new method to bypass starforce 3!

[john486496]

Bypassing new starforce 3.x games without using SFnightmare or unplugging drives.


Test by Roms6 - 12/07/2005 Translated by French Lover.



This method should be right for all games protected by starforce 3.x without the need to use SF Nightmare or unplug your CD/DVD drives.

You need :

• The right image of your game, I don't give you advices, as settings in Alcohol120% to create your image file vary for each game ;

• VirtualDrive Pro 10, which will hide your drives safely and perfectly.

• Daemon Tools 4.


VirtualDrive Pro 10 installation


Run VirtualDrive Pro, it should take a long time to install, as it copy his own drivers.

By default, VirtualDrive Pro will be installed in C:\Program Files\FarSton\VDPro.

VirtualDrivePro will ask you to install at least one drive. Note you can change the number of drives after installation.
Once it's finished, please reboot your computer as it said.


Using VirtualDrive pro


Before using your image with Daemon Tools 4, you have to set your software.

• Right Click to VirtualDrive Pro icon on systeme tray , then click on « VCD Manager ».

• In the new windows go to « Tools » then click on « Disable CD ». Quit VirtualDrive Pro ;

• Mount image of your game protected by starforce in Daemon Tools 4. Note that all emulation must be set to off .

• Run your game from a desktop shortcut. Be patient!


Re-enabling your drive


You can do this by coming back to "Tools" , then click on "Enable CD"
If your CD/DVD drives are not re-enabled, try this:
• Go to control Panel, then System.
• In new windows, go to Hardware tab, click on device manager
• In DVD/CD ROM Drives section, right-click on your drive and select "activate"
Reboot to find again your drive in explorer.


GAMES SHOULD WORK (NEED TEStERS!) with VDPRO10:

- Worms 4 Mayhem (incl. Update-Patch,Nforce Chipset)
- Prince Of Persia - The Two Thrones (NforceChipset)
- Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Nforce,ULI chipsets)
- Trackmania Sunrise (incl. eXtreme Add-On/Patch) (Nforce ,ULI chipsets)
-The Suffering Ties That Bind (ULI chipsets)
-PJ King Kong (Nforce, ULI chipsets)


--> Big Thanks to !HaGaR! , XdaywalkerX to submit their result <--

[temp]

I play them anyhow without unplugging anything, i use one the apps to hide ata or i simple dissable in device manager for my gameplay time (no reboot needed) thats the nice thing about sata hdds.

I for one aint gonna install any more crap that puts drivers on pc SDhide does me for now.

[Grumpy]

@temp
'john486496' has taken his time to register and post something that could very well be usefull to other members, especially those members who do NOT have sata hardrives!
There are always different methods available to help others but they wont always be methods you personally agree with therefore you should not criticize other peoples input!
It was his very first post and yet you may have very well put him off from ever posting ideas here again!
Lighten up next time please and think before you type!

[leezer3]

Sorry to dissapoint, but the original poster has a Nforce mobo
Just checked, & all Farstone does is to disable the drives via Windoze device manager, and this doesn't fool SF unless you are one of the lucky ones. (Tested on a Compaq machine, no idea what mobo chipset)

-Leezer-

[glenbo]

i have a nforce chipset and none of this stuff ever works for me lol.

its always 1 of 2 things for me,a no cd crack or my original disc.

[prakash_tiwari2004]

hey thats good new i think Brian Lara Cricket 2005 also come with star force 3 so can u please tell me how to make the image of 1st disc so i can play that game,reply me fast pls

[john486496]

hI all !

temp,all drivers can mess a system.However this drivers works perfectly for me as said in tutorial, at the contrary to SFNigtmare with my system.

grumpy,thanks, you are right, all people can't have a sata harddrives!
This is the consequences of complexity of starforce that make different issue for each user.

RIght. When I have read temp post,I think that I should not post anymore in this forum,cause I have take the time to translate and test this method and this sort of people should use more of his brain instead of claims:"I dont need that....blah...blah"

leezer3 I confirm that this method work with non nforce chipset:I have a intel Pentium M based chip.Be care to order and number of drives.

However I have tested with only Trackmania sunrise (starforce 3.4.71.19).Maybe newest version of starforce blacklist VirtualDrive Pro.
As contrary to someone said in daemon tools forums,I think this could be a good product for backup cd/dvd.

