W2K System Unable to Access SC CD's

[Roark]

Archived from groups: alt.games.starcraft (More info?)

Here's the problem as best I understand it:

A friend is running a W2K Pro system on which he plays SC:BW through
BattleNet. He has been doing so with no problem for the past year.

Recently, another friend of his installed some game crackz on his
system so that he could run games like Doom 3 without having to insert
the CD. I'm not sure what files were installed, or where, or how...in
short, I don't know anything about them.

However, and I don't know yet that this is related, he is now unable
to run StarCraft...either BroodWar or the original disc. He does not
get the splash screen on inserting the disc, and if he tries to access
the disc through Explorer, the system freezes so that a reboot is
required. The same happens if he tries to run SC from the Start Menu.
He has tried uninstalling SC, thinking that some of the game files on
his HDD may have been changed (unfortunately, he did not supervise
this other friend who installed the crackz on his system), but still
gets the same result.

Has anyone else had this problem, or can anyone recommend a fix? Is
anyone familiar with the kind of crack I'm talking about? If so, how
can it be removed (there are no entries in Add/Remove, or in Prog.
Files)? Is that indeed what is interfering with SC?
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.starcraft (More info?)

"Roark" <mroark@myself.com> wrote in message
news:5bd3d51b.0412091158.1c27c8a2@posting.google.com...
> Here's the problem as best I understand it:
>
> A friend is running a W2K Pro system on which he plays SC:BW through
> BattleNet. He has been doing so with no problem for the past year.
>
> Recently, another friend of his installed some game crackz on his
> system so that he could run games like Doom 3 without having to insert
> the CD. I'm not sure what files were installed, or where, or how...in
> short, I don't know anything about them.
>
> However, and I don't know yet that this is related, he is now unable
> to run StarCraft...either BroodWar or the original disc. He does not
> get the splash screen on inserting the disc, and if he tries to access
> the disc through Explorer, the system freezes so that a reboot is
> required. The same happens if he tries to run SC from the Start Menu.
> He has tried uninstalling SC, thinking that some of the game files on
> his HDD may have been changed (unfortunately, he did not supervise
> this other friend who installed the crackz on his system), but still
> gets the same result.
>
> Has anyone else had this problem, or can anyone recommend a fix? Is
> anyone familiar with the kind of crack I'm talking about? If so, how
> can it be removed (there are no entries in Add/Remove, or in Prog.
> Files)? Is that indeed what is interfering with SC?
> Any help will be appreciated.

If someone #%#@%@#s with your system, typically the first thing you want to
do is format the hard drive, and reinstall windows.

Then install a secure password, a bios password, screen saver password, turn
off auto run of CD's, make all people log in, and turn off botting to CD and
Floppy unless you enter the admin password.

Next, beat the friend who messed up your computer and never let them in your
house again.

Third install a firewall.

Fourth reinstall SC/BW

Fifth enjoy!

-LTP

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.starcraft (More info?)

On 9 Dec 2004 11:58:20 -0800, mroark@myself.com (Roark) wrote:

>Here's the problem as best I understand it:
>
>A friend is running a W2K Pro system on which he plays SC:BW through
>BattleNet. He has been doing so with no problem for the past year.
>
>Recently, another friend of his installed some game crackz on his
>system so that he could run games like Doom 3 without having to insert
>the CD. I'm not sure what files were installed, or where, or how...in
>short, I don't know anything about them.
>
>However, and I don't know yet that this is related, he is now unable
>to run StarCraft...either BroodWar or the original disc. He does not
>get the splash screen on inserting the disc, and if he tries to access
>the disc through Explorer, the system freezes so that a reboot is
>required. The same happens if he tries to run SC from the Start Menu.
>He has tried uninstalling SC, thinking that some of the game files on
>his HDD may have been changed (unfortunately, he did not supervise
>this other friend who installed the crackz on his system), but still
>gets the same result.
>
>Has anyone else had this problem, or can anyone recommend a fix? Is
>anyone familiar with the kind of crack I'm talking about? If so, how
>can it be removed (there are no entries in Add/Remove, or in Prog.
>Files)? Is that indeed what is interfering with SC?
>Any help will be appreciated.

Some suggestions/questions, in no particular order.

If it's a Gateway, Dell, or some other big brand of PC, try running
the system restore disc that almost certainly came along with the PC.

Do other discs work? Does the PC have a virus scanner? Run the scanner
and see if it comes up with anything. If you think you can salvage the
computer without a reformat/reinstall, run Spybot and Adaware as well.

If you can find out what cracks were installed, there's a much better
chance to fix the boo-boo. Hold the Windows key and hit F, and do a
search for the names of the games that were cracked. Hopefully there's
still a .zip or .rar file sitting somewhere on the HD. If you can find
that, generally you'll be able to figure out what exactly the crack
did and hopefully be able to reverse it. It sounds like a pretty poor
quality crack to me, considering the fact that it screwed everything
up.

If all else fails, backup the good stuff and reformat/reinstall.