Anybody know what protection GTA:SA will use?

[ItsGreekToMe]

With GTA: San Andreas coming out this week, it looks as if I may still be waiting a while to buy it. I would really like to have a no-cd patch before I buy the game. I got one for Vice City and it was a lifesaver for my disc drive - my old disc drive broke part way thru GTA:III and I know it must have had something to do with the disc constantly spinning in the drive while I played. I still don't understand the logic of this 'protection' - $50 for the game and then you have to end up replacing your disc drive. (Mine was under warranty, fortunately). I keep checking and keeping my fingers crossed.

About this Starforce protection... I don't play a lot of games on my PC (GTA and MYST games mostly), and I've never heard of this protection.

Is it different than the previous protection that Rockstar has used, where the disc spins all the time? (If it doesn't, that may be a good thing.)

I've read about Starforce being like a virus. How intrusive is it? If you completely uninstall the game, does it get rid of everyting? I have Registry Mechanic - Would that take care of anything it leaves behind?

Thanks. Looks like a great forum.....