It would be interessant to test the backup possibilities with starforce 3 (officially supported in v10)and securom 7..worse than alcohol120%?
Can someone post his result here ?it would be nice

I don't have time to test with other games ,but I think if we combines this method with other and other tips against starforce (sfcure method,rename drivers of VDRIVEpro..) we can find new method to bypass starforce while waitng ide jammer's daemon tools!

Testers and specialists feel free to find this new ways with VirtualDrive pro,daemon tools,alcohol120% : WE NEED YOU !

[leezer3]

Hiya mate,
Any chance of you providing some more complete system info please?
Just tried this on the lappy (Tecra S1, Centrino chipset) & SF works without drives being disabled in any way (POP 2T). It sounds to me as if we may have found another 'inacessible' chipset, or it could possibly be related to the fact that I anyway have a hotpluggable DVD/ HDD. (Normally use the HDD)
An Everest report would be great

Cheers

-Leezer-

[Joe Forster/STA]

(It is very sad to see the home edition of Lavalys Everest, formerly AIDA32, an "industry standard" free software, having been discontinued... )

[!HaGaR!]

Originally Posted by Joe Forster/STA

(It is very sad to see the home edition of Lavalys Everest, formerly AIDA32, an "industry standard" free software, having been discontinued... )

@J.F./STA - Yep. Sad, that they stopped the free one. Offtopic, though

Well, VirtualDrive10 isn´t that cheap at all... Around fifty bucks.
But, I´ll have a try if my trial-download-mail will appear in the inbox...
Dammit, hate registrations for trialware...

Bye the way: Nice post, if it works! Thx for sharing!
But... I´m afraid how long this method will face the starforce-updates...


UPDATE:
=======

Workaround confirmed with:
- Worms 4 Mayhem (incl. Update-Patch)
- Prince Of Persia - The Two Thrones

Used Virtual Drive 10 for disabling, image mounted in Daemon Tools V4.00

Motherboard-Chipset: Nforce 2
Before installing VirtualDrive 10: Starforce detected IDE drive and wants the disc there
After installing VirtualDrive 10 and following the guide above: Starforce checks discs and succeeded.

Fooling around a bit more with it tonight...
BTW: VirtualDrive10 gives you a fifteen day trial...

UPDATE 2:
========

Confirmed Games:
- Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Retail)
- Trackmania Sunrise (incl. eXtreme Add-On/Patch)

UPDATE 3:
========

Tested Game: Trackmania Sunrise eXtreme
- Software-Drive-Disabling via Starforce Nightmare: Detected, Starforce gives Error-Feedback
- Software-Drive-Disabling via Virtual Drive 10: Successfull, game starts

Re-Enabling drives gives a little error. While disabling the ide-drives, HardwareManager reports a deactivated Nforce-Controller. After re-enabling them, the Nforce-Controller is "enabled" again, but the IDE-Drives under the "Drives"-Tab is still disabled. Right-Clicking on it and "reactivating" the drive is successfull. Drive is recognized by windows and other applications (nero) again. Reboot was not needed.

Small hint: With SFN-Deactivated IDE-Drive the Virtual Disc 10 application reports an error when it tries to deactivate the IDE-Drive, but starforce will be cheated nevertheless.

Well... Something strange happened... Had the idea to test VD10s abilities to start starforce-images... But... VD10 recognizes its OWN virtual drives as physical ones... Deactivated Daemons Drives, but problem still stays the same. Added another virual drive with VD10, rebooted as requested... Same thing again... VD10s virtual one appears to be a physical to it... Trial-Limitation? Would be weird, though...

Any suggestions!?

[SamFisher]

Originally Posted by !HaGaR!

@J.F./STA - Yep. Sad, that they stopped the free one. Offtopic, though

Well, VirtualDrive10 isn´t that cheap at all... Around fifty bucks.
But, I´ll have a try if my trial-download-mail will appear in the inbox...
Dammit, hate registrations for trialware...

Bye the way: Nice post, if it works! Thx for sharing!
But... I´m afraid how long this method will face the starforce-updates...


UPDATE:
=======

Workaround confirmed with:
- Worms 4 Mayhem (incl. Update-Patch)
- Prince Of Persia - The Two Thrones

Used Virtual Drive 10 for disabling, image mounted in Daemon Tools V4.00

Motherboard-Chipset: Nforce 2
Before installing VirtualDrive 10: Starforce detected IDE drive and wants the disc there
After installing VirtualDrive 10 and following the guide above: Starforce checks discs and succeeded.

