Unable to boot older games. (Windows 7 64-bit)

Hi Foffy,

You want to check the DRM of each game on PCGamingWiki. 1) There are issues with SecureDisk, meaning game running on Updated Windows and dependent on SecureDisk will not run. 2) Other games depend on UPlay DRM. Recommended action is to re-install UPlay. 3) You need to determine which games depend on which DRM.

Just a quick Google search shows that if they used SafeDisc DRM (almost all of these do), they have issues. But if I'm directly quoting from the PCGamingWiki, " SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed" wouldn't this mean that this update disables SafeDisc entirely, thus I wouldn't have this issue? Or am I reading this wrong and that this update simply prevents these games from even booting completely?

A quick check on the PCGamingWiki shows that Covert Ops Essentials doesn't have this DRM, hence why it boots among the rest, but Pandora Tomorrow has the same DRM, but a different version, and that works too. All of the non-working games have a SafeDisc DRM that's lower than 3.0

Hi,

Sounds like SafeDisc DRM is the culprit. Microsoft issued KB3086255 in 2015. This update was optional on Windows 7 and Vista, but compulsory on Windows 8 and 10. But most people just installed KB3086255 not knowing what it does - and then found out later, that it affects the SafeDisc DRM. In other words, this update disables the DRM service from starting up.

What the PCGamingWiki does not say, si that Microsoft offered a workaround to the side effects of KB3086255. The workaround can be found here:

Known issues in this security update
After you install this security update, some programs may not run. (For example, some video games may not run.) To work around this issue, you can temporarily turn on the service for the secdrv.sys driver by running certain commands, or by editing the registry.

Note When you no longer require the service to be running, we recommend that you turn off the service again.

Warning This workaround may make a computer or a network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

To do this, type the following commands at an elevated command prompt. You should press Enter after you type each command.
To disable the driver's service, type the following command:
sc config secdrv start= disabled
To set the driver's service to manual, type the following command:
sc config secdrv start= demand
To enable the driver's service (and to set it to automatic), type the following command:
sc config secdrv start=auto
To manually start the driver's service, type the following command:
sc start secdrv
To manually stop the driver's service, type the following command:
sc stop secdrv

Source: ms15-097 | Microsoft

and,

ImportantThis section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
Or, you can edit the registry directly. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
Locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\secdrv
Right-click Start, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, do one of the following:

Type 4 to disable the driver's service, and then click OK.
Type 3 to set the driver's service to manual, and then click OK.
Type 2 to set the driver's service to automatic, and then click OK.
Exit Registry Editor.

Source: ms15-097 | Microsoft

I actually seemed to have fixed the problem, and it's...well, quite an interesting one.

I didn't follow anything listed as a solution. I merely looked at Windows Update, saw I had the KB3004394 update installed, which effectively left my PC unable to get major updates since 2014, deleted that, updated my PC, and it all works now.

How absolutely odd. I had an odd feeling that this was going to be my solution, and I have no idea why it is, and why it was so selective, too. Perhaps a later Windows Update fixed this? At least on 7.

You can do that as a workaround , too. But bear in mind that removing this Update leaves your computer open to security vulnerabilities.

Also keep in mind that the next time Windows Update is run, your computer will be offered KB3004394 again by Windows Update (WU). So, you will need to turn off Automatic Updates, and then Hide the Update KB3004394 from WU, to be sure that you wont be asked again.

Just to add here. To check what protection a CD is using, use A-Ray Scanner. Download A-Ray Scanner 2.0.2.3