seven
5th Aug 2011, 7:46 AM
It's impossible to uninstall the game after the latest patch (113).
Basically, I wanted a fresh start (I'd installed the Unlock All Achievements mod and since it's effects are permanent I wanted to re-start a vanilla game).
Let me explain by first recapping the patch warning we saw before installing it:
ELECTRONIC ARTS
PATCH TERMS
FOR THE SIMS MEDIEVAL™ GAME
By installing this Patch, you understand and agree that any Sony SecuROM content protection technology that protected your base game software will be removed and replaced by Content Activation content protection technology by Sony DADC Austria AG.
This change will not affect your rights to access and use your base game software. The Content Activation software will ensure that any of your five remaining SecuROM machine licenses associated with your base game software are available for use on other machines and your rights to use and authenticate your base game software should otherwise be unaffected.
You can still manage your authorizations yourself by following the de-authorization instructions found at <http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/>.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS CHANGE OF CONTENT PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY, DO NOT INSTALL THIS PATCH.
© Electronic Arts Inc. 2011
I went to this address:http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/
It prompts you to choose whatever game you wish to uninstall. I clicked on Sims Medieval. It takes you here: http://support.ea.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4971
Digital downloads of The Sims Medieval come with Content Activation digital rights management technology. This technology allows users to "authorize" up to five computers to play the game at the same time.
If you are coming close to your five machine limit, or wish to de-authorize a computer for any reason, you can de-authorize your system from playing The Sims Medieval right from your computer's Start menu.
Follow the steps below to de-authorize The Sims Medieval:
Click on the Start menu on your Windows Taskbar.
Select All Programs from the menu.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
You should see a list of all your EA titles (if there are any).
Select The Sims Medieval.
You should now see an option that reads Deauthorize this machine.
Click on the Deauthorize this machine option.
Follow the steps on the deauthorization wizard to complete the deauthorization process.
Keep in mind de-authorization does not uninstall the game. If you decide you want to re-authorize your computer later, all you have to do is re-launch the game.
Confusingly, it also states:
Note: De-authorization applies only to digitally downloaded copies of The Sims Medieval. The retail disk version of The Sims Medieval requires the disk in the drive to launch and play the game, and does not use DRM with machine limitations.
I have the boxed DVD version, which after the patch, doesn't appear to need DVD verification by having the disc in the DVD drive. Obviously they haven't updated this info (?).
The main problem regarding deauthorization (which you can't do) is this:
Click on the Start menu on your Windows Taskbar.
Select All Programs from the menu.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
You should see a list of all your EA titles (if there are any).
Select The Sims Medieval.
You should now see an option that reads Deauthorize this machine.
Click on the Deauthorize this machine option.
There isn't any Deauthorize option at all. I checked all folders. Same result. No icon no .exe, nothing.
Uninstalling from "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features" results in failure and gives this error:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1373/fghfgz.jpg
The error technical details are:
Error Code: -5005 : 0x8000ffff
Error Information:
>Kernel\KernelMedia.cpp (95)
>SetupNew\setup.cpp (851)
PAPP:
PVENDOR:Electronic Arts (##IDS_PRODUCT_URL##)
PGUID:83BEEFB4-8C28-4F4F-8A9D-E0D1ADCE335B
$15.0.0.498
@Windows Vista Service Pack 0 (6000)
IE Version: 8.0.7601.17514
Normally I would just manually uninstall everything in every folder, the C:\Users\User\AppData folders, C:\ProgramData, the registry keys etc. but the danger here is that there is a bunch of files and referances tied up in EA Core folders and the new Origin stuff, so manually uninstalling might break other EA installed games.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated,
Chris
So, to recap:
1. You must now deauthorize the game before uninstalling
2. There is no way to deauthorize the game and the info on the official EA site is incorrect
3. The usual uninstall method fails if you try to remove the game giving an error
4. The patch appears to install the Pirates and Nobles expansion (but doesn't) See pic below.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8465/eaup2.jpg
Basically, I wanted a fresh start (I'd installed the Unlock All Achievements mod and since it's effects are permanent I wanted to re-start a vanilla game).
