what to start with?

[Imthman]

OK.. I read the link on how to copy, was a little confusing but then again, I am no computer genius either.

So what do I start with to copy games? I am trying to copy Battlefield 1942 (just a back up copy )

I need to download one of the programs... Alcohol or clonecd, etc... then what? Is it pretty straight forward?

[gh0sth@cker]

Download Clony XXL and scan the cd with this program. This will identify what protection is being used.

Now download Alcohol 120% and select read to image file. Use your cd writer to make the image. Select the appropriate copy protection profile from the drop down menu (the one that Clony identified). Now try to copy the game with this profile (for both reading and writing).
The ability to copy Safedisk 2 games (if that what it is protected with) is hardware dependent. You should read up about this dependancy in Vluka'a guide.

When you copy the game (if it's done successfully), then there may be one more problem to take care of. It is the ATIP check (again explained in Vluka's guide, if you want more info on how it works then reference it). To get around this you can either play the game in a non cd-writer or you can use the emulation function in the Alcohol tray icon called 'Ignore Media Type'

[Imthman]

Thanks Man... I'll try it out.

[Spacelordmf]

I 'm sorry to say but I am lost. I have copied the Game onto a CDR as an Image (with Easy CD creator, does that suffise ?) .
Then what ? I know it is guarded by safedisc 2 so I also downloaded and burned (on the same CDR disc) NOCD 1.5 EXE and the 1-05 Patch. What I then did was the following :

1. Installed the game from the faked CD-R to my Computer
2. Installed the 1 -05 Patch from official homepage
3. Tried to run the game from the Game.EXE file that I found (from one of you guys hehe)
In my little narrow femal brain that should do it but it just gives me a : "Exeption in startup Init : Directory\data not found"

Please guys ! Give a girl a step by step (all steps if you can) description in the plainest for of English as you can.

Scheewing !

[TippeX]

Spacelordmf - simple, use alcohol 120%, use the safedisc profile, make an image (read at a low speed for higher chance of a working image), burn image (it will only work if you have a compatable burner).. the programs you are using atm to burn are quite simplistic burning/copying programs that dont deal with protected disks too well

then install the game, install the patch, copy the crack over (and do what it says in the nfo file) and it should work fine

[Spacelordmf]

I'm sorry tippX. It still doesn't work. I installed the game I ran the patch. I ran the NOCD exe file but I see now that the NOCD file might be the one thats causing the troubble. When I run it that's when I get the freaky message. Any chance one of you can tell me where to find a 1-05 NOCD patch that works ? I tried to enter the "megagames-site" but cannot download from that page. That's where I found the NOCD patch in the first place annyway.
Can it be that the NOCD file is "burned" onto my MAX PAYNE CD-R ? Is that not right to have it there ? Shall I burn 2 CD's : One with the game and the other with the patch and the nocd files as not to corrupt them... ?
Man this is hard work................ :=(

[Spacelordmf]

I have now also dowloaded and tried the CCD (version 3,3,4,1) software (trial version) but I have waited 2 hours and still 0 % of the image is created (I run at 4 x speed).
In VLuka's guide it says that if you check "Hide CD-R Media" in CCD tray it will emulate safe disc. It doesn't work for me. I then get a message that : "Can't read sector 807"
I know I am a total failure at this but at least I am trying...
Clone CD should work (so they tell me) but I don't know how to do it (sob)
If (and thanks for trying to teach me Tippx) someone can tell me step - by - step. Just how in the heck you can copy Max Payne with CLONE CD please tell me.
By the way : does A120 remove safedisc2 frome the IMAGE file and then lets your burn everything exept that onte the CD-R ?
If so I know what I'm getting...

Stiff upper lip Eh ?? !!

[gh0sth@cker]

Ok - there are two different ways you can go about copying this.
The game is protected by Safedisk 2 (not sure what version - use cdkiller's Protection ID on the main exe to check.
If it is Safedisk 2.4 or below, then you will need a cd-writer with "one sheep" in the EFM column on the Clone CD supported writer's list
If it is 2.51 or above then you will need two sheep if you are to make a perfect 1:1 copy.

