Chessmaster 8000... how to or where to?

[teknomedic]

I just bought Chessmaster 8000... and as always I want to make a backup. I'm running with a TDK 32x10x40B... with either Nero (lastest version) and CloneCD v3.2.1.1

I just want a working... installing... copy. I'm more than willing to copy the cd's files to my hard drive (both disks) and "patching" them to work.... after that I'd like to burn them to a CD-R (duh).

It seems to use Safe Disc v2.

I've checked out some sites about this and can find nothing... and yes I even did a search on these boards and the few results I got were... "unhelpfull".

Any tips, info, sites, programs, etc... will be very nice.

Thanks.

[gh0sth@cker]

You should update your Clone CD (http://www.elby.ch) and download Clony XXL (http://clony.insomnia-online.net/).

The Clone CD site shows that your writer isn't capable of correct EFM coding (http://elby.ch/english/products/clone_cd/writers/t.html#TDK). You should try using the Game profile in the new Clone CD or the settings Clony gives you as AWS will be selected then.

Make sure to enable Hide CD-R Media in the Clone CD Tray when you play the game from a burner.

If this doesn't work then try looking for a crack from one of the sites listed in the sticky topic at the top of the forum.

[teknomedic]

Thanks... I'll update CloneCD and check out clonyxxl.

If it works I'll let you all know... if not, I guess I have to start looking for a crack. :(

[ShaMan]

@teknomedic

A few things that might help you to know:

1. CM8K checks before "installing", that is, the installation checks the cd to make sure it's original (true 1:1 will do), if it's not, it will not install.

2. There are cracks available for v1.02 and v1.04.

3. CM8K will work with Daemon tools using an ISO image, etc.

Trust this helps.

Good luck.

[teknomedic]

It helps some... but I still need help.


"1. CM8K checks before "installing", that is, the installation checks the cd to make sure it's original (true 1:1 will do), if it's not, it will not install."

So.... I could use my master to install then use the copy to play the game?? I guess that's OK, but I still really want a fully working and installing copy.



"2. There are cracks available for v1.02 and v1.04."

If you (or anyone) would be so kind... where? All I can find are "no-CD" cracks. I've tried this... "unsafedisc" but either the versions I've found are too old to "fix" my copied files, or they just don't work right.



"3. CM8K will work with Daemon tools using an ISO image, etc. "

I guess I have to check into "Daemon Tools".... never used them, and do those tools make an ISO image for me... or do I have to make one, then use Daemon Tools??


Lastly, I know there are "fixes" for CloneCD that would allow me to "enable"... "Hide CD-R Media". Once again I've been looking for that, but can't find it. Any info would be great.



... I think I've been out of the "loop" for making backups far too long... it's been almost a year since I've had this much trouble making a back up. :(

Thanks for the info so far. It gives me some things to research.

[ShaMan]

@teknomedic

So.... I could use my master to install then use the copy to play the game?? I guess that's OK, but I still really want a fully working and installing copy.
I agree, a true 1:1 copy is the best way to go. I don't believe your current backup copy will do the trick, if it's not good to install with.

If you (or anyone) would be so kind... where? All I can find are "no-CD" cracks. I've tried this... "unsafedisc" but either the versions I've found are too old to "fix" my copied files, or they just don't work right.
Get Clony (do a search on this forum, plenty of links around) to verify the type of protection your original game CD has, prot may vary from one country to another.

I don't understand why you don't want no-cd cracks, if you can't make a 1:1 copy, no-cd cracks are one of the best alternatives, hell they're pretty good even when you do make 1:1 copies, if you don't want to keep having to use the CD each time you play the game, for CM8K you can find no-cd cracks at GCW (http://awpost.com/games/gcw_index.shtml)

I guess I have to check into "Daemon Tools".... never used them, and do those tools make an ISO image for me... or do I have to make one, then use Daemon Tools??
Go HERE (http://www.dtools.de/) you will find most, if not all, the answers to your questions about DT.

Lastly, I know there are "fixes" for CloneCD that would allow me to "enable"... "Hide CD-R Media". Once again I've been looking for that, but can't find it. Any info would be great.
The most common way most people achieve this is via the "Regional Settings" in "Control Panel" by switching to a country which is NOT U.S. or Japan, preferably one which speaks your same language, say for example, Canada.
This can be a bit of a PITA in certain cases though, for obvious reasons, but there's also an alternative way for CloneCD v4.x which allows you to activate AWS/Hide CDR Media without having to change your regional settings and go through all the hassle.

You can achieve this by merging the following to your register, you didn't say what OS you use, so I will assume Win9x, if you use NT, 2K or XP, etc it's the same thing, but you will need to port/import to a compatible REGister file, very simple to do just cut/paste and save to a file with extension .REG, then double click on it to merge it to the REGister.

