Jump to content

[Closed] DCSWorld 1.2.6.19532, Starforce VM Error Dialog


Recommended Posts

Posted

I'm surprised. I thought Hyper-V could be better platform for Windows-VM, than any other hypervisor. But apparently, it is not that way. But Microsoft is still relatively new in this area, while VMware was actually pioneer of virtualization (at least on PC)...

Posted (edited)

Alright, so it seems clear that ATM, we have the following:

 

Working

VMware vSphere

VMware Player

VMware Workstation ? (probably)

 

Not working

VirtualBox

Hyper-V

 

By the way, if others can and are willing to make their own tests just to be sure, the more the better

Edited by Robin_Hood
Posted (edited)
Alright, so it seems clear that ATM, we have the following:

 

Working

VMWare

vSphere

 

Not working

VirtualBox

Hyper-V

 

No. Working is:

 

VMware Player and probably VMware Workstation (both desktop virtualization products)

VMware vSphere (server virtualization)

 

(VMware is just company name, not product-name)

______________________________________

 

BTW, there is (I think) useful info in this thread. Maybe it is worth to make it sticky, or rename to something better (easier to find by searching)...

Edited by Rhinox
Posted (edited)
No. Working is:

 

VMware Player and probably VMware Workstation (both desktop virtualization products)

VMware vSphere (server virtualization)

 

(VMware is just company name, not product-name)

______________________________________

 

BTW, there is (I think) useful info in this thread. Maybe it is worth to make it sticky, or rename to something better (easier to find by searching)...

 

Roger that, I don't know a lot about VMs. I edited

Edited by Robin_Hood
Posted (edited)
I'm surprised. I thought Hyper-V could be better platform for Windows-VM, than any other hypervisor. But apparently, it is not that way. But Microsoft is still relatively new in this area, while VMware was actually pioneer of virtualization (at least on PC)...

 

Although it's not a question of what hosts a windows VM "better" - it's about what virtualization techniques trigger the apparent DRM. Various virtualization layers have different virtualiztion "clues": signature default values (registry keys, hard disk name, default network card address), dmesg output values (for *nix based guests), subtle non-fatal but known - and thus detectable - implementation bugs, etc.

 

I would guess the DRM in this case is looking for certain signatures, and ignoring others - and Hyper-V must implement one of the known signatures.

 

Edit: If you're wondering if a VM could ever be made "detection proof", check this out - it suggests not. Timing analysis might always be a weakness: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~cthompson/papers/virt-detect.pdf

Edited by Vedexent

Posted

By "better" I meant better representation of underlying hardware. Not better hiding its (hypervisor's) presence.

 

I have good reason to think DCS-World (with its ProActive or whatever protection system it uses) is NOT trying to detect VM at all. Why? Just open VMware Player (or ESXi) VM and check hardware names: you will find things like "VMware SVGA graphics adapter", etc. It does not use some fake (but real), or random names. Or check CPU, and it says: Intel Core-i7 with 1 (!) core (which i7 is single-core? none!). I also had "VMware Tools" installed and running, another clear trace of VM. Etc, etc.

 

I will check that VirtualBox-problem, but despite of that error-message box I think it does not fail because it detected VM...

Posted

 

Or check CPU, and it says: Intel Core-i7 with 1 (!) core (which i7 is single-core? none!). I also had "VMware Tools" installed and running, another clear trace of VM. Etc, etc.

 

 

On a side note, it's easy to do this without a VM, i can disable Cores/Modules in my Bios and my windows will boot and say FX8350 2,4,6, or 8 Cores.

 

It looks like it has to do with CPU Emulation Type, and whether or not certain Virtualization options are disabled/enabled in the BIOS.

 

I Ran the latest DCS on VMWare fine last night, apart from the slow Loading times due to Virtualization.

 

Will play with CPU Emulation/Virtualization Settings in VMWare to see if I can Provoke ProActive to block Execution of DCS.

Windows 10 Pro, Ryzen 2700X @ 4.6Ghz, 32GB DDR4-3200 GSkill (F4-3200C16D-16GTZR x2),

ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate, XFX RX6800XT Merc 310 (RX-68XTALFD9)

3x ASUS VS248HP + Oculus HMD, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS + MFDs

Posted

I read it differently, but without word from them or ED to clarify it's impossible to say for sure.

 

My take is that if they are making an effort to detect virtualization, and preventing the game from running when they do, it is intentional and they're just not doing a very comprehensive/complete job of detecting virtualization.

 

I'd guess their opinion is, what's to stop someone from installing a registered game in a VM and then distributing the VM.

