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SecureDisc Decryption Clients FAQ

Last updated September 7, 2011 at 1:27 PM Eastern Time

This FAQ list details several questions we are frequently asked about SecureDisc Decryption Clients, and gives answers and solutions to common problems.

Q: What SecureDisc Decryption Clients are there, and what are the differences between them?

A: Discrete provides two different SecureDisc Decryption Clients, based on content providers' needs:

SecureDisc Resident Client

  • The original SecureDisc Decryption client
  • Integrates seamlessly into Windows for best performance and compatibility
  • Recommended for use with large data sets such as DVDs and Blu-Ray discs 
  • Requires installation by a user with Administrator rights - can be used by anyone afterwards
  • Versions 2.3 and below are compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista (32-bit only). These older versions do not explicitly support Windows 7 or 64-bit machines.
  • Version 2.4 is the latest version, and supports Windows XP, Vista and 7 (32- and 64-bit). Windows 2000 is no longer supported.

SecureDisc Explorer Client

  • Requires no installation for most data sets, providing a better user experience and minimizing support calls
  • Data sets with larger files (over 50,000,000 bytes or 47 MB) require a one-time setup as Administrator
  • Uses the Windows Web Client system to provide drive letter access
  • Recommended for smaller data sets (less than CD size) and for situations where Administrator access is restricted to IT personnel
  • Compatible with Windows XP and above (32- and 64-bit); no Windows 2000 support

Q: Do you have a Decryption Client for non-Windows OSes?

A: Not at present. The majority of our disc producers and end users run 32-bit Windows XP, and so that is the OS that gets the most attention, though we strive to be compatible with as many versions of Windows as possible.

We have had inquiries from disc producers about Linux and Mac OS X support, and will support those OSes when enough interest develops.

Q: My disc does not seem to have a SecureDisc Client of any sort on it. Where can I get a copy?

A: Discrete no longer provides copies of the Decryption Clients to end users. Please contact your disc provider for assistance, as only they will know which client to use, or if there are any extra setup steps required for your disc.

Q: The Explorer Client isn't working!

A: Here is a list of some common failure modes we've seen, and what to do about them.

I get a message saying a Web server is running

This means some other application is using TCP port 80 (the standard HTTP port). Windows XP's Web Client can't connect to servers that aren't on port 80, and Explorer Client can't use port 80 if another program has already claimed it. It's rare to see a full-featured Web server, such as IIS or Apache, on end user machines, but IIS in particular has been enabled by default on some corporate workstation images. Also, certain programs (such as Skype) have a built-in mini-server that will cause the same issue.

If you or your end users have a Web server such as IIS or Apache installed, disable it or reconfigure it to use another port. Alternatively, the Resident Client can be installed.

Windows Vista and 7 have an improved Web Client that can use ports other than 80. We will be adding support for this feature in a future version of the Explorer Client.

I get a message talking about a file size limit

By default, the Windows Web Client will refuse to download files that are bigger than 50,000,000 bytes exactly (about 47 MB). The message is warning you about this because the limit will cause problems with on-disc viewers and other software (see "My application fails to start, freezes solid for more than a few minutes at a time, or crashes" below).

If you are running as an Administrator on XP (the default on XP machines not attached to a domain), no special steps are required. Click "OK" in the warning dialog, then reboot your computer.

On Vista and 7 (as well as on XP while running as a limited user), follow the steps below:

  • if the Explorer Client is running, stop all applications using it, then right-click on the SecureDisc icon in the System Tray (the silver CD with a lock on it) and choose Exit. If the Explorer Client asks you if you want to disconnect the drive letter, answer Yes.
  • Browse to My Computer, then right-click on the CD with the encrypted disc inserted (its label will be "SD_ENCRYPTED") and choose "Open". If you are running XP, do NOT try to double-click the CD, as this will open the Explorer Client as whatever user you are currently running as, and the changes will fail.
  • Right-click on SCDExplorer.exe, and choose "Run as..." (XP) or "Run as administrator" (Vista and 7). On XP, you will be asked for a username and password to use; any account with local Administrator rights will work, including domain accounts.
  • When the file size warning appears, click "OK" and then reboot your machine.

You can verify that the setting has changed, as well as change it manually, by doing the following:

  • Open Registry Editor. On XP, this won't work if you aren't running as an Administrator.
  • Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters.
  • There should be a value named "FileSizeLimitInBytes" present, and its value should be 0xffffffff (4294967295). If it's not present, or it's prsent and set to 0x2FAF080 (50000000), open the value and set it to 0xffffffff.
  • Close Registry Editor. If you changed the value, make sure to reboot.

If the problems persist, please report the issue to your disc provider.

My application runs slowly, or freezes at times for a few seconds or minutes at a time

Explorer Client relies on the Windows WebDAV redirector, which works with the Web Client to provide drive letter access to the encrypted disc. Unfortunately, the WebDAV redirector is something of a second-class citizen compared to "real" network file systems like the SMB redirector, and so it can't actually access files on the network by itself. Instead, it relies on Web Client to download the files from the disc into a cache on the hard drive (in C:\Documents and Settings\LocalSystem\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files on Windows XP), then opens or executes the files from there.

Optical drives are not fast devices, and so copying a really big file takes time. Worse yet, there's no progress indication; while the redirector is waiting for Web Client to download the file, the application will freeze, with nothing to say that it hasn't simply crashed.

If you are an end user and are having problems with speed or applications freezing for long periods, report the issue to your disc provider. We are also considering adding a progress popup to the Explorer Client for those times when the WebDAV redirector requests a really large file.

My application fails to start, freezes solid for more than a few minutes at a time, or crashes

IMPORTANT: IF you are running Windows 7 64-bit, there is an issue with certain installs that causes slow WebDAV performance, and may even cause Windows Explorer to hang. We are investigating the cause of this problem, and will have a fix available shortly.

This almost always means that Web Client is refusing to read a file because it's bigger than 50,000,000 bytes. Web Client will keep retrying until it's either told to stop, or has tried to download the file several times, causing the application to get stuck. If the application itself is too big, it may not start at all.

See "I get a message talking about a file size limit" above for instructions on how to fix this.

The encrypted image has files missing for no reason, or has files in the wrong places

This is a known issue with several versions of the Explorer Client, only a few of which have been distributed widely. Please contact your disc provider for an updated version of the Explorer Client. The latest version as of this writing is 1.3.4.

Q: The Resident Client isn't working!

A: The Resident Client is meant to be as trouble-free as possible, however, since it contains a device driver, there have been some situations where it causes problems with end-user systems. These usually appear as hard crashes (bluescreens) or optical drives that are marked as having a problem in Device Manager. If you experience any of these issues, please submit a SecureDisc Decryption Trouble Ticket describing the problem. For faster service, if you are an end user, please be sure to include your disc provider's name with your ticket.