A method for locking software programs to a particular disk (306) includes the steps of determinating the bad sectors on the hard disk the software is installed on, comparing this information to the actual bad sectors on the hard disk the software is presently installed on (1310), and if the hard disk (306) is the same, then allowing the software program to execute. This program locking method permits the distribution of trial copies of software programs and limits the risk that the program will be copied to other computers.
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