 

Afterall, if it's not the case, why stop if you do detect virtualization. StarForce/ProActive isn't doing you a favor by telling you that your VM is or isn't sufficient to run the game. It's not their job or their purpose.

 

All guesses and interpretation on my part...

Posted
No problem, just press this little red button next my post to feed the troll :thumbup:

 

Post reported! You did mean that red button, right? ;)

 

 

Yeah that one :lol:

 

Please do not Mis-Use the Report Post feature.

Windows 10 Pro, Ryzen 2700X @ 4.6Ghz, 32GB DDR4-3200 GSkill (F4-3200C16D-16GTZR x2),

ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate, XFX RX6800XT Merc 310 (RX-68XTALFD9)

3x ASUS VS248HP + Oculus HMD, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS + MFDs

Posted
I'd guess their opinion is, what's to stop someone from installing a registered game in a VM and then distributing the VM.

 

There are ways to block this without blocking VMs, but it requires a little infrastructure on the part of the game company.

 

Your installation is required that it "call home" periodically, and check that the software key is valid. If the authentication server starts seeing the same key coming from multiple systems, the key is suspended or cancelled, and the cloned systems are locked down until the user contacts the company and explains what's going on, and the company may or may not re-activate the key.

 

That incurs some ongoing expense on behalf of the company, however.

Posted

Someone pressed it..

Windows 10 Pro, Ryzen 2700X @ 4.6Ghz, 32GB DDR4-3200 GSkill (F4-3200C16D-16GTZR x2),

ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate, XFX RX6800XT Merc 310 (RX-68XTALFD9)

3x ASUS VS248HP + Oculus HMD, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS + MFDs

Posted
I just got rep + :smilewink:

 

Ontopic:

 

It just sems that vmware products are better at doing things that "real" PC do.

 

VMWare has more Options for how it Virtualizes.

 

I Ditched the Microsoft VM/Virtual PC Software long ago, VMWare is just Superior.

Windows 10 Pro, Ryzen 2700X @ 4.6Ghz, 32GB DDR4-3200 GSkill (F4-3200C16D-16GTZR x2),

ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate, XFX RX6800XT Merc 310 (RX-68XTALFD9)

3x ASUS VS248HP + Oculus HMD, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS + MFDs

Posted
There are ways to block this without blocking VMs, but it requires a little infrastructure on the part of the game company...

Some time ago I have spent a lot of time with FC2 as I tried to run it on VM. It was tough work, because FC2 contained that "true" hard-to-debug StarForce ring0-library. I'm not sure which version was it (5.0?) but *that* protection library had extremely strong VM-detection routines. And it was a few years ago...

 

That's why I'm pretty sure: If StarForce Technologies wanted to prevent running some SW on VM (of *any* kind, be it VBox, VMware, KVM or whatever), they could do it with ProActive too (even without ring0). Such a protection would be very effective and extremely hard (if not impossible) to circumvent. So if it is possible to run DCS-World on VM (without any tweaking!), then it's because they did not disable it intentionally (or maybe it was on request of ED). Not because they forgot to do it...

Posted

Finally, I'm not sure that Starforce is responsible.

 

I had this week the opportunity to make online multiplayer and LAN.

 

The result is exactly the same, such a high latency that it is simply unplayable.

 

I think the causes of our problems come from the same sources.

 

That one can or not start, dedicated server.

 

The game with latest patches became unstable for Multiplayer and unplayable for many.

 

Several of my acquaintances wonder if they continued.

 

Without significant improvements will be the case, only EDGE now restrains will, and are hoping.

Posted
Some time ago I have spent a lot of time with FC2 as I tried to run it on VM. It was tough work, because FC2 contained that "true" hard-to-debug StarForce ring0-library. I'm not sure which version was it (5.0?) but *that* protection library had extremely strong VM-detection routines. And it was a few years ago...

 

That's why I'm pretty sure: If StarForce Technologies wanted to prevent running some SW on VM (of *any* kind, be it VBox, VMware, KVM or whatever), they could do it with ProActive too (even without ring0). Such a protection would be very effective and extremely hard (if not impossible) to circumvent. So if it is possible to run DCS-World on VM (without any tweaking!), then it's because they did not disable it intentionally (or maybe it was on request of ED). Not because they forgot to do it...

 

There are also a lot more virtualization technologies (and versions of them) than there were X number of years ago. Heck, just VMWare has Fusion, Workstation, Player, Server, ESX, yadda yadda yadda. Now add Parallels, HyperV, KVM, Xen, VirtualBox, etc. It could be that it's just like playing whack-a-mole trying to keep up with all the different implementations.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...