Windows 7 - Need copy protection for programmed software

Hello people,

I have created a game for windows7 platform and want to put it on the internet and on CD for a small fee. I was wondering if anyone knows a good copy protection mechanism which i can use.
I already found a few anti copy protection mechanisms, does anyone know these systems, or maybe do you know a better system instead?
- lockPE doesnt seem to work for me because it causes errors when I try the program
- the tool from logicprotect.com is way too expensive, i need something familair, but cheaper.
- exesecure.com offers an exesecure tool which seems to fit my needs but i cannot find anything about it on the web, has anyone used exesecure ?

Please let me know which mechanism you use if you ever did, I would like to have some tips.

Hi davidson and welcome to Windows 7 Forums

You could try asking some gaming websites for advice on what they use. It certainly doesn't come cheap (as you have already stated), and virtually every method will be, is being, or has been, circumvented at some point in time.

I've just checked the exesecure site, and it does offer a guide on how to use it, plus a support and faq section. It would be counter-productive for them to provide too much information (and I'm not sure as to how much they do offer), as this would only help those who want to circumvent it.

Offer the game as DRM free. Also just kind of accept the fact that whatever kind of protection you'll add, will be circumvented. Its part of the territory, if your game is good you will have customers either way.

my 2 pennies

You could also try some of the big download sites. Some of them will provide payment handling and copy protected install mechanisms for a piece of the action. One consideration is there's a tendency to handle the downloads, payment and installs so you may want to find out from other authors how accurate the count is when they tell you how many you sold.

But if you can't afford a software library to do it yourself it may be a way to go.