To make the 1:1 copy use Alcohol 120% or Clone CD - neither of them "strip" the Safedisk protection from the disk - rather they try to clone it bit for bit I would suggest using Alcohol.
So select it's Safedisk 2 profile from the list and try to make a copy (I suggest using re-writables for testing).
There may also be a secondary protection being used - an ATIP check. Simply, every CD-R has something called an ATIP which contains info on dye, manufacturer, length etc. Pressed cds (originals) dont have an ATIP as it's not needed. So the game does a simple check to see if an ATIP is present, and if so it won't play. The only problem with ATIP checking is that only CD-RW drives can do it - normal cd-roms can't read it.
So the way to get around the ATIP check is to either play it in a non cd-writer or use the "Ignore Media Type" emulation option in Alcohol (same as Hide CD-R Media in Clone CD).

The alternative way is using a crack - you say you have tried this before. Make sure you are using the correct crack for the version of the game you are using, and make sure you are putting the crack into the correct place - you will know you are right if it asks you do you want to overwrite the existing file.


BTW - the read errors you are finding are normal for Safedisk protection - between sectors 800-10000. If they take too long to read then check out the Daemon Tools site and read it's online manual (read the Fast Dump Feature part of it). It'll show you how to use it's tool to speed up the reading of the errors.

[Spacelordmf]

Thank you Ghostbuster That should do the trick !

I must admit one thing to all of you (because that's the kind of person I am) I TRIED TO BURN TO IMAGE USING MY CDROM PLAYER. Now that's how ignorant I am. I am terribly sorry for causing all this mumbo jumbo but as I am writing this I do so with alot more knowledge about copying CD games. I'll be back as the big man said !!

ps thanks to tippx too ; )ds.

[Spacelordmf]

Guess what guys... I'm back allready. This time I managed to copy it to a CD-R (ok I know it's "childs play 4 you but still...)
Here is my current problem ; I am now trying to install "the fake" onto my computer and after 81 pct of the istallation I get,
Component transfer errors :
component : level
file group : level
file : D:\disc1\levels\X_level2.ras
error : file error (CRC-error, Cyclical Redyndancy Check)

I copied it as Image using CCD and settings for safedisc 2.51. Can it be that it is protected with safedisc 2.4 ? or have I
written it in a too high speed (4 X) ?

"Help me ObiWan Kenobi , You're my only hope"

[gh0sth@cker]

CRC errors usually appear when the original cd is scratched or dirty or when the read/write process produces an error due to it's speed. Try slowing it down and use re-writables.

[Spacelordmf]

OK you helping guys. I need to ask something about Daemon
Tools that's not in the manual. (Hopefully my last one !)
Once I have the Image on my HD (and a beautiful one it is)
I then open the Daemon tools, Check Safedisc mode and
mount the image to one of the virtuell drivers, With a CD-R
in the burner, and hit "Write session 1 image file" on the CCD.

Is this the way to do it, and will the CD R work on another
PC that doesn't have Daemon tools (the emulator) ?

Am I close but NO CIGARR ??

ps. if I am wrong. Whats the Virtuel drivers for ? What
do they do ? Manual says nothing about this ...

[RincewindTheWiz]

It's virtual drives, and they are kind of like virtual cdrom drives. In other words, when you mount the image, you get an extra drive letter like 'F:', 'G:' or 'H:', and you can use this drive as if it's a cdrom drive with the cd of which the image was made loaded. If you install from this drive, the game will use that virtual drive to check for the copy protection, hence you don't need a cd in the real cdrom drive to play. Also, when you make the image, lower the read speed to 4x or lower. Are you using Alcohol120% ? It's a bit easier to use and you can find it here

[SPKº]

Why do people make this so confusing? I just make backups with Discjuggler, which takes about 3 steps, and I'm done.

[Spacelordmf]

Thanks Wiz for straightening that questionmark out for
me. So that means my game wont run on a pc that doesn't
have virtuel drives ?