Fooling around a bit more with it tonight...
BTW: VirtualDrive10 gives you a fifteen day trial...

UPDATE 2:
========

Confirmed Games:
- Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Retail)
- Trackmania Sunrise (incl. eXtreme Add-On/Patch)

UPDATE 3:
========

Tested Game: Trackmania Sunrise eXtreme
- Software-Drive-Disabling via Starforce Nightmare: Detected, Starforce gives Error-Feedback
- Software-Drive-Disabling via Virtual Drive 10: Successfull, game starts

Re-Enabling drives gives a little error. While disabling the ide-drives, HardwareManager reports a deactivated Nforce-Controller. After re-enabling them, the Nforce-Controller is "enabled" again, but the IDE-Drives under the "Drives"-Tab is still disabled. Right-Clicking on it and "reactivating" the drive is successfull. Drive is recognized by windows and other applications (nero) again. Reboot was not needed.

Small hint: With SFN-Deactivated IDE-Drive the Virtual Disc 10 application reports an error when it tries to deactivate the IDE-Drive, but starforce will be cheated nevertheless.

Well... Something strange happened... Had the idea to test VD10s abilities to start starforce-images... But... VD10 recognizes its OWN virtual drives as physical ones... Deactivated Daemons Drives, but problem still stays the same. Added another virual drive with VD10, rebooted as requested... Same thing again... VD10s virtual one appears to be a physical to it... Trial-Limitation? Would be weird, though...

Any suggestions!?

i've nforce3 chipset and i'll try that it seems like working perfect... maybe somebody make a "hider" hides optical drives same as "virtualdrive10"... thing would be much easier if it would be..

[neptun]

Originally Posted by john486496

....However I have tested with only Trackmania sunrise (starforce 3.4.71.19).Maybe newest version of starforce blacklist VirtualDrive Pro....

Up to version 3.4 of starforce ( included 3.4 ) software disable of drives through device manager or using SFNightmare works.The problem is with 3.5 and 3.6.For this versions software disable works most of the time for nforce based motherboards and fof pentium m chipsets as i see but for other chipsets this does not work anymore.All this things with hiding of devices are a temporary solution.The next version of starforce and maybe even the next patch for a game will make it not to work anymore.The real sollution is either an IDE virtual drive or the hope that someone will find a way to crack all starforce games ( which is not possible in my opinion ).Another good solution is to use additional IDE controller on PCI slot and connect your optical drives to it so windows detect them as SCSI devices.

[Evil Homer]

Originally Posted by neptun

The real sollution is either an IDE virtual drive or the hope that someone will find a way to crack all starforce games ( which is not possible in my opinion ).Another good solution is to use additional IDE controller on PCI slot and connect your optical drives to it so windows detect them as SCSI devices.

Yes, I agree the ultimate starforce crack would be great but I can confirm that using a PCI Raid card to connect your opticals works fine, since I've been using one there isn't a Starforce game that I can't play with an image. Thats provided that you spend some time trying to create the right image. I use Alcohol 120% for all my images and sometimes it may take 4, 5 or even 6 try's with different settings and speeds but as I said I haven't got a Starforce game that doesn't work. Here's just a few of the games that work.
*Splinter Cell, Chaos Theory
*V8 Supercars 2 (Aust), Toca Race Driver 2 (Eng) DTM Race Driver2 (Ger)
*Ricky Ponting-International Cricket- I think Brian Lara's Cricket is identical game.
*King Kong
*Prince of Persia-The Two Thrones
*BOS-Bet On Soldier
*Worms 4-Mayhem
Thats what I can actually play ATM without unplugging anything, no doubt there would be more Starforce games it would work with but I don't own anymore.
There is one problem though, I have Sata drives on this machine and none of those games worked before with any kind of workaround, now they all work on this machine but I also installed the same kind of Raid card on my other machine that has IDE hard drives and for the life of me I can't get it to run properly with card installed so I can't try the games until I get the machine running with the card.
Anyway just thought I'd let you know this method does work but if anyone has any ideas on why my other machine won't work I would love to hear from you.
Thanks EH

[john486496]

thanx for all your answers,guys !
I do interesting search so post will be long.

