punkbuster hardware bans

[TLP]

punkbuster have a hardware ban right? so if i get caught on bf2 demo i cant play bf2 retail or the ban only works on the game type i was banned?

[muhko]

Im pretty sure a hardware ban is for every PB enabled game - maybe someone can confirm but im pretty sure.

[xollox]

Hardware ban would be for every PB enabled game, yes. I haven't heard of them doing this yet.
AFAIK they only hardware ban if you're fiddling with PB itself, not normal game hacks...

[Nseven]

thats right hardware ban is for every PB game, but if you get caught with wallhacks/multihacks you will get no hardware ban, you will be kicked from the server and server admin will ban you (usually)

[TLP]

so they only hardware ban if i try to bypass the pb?? thanks guys i was thinking to stop cheats on demo because i am going to buy bf2 retail when it come here

[Spontaneous]

Not for just bypassing PB. Pretty much you have to play PBs game with the EULA. There are many ways to violate the PB EULA, which would result in hardware bans. Bypassing PB is one thing. Editting how PB performs in any form, such as blocking screenshots, is another way.

As Nseven said tho, all cheats out for BF2 right now, retail or demo, will NOT result in a hardware ban. You will only get temp bans and if the admin check the logs, make it a perm ban on the server you got kicked on. IF a hack ever gets released that will result in a hardware ban, you will see people such as myself, sparten, captaincox, or many of the other well known bf players, give major warnings that it would result in a hardware ban.

[WaKe]

What is the hardware ban based on? Is it based on a combination of hardware ids? or mac address? or what exactly?

Thanks,
~WaKe

[scruie]

What is the hardware ban based on? Is it based on a combination of hardware ids? or mac address? or what exactly?

Thanks,
~WaKe


this has been mentioned before, search the bf1942 section and/or evenbalance website. too lazy to find the links now...

used to be just the hard-drive, but PB said they were extending it to include other bits of hardware. i'm still inclined to think its just the hard-drive as i replaced mine with a spare after a ban and was able to return playing.

[Nseven]

to get around hardware ban you need
1. to spoof your hdd information
2. spoof your mac address
edit:nothing else

buying a new hdd will not remove your hwban
you still need to change your mac address

[snoochy]

trying to stay on topic but, 7 do u know any good links on how too's of spoofing the mac and hd .... If this is somehow outside the rules of discussion I apologise in advance...

[WaKe]

And does the ban include cdkey as well? Or just those 2.

Thanks,
~WaKe

[p3n1]

And does the ban include cdkey as well? Or just those 2.

Thanks,
~WaKe

I think we stay on topic, if we discuss busted punks here :D
I heard rumors, that they wanna add CD-Key hashes aswell.

Some tricks, i found (just google 4 them):
unbanme 0.5 (detected)
SMAC - change your MAC address
CAIN&ABEL - same as above

[WaKe]

Cool thats awesome it isn't cdkey, no rebuying the game :-)

[Spontaneous]

WaKe, they might or might not ban your cdkey WITH a hardware ban. The thing is, if your infraction was not bad enough to get a hardware ban, they would do a GUID ban, and GUIDs are based off your cdkey. So I would still worry about getting cdkey bans.

[snoochy]

And does the ban include cdkey as well? Or just those 2.

Thanks,
~WaKe

I think we stay on topic, if we discuss busted punks here :D
I heard rumors, that they wanna add CD-Key hashes aswell.

Some tricks, i found (just google 4 them):
unbanme 0.5 (detected)
SMAC - change your MAC address
CAIN&ABEL - same as above


thanks bro, ill check it out.. I can always afford to buy a game but its all the other crap...

[scruie]

to get around hardware ban you need
1. to spoof your hdd information
2. spoof your mac address

buying a new hdd will not remove your hwban
you still need to change your mac address


i might have been lucky then coz i never changed/spoofed my mac addy. just replaced the hard-drive which i was gonna upgrade anyways.

[p3n1]

what exactly does the hw ban exist of, regarding to a hdd? is it just the serial number, like "4F08-AF1E"? if yes, this can be changed w/o having great knowledge.

