Want to use batch file for copy protection
John Harold
like the batch file to copy the hard drive's serial number on the first
run and then check to see if the serial number is the same number on
each run thereafter. The batch file will copy a file to the hard drive
only if the hard drive serial number matches.
I know the "vol" command will get the serial number but I don't know how
to strip the number out. Also, is there a DOS command that I can use to
compare two files or two text strings? Any help would be greatly
appreciated. You can learn more about what I'm trying to accomplish
below.
Thank you,
John Harold
I've created several useful forms for real estate agents using the
OmniForm 4.0 forms design program and I'd like to offer these forms for
sale. I've spent many hours designing these forms and I want to
implement some level of copy protection. The forms are simply files and
they can be easily copied. OmniForm does not provide for copy protection
but it will allow me to create a field that will look for external data
and print "Unauthorized Use" or some other text if the external data is
present or not present. The external data file must be another OmniForm
form or database file. I wish to hide this "key" data file by giving it
a ambiguous name and putting somewhere on the hard drive like the
Windows folder. The forms must find the file and read a key number in
the file or the "Unauthorized Use" text file will print across every
form. I understand that this copy protection scheme is very easy to
crack. However, these forms are targeted towards real estate agents and
these users are generally not very computer literate. Even the simplest
copy protection scheme will stop the vast majority of these users from
copying the forms. Also, the low price of the forms will keep most from
even trying.
The batch file I described above will at least provide an obstacle to
those who wish to give the forms to others.
Todd Vargo
John Harold <DontS...@Net.com> wrote in message
news:cwB15.13289$pd4.3...@news-east.usenetserver.com...
VOL does not return a serial number of a hard drive! The number you see
displayed is actually the date and time the HD was formatted. Once
reformatted or if the HD is replaced, the numbers will be different. So what
do your paying clients do when their HD crashes or they upgrade? Your
actually making it harder on your paid clients not the pirates. Keep in
mind, software pirates are 99.9% of the time, computer literate. If you
going make the obstacle this simple, why bother at all?
John Harold
news:8i7in5$4996b$1...@fu-berlin.de...
> VOL does not return a serial number of a hard drive! The number you
see
> displayed is actually the date and time the HD was formatted. Once
> reformatted or if the HD is replaced, the numbers will be different.
Thanks for the information. However, this number is still unique enough
to suit the purpose.
> So what
> do your paying clients do when their HD crashes or they upgrade? Your
> actually making it harder on your paid clients not the pirates. Keep
in
> mind, software pirates are 99.9% of the time, computer literate. If
you
> going make the obstacle this simple, why bother at all?
I simply email the client a new "key" file. The forms have a built in
support link to a web page and my email address to make this easy. Real
estate agents will "share" the forms software with all the agents in
their office and they don't have to be computer literate to do so. I
would welcome a more secure copy protection solution if anyone has any
ideas.
John Harold
John Harold
this batch file.
John Harold
"Michael Marquart" <mi...@mmelbpc.org.au> wrote in message
news:9mcfksg6c48khil6s...@4ax.com...
> Here's my hack.....
Michael Marquart
>I wish to create a batch file to use for simple copy protection. I'd
>like the batch file to copy the hard drive's serial number on the first
>run and then check to see if the serial number is the same number on
>each run thereafter. The batch file will copy a file to the hard drive
>only if the hard drive serial number matches.
Here's my hack...
@echo off
if exist %winbootdir%\forms.dat goto skip
vol c:|find /i "serial">c:\temp.bat
echo set v=%%4>%winbootdir%\volume.bat
call c:\temp.bat
del c:\temp.bat
del %winbootdir%\volume.bat
echo %v%>%winbootdir%\forms.dat
:skip
vol c:|find /i "serial">c:\temp.bat
echo set v=%%4>%winbootdir%\volume.bat
call c:\temp.bat
del c:\temp.bat
del %winbootdir%\volume.bat
echo %v%>%winbootdir%\forms2.dat
fc /b %winbootdir%\forms.dat %winbootdir%\forms2.dat|find /i "no
differences">nul
del %winbootdir%\forms2.dat
if errorlevel 1 echo "Illegal copy detected - Formatting C:\ drive"
if errorlevel 1 pause>nul
if errorlevel 1 echo "...fooled you!"
Not that one line starting with "fc /b" may wrap and it should have
|find /i "no differences">nul
at the end of it.
%winbootdir% resolves to the Windows directory and there forms.dat will be the
original serial number, with forms2.dat being the current c: hard drive serial
number. If you need more description of it, then just ask.
Btw, your forthrightness in describing your desires is admirable.
Regards
Mic
Todd Vargo
I hate to rain on your parade but, if your going to create/store the key
file on the hard drive, how will that file get checked when the install
batch is run on another computer? The object is to prevent the install on
other computers, not preventing it from running on the same computer if
reformatted (which still wont work). There are other problems too but I'll
let someone else mention them.
Think about it. In order for this idea to work, your clients would have to
submit a sample directory listing. Then you would have to include a file
with the serial number (padded of course). Then each time the software needs
reinstalled after a format or upgrade, the process would have to be
repeated.
It is highly unlikely the software would need reinstalled on the same
machine with the same format, so this idea looses effect because your bound
to repeating the 'submit sample directory' process. It would be just as easy
to include a file you could delete or rename (assuming floppy is used),
again making the install a one shot deal.
In either case, the pirates still get their copies. Your clients just call
you for FREE replacements. So who are you really hurting in the long run?
See my point yet?
Ted Davis
wrote:
>I wish to create a batch file to use for simple copy protection. I'd
>like the batch file to copy the hard drive's serial number on the first
>run and then check to see if the serial number is the same number on
>each run thereafter. The batch file will copy a file to the hard drive
>only if the hard drive serial number matches.
