Yes and not one of them is Spyware !!!

(in reply to Jason Caldera)

Lots of programs don't remove all of their files on an uninstall. This doesn't automatically mean that they all contain spyware.

(in reply to Laffin Assassin)

quote:

Do you have any proof of this? I find it kinda hard to believe, as I've never heard of anyone getting caught this way. And I doubt that Ahead would just ignore an illegal serial.

I read quite some time ago in a german forum that one guy who was a cracker did manage to check what information Nero 6 sends to ahead's servers (using a special tool) and Nero SN was one of the things sent. I also know from one my friends that missused his SN (gave his SN to some of his friends) and a few builds later his SN was blacklisted. His friends didn't have a Firewall to block Nero "checking for updates"=>so they couldn't block outgoing connections...
What's the lesson from all this: it's always good to have a Firewall...

(in reply to vbguru_12000)

quote:

ORIGINAL: alien7
..one guy who was a cracker did manage to check what information Nero 6 sends to ahead's servers (using a special tool) and Nero SN was one of the things sent.

I'm not a cracker (no, seriously, I am not! ) but
- it's not difficult to see if, and eventually what any program is "sending to the internet".

Just install a sniffer.
Then you'll see... everything..!

(in reply to alien7)

Interesting info...

(in reply to clokkevi)

Been there, done that, and the serial number is NOT sent out!

(in reply to emperor)

So, is it or not sent out?

(in reply to MP3Mogul)

Well, mp3mogul says it doesn't (feel free to post anything that proves your theory on this thread) and I believe it does (after reading some german forums a while ago). Nero is doing a lot of blacklisting lately, and it's impossible for them to blacklist any illegal serial numbers (for example those generated by a keygen). Most of the blacklisted serials are those either posted on the web OR the missused serials they get when Nero 'phones' home.
Anyway, i would recommend to block Nero from connecting to ahead's servers, just to be on the safe side. Downloading the updates manually doesn't take any time at all!

quote:

ORIGINAL: emperor
So, is it or not sent out?

(in reply to emperor)

hello...


tried it also...but no serial sent out from Nero......so dont worry...just go 4 it

(in reply to alien7)

Hello,

As I am the developer who initially wrote NeroCheck.exe, I can confirm that it is no kind of spyware, that it does not open any connection anywhere. Yes, it is automatically executed at start up time through registration ( key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run value "NeroFilterCheck" which is a string assigned to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe"). What does NeroCheck.exe do then? As "NeroFilterCheck" suggests, it is checking the filter drivers registry values for the CD/DVD-ROM driver class ( LowFilter and UpperFilter values ). It ensures that the values are well a multi-strings (some buggy installers (over)write them with a string value). If NeroCd2k.sys is present on the system, it ensures it is correctly registered. If NeroCD2k.sys is not present on the system, it ensures it is not registered. It checks for valid ending of the multistring (double-zero). Etc. Finally it does register through Windows event log any correction it might do to the registry.

The reason to do these checks is that the cd/dvd-rom driver class wouldn't load if these filter values are corrupted. To the end-user, it will look like their device is no more found by Windows (it does not appear anymore in 'My Computer'). The reason to leave NeroCheck.exe after de-installation is to protect against Ahead de-installer possible bug corrupting the filter driver values (that is if our de-installer does a mistake, NeroCheck.exe is here to correct the mistake).

Indeed it is safe to remove NeroCheck.exe if you have removed Nero from your system, and if after rebooting you have no problem with your cd/dvd-rom devices.

About the black-listing of serial numbers, there is no spyware software to send to Ahead the serial number on your system. However, from time to time we do check your serial numbers when you use our free techsupport e-mail service (the serial number is integrated in infotool.txt generated by Nero InfoTool). No, we cannot afford to offer techsupport and free updates to people who own an illegal copy of our software. We also check from time to time the serial numbers people publish on the web, or malicious key generators, and block them.

(in reply to SiliconFreak)

Well, looks like we got our answer. @Jason Caldera, do you have any other questions about Nero "spyware" that dburg can clear up for you?

(in reply to dburg)

David,

Thanks for setting the "unknowing" straight. As I said before, it's not spyware, never was, never will be..

Enough Said!

(in reply to vbguru_12000)

Thanks for clear it up DBurg

(in reply to vbguru_12000)

Thanx David I knew it would't be long before you stopped these malicious rumours made by a !!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: dburg

Hello,

As I am the developer who initially wrote NeroCheck.exe, I can confirm that it is no kind of spyware, that it does not open any connection anywhere. Yes, it is automatically executed at start up time through registration ( key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run value "NeroFilterCheck" which is a string assigned to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe"). What does NeroCheck.exe do then? As "NeroFilterCheck" suggests, it is checking the filter drivers registry values for the CD/DVD-ROM driver class ( LowFilter and UpperFilter values ). It ensures that the values are well a multi-strings (some buggy installers (over)write them with a string value). If NeroCd2k.sys is present on the system, it ensures it is correctly registered. If NeroCD2k.sys is not present on the system, it ensures it is not registered. It checks for valid ending of the multistring (double-zero). Etc. Finally it does register through Windows event log any correction it might do to the registry.

The reason to do these checks is that the cd/dvd-rom driver class wouldn't load if these filter values are corrupted. To the end-user, it will look like their device is no more found by Windows (it does not appear anymore in 'My Computer'). The reason to leave NeroCheck.exe after de-installation is to protect against Ahead de-installer possible bug corrupting the filter driver values (that is if our de-installer does a mistake, NeroCheck.exe is here to correct the mistake).

Indeed it is safe to remove NeroCheck.exe if you have removed Nero from your system, and if after rebooting you have no problem with your cd/dvd-rom devices.

About the black-listing of serial numbers, there is no spyware software to send to Ahead the serial number on your system. However, from time to time we do check your serial numbers when you use our free techsupport e-mail service (the serial number is integrated in infotool.txt generated by Nero InfoTool). No, we cannot afford to offer techsupport and free updates to people who own an illegal copy of our software. We also check from time to time the serial numbers people publish on the web, or malicious key generators, and block them.

(in reply to dburg)

quote:

The reason to leave NeroCheck.exe after de-installation is to protect against Ahead de-installer possible bug corrupting the filter driver values (that is if our de-installer does a mistake, NeroCheck.exe is here to correct the mistake). David Burg
Software Development,
InCD Project Leader

Ahead Software AG

Thank you for your reply. I had to do a earthquake here, as to receive a reply from you.
Anyway,

I checked Canadian law, and I didn't find something about, (as yet) but, you know that according to European Nation's directive Law, you can’t leave files in user’s computer when user want to uninstall you application Mr Nero?

(in reply to dburg)

[Deleted by Admins]

(in reply to Jason Caldera)