[T0m]

what exactly does the hw ban exist of, regarding to a hdd? is it just the serial number, like "4F08-AF1E"? if yes, this can be changed w/o having great knowledge.


its more than the hardrive...its can be mac adress, nic, motherboard, sound card, video card...

[p3n1]

its more than the hardrive...its can be mac adress, nic, motherboard, sound card, video card...

i know that :p
i was just curious, in which way they check especially the hdd...

[Spontaneous]

For the harddrive, they use the MFC serial. This serial can be changed with a couple programs but are risky on loosing all the info stored on the harddrive. Plus not every manufactor supports the serial changing. Pls note that this is not the serial you get when you format.

[p3n1]

For the harddrive, they use the MFC serial. This serial can be changed with a couple programs but are risky on loosing all the info stored on the harddrive. Plus not every manufactor supports the serial changing. Pls note that this is not the serial you get when you format.
That's what i wanted to know. Is there a possibillity to spoof that "MFC"?

[Spontaneous]

Ohh yea. Some people have done hardware spoofers in bf before. Problem with public released spoofers tho, they get detected quickly.

[raptor1430]

do you have to change the C drive or can it be any drive?
i have like 3 120 gb drives and 2 74 gb ones lol.

[Spontaneous]

They query the first 4 HardDrives if I remember correctly, so C, D, E and F if you have 4 or more harddrives.

[scruie]

They query the first 4 HardDrives if I remember correctly, so C, D, E and F if you have 4 or more harddrives.


interesting, dont want to be a hassle, but.... ;)

curious how all this hard-drive bannin would work with a partitoned drive. only thinkin about it coz i always partition my hdd into 3 (windows/programs, data, and backup), thus letters C, D and E are taken up, leavin F which of me is one of my many data drives.

on a sidenote i did run a hard-drive spoofer (found in the AA forum) to re-gain entry to a server which banned me and was allowed back in. also this does again raise the question of sellin off ur banned hard-ware to unsuspecting ppl...oh the moral dilemmas we face.

[Spontaneous]

Well blah, I didnt really think of partitioned drives. It queries the first 4 physcal drives, how about that.

I thought all the hardware spoofers from AA were detected. Hmm, I know older versions of it was anyways. Yea the moral delimma of selling off banned hardware. I believe thats why they wanted to do a hardware profile from multi-pieces of hardware to make the hardware hash.

[firefly321]

punkbuster have a hardware ban right? so if i get caught on bf2 demo i cant play bf2 retail or the ban only works on the game type i was banned?


nope hardware bann is on alll PB games

it checks ur networkcard serial and ur HD

[cR4ck3N]

Hi, so everyone know PB make a Hardware ban...

but what they ban exactly?

HDD Serial + HDD MAC
ore
HDD Serial + HDD MAC + BF2 cdkey
ore just
HDD MAC
someone told me they make a
Networkcard Serial + HDD Serial + HDD MAC Ban...

But i cant find a real answer anyone know more about it?


The 2nd question is... when they ban/HW-Ban... and when does they just kick?


thx

[Izeliae]

you can probably find a lot of that info at evenbalance, but, depending on your level of offense, they can ban: account, guid, HDD serial, mac id, key, and your IP
i probably missed a few
anyways:
-you probably wont get a hardware ban (which would most likely be global) unless you hack pb, meaning you bytehack the pb.dll files, so... dont do this without a hardware spoofer!
-your account/guid may be banned by pb by using various hacks (aimbot/wallhack)
-your ip would probably be banned by an admin of a server and not by pb...
-and your cd key would probably only be banned in the level of hardware bans...

this is just a reference its not 100%, except the list of what they can ban.

[cR4ck3N]

ok, thx

hardware/mac´s to change are not so hard,
but i dont want to buy everytime a new BF2 key :/
so, if anyone know when they ban the cd key ... fell free to answer ;)

[Spontaneous]

Ok if you would have read the other thread at all you would have got your answer.

