the driver has consequently not been updated for some time. Microsoft should have migrated the existing software since Windows 8. We don’t know if that’s still possible with Windows 10 or if they simply didn’t care about it.”

SafeDisc relies on the SECDRV.SYS file, which isn't present in Windows 10, and attempts to import and run it in the new OS have failed.

Finding Workarounds and Playing Your Good Old Games

While Microsoft has abandoned the original releases of many classic games, you should still be able to find a way to play them. Yet ironically, perhaps the first solution you might consider is also one that requires you to use software developed for game piracy.

No-CD patches were developed to bypass SecureROM and SafeDisc, supposedly as means of allowing gamers to play installed games without having to insert the game media. This had a useful impact for pirates, however, enablingdisc cloners to distribute copies of games via downloading sites. The issue of whether or not a player should be forced to keep a disc in the opticaldrive while playing has thankfully been consigned to history (damaged discs and unreliable disc drives were a particular problem, but making ISO copieswould extend the life of your game media).

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Unfortunately for anyone affected by Windows 10's lack of retro gaming support, however, many of the sites that hosted No-CD patches have also long gone. You may find them, or be able to dig up the patches on BitTorrent, but really we wouldn't advise it.There's no way we can encourage this as the risks of picking up malware in the process are too great.

(And of course Microsoft is not condoning piracy; they've more or less looked at the numbers of people still playing these older titles and judged that it's a relatively small chunk. And with various other workarounds available, it's reasonable to say that this added Windows 10 security feature has been unfairly reported.)

So abandoning the idea of a No-CD patch, what other options do you have for getting those old titles running again?

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First of all, check the developer's website. It's been reported that patches have been released for a few of these games, and if communities display enough desire it is likely that more will be forthcoming. Send emails and launch threads on message boards.

Second, if you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 by installing as a dual-boot, you'll have to restart and swap into your other version of Windows to play these titles until a more robust workaround is available. If this doesn't suit you, and your computer is reasonably powerful, running Windows 7 or 8 in a virtual machine (such as VMware Player or Oracle VM VirtualBox) is also an option.

Third, and probably most sensible of all, is to simply repurchase the games, in digital-only format. The idea of paying for the same piece of entertainment media in multiple formats is one that is considered to be particularly abhorrent to many, but in this situation it does seem to be a strong option. Websites like GOG.com feature DRM-free releases of many old titles, ready for you to purchase and use legally. You might also check whether the games are available on Steam.

Self-Sign the SafeDisc Driver

A fourth option is also on the cards. This is more or less straightforward, but requires you to get your hands a bit dirty. It involves self-signing the SafeDisc driver so that Windows 10 will detect it as a trusted file.

The easiest way to do this is to employ the Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider tool, which, when run as administrator, enables you to sign a previously untrusted file.

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Once you've acquired a copy of the SECDRV.SYS file (either by downloading it or copying it from the c:\windows\system32\drivers directory on Windows Vista, 7 or 8, and saving it to the same location in Windows 10), run the DSEO tool by right-clicking dseo13b.exe and selecting Run as administrator.

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Work through the subsequentdialogue boxes until you see the main menu and select Enable Test Mode then click Next.

This time, select Sign a System File, and browse to the SECDRV.SYS file in c:\windows\system32\drivers. Click OK, and wait while the driver is signed. You'll see the following message:

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Once you have followed the instructions to restart and then run DSEO again with Test Mode enabled, the driver should now be loaded by the game you've had trouble with, restoring your ability to play it.

(Should you be using Windows 10 Technical Preview, enabling Test Mode will result in a watermark appearing on your display. This can be removed using the Remove Watermark option in DSEO.)

What Option Will You Take?

This security development in Windows 10 is wholly necessary, but obviously frustrating for any fans of retro gaming titles. As we've discovered, the inability to play a huge selection of retro games in Windows 10 is due to legacy restrictions with DRM, rather than Microsoft causing users problems for the hell of it.

Which workaround will you be using? Tell us in the comments.

Image credit: GTAIII PS2 Beta Drive-byvia Wikipedia,rawcaptured via Shutterstock

How to Play Games with SafeDisc or SecureRom DRM on Windows 10 (2024)

FAQs

Does SafeDisc work on Windows 10? ›

The SecuROM DRM works fine with Windows 10, no crack or any other modifications to the system necessary. SafeDisc 2/3/4 and Starforce 3/4/5 are the 2 DRM that will not work on Windows 10.

How to make old CD games work on Windows 10? ›

If you have access to an optical drive(in order to install the games off of), then yes you can run the games in Windows 10. You just need to run the executable in compatibility mode, i.e, Right click executable>Properties>Compatibility tab>Windows x(where X denotes the OS that the game was meant to be installed on).

What is SafeDisc DRM? ›

SafeDisc is a copy protection program for Microsoft Windows applications and games distributed on optical disc. Created by Macrovision Corporation, it was aimed to hinder unauthorized disc duplication.

How do I enable DRM on Windows? ›

Enabling Protected content IDs

In the 'Cookies and site permissions' section, click on the 'Protected content' option. Here, you will find two sub-options. Ensure that 'Allow sites to play protected content (recommended)' and 'Allow identifiers for protected content (computer restart may be required)' are both enabled.

How do I remove SecuROM from a game? ›

Start "SecuROM Remover.exe" Agree to the terms of the EULA (find a copy of the EULA here) The tool shows all SecuROM™ related files, folders and registry keys present on your PC for the currently logged on Windows user. Agree to delete these files.

How do I play DRM protected content? ›

Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology is often used by streaming websites (such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, etc.) to block or limit access to content that is copyright protected. To view this content, Ulaa must have Widevine component enabled.

Is bypassing DRM illegal? ›

But US copyright law actually makes it illegal to break DRM—even if you have no intention of pirating copies.

Is there a way to bypass DRM? ›

If you want to get DRM-free content on your mobile devices, the only way is to save streaming media as local files using the powerful DRM removal software mentioned above, and then transfer them to your phone.

How do I make games compatible with Windows 10? ›

Manual Compatibility Settings in Windows 10

Select the old game you want to open, then right-click and select Properties. Select the Compatibility tab. Use the Compatibility mode option to run your application in a previous version of Windows.

Does Windows 10 have a compatibility mode? ›

Windows 10 Compatibility Mode is an easy-to-access tool that can help your older programs run on the operating system. It works by altering certain settings on a program-by-program basis, allowing the old program to function without the potential of hamstringing other programs in the process.

How do I make incompatible apps compatible with Windows 10? ›

In the search box on the taskbar, type the name of the program or app you want to troubleshoot. Select and hold (or right-click) it, and then select Open file location. Select and hold (or right-click) the program file, select Properties, and then select the Compatibility tab. Select Run compatibility troubleshooter.

How do I get Media Player to work on Windows 10? ›

Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, and then select Windows Media Player to run the troubleshooter.

Does PulseAudio work on Windows? ›

Support for Microsoft Windows

On Microsoft Windows, PulseAudio runs in Windows Subsystem for Linux. The NT kernel was previously supported via MinGW (an implementation of the GNU toolchain, which includes various tools such as GCC and binutils).

Does VLC Media Player work on Windows 10? ›

VLC runs on all versions of Windows, from Windows XP SP3 to the last version of Windows 11.

Does Windows 10 support Media Player? ›

Windows Media Player is included with Windows 10 desktop.

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