This will turn AWS/Hide CDR Media [ON]

-----start cut and paste below this line-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Elaborate Bytes\ElbyCDIO]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Elaborate Bytes\ElbyCDIO\Settings]
"UserDefaultLangID"=dword:0000ffff
-----end cut and paste above this line-----

This will turn AWS/Hide CDR Media [OFF]

WIN9X Version
-----start cut and paste below this line-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Elaborate Bytes\ElbyCDIO]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Elaborate Bytes\ElbyCDIO\Settings]
"UserDefaultLangID"=dword:0000ffff
-----end cut and paste above this line-----

Trust this helps a bit more.

Good luck.

[gh0sth@cker]

If the above is too complicated then download this tool (http://www.geocities.com/pcp-freak/4cdfreaks/unlocker.html) which will unlock it for you if you don't wanna change regional settings ;)

[ShaMan]

@teknomedic

Yep, you can do as GH suggests, if you trust EXE's off the net. The reg file modifies the exact same reg key in the exact same way at a fraction of the size, not to mention, you can see what's actually going to be done before it does it though ;)

P.S. I assume you would be using CCD 4, if you prefer CCD 3 for some reason (some people do), let me know, I got a reg hack for that one, as well. I don't believe there ever was/is an EXE for that one though. ;)

[teknomedic]

@ShaMan

Your info has been helping alot.

I'm using Windows XP Pro. :|

I really don't mind using a "no-CD crack"... however, if something still happens to my master CD and one day I have to reformat (which is coming up again soon) then I'll still need a master to install again. To me that just sounds funny for a way of backing up. Once I have a backup, then a no-CD crack will be very nice to allow me to NOT use the CD.


Thanks for the reg settings... the registry and me have been "friends" for a while. I was just wondering about the "hide CD-R media" cause I wanted to see if that setting was turned on if I could use my current backup. Thanks, I'll enter those settings soon!!


I'd still like a good working/installing copy, but if I don't figure this out soon, I guess I'll just use a no-CD crack till I a better way comes along.... after all... chessmaster 9000 is only a couple of months away... (sept I think). I guess I'd rather just copy that one good once it's out... the only problem is that it'll probably be using even harder protection than 8000. :(

I'm using CloneCD 4 now... I don't mind it at all... once I figured out where and how to change settings again... I like being able to "see" all my custom settings.


I'm getting the feeling that people are able to make working 1:1 copies of chessmaster 8000... I justj want to know why I can't. My burner is good. I does 95% of what cloneCD needs/wants... had I known about correct EFM coding... my burner would do 100% that. (I don't remember them talking about EFM coding when I was shopping for a "cloneCD" burner.) ;)


I'm sure CM8000 is using safedisc v2. I've used the game settings in CloneCD 4 and even let ClonyXXL setup CloneCD 4 for the burn... all copies fail. :( Does this "NEED" that EFM coding?? I'd hate to switch brands to a burner that supports EFM just to have EFM. I like my TDKs... and since I've got the service plan with Best Buy... I can get new ones when ever I feel like it. (I started with TDK 24x10x40... now I've got a TDK 32x10x40... and once I burn this one out.. it's the TDK 40x12x48 for me. Damn you TDK... start using EFM!!!!


What I find annoying is that I've been able to back up tons of games without trouble... like Renegade, Return to Castle Wolfenstien, Max Payne, etc.... all those awsome games... and I can't copy a simple 2d/3d chess game?!?

I'd like to keep trying for a bit longer... any more info you've got would be great. I guess that's enough typing. :D

Later,
TK.

[ShaMan]

Glad the info has helped and you're welcome, no sweat.

Yep, like I said before, a 1:1 copy is the best way to go, when possible.

If, you're familiar with the Windows register you should have no problem applying the reg hack to WinXP.

Only time you will need to use Hide CDR Media is when you use your burner to install/play the game, in brief, reason is burners can report ATIP info, readers do not report ATIP info.

CM8K, at least, the U.S. version is a bit of a weird bird though, if you visually inspect and prot scan the discs it looks like it's protected with SD2, but after install the game directory shows no signs of SD2, at all, there are no exes, dlls wrapped, icd file, etc, it's basically a cd-check after install. The SD2 check, if any, would be done before/during installation. Regardless of what prot it uses though, it's most definitely 1:1 doable but your hardware/software has to be adequate for the task, and IF, as you say, you can 1:1 Max Payne and Renegade, then you should be able to do CM8K, as well. Make sure and select custom at installation time, otherwise, some data will be dependant on the CD, which would make it ask for the disc.

If, you haven't already, I suggest you experiment a bit, maybe try a slower read/write speed (x4 or less) and experiment with the software/hardware/none correction settings and -/+AWS, as well, it's all trial and error with this stuff, and yes, CM9K is due for release around Sept 4th.

Well, that's it for me, I'm outta here, good luck!