1. Hardware bans use your harddrive manufacturer serial, in which some companys do have tools that can change this serial but its a risky process to do, and the MAC Address for network ports. Harddrives do not have MAC Addresses.

2. GUID bans use ether a GUID that is based off your account or your cdkey. In past BF games, the GUID was based off of cdkeys.

3. PB does not use IP bans. Only admin would ban your IP.

4. They can link hardware bans to your GUID ban so when you get hardware banned, your GUID could also get banned.


Now as for things that PB would give out each type of ban.

1. Hardware bans, this is used for cases that you edit PB directly or the way PB operates, such as bypassing their scanning method or blocking screenshot feature.

2. GUID bans are usually used for hacks that hide from detection in some form. Rather this is random window title changing, random exe changing, turning code on to steal a DMA and turn off the code to cover its tracks.

3. All normal game hacks, such as the ones released so far in BF2, will only recieve TEMP 2 min bans and NOT global bans(guid or hardware). We in the BF series have been very careful on not getting people global-banned.


Note: PB can change the way they operate any of their bans at any time, so you always are at risk when cheating, PERIOD!

[T0m]

http://www.mpcforum.com/showthread.php?t=89622

this thread will have more than enough information....

[ZeRo2545]

PB is so very lame for using a persons hardware as a ban. that totally sucks they shout be shot!

[HappyC]

If u got HW-Ban in eny PB related games u cant play eny PB related
games enymore....Punk Fok Basterds band my ass in AA and now i
cant play eny PB related games....So fok BF 2 :). The shity thing is
that i cant spoof myMac enymore...IT companey delivers the brodband
by my MAC adress....If i change Mac i dont have eny connection to the
net enymore.

[masl]

I know there are already some threads explaining it very detailed but i wanted to start one topic in BF2 section.
First of all i was hardware banned myself and tryed some tools to remove it since the old hwspoofer doesnt work for me anymore.

So here is how u easy can remove ur Hw ban:

1. Get SMAC (1.1 is free or 1.2 only a demo) change your network adapters MAC adress(es)

2. Get the
Hwspoofer 2.1 (http://www.taurine.game-deception.com/hwspoofv2.1.rar) from taurine and spoof your harddrives serial number by following the readme from Taurine.

(of course you have to make a new account if one gets hw banned, but you dont have to change your CD-Key as far as i tried)

Dont forget everytime you start up your computer you have to spoof your harddisk again otherwise you will be detected by punkbuster very soon.

[0x539]

Anyone find the instructions that come with Hwspoofer a little incomplete. And I thought Hwspoofer was supposed to cahnge your MAC Address and your Hard Drive serial number(s).

I can confirm that Hardware bans do not ban your CD key. I can play BF2 fine on my laptop.

I am not sure if you are able to use an account that's been detected playing on a banned computer. I would assume as long as your Hardware ID is different that should be sufficient. I would have to test this though.

This is the prob I have. I run hwspoof.exe (from Desktop), and a cmd prompt comes up saying it's attempting to protect my hardware. Then hwspoof.ini is created (on Desktop). I am guessing I leave that there (assuming something is changed that points to that ini elsewhere). I don't see any processes running for hwspoof.exe (although I am told to shut them down). I usually delete the .exe from my desktop after that.

I will try using SMAC to change the MAC Address this time. Anyone have a link to the free version (SMAC v1.1).

Other concerns:
I don't believe I will have to reinstall the game. Any verification on this? I also don't think I will need to delete other user accounts, as long as I create new ones. I need verification on that as well. I will try deleting the ones I have now, just to see if I can get this to work to begin with. Then go from there.

[p3n1]

Anyone find the instructions that come with Hwspoofer a little incomplete. And I thought Hwspoofer was supposed to cahnge your MAC Address and your Hard Drive serial number(s).

I can confirm that Hardware bans do not ban your CD key. I can play BF2 fine on my laptop.

I am not sure if you are able to use an account that's been detected playing on a banned computer. I would assume as long as your Hardware ID is different that should be sufficient. I would have to test this though.

