WindowsXP and Windows2000 react really strange when they come across a region free drive. According to their Hardware Info (Device Manager), all drives are region protected. Region free drives just don't exist! If your drive IS region free, Windows lies to you and tells you it is protected! Not only that, but it also gives you some baloney "information" about the number of region changes left!
This is as amazing as it's annoying, but alas it's true.
I'm getting many queries about it from confused and dismayed owners, who followed the instructions faithfully, and are faced with this nonsense. DriveInfo and CdvdInfo say the drive is region free and Windows say it's protected and has only 1 or 2 changes left!
DO NOT BELIEVE WINDOWS, IT'S LYING!
Trust DISCInfo, DriveRegionInfo or CdvdInfo
The only time those utilities might not be able to detect the true status is when RegionKiller is installed AND enabled.
This is because of the unique way ReginKiller works. It makes a region free drive appear as if it was protected, thereby Windows and the dvd software player "relax" and allow the drive to play.
If you want to confirm the status of your drive, disable RegionKiller first. You have to disable it from the icon in the tray. Just closing the program is NOT enough.
New! As of version 2.61 RegionKiller itself has a function to check the protection status of all your drives. It won't lie to you!
I know it all sounds like a confusing cat and mouse chase, but that's because it is.
REGION PROTECTION IS POINTLESS AND WRONG.
(Update: Latest Windows builds have improved RPC status reporting somewhat)