Successful Neverwinter Backup

[kagetsu]

Okay to add to the drama of Neverwinter Backup here is my story and how i got a backup to work 100%. I don't think I've been this happy in a while.

1.) Installed Clone CD v4.0.1.10 (latest edition as of 7/22/2002)

2.) Read Neverwinter Play Disc with the following settings:

Read Subchannel Data for both audio and data. Left Error correction on default.
Read at: Max speed

3.) Wrote The image file created with:

Amplify Weak Sectors: Off
Correct Subchannel Data: Off
Drive: Lite on 48 x 12 x 48 (LTR-48125w)
Firmware Latest: the one ending with VS06
Speed: 16x
Media: Mitsui Silver 12x compatible

This resulted in a copy that didn't work. Would Load the logo and then just vanish and do nothing.

4.) Tried again with these settings:

Read: 4x
(Same settings but with Fast error and Intelligent Bad Sector off)

Write: 4x
(Same Settings as before but using Sony 80min Media)

Again this resulted in a copy that didn't work.

5.) The conclusion:

I used my Toshiba DVD-Rom 16x speed drive to try to play them. It would always be the same crap, the drive would blink while the hard drive is going crazy and the game would fail to load. Finally I thought of something a few hours later which really pissed me off....

Turn off HIDE CDR MEDIA........

6.) Explosions of happiness...... Every copy I've tried to make boots every single try......

It appears Hide CDR Media might be intercepting calls to your Reader and modifying them in which the protection that Neverwinter uses actually checks for.....

ALWAYS try turning of Hide CDR Media...

I really hope this works for all of you.

[crispy]

According to GCW, that title is protected with securom so one would expect a copy NOT to work without "hide cdr media" enabled, since the ATIP check would confirm a cdr, not pressed silver original.

I don't know how this feature of clonecd tray works but it must alter the ATIP read request, or at least the drive's response.

It could be a simple blacklist at work. The latest securom also blacklist Daemon Tools again (although the boys have updated again).
Without knowing how clonecd tray actually hides the cdr media, and what dll's or vxd's etc it might use to do it, it's impossible to say.

But of course you shouldn't have had "hide cdr media" enabled anyway with your DVD-ROM as it can't read the ATIP. That could also be the reason. Have you tried reading the cdr from a burner with the feature enabled, then disabled. The result would be interesting also.

But certainly interesting to hear your findings.

[gh0sth@cker]

There have been reports that Hide CD-R Media may have a small bug in that prevents the game from working.

Also, the Lite-on's problems with the "New" Securom New seem to be in the reading as the Lite-on doesn't pick up the bad sectors, this is why using the Tosh as the reader worked

[crispy]

Hmmm. Curious.

So the Lite-On cannot read some sectors at all. Then there'll be a lot of returned originals