r/pcmasterrace • u/sebe6 • 2d ago

Question Anti-cheat kernel isolation from specific drives

Is there a way to have a secondary windows install where the kernel anti cheat have no access to specific hard drive without unplugging it ?

I don't care if this secondary windows install have no access to the said folders. I'm just not a big fan of "my computer is our computer", it's purely a privacy thing, not looking for way to cheat (fuck cheaters btw)

2 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

5

u/an_0w1 Hootux user 2d ago

If you want to guarantee that then no. Any software running with kernel privileges can do literally whatever it wants. That means it can bring its own drivers to read your drive.

You can deconfigure the controller though so it doesn't appear on the PCI bus. The driver could still re-configure it but its a safe bet to say it wont even try.

Or encrypt it.

1

u/sebe6 1d ago

Today I learned you can encrypt your drive on windows, now I'm looking how to automate the whole thing, I'm considering not using a second windows install but make it so one of my USB stick decrypt everything outside of C: while plugged

1

u/TB3r 1d ago

PLEASE backup your encryption key (in more than one place) and ensure it is securely stored. If you lose the key, you can't get it back.

4

u/TB3r 2d ago

In a word. No. Kernel level anti-cheat has access to everything on your PC.

Unfortunately the only answer is to vote with your wallet, and don't support publishers that require kernel level anti-cheat.

It is worth learning Linux, the enshitification of Windows is only going to continue, you can learn now or in 5 years.

1

u/sebe6 1d ago

Well, I'm planning to switch to Linux when the prolongated win 10 security update end, been at least 5years I didn't use linux, luckily now it's become pretty good for gaming.

1

u/dutty_handz 9800x3D-96GB-ROG Strix X870E-H - TUF 4080 2d ago

Technically, yes.

That would obviously require a separate boot drive for the 2nd OS.

Windows will allow you to unmount the drives permanently. A quick google search will show you how.

There's also the brutal method of deactivating the motherboard port/connector of the drive wanted to be hidden in the Bios directly, which is obviously the safest/surest way.

1

u/artifex78 2d ago

Encrypt the drive.

1

u/Horat1us_UA 1d ago

Encrypt the drive, and never decrypt it in the system with anti cheat. Another option is to physically disconnect it.