FREE "BD Region Killer"

Hello,

SuperGoof has found out how to reset the Blu-Ray-Region counter of PowerDVD Ultra:
In XP, one must change 2 registry values, in Vista, delete a data-storing file.

XP:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{631400EE-60DF-4014-8A01-67106E57BDA8}]@=dword:00000002

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9CB23675-4229-4630-AFF6-3668BA6AF33E}]@=dword:00000004

Under the first location it stores the region (1 - Region A, 2 - Region B, 4 - Region C).The number of remaining changes is stored under the second location. Every time you change region in PowerDVD, this number is decremented by 1. You can just put there something like FFFF (65535 changes) or better 1869F (99999 changes) and forget about it. By default, there are no values in both locations. PowerDVD interprets this as Region A and 5 remaining changes. When you change region for the first time, it puts values there.

In Vista, region information is stored in Alternate Data Stream (ADS) attached to the file "CLDShowX.ini" located in "C:\ProgramData\CyberLink\PowerDVD\". You can view the content of that stream using, for example, "ADSLocator.exe" utility. If you run out of the number of remaining changes, just delete that file. Next time you start PowerDVD, it will be recreated with default settings.

"WinDVD Platinum" seems to store its Region information in a file, too:

"To begin, you can download a program called 'Process Monitor' from www.sysinternals.com (the link will actually lead you to Microsoft's web site as Microsoft bought Sysinternals recently), then run the program and monitor what the process 'WinDVD.exe' does when you change Blu-ray region setting. It took me about half an hour to figure out what PowerDVD does. Some time ago I started looking at WinDVD too (the VAIO version you provided), and even found what file it accesses, but that file (some small file in system32 folder, do not remember its exact name no) turned out to be locked by System process, so I could not see what is inside, could not copy it, delete etc. I could only see its content when I logged in to another OS (Vista), but I did not continue experiments partly because I did not have time and partly because I do not really see much sense in using WinDVD due to its restrictions."

With this information (and when "WinDVD"'s counter is cracked), one could write a FREE BD-Region-Killer program. SuperGoof doesn't want to, because he thinks instructions for resetting are enough and "AnyDVD-HD" eliminates BD-Region problems. But I think there are some good reasons for a "BD-Region Killer":

1. It is very inconvenient to have to change registry values / delete files maually every time.
2. "AnyDVD-HD" costs nearly $80. If you just want to WATCH--not to copy--BDs, this is very much money when you can have a free program (remember "DVD Region Killer").
3. "WinDVD" is said to to be able to detect "AnyDVD" and to refuse to play when it is active, so it seems better to manipulate its counter directly.

Therefore, I would like to suggest you all to develop and upload a free "BD Region Killer."

Thank you and many greetings,

A Friend

[Peer]

Originally Posted by A Friend

3. "WinDVD" is said to to be able to detect "AnyDVD" and to refuse to play when it is active, so it seems better to manipulate its counter directly.

1) WinDVD doesn't detect AnyDVD, it simply does not play unencrypted BDs. That's what would make it seem to not run because of AnyDVD - because AnyDVD removes encryption.

2) you cannot remove BD region coding without decrypting. That's why there is no simple tool available, that would remove region coding like there used to for DVDs.

[James]

Originally Posted by A Friend

1. It is very inconvenient to have to change registry values / delete files maually every time.

Buy AnyDVD then.

Originally Posted by A Friend

2. "AnyDVD-HD" costs nearly $80. If you just want to WATCH--not to copy--BDs, this is very much money when you can have a free program (remember "DVD Region Killer").

AnyDVD HD's primary purpose is to *watch* HD DVDs and BDs, not to copy them. Otherwise we would have developed a program working similar like DVD Decrypter. Would have been much, much less work.

Hello,

2) you cannot REMOVE BD region coding without decrypting. That's why there is no simple tool available, that would remove region coding like there used to for DVDs.[/QUOTE]

If it is true what SuperGoof says that BD Regions are checked ONLY by the player software, NOT by the hardware or Windows, it is for watching BDs NOT NECESSARY TO REMOVE the Region coding; one must only ensure that the player is set to the correct Region. A simple tool that changes registry values or deletes the Region-information-storing file to manipulate the Region information and the counter should be able to do this.

Many greetings,

A Friend

[Peer]

Originally Posted by A Friend

If it is true what SuperGoof says that BD Regions are checked ONLY by the player software, NOT by the hardware or Windows, it is for watching BDs NOT NECESSARY TO REMOVE the Region coding; one must only ensure that the player is set to the correct Region. A simple tool that changes registry values or deletes the Region-information-storing file to manipulate the Region information and the counter should be able to do this.

Sure, as long as you're using a software player for which you know the "hack", you can do that.
The method PDVD is storing the region info is likely to change in the future.

