1.5 Patching Woes

[Petite Wolf]

So I recently swapped over from a Steam version of M2TW to a non-Steam version due to annoyance at the mods being a complete pain in the ass to install. I bought the gold edition from gamersgate, which by itself works fine. The issue comes when I download the 1.5 patch and install it. Once this is done, Kingdoms - and therefore every mod I wish to play - fails to work due to the game thinking I haven't registered my copy of M2TW and as such asks me for the serial number. I of course immediately locate the serial number allocated to my game and enter it. The game then proceeds to recognise it as invalid. I tried running the game with my firewall off, but there was no difference. I tried installing the non-Gold 1.5 patch but of course it doesn't work considering my version is a Gold Version. I also tried using the securom diagnostic tool to fix the problem, but for some odd reason it couldn't connect to the update servers, despite my having an internet connection. I tried it both with my firewall on and off and saw no difference.

In short, I can't play Kingdoms or any Kingdoms mods since I patched the game to 1.5 and am not sure what to do.

[irishron]

Go back to your Steam version.
Any other download version of Kingdoms to patch is "broken" unless in your Gamersgate has one for its specific download.
There are three different way to get mods to work under Steam, one in Steam's forums and two in our Mod workshop.

Of which in either case, before installing either, did you
1. log in as Administrator?
2 Vista, Win 7/8, disble the UAC?
3. Vista, Win 7/8, take ownership of your drive(s)?
4. try installing another location than default?

[Petite Wolf]

1. I am the administrator.
2. Yes, UAC has been disabled.
3. Giving myself 100% control of my drivers doesn't seem to work. Each time I've tried it has messed up and not allowed me control of things like Program Files, Program Files (x86), etc.
4. It doesn't give me a choice of where to install, but I have moved the folder after install before.

I need a new PC anyway. I may just stick with the Steam version until I get one.

[PoleCat]

The following is just conjecture.

I've been thinking about this problem for a little while now and I've started to wonder if it's a hardware related DRM lock enabled through MS and/or Securom. Before Steam emerged MS started it's "Three Strikes" policy of three installs then lock until re-authorized.

What if Securom is reading that this user has previously installed the Steam version (possibly multiple times) and is counting those installs towards the lock? That could mean that this install is still being influenced based on some file that normal users can't see or get to in order to prevent piracy.

Here's some interesting reading I dug up - take it as you will. Good luck!

The Big List of 3rd Party DRM on Steam.

[Petite Wolf]

So the issue is definitely a securom issue, as when the "Activation" thing comes up and I enter my serial number and it fails, it tells me to email securom support. The exact words are as follows:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Activation process has been terminated. Please make sure the SERIAL has been entered correctly.
Press BACK to attempt another activation, click MANUAL ACTIVATION to activate manually or press CANCEL to abort. In case the problem still persists please contact mailto:support@securom.com.

The SERIAL was not found in the database. Most likely the SERIAL has been entered incorrectly.

I tried the manual activation but all it said was:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

An online activation can not be performed. Please contact your software vendor to manually retrieve your onlock code.

PLease make sure, that you have prepared the folloing information:
-Registration Code
-Unlock request code which is displayed below.
After that, please call the number ...

A number, of course, was not supplied. If I could get the securom diagnostic tool actually connecting to the server it needs to connect to - it never does >.< - then things would probably be okay.

Maybe I'll actually email support... hmm...

And yes, the typos are actually part of it. What is in the spoilers was copy/pasted.

[irishron]

Do you have any emulation software, virtual drives, cd/dvd burning software, audio/visual recording software?
What other games do you have installed?
Securom kicked me out and refused to run because of Microsoft's Virtual PC. I have a few expletives for it that would bypass the censor.