Im not sure if this was the correct area to post this thread.. but here goes..

Ive looked around this site and a few others trying to fix this problem with my Alcohol 120%.

It used to work fine but then one time I opened it up and it only showed my Computer name and not my drives. I tried a few things to get it to show up again to no avail. I uninstalled Alcohol 120% and reinstalled and try to make a new virtual drive since the old one was now completely removed but it gives me the error


I really have no clue what Im doing and how to fix this and if anyone can help me it'd be greatly appreciated

Have you asked the authors of Alcohol already?

No, I havnt. I thought I would get a faster response on a popular forum such as this one than I would from one of the authors..

So I guess no one knows? the support at Alcohol's site really sucks and It doesnt seem like anyone else is having this problem..

it probably doesn't help that you posted this in the hardware forum and alcohol is a software program.

there's an alcohol specific subforum within the "cd and dvd burning" forum on this website. they would probably be able to help you out better than anyone in a hardware forum.

Current versions of Alcohol, or so I hear, do not completely uninstall the virtual drive drivers, among other things. Just one of the reasons I dumped Alcohol. If you just want virtual drives, try Daemon tools. Earlier versions of Alcohol were much more stable.

Ok thanks Ill try Daemon tools again and Ill also repost.

I now have the answer to your Problem, due to the use of an illegal version of our Software you are having these problems i recomend that you reformat your System to remove all traces of the cracked version then it might work as its supposed to.

Typical Alcohol "support" response. "We have destroyed your OS, but it's your own fault".

so you think people who have stolen software should get support from the companies from which they stole?

the problem is probably due to alcohol, but nevertheless, I'd do the same and tell them they're on their own...and probably in a less nice manner than on here.

strangley enough this problem arises in 99% of cases when a cracked version of alcohol is uesd this has nothing to do with a typical Alcohol Support answer.

I think Alcohol's "high and mighty" position on unlicensed software is laughable. Talk about hypocracy. We don't know if this user has unlicensed software or not. Let's assume he does. Does that give Alcohol a right to hose his OS? Does Alcohol deliberately build this issue into it's software in hopes of punishing unlicensed users? If so, that puts Alcohol in bed with the likes of Sony, which comes as no surprise. In any case, if Alcohol was truly interested in creating a licensed user out of an unlicensed one, I suggest that hosing his OS is not the way to do that. If it's a built-in issue designed to punish unlicensed users, then the solution should be to simply buy a license, NOT reinstalling the OS. If it's a "bug" and not deliberate on Alcohol's part, then there should be a fix offered - again in exchange for buying a license.

So yes, this is a typical Alcohol response, based on my experience. And just one more in a series of reasons to avoid this software. Let me add a couple others:
1) Broken virtual drive drivers that can no longer be removed safely and effectively while keeping the software installed.
2) "Phone-home" activation policies that were instituted without user notification, knowledge or consent.
3) Arrogant and ineffective support staff.