Burner
 

I just don't get it. I supposedly have a burner capable of beating safedisk (as long as I amplify weak sectors), but I can't back up my Mafia game. Is this a burner problem? I have tried the Clonny/Clone v4 combination, as well as the newest BlindWrite. Either I'm stupid or my burner can't handle it. I have a Plextor PX-W4012A. I've posted at other times and I can't seem to get any help in this help forum.

Have you read the sticky howto?
Downloaded the latest version of a cloning prog that is able to copy the latest SD e.g. Alcohol?
Made sure that it actually is SD youre dealing with?
If so, what version is it?
Considered upgrading your firmware?

ok i may not be very experienced but maybe i can help u, Mafia has safedisc 2 and other copy protections, check them, check ways to defeat them and if you still have no luck then msg back and i will try to send you some use full guides to making a copy.

There's a full game-copying guide at the top of this page - the FAQ.

In the meantime, make sure Hide CD-R Media is enabled or try using Alcohol or Blindwrite.

First, I tried using Clone v4 with the settings set for safedisk 2.51 (detected by Clony). It seemed to read and write fine, but when I installed the backups, I got stuck on the second disk. Next, I tried using Blindread and Write, but the damn program refuses to help me out on the third disk. During the write process, the burner just stops and gives me the middle finger. Now, I have read the FAQ and, as far as I know, I am following the directions to a "T". I have a clone log posted somewhere in this forum. Just search "Mafia" and you will find my postings. Oh well, at least I have the originals. Sigh.....

Now, I've used Alcohol120 to try burn the disks. Still having problems installing on the second disk. I'm getting more convinced that my burner can't do safedisk v2. I thought Plextors were supposed to be the best or something. Oh well.:(

No. Plextors used to be the best, but there was something definitely fishy about their 12 speed burner. One firmware update (1.03), the EFM encoding on that drive worked perfectly, the next (1.04, 1.05), the drive suddenly had no longer correct EFM encoding. I had the next model, a 16 speed, and mine didn't work from the beginning. There are suspicions that Plextor deliberately nerfed their firmware code to please C-Dilla. I don't recommend Plextor anymore.

to be fair to the plextors they are a very good burner if you are not trying to do a one to one burn of a safedisc protected game!!i currently am running two plextors in my machine and they excellent burners.you could burn psx games at max speed on a plextor and they would work(if that was your gig of course)they are supported by all the top software as well but for one to one copies they just don't cut it.i find easier to wait for a crack and then burn safes buggering about with the oh so tediously slow clone cd.but hey each to their own:D

Well, I don't really make exact backup's either. I Make a backup with the latest patch and crack included, and move the original to a small-children-proof closet ;) But I'm beginning more and more to use Daemon Tools/Clone cd to play the game from my hard disk without burning a backup at all. If you want to try exact copying, Plextor just doesn't cut it anymore.

no must agree there they don't.my latest one is only 2 weeks old but must confess still went for pleccy mainly for reliability(ie.2 year unlimited burns warranty)and build quality.someone told me to get a lite-on but they are a pleccy anyhow!!why buy a skoda when you can have a volkswagon.each to their own with burners really i just find them a good all round burner for audio/psx/pc etc but not for use as a 1:1 copier of protected games which is technically illegal anyway(personal backup is a bit like 30000 cigs for own personal use when stopped at customs):)

Then what burner should I buy for 1:1 copies? Part #s would be appreciated.

do it the old fashioned way wait for a crack and then burn it!!!always works for me

How do you use a crack? Are you just talking about a no cd exe? If so, do you just copy all the files on the cd into a temp file and replace the exe file prior to burning? Also, is it just the exe file that contains the protection? If so, why does all three cds of Mafia have safedisk on them. And how do you use a crack for disks two and three?

goto gamecopyworld for a full tutorial on game patching and burning:D