Starforce probs

[xylem]

Hi,

 

I have BlackShark running fine on my Win7 OS, but I cannot get FlamingCliffs, which I just installed, to run. Windows says 'it is protecting my system from damage by outdated drivers.' I tried to d/l the driver update from Starforce but for 2 days all I get are empty zip files.

 

Does anyone know what the problem with starforce is, and why a newer program will run but not an older one? Or where I can get the required drivers?

 

Thanks...........

[AustinN360]

Hey mate.

 

Here is the direct link to the Starforce Update download. http://www.star-force.com/support/sfdrvup.zip

 

Hope it works.

[xylem]

Thanks 104.

 

However, that's the file I've been trying to download. Even using your link I get a 35kb zip folder which is empty. The windows message is "...cannot open.....compressed folder....is invalid."

 

I wonder if you would be kind enough to try downloading it to confirm that it's valid?

 

thanks...

[xylem]

Thanks 104.

 

However, that's the file I've been trying to download. Even using your link I get a 35kb zip folder which is empty. The windows message is "...cannot open.....compressed folder....is invalid."

 

I wonder if you would be kind enough to try downloading it to confirm that it's valid?

 

thanks...

[EtherealN]

Very interesting - I also got a 35,7kb archive - although the download first reported that it was a much larger.

 

Does anyone know what the problem with starforce is, and why a newer program will run but not an older one?

 

The older one, FC, uses a different StarForce solution than DCS.

[xylem]

Starforce responded by saying that they had problems on thier site, which they are fixing, and they sent me the file. Thanks all.

 

And thanks for the info Ethereal.

[xylem]

Well, I installed the driver they sent, rebooted, and got the notification that it was incompatible with win7.

 

Can anybody help?

 

Thanks........

[xylem]

And the reply from Starforce is that it's the responsibility of EDS to provide a patch or other solution. Their email response, in part follows:

 

 

"Most probably this application is protected with too old protection system version and, generally speaking, won't run on Windows 7 in its original state. You can read about it here: http://www.star-force.com/support/users/windows7/

 

If the driver updating doesn't help, then you should contact your product customer support service and ask them to make a patch, which will either update protection system version or remove protection at all.

Unfortunately, we can't build such a patch on our side since we neither have legal authority to produce any patches nor original game files required for that. Sorry for the inconveniences. "

 

 

So now what do I do?

[159th_Viper]

I am running LockOn with Win7 64 without hassle, so something must have gone wrong with the install/maybe even the File they sent you. Just in case, herewith a d/l link for the Update I have installed and which does work-

 

http://www.2shared.com/file/10661475/44d739a7/sfdrvup.html

 

I would advise that you uninstall completely and manually remove all registry entries pertaining to LockOn/Flaming Cliffs. Be careful not to delete the BS entries lest you want to lose an activation.

 

Upon reinstalling and applying the Correct patch to 1.12a/b, Subsequent to patching to 1.12a/b, Do not Reboot but run the Update .exe immediately after Patching. Then Reboot. Order is Important - Give that a Go and see if that solves your issues.

[xylem]

Your link led to a page with no live download link. And a careless click landed me in porn heaven.

 

However, your advice about cleaning and re-installing is sound, and I will try it after I get some sleep.

 

Thanks Viper.

[159th_Viper]

Your link led to a page with no live download link.

 

[Tez]

I've no idea what was the problem with downloading from the starforce web site. I got the file with the first attempt. It's attached to the message. (File is intact, I've specially verified it).

 

EDIT:

There is a couple of reports of the successful launch of the FC CD version on W7. 1 2. We cannot confirm them, but you may try yourself.

sfdrvup.zip

Edited January 14, 2010 by Tez

[AustinN360]

I see that you are trying to unzip the file using Windows 7's own default extractor. Have you tried using either Winzip or Winrar instead?

[xylem]

Thanks to all for pitching in here. A little update:

 

Viper: You are correct, of course. Somehow I missed that little link at the bottom. Clicking the program icon at the top left took me to porn sites (an interesting interlude) so I was a little leary of other things on the page. Sorry.

 

Tez: Yes, Starforce said, in an email to me, that the link was bad, but that they would fix it. They must have done so right after I talked to them. I can get the file from there now, too. Thanks for checking.

 

Route: I am able to extract this and other compressed files with the win extractor with no prob. I had used winzip also with same result; so the extractor tool was not the prob. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Also, Tez, thanks for the links. They give me some hope. Some people suggest 'turning off' UAC, but I would point out that in Win7 it cannot be disabled; only the 'notification' can be suspended, even in the registry as far as I can tell.

 

OK, so now I have had some sleep, and have uninstalled LOMAC/FlamingCliffs and have run the Starforce driver cleaner from their site. Surprisingly (to me anyway) is that Blackshark continues to run fine. I will now scan my system and clean the registry. Then, using the guidelines you have all supplied, I will try reinstalling and see if I can get this thing running.

 

Many thanks to all of you. Wish me luck.

 

-Tom

[159th_Viper]

....Surprisingly (to me anyway) is that Blackshark continues to run fine....

 

No Starforce Drivers are installed with Black Shark :)

[EtherealN]

Surprisingly (to me anyway) is that Blackshark continues to run fine.

 

Like I said in my original response to you: FC1.12 and DCS:BS use different StarForce solutions. FC1.12 use an old protection method, while DCS:BS (and, when released, FC2) uses StarForce ProActive without drivers.

[Distiler]

FC, when bought the download version, uses proactive too.

[EtherealN]

FC, when bought the download version, uses proactive too.

 

Note the following:

 

DCS:BS (and, when released, FC2) uses StarForce ProActive without drivers.

