Okay, I went down to my local EB Games store and bought a copy of TOCA Race Driver 3, (as opposed to NFS:MW) and popped it into my optical drive.

I've read over the net about its apparent Starforce v3.7 protection, and I'm still not convinced to install it.

IT's sitting in my optical drive still, and I'm not sure if I should install it or not.

I've had Starforce protected games before: (TrackMania Original, TrackMania United (However it is only on disc check), etc.) and they've been absolutely fine I guess...

So the question is, is it safe to install or not?

Here

http://www.glop.org/starforce/

Hmmm.

So the site is basically saying to set a $20 game on fire that I got two days ago, for the potential that it could trash my system?

I remember running an SF game with DT, and using star**** (starfvck) with some IDE device disabler (alternative to physically disconnecting optical drives) to get around SF, but that was ages ago. Is nothing like that possible anymore?

Personally I would probably take the risk and install it, but only after ensuring I have a working SF removal tool and attempting to find out whether my optical drive has the 16-compatibility (DOS 'real'?) mode. Not having installed anything modern with SF, I can't state relevant facts

As long as you own original and legal disc, you can safely install crack which removes FartForce..

Quote from Shadowww :

As long as you own original and legal disc, you can safely install crack which removes FartForce..

No your wrong it removes the check that Starforce does but it's still on your system hiding as a hidden device.

Quote from rc10racer :

No your wrong it removes the check that Starforce does but it's still on your system hiding as a hidden device.

If you don't launch game before cracking it, there's no hidden device being installed.

Quote from Original Post :

I've had Starforce protected games before: (TrackMania Original, TrackMania United (However it is only on disc check), etc.) and they've been absolutely fine I guess...

There's no guarantee that there will be system damage if I install from my original and legal disc from EB Games store right?

(slightly off topic: for some weird reason, the salespersons there wanted me to get Need for Arcade Most Wanted)

The gripe with Starforce was that it installed hidden apps which some people objected to, not that it damaged anything. There was talk of it breaking optical drives, but aside from the usual 'I read on a forum about someone who knew someone who it happened to' there's not really anything to them. Starforce said they'd pay $1000 to anyone who could reproduce the problem in front of them and no-one ever claimed it.

The only issue I've found is that some older titles which install older versions of Starforce can stop 64-bit systems booting. I found this with UFO: Aftershock. Installing the newer version from their website fixed it completely.

Go ahead, install it. It will not break your system.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

The gripe with Starforce was that it installed hidden apps which some people objected to, not that it damaged anything. There was talk of it breaking optical drives, but aside from the usual 'I read on a forum about someone who knew someone who it happened to' there's not really anything to them. Starforce said they'd pay $1000 to anyone who could reproduce the problem in front of them and no-one ever claimed it.

The only issue I've found is that some older titles which install older versions of Starforce can stop 64-bit systems booting. I found this with UFO: Aftershock. Installing the newer version from their website fixed it completely.

Go ahead, install it. It will not break your system.

Well it's malware. It opens your system for some vulnerabilities making it's easier to get access into your PC. Also it causes BSoD's with some drives.

Does it depend on what version of Starforce the game installs?

I've read that the latest version is the most intrusive, etc.

Maybe I should install the game with my AV on?

You should just get a crack, it's completely legal if you own the game + you will be able to play without a disc = you can listen to music from CD while playing game (e.g.)

You say it's completely legal, but in some places... reverse engineering (which is how cracks operate) isn't legal.

Also, encouraging cracking anywhere is pretty stupid. Install Starforce, it's not that huge of a deal. I've used it with multiple games and have I ever even noticed that it's there?

Never. It's pretty much 100% transparent, except if your a paranoid person, or a faux (read: retarded) "hacker" from some European nation.

Quote from dawesdust_12 :

You say it's completely legal, but in some places... reverse engineering (which is how cracks operate) isn't legal.

In Germany it is even illegal to circumvent copy protection mechanisms in any way. Which is kinda BS, because my laptop's optical drive is broken, so for any CD/DVD based game I need to create an image on my second PC, copy it over via LAN, and - if neccessary - crack it just to be able to play the game. Which I paid for.

Just go and install it, today starforce is not better or worse than safedisc or any other copy protection software. They all install drivers and other things to your computer. If starforce causes trouble (which is very, very unlikely) you can still return the game to your dealer

i have installed ONE game which had StarForce protection.. i uninstalled it the very instant i tried to start the game as the crappy protection didnt allow me to play..

SF is the WORST protection ever made, and its totally useless..

Hmm, the store that I bought it from, (EB Games), has a 7 Day Trial period with all purchased games, so I can still swap the game over for another one if I'm not satisfied.

And the yes's and no's said in the thread are about even.

never you should trust, the darside of the force, the Fartforce:spyoda:
:jedi:

Never had technical issues with Starforced games and I believe there's plenty of those sitting on my shelf.

Now moral issues is completely different matter but the devs gotta get their lunch too.

why does everyone still call it "copy protection".

it doesn't protect a copy.

it's copy prevention... and not even that, actually.

you might say that i am being pedantic, but giving the proper name to things is important for thinking about it in the proper terms.