--------------------------------
FIRST PART STARFORCE PROTECTION:
The hide function of VirtualDrive Pro 10 is definively not the same as "desactivate" in Windows Device manager.

For me ,Trackmania sunrise doesn't run with desactivating in Windows Device manager.

Trackmania sunrise run with "disabling function" of VDPRO10

So I think the hide function Tool in VirtualDrive Pro can be compared to SFNIghtmare,with less hardware/software issues than SFNIghtmare .


In addition it will be more safe to rename Virtual Drive oF vDPro10 or uninstall it on device manager (it's called FvFInc-CDDVD-2003-200x0800)
If you uninstall it,it will be reinstalled automatically on next reboot,no problem

Many thanx to you,!HaGaR! I create a database in beginning of my topic with working game.

Or perhaps,that seems to work on a system,but no warranty,this is the problem of starforce.

I thinks it would be great to send a solution pack for each game on gamescopyworld instead only one with the fixed images.
So users,who want to play his game without cd/dvd inserted should find a solution on his fit.

Yes,neptun ,you 're right hiding devices and others tricks different than IDE Jammer,IDE Virtual Drive in Daemon Tools will always been a temporary solution.But if we people can make this sort of pack for each games,that be a good things,instead of partial
solutions.

Ah starforce v>3.4 seems to not work in non nforce or Pm motherboards.
Can people that have a different system post their result? There are hundred people who read this topics!
Why not you?
Yes,you in back of classroom!
Can you tell me ?

Perhaps I will update the tutorial and post it backup sites.

Also,I'm still convinced that with this new tools and with old tricks,we can bypass even the new versions of starforce.I repeat for news:

Testers and specialists feel free to find this new ways with VirtualDrive pro,daemon tools,alcohol120% : WE NEED YOU !
Anyone has try to create or copy his cd/dvd with VirtualDrivePro 10 with starforce3 options enabled.This tool should be more etudied with other to find new bypass methods!
------------------------------
SECOND PART:Trackmania sunrise

I have updated trackmania sunrise with trackmania sunrise extrem.

SO,New versions of starforce have been installed there (>3.4)

Before installing trackmania xtrem,I kept a backup of trackmania sunrise exe.


I run the old exe after installing trackmania extrem with VDPRO10 method.Fine,no problem.Of course,I can't play the game because media contents changed,but starforce is bypassed.
Note that I have never run the new exe of trackmania


------
Now I run the new exe,the games doesn't run trick is detected.

Now I run the old exe,it doesn't works anymore.
---Conclusion----:

I think new starforce were really set when I run the new exe.
THis is't not a news,because when you uninstall with sfcleaner (it doesn't do a good job for new version,note that) and you run the exe after it ask you to reboot to complete installation of starforce drivers.

In fact exe unpack starforce drivers which are stored in dat or dll file.

------

If you want to play sunrise extrem,with few restrictions,you can keep the old exe,but you will have to correct path in gamedata and resource.This works for few things (tracks..)

Note that I have tried to add all features,6 month before to demo version ,but this didn't work.

Best regards,
John.
------------------------------------
UPDATED:
Hi !HaGaR!
what do you mean by physical drive? in explorer I Have this bug,it appears as physsical drive sometimes.But it disappears when I reboot.Note that I have the legally licenced version.So this a bug.iF you can test other of his possibilities It would be great ;-)

[!HaGaR!]

King Kong - The Game - Also confirmed. Running Out of Starforce-Games ;-D

Btw... Still searching for a reason, why VD10 doesn´t recognize its own virtual drives as virtual ones... On my system, VD10 believes they are pyhsical... (Drives are listed under "other drives".)

N8

To describe the behavior of the "virtual" drive of VD10 (unlicensed trial-version!)

At the windows explorer, all drives I added with VD10 are visible and accessible. If I doubleclick the icon it says, that there is no disc inserted - like a real empty drive. But when I enter the VCD-Manager of VD10, the "Virtual Drive"-List is empty and all "optical" drives (virtual VD10-drives, virtual daemon drives and physical ide-drives) appear under the "other drives"-List. Checking the drive-details also shows, that the vd10 drive is here, but recognized as a physikal. Insert/Eject-Buttons are ghosted. No way to mount an image in here...

Well, as I am a customer of DT I will wait until their release of the jammer or the vide, so it´s not a big deal for me, if the bug of VD10 will be here for the next 14 days :-D ... But, still, it´s strange...