If you want to watch backups of your movies on your standalone, you're lost.

AnyDVD HD does it in all cases - always and easy. So why bother with "hacking" a specific player?

[James]

Originally Posted by peer

2) you cannot remove BD region coding without decrypting. That's why there is no simple tool available, that would remove region coding like there used to for DVDs.

Since the introduction of RPC2 drives several years ago, you cannot remove the region code on CSS protected DVDs without decrypting.
That's why the original elby "DVD Region Killer" became useless and evolved into "AnyDVD".

[Stayby]

Originally Posted by A Friend

Hello,

SuperGoof has found out how to reset the Blu-Ray-Region counter of PowerDVD Ultra:
In XP, one must change 2 registry values, in Vista, delete a data-storing file.

XP:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{631400EE-60DF-4014-8A01-67106E57BDA8}]@=dword:00000002

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{9CB23675-4229-4630-AFF6-3668BA6AF33E}]@=dword:00000004

Under the first location it stores the region (1 - Region A, 2 - Region B, 4 - Region C).The number of remaining changes is stored under the second location. Every time you change region in PowerDVD, this number is decremented by 1. You can just put there something like FFFF (65535 changes) or better 1869F (99999 changes) and forget about it. By default, there are no values in both locations. PowerDVD interprets this as Region A and 5 remaining changes. When you change region for the first time, it puts values there.

In Vista, region information is stored in Alternate Data Stream (ADS) attached to the file "CLDShowX.ini" located in "C:\ProgramData\CyberLink\PowerDVD\". You can view the content of that stream using, for example, "ADSLocator.exe" utility. If you run out of the number of remaining changes, just delete that file. Next time you start PowerDVD, it will be recreated with default settings.

"WinDVD Platinum" seems to store its Region information in a file, too:

"To begin, you can download a program called 'Process Monitor' from www.sysinternals.com (the link will actually lead you to Microsoft's web site as Microsoft bought Sysinternals recently), then run the program and monitor what the process 'WinDVD.exe' does when you change Blu-ray region setting. It took me about half an hour to figure out what PowerDVD does. Some time ago I started looking at WinDVD too (the VAIO version you provided), and even found what file it accesses, but that file (some small file in system32 folder, do not remember its exact name no) turned out to be locked by System process, so I could not see what is inside, could not copy it, delete etc. I could only see its content when I logged in to another OS (Vista), but I did not continue experiments partly because I did not have time and partly because I do not really see much sense in using WinDVD due to its restrictions."

With this information (and when "WinDVD"'s counter is cracked), one could write a FREE BD-Region-Killer program. SuperGoof doesn't want to, because he thinks instructions for resetting are enough and "AnyDVD-HD" eliminates BD-Region problems. But I think there are some good reasons for a "BD-Region Killer":

1. It is very inconvenient to have to change registry values / delete files maually every time.
2. "AnyDVD-HD" costs nearly $80. If you just want to WATCH--not to copy--BDs, this is very much money when you can have a free program (remember "DVD Region Killer").
3. "WinDVD" is said to to be able to detect "AnyDVD" and to refuse to play when it is active, so it seems better to manipulate its counter directly.

Therefore, I would like to suggest you all to develop and upload a free "BD Region Killer."

Thank you and many greetings,

A Friend

Greetings!!

Where can I find ADSLocator.exe utility?? Please advise!!!
Kind Regards

[SuperGoof]

Originally Posted by Stayby

Greetings!!

Where can I find ADSLocator.exe utility?? Please advise!!!
Kind Regards

You could just Google "ADSLocator", and this is what you would get:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/tools/index.html

Hello,

SuperGoof has found out how to reset WinDVD's counter :

Guide: How to reset Blu-ray region counter in InterVideo WinDVD BD for VAIO Ver.8.0.08.100.

1) Download a program called "Autoruns" from www.sysinternals.com.
2) Run autoruns.exe, go to "Drivers" tab and disable driver called "regi" (regi.sys). Just untick the checkbox next to it. Note: Do not delete it.
3) Restart Windows.
4) Delete file "ivireg.ivr" in "C:\Windows\System32\" folder.
5) Re-enable "regi" driver using Autoruns (tick the checkbox).
6) Restart Windows.File "ivireg.ivr" will be recreated with default settings and you can change BD region from WinDVD interface 5 more times before you have to repeat this procedure. Enjoy!
P.S.: If you have a dual boot system (say, XP and Vista), you can just boot to another OS and delete "ivireg.ivr" from there.

Now it seems to be possible to develop a free Blu-Ray-Region-reset tool
"BD Region Killer" for PowerDVD Ultra AND WinDVD Platinum.

Many greetings,

A Friend

[sarah99]

can you give me an example of the XP powerdvd registry key please

my region is not set and it is giving me problems,I would like to add a region key to the registry.
I don't know how to name the entry?