So I have borderlands for steam and love it. Recently I decided to get some DLC for borderlands and did not realize one of them came with Sony's SECUROM DRM. Since then it's been a nightmare and I ended up having to reinstall my entire system in order to get rid of the SECUROM. Now I'm in the middle of trying to get steam/valve remove the DLC from my steam account so it won't reinstall it when I try and play borderlands again.  
 
Below are some highlights from support tickets I've sent. 
 

I'll lay out the exact problem i need resolved asap by recalling last nights events as they took place.

1. I own borderlands for steam and love it.
2. I bought some DLC for borderlands and did not realize it comes with SONY SECUROM.
3. I try to run borderlands and securom gives me an authentication error.
4. I follow the instructions on the securom site and download the manual authentication tool but borderlands will still not run.
5. I get email from securom support with a work around and that doesn't work either.
6. Now I'm fed up and really pissed. I just want to play borderlands and search for a way to remove just the DLC zombie island of dr ned but find none.
7. I delete borderlands and try to reinstall but steal automatically installs the DLC leaving me screwed.
8. Frustrated I decide to take it out on some zombies in L4D2, but steam now randomly crashes every 5 minutes or so. 
9. I think maybe the securom on my computer is causing that so I download the securom removal tool from their site and use it.
10. The securom removal tool does not entirely remove securom from my system. Now I'm VERY pissed.
11. With no solution left other than to reload my entire computer, I write the angry support ticket above to steam/valve requesting they remove the DLC for me and give me a refund for just the zombie island of dr ned.

Conclusion:

When I reinstall my computer from a fresh format I want to be able to install borderlands via steam without it installing the DLC with the DRM on it. Furthermore I shall never support anything that uses SECUROM ever again. Steam is protection enough. I expect no less than a favorable resolution to this because I'm unable to use the software I purchased from steam due to the malware protection bundled with the DLC.    

Oh... also here are screen shots I took from my desktop. The first one is the error borderlands gave me that prevents me from running the game and securom support could not resolve for me.



This is the work around they provided that did not work.

Subject: [Ticket#2010031810000389] DLC won't activate. Securom won't uninstall
> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:43:55 +0100
> To: lockwoodx31@live.com
> From: support@securom.com
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Thank you for your e-mail. 
> 
> Please follow the instructions below:
> 
> 1) Open the command line by pressing "Start" and selecting the "Run..."
> option. 
> 
> 2) Type "cmd" (without "s) and push the [Enter] button on the keyboard.
> 
> 3) Please type in the following command: 
> rd /s "%APPDATA%\SecuROM" 
> and press [Enter] on the keyboard.
> 
> 4) Answer Y to the Y/N question and press [Enter] to complete the process.
> 
> Please launch your game again, it should work now.
> 
> If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
> 
> Best regards, 
> 
> SecuROM Support Team
> SecuROM on the web: http://www.securom.com
> or via e-mail: support@securom.com

This one is the message I got after running the securom removal tool. Securom's support for my request to be provided with a tool that properly removes ALL of securom was in short telling me "tough luck it's there for good."




> Hello.

> SecuROM does not install any malware, including any viruses, spyware or
> trojans, nor does it enable any third-party to gain access to your computer.

> SecuROM simply downloads and stores SecuROM license data and information to
> assist with disc authentication and activation. This data and information does
> not affect your computer system in any way. 
 
> The link below contains a tool which removes SecuROM: 

> https://support.securom.com/removaltool.html

> Please understand that any application that uses SecuROM will rebuild these
> files and folders with future launches.

> Best regards, 

> SecuROM Support Team
> SecuROM on the web: http://www.securom.com
> or via e-mail: support@securom.com

The removal tool the support rep provided me in the email is the exact one I used in the screen shot I sent them BEFORE they replied to me. Now you can understand how I got so pissed over this issue and how I've been very thorough exploring every possible option to fix the issue myself. My only solution left is a complete reinstall and a refund from steam/valve because that DLC has to be removed in order for me to play Borderlands.