This is the prob I have. I run hwspoof.exe (from Desktop), and a cmd prompt comes up saying it's attempting to protect my hardware. Then hwspoof.ini is created (on Desktop). I am guessing I leave that there (assuming something is changed that points to that ini elsewhere). I don't see any processes running for hwspoof.exe (although I am told to shut them down). I usually delete the .exe from my desktop after that.

I will try using SMAC to change the MAC Address this time. Anyone have a link to the free version (SMAC v1.1).

Other concerns:
I don't believe I will have to reinstall the game. Any verification on this? I also don't think I will need to delete other user accounts, as long as I create new ones. I need verification on that as well. I will try deleting the ones I have now, just to see if I can get this to work to begin with. Then go from there.

just try it out, report and everyone is happy...
http://www.wireless-nrw.de/downloads/windows/Smac1.1.zip
1st place on google searching for "Smac1.1.zip"

@masl
I think we allready got a pb anti hw ban thread here, but thanx for your details.

[masl]

And I thought Hwspoofer was supposed to cahnge your MAC Address and your Hard Drive serial number(s).

i tried it and it only changed my Harddrive serial not my MAC adress.. even tho it is supposed to change it so i had to use SMAC aswell.

anyway you dont have to delete the hwspoofer.exe just quit the console. And if you are detected with your spoofed Harddisk serial simply delete the ini. file and run hwspoofer again and it will create a new serial , of course then you have to change your MAC adress too.

[Spontaneous]

Yes we already got a couple threads on hardware bans, please stop making new ones.

Merged all the PB hardware ban threads

[0x539]

Well hwspoofer is working good for me so far. I played BF2 all last night without any problems. I made a new account though. I really don't think they ban your account however, I just think when you play on an account on a banned computer it bans you from whatever server you are on, but not the entire game. I will try to confirm this.

I didn't have to reinstall the game, and I didn't have to delete the hwspoofer.exe.

If I restart I know I maintain the MAC Address, but do I still keep the spoofed serial number for m hard drive?

It does let me play on accounts that were detected on a banned computer.

HAHAHAAHA @ evenbalance.

[masl]

yes evry time you start up you ahve to run ur Hwspoofer otherwise your Harddisk Serial will be the original and PB will ban you. Yes and i tested it with accounts on which i was hw banned and it worked aswell so you only have to change your MAC and spoof ur HD serial but you not have to change your CDkey neither ur account so u can keep ur honour points

[p3n1]

something i found on pb's own bf2 faq regarding to universal shield (and others):
I keep getting kicked by PunkBuster for "Blocked O/S Privileges"?

Please temporarily disable other security type programs you have running such as anti-virus, process guard, SDProtector, etc. to find out which of them is blocking PB's access to resources on your computer. You either need to run PB without the blocking program(s) or play on non-PB servers. Also make sure you run the game under an Administrator or equivalent account under Windows. If you do have access an admin account, you can right click on the application you want to run and select "Run As". This will allow you to give admin access to that program and should allow you to play with a limited user.

now it should be clear, these programs do not work anymore, though i didn't test them.

[0x539]

Is anyone using this trick with Windows XP x64 Edition?

Someone tell me if it will work, I want to install it on this PC.

[Spontaneous]

what trick?

[pwnedz0r]

If u got HW-Ban in eny PB related games u cant play eny PB related
games enymore....Punk Fok Basterds band my ass in AA and now i
cant play eny PB related games....So fok BF 2 :). The shity thing is
that i cant spoof myMac enymore...IT companey delivers the brodband
by my MAC adress....If i change Mac i dont have eny connection to the
net enymore.


huh that is strange so what do u do when u buy a new network card

u call ur isp ? and say u have new networkcard

buy (or get) urself a new harddisk

and play again (disable ur old networkcard when its an onboard one)

[0x539]

what trick?

I want to know if anyone has tried to use HWspoofer or SMAC on an x64 OS.

[Spontaneous]

dont know but it most likely wont work due to the links inside of it to kernel32 and not kernel64.