>
There are two distinctly different - and somewhat incompatible -
concepts in that message: the part above the signature is about
preventing copying files from a floppy to a hard drive with a specific
program without regard to the other ways files can be copied or the
apparent fact that once on the HDD they can be copied and e-mailed at
will. This file would have to be on the floppy to be of any use at
all.
The part below the signature describes what one would take to be the
context in which the former part is to be used, except that it doesn't
include the situation where the former would actually be used -
instead it deals with prevention of *use* of the file unless a key
file is present on the HDD.
This is not copy protection - you really don't have a reason to care
if the forms are distributed because the key (read "license") file is
required to use them. and *that* is intended to be machine specific.
Sorting out the terminology helps sort out the thinking as well.
If the concept is licensing, then the people who buy it are likely to
want to use it on whatever machine they happen to be using when they
need it, that is, people tend to think of non-executable files as
being associated with people rather than machines - you might want to
consider ways of dealing with that.
Copy protection is basically limited to making the floppy unreadable
except by a licensed program - most everything else called "copy
protection" is really some form of use restriction or license scheme.
With license files it is essential that the license file not be
present on the distribution floppy - DSKCOPY can produce pirate copies
of the unused install floppy without difficulty or limit. Often the
files are distributed several ways without restriction, but the
license is sent by e-mail after the user has provided whatever
information you want to include in the file, or it is generated by the
install program when the user enters the license key number or string
obtained by e-mail or from the distribution package. It is also
customary to embed some information from the license file (such as the
user's name) into the output product.
Idealy, the license file could contain a reference to something that
is unique to the machine, but the most satisfactory solutions to that
problem are disk volume numbers and Ethernet addresses, both of which
are subject to change as repaires and upgrades are made. (Not all
machines have Ethernet cards, but they are becoming much more common
than they used to be.)
T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.
John James
a Key .... desktop ...laptop
Todd Vargo
to use the software, I'd be asking for a refund quicker than you can say,
crapware.
John James <Gemc...@chalktv.com> wrote in message
news:m7c25.86459$uw6.1...@news20.bellglobal.com...
WYLTK
"Todd Vargo" <tl...@oh.freei.net> wrote in message news:8iaeuj$4g274$1...@fu-berlin.de...
> John Harold <DontS...@Net.com> wrote in message
> news:nrR15.21561$pd4.5...@news-east.usenetserver.com...
> > Wow! Thank you so much. I am in absolute awe at your ability to write
> > this batch file.
> >
> > John Harold
> >
> > "Michael Marquart" <mi...@mmelbpc.org.au> wrote in message
> > news:9mcfksg6c48khil6s...@4ax.com...
> > > Here's my hack.....
> >
> >
> >
>
> file on the hard drive, how will that file get checked when the install
> batch is run on another computer? The object is to prevent the install on
> other computers, not preventing it from running on the same computer if
> reformatted (which still wont work). There are other problems too but I'll
> let someone else mention them.
>
> Think about it. In order for this idea to work, your clients would have to
> submit a sample directory listing. Then you would have to include a file
> with the serial number (padded of course). Then each time the software needs
> reinstalled after a format or upgrade, the process would have to be
> repeated.
>
> It is highly unlikely the software would need reinstalled on the same
> machine with the same format, so this idea looses effect because your bound
> to repeating the 'submit sample directory' process. It would be just as easy
> to include a file you could delete or rename (assuming floppy is used),
> again making the install a one shot deal.
>
> In either case, the pirates still get their copies. Your clients just call
> you for FREE replacements. So who are you really hurting in the long run?
> See my point yet?
>
registered' flag, then a second batch could accept a serial and change the flag. Just a thought.
John Harold
with the intellect demonstrated by many of you in this newsgroup.
Unfortunatley I've been too busy to work on the batch file this week,
but I'll be experimenting with it next week.
I understand the concerns some have had about this method of copy
protection or about copy protection in general. In many ways I agree
with you. I know copy protection is often a bad word to computer users.
But, when you invest your hardwork, time and money in creating software,
you begin to appreciate the need for it. I don't intend to use this copy
protection method for individual real estate agents who buy my forms.
Real esate agents are independant contractors and I expect the vast
majority of the copies that I sell will be to indivdual agents. For
these individuals, I intend to place their name in the appropriate
places on the form before I send them the software. They won't be able
to remove their name and they want won't to remove their name if they
are in fact using the software themselves. As far as I'm concerned, they
own the software and they can put it on as many computers as they'd
like. Unregistered users won't be able to use the forms that already
have another agent's name printed on them. Of course they could always
use WhiteOut but I doubt they would want to bother with that.
My ideas was to only use the batch file copy protection for a real
estate company that purchases the forms for use by their secretary. The
secreatary will fill out the forms for the agents in the office. In this
situation, I can't build the individual agent's name into the form
because there are usually several agents in one office. I know that the
company will "share" the software with every agent in the office and I
want to discourage that. My idea was to allow the company version of the
software to be installed by CD and then "unlocked" with the floppy. The
floppy must be write enabled so it will only "unlock" the software on
that one machine. It's not a perfect solution but it's better than
nothing. When the office upgrades their computer or formats the hard
drive, I can send them a new "unlock" floppy. I can set the forms up so
they have a "trial" period of 30 days or so before "Unarthorized Copy"
text appears on the form. his will give them time to get the new
"unlock" floppy. During this 30 day trial time, my email address or web
link will be prominately shown to make it easier for the office to
contact me.
Thanks again for the help. If anyone has anymore ideas, I'd love to hear
them.
John
Drew Monrad
to restrict copying the floppy first. If not, the copy could be used to
unlock the software, and they client wouldn't care if it was marked as
unlocked, but could just recopy the original disk and unlock another
version.
Just a thought,
Drew