 

It's all about version numbering and exact implementation.

 

Anyways, unless there's further questions or problems, that's the subject done and resolved?

[xylem]

Anyways, ...that's the subject done and resolved?

 

No. And I'm sorry I made that offhand comment that distracted from the purpose of the thread. Further reading resolved it.

 

However; I have used the method outlined for installing, patching, updating and rebooting. I still cannot get LOMAC to work.

 

At one point I got a msg: "protection system- to launch app you need additional libraries. Install?" Clicked 'yes.' Got "installed correctly. reboot?" Clicked yes.

 

Upon reboot I get Windows msg" "Driver blocked due to incompatiblity." And I get another Starforce window:"Need to reboot." No matter what I do I continue to get these messages. I've turned off UAC, firewalls, AV, etc. I've tried WinXP compatability, I've tried launching from the desktop icon, and from the directory icon, as admin, etc. I continue to get those two windows.

 

Clearly the disc version of Flaming Cliffs (for which I paid $50 at TrackIR) is useless. It is not reasssuring to me that the d/l version works.

 

I've followed LoMac and ED since the inception and bought every product they made, but I am sorely disapponited now. There seems clearly no reason to buy further products.

 

Thank you to those who tried to help.

[AustinN360]

No. And I'm sorry I made that offhand comment that distracted from the purpose of the thread. Further reading resolved it.

 

However; I have used the method outlined for installing, patching, updating and rebooting. I still cannot get LOMAC to work.

 

At one point I got a msg: "protection system- to launch app you need additional libraries. Install?" Clicked 'yes.' Got "installed correctly. reboot?" Clicked yes.

 

Upon reboot I get Windows msg" "Driver blocked due to incompatiblity." And I get another Starforce window:"Need to reboot." No matter what I do I continue to get these messages. I've turned off UAC, firewalls, AV, etc. I've tried WinXP compatability, I've tried launching from the desktop icon, and from the directory icon, as admin, etc. I continue to get those two windows.

 

Clearly the disc version of Flaming Cliffs (for which I paid $50 at TrackIR) is useless. It is not reasssuring to me that the d/l version works.

 

I've followed LoMac and ED since the inception and bought every product they made, but I am sorely disapponited now. There seems clearly no reason to buy further products.

 

Thank you to those who tried to help.

 

You should install the SFupdate after you get this message: "Driver blocked due to incompatiblity." not before. This could be where you are going wrong.

[xylem]

I was ready to give up, but thanks for hahging in there Route. Somehow I don't think that's it, but I will try reinstalling. Are you saying, then, that I should try to run the game right after installing the 112b patch?

 

Also, on my machine, the version of the "protect.dll" is 3.07. Is that what you have ( in the game directory)? Starforce says that only versions great than 5.0x will handle Win7, but if I understand correctly the update cannot exceed that which the game creators put in. Anyway, what do you have?

 

Cleaning and reinstalling now. Thanks......

[AustinN360]

Thats right. Try to run 1.12b it'll try to install the sf drivers but you will get the incompatible error message. At this point go ahead and install the SFupdate.

 

The SFupdate is for StarForce versions BELOW 5.5 so I'm guessing that it will UPDATE SF to 5.5 or something.

[xylem]

Route, you are a genius. I have flaming Cliffs up and running !!!!!!!!!

 

Just in case someone else may need help I've listed what I did, with your help:

 

Flaming Cliffs install on Win7

(with UAC off)

 

1. Install LOMAC & reboot.

2. Patch to V102 & reboot.

3. Run game.

4. Install Flaming Cliffs 1.1 & reboot. ('protect.dll' product version at this point is 3.04 and there is no GUI file).

5. Patch to v 112b. (product v is now 3.07 and "Protection System GUI app" file appears in directory).

6. Try to run game. Instead one gets an 'Activation/Protection System' window "need to install libraries..." [pic 01]. Click 'yes'; it installs, and requires reboot. [pic 02].

7. After reboot one gets the "driver incompatible" message [pic 03]. Disregard and

8. Install Starforce UpDate.

9. Reboot

10. Launch Flaming Cliffs.

 

I am very gratefull to 104th_Route who offered one more word of advice after I was ready to give up. Thanks Route.

 

And thanks to everybody who helped in this thread; I appreciate it. Hope to see you in the virtual skies....

[Tez]

That's great! :) I'm glad! :D

:clap_2:

[AustinN360]

Route, you are a genius. I have flaming Cliffs up and running !!!!!!!!!

 

Just in case someone else may need help I've listed what I did, with your help:

 

Flaming Cliffs install on Win7

(with UAC off)

 

1. Install LOMAC & reboot.

2. Patch to V102 & reboot.

3. Run game.

4. Install Flaming Cliffs 1.1 & reboot. ('protect.dll' product version at this point is 3.04 and there is no GUI file).

5. Patch to v 112b. (product v is now 3.07 and "Protection System GUI app" file appears in directory).

6. Try to run game. Instead one gets an 'Activation/Protection System' window "need to install libraries..." [pic 01]. Click 'yes'; it installs, and requires reboot. [pic 02].

7. After reboot one gets the "driver incompatible" message [pic 03]. Disregard and

8. Install Starforce UpDate.

9. Reboot

10. Launch Flaming Cliffs.

 

I am very gratefull to 104th_Route who offered one more word of advice after I was ready to give up. Thanks Route.

 

And thanks to everybody who helped in this thread; I appreciate it. Hope to see you in the virtual skies....

 

Anytime xylem. One comment though, you don't need the Lockon 1.02 patch. But apart from that I'm glad that you've got it sorted.