For simcity with   simcity.exe dated 040990, file size 191845 bytes,
to bypass the obnoxious copy protection squad, 
search for the string  in simcity.exe (at offset 21780)
 
3E 0C 87 00 74 03  and change to
3E 0C 87 00 00 03
            ^^
That is it!  No copy protect question will come up.