Solution to Launching SimCity 4 Deluxe-RH w/Disc on Windows 7

Congratulations Plokite95, your instructions were excellent, and worked perfectly the first time. I am now able to play SimCity 4 again and all my data is still here.  Thank you!

One additional question.  My brother is building me a new computer for my birthday that will have Windows 10 installed on it.  As a legitimate money-paid owner of SimCity Deluxe, do you have any solution for how I will run the game on my new computer?  I saw you mentioned that this solution used today will not help on a Windows 10 system.

Do you know where the driver is that can be installed on Windows 10?  Is there a different executable or installation version available to me that does not require that driver?  Thx.

@AricCougar

I have not had success in re-enabling the SafeDisc driver on my own copy of Windows 10, but you might have more luck with the PowerShell script PsSecDrv if you have enough computer skills: https://github.com/ericwj/PsSecDrv

If not, you can seek out an... executable, or buy the game through digital stores which have the SafeDisc copy protection removed from games (GOG, Steam, Origin). They all have the Deluxe Edition, so no content is lost.

Not sure if this can be done, but you might contact EA support directly to give you an Origin copy of SimCity 4 Deluxe if you send them pictures of your retail copy.

Following your advice, I first had uninstalled the microsoft update that was blocking SC4 from launching. That worked perfectly. 

Then I put it back and built the script to run the game on my win7 system with the update installed.  That works perfectly too.

Now I went to GOG and for $4.99 I purchased and downloaded the DRM-free version of the game and will use it with Windows 10 when the computer is ready. 

My research shows that no other downloadable option includes a fully patched EP1 and Nightlights update except the GOG one. Also Its the cheapest, and goes on sale for that price a few times a year.  I'm lucky to have caught it right now. 

So with your help, and all options tested and realized, everything works!  Solution Done.  Thank you!

@AricCougar

The nightlights update was in version 640 for Rush Hour, which can be downloaded and applied to the retail version. Steam and GOG (at least) have version 641, but I can't tell what that changes.

Be that as it may, I'm glad you're getting the most of your game now, have fun!

What to do if that update (KB3086255) does not seem to be installed under the list of installed updates? 

IF the update is not installed on your Windows 7 computer then your issue is likely different from mine here, and you should open a new ticket to give all your specifics there for people to help you. 

A couple thoughts to help you are:  If you run Windows 10, none of this applies to you as the disc won't work - you need to rebuy the game as a digital download, using the information I provided above.  I bought it in anticipation of eventually getting a Windows 10 computer that will require it.

If you are running Windows 7 and are sure your CDrom is working, your disc is legitimate, clean, and not damaged, then you may need to reinstall the game or seek other problems on your computer which may be restricting it from running (registry corruption, permissions, conflicting plugins, etc). 

Good luck getting yours working too.  I'm really glad to have mine working perfectly again.

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@plokite95 wrote:
@AricCougar

On Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1, an update from 2015 prevents running games that used the SafeDisc copy protection, as that driver was disabled by Microsoft on the account of it being unsupported and under the quaint excuse of it being "potentially unsafe".

You can reverse this by doing the following:


1. Go to the Control Panel. Choose Windows Update, then Installed Updates.
2. In the list of updates, search for the one that has the number KB3086255.
3. Right-click on it and remove it.
4. Restart your computer.
5. Go back to the Control Panel, then Windows Update. Manually check for updates.
6. When the list of pending updates appears, choose Important Updates.
7. Right-click on the KB3086255 update and click “Hide This Update”.
8. Exit the Control Panel.

Note that this will NOT work on Windows 10, as the driver there has been completely removed.

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Just an update in case anyone is still having issues. I bought this game a week ago. I’m working with a very very old HP running in Windows 7. I installed the game but couldn’t get it to run. Tried a bunch of compatibility mode changes but none worked. I followed these steps and it still didn’t work. HOWEVER, uninstalling and reinstalling the game after removing that specific 2015 update finally got it to work. Thank you so much!