Let me explain by first recapping the patch warning we saw before installing it:
ELECTRONIC ARTS
PATCH TERMS
FOR THE SIMS MEDIEVAL™ GAME
By installing this Patch, you understand and agree that any Sony SecuROM content protection technology that protected your base game software will be removed and replaced by Content Activation content protection technology by Sony DADC Austria AG.
This change will not affect your rights to access and use your base game software. The Content Activation software will ensure that any of your five remaining SecuROM machine licenses associated with your base game software are available for use on other machines and your rights to use and authenticate your base game software should otherwise be unaffected.
You can still manage your authorizations yourself by following the de-authorization instructions found at <http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/>.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS CHANGE OF CONTENT PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY, DO NOT INSTALL THIS PATCH.
© Electronic Arts Inc. 2011
I went to this address:http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/
It prompts you to choose whatever game you wish to uninstall. I clicked on Sims Medieval. It takes you here: http://support.ea.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4971
Digital downloads of The Sims Medieval come with Content Activation digital rights management technology. This technology allows users to "authorize" up to five computers to play the game at the same time.
If you are coming close to your five machine limit, or wish to de-authorize a computer for any reason, you can de-authorize your system from playing The Sims Medieval right from your computer's Start menu.
Follow the steps below to de-authorize The Sims Medieval:
Click on the Start menu on your Windows Taskbar.
Select All Programs from the menu.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
You should see a list of all your EA titles (if there are any).
Select The Sims Medieval.
You should now see an option that reads Deauthorize this machine.
Click on the Deauthorize this machine option.
Follow the steps on the deauthorization wizard to complete the deauthorization process.
Keep in mind de-authorization does not uninstall the game. If you decide you want to re-authorize your computer later, all you have to do is re-launch the game.
Confusingly, it also states:
Note: De-authorization applies only to digitally downloaded copies of The Sims Medieval. The retail disk version of The Sims Medieval requires the disk in the drive to launch and play the game, and does not use DRM with machine limitations.
I have the boxed DVD version, which after the patch, doesn't appear to need DVD verification by having the disc in the DVD drive. Obviously they haven't updated this info (?).
The main problem regarding deauthorization (which you can't do) is this:
Click on the Start menu on your Windows Taskbar.
Select All Programs from the menu.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
You should see a list of all your EA titles (if there are any).
Select The Sims Medieval.
You should now see an option that reads Deauthorize this machine.
Click on the Deauthorize this machine option.
There isn't any Deauthorize option at all. I checked all folders. Same result. No icon no .exe, nothing.
Uninstalling from "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features" results in failure and gives this error:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1373/fghfgz.jpg
The error technical details are:
Error Code: -5005 : 0x8000ffff
Error Information:
>Kernel\KernelMedia.cpp (95)
>SetupNew\setup.cpp (851)
PAPP:
PVENDOR:Electronic Arts (##IDS_PRODUCT_URL##)
PGUID:83BEEFB4-8C28-4F4F-8A9D-E0D1ADCE335B
$15.0.0.498
@Windows Vista Service Pack 0 (6000)
IE Version: 8.0.7601.17514
Normally I would just manually uninstall everything in every folder, the C:\Users\User\AppData folders, C:\ProgramData, the registry keys etc. but the danger here is that there is a bunch of files and referances tied up in EA Core folders and the new Origin stuff, so manually uninstalling might break other EA installed games.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated,
Chris
So, to recap:
1. You must now deauthorize the game before uninstalling
2. There is no way to deauthorize the game and the info on the official EA site is incorrect
3. The usual uninstall method fails if you try to remove the game giving an error
4. The patch appears to install the Pirates and Nobles expansion (but doesn't) See pic below.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8465/eaup2.jpg