Can't find the link to the exe file but I might of missed it and not realised
The read only bit is kinda crucial for the .exe file and ensure you open up with windowed mode.
It is worth noting that the softban hammer came out yesterday, and multiple posters on both Steam and Reddit are stating that they have been softbanned. The message pops up on the opening title screen once the game has completed its save data and server checks.
a lot of people are claiming that they have not cheated and have been banned (I have some scepticism with this) but so far the tin hat brigade are speculating that the following is 'potentially' causing issues.
1)Corrupted save files (either from a hack or a BSOD crash)
2)Cheat engine (obviously)
3)Controller software (some peeps claiming that an xbox controller has softbanned them!)......doubtful....a lot are also claiming that PS controller software has
4)Shadowplay
Nothing reported in the 2000+ posts yet on the 21:9 hex edit fix, but this is MAYBE because From software harvested their 'data' before the fix came into place (somewhere between 1.03 and 1.04) and this fix has been only out for two or three days.Maybe 21:9 hex editers (myself included) will be picked up in the next softban hammer sweep.
At the moment if this is true, and ANY mod (technically anything cheat or not is against the T&Cs and end user agreement)triggers a softban then the softban server will have a significant population anyway, so effectively online play will not be impacted.
I weighed up my options like this assuming that I do get softbanned eventually for this fix. Does playing without black borders outweigh the inability to play on the 'legit non softban' server? For me.....yes. I cant stand them.
Knowledge of the ban is also relevant here. DS2 and SOTFS did not make it obvious if you were softbanned. I modded the hell outta both of them with graphic tweaks for my monitor (FW etc), was I softbanned? Honestly I have no idea...I could still summon and be summoned....did I still enjoy both games? Hell yes!
For me I will continue. I post on WSGF quite regularly and will update there if I get softbanned (others are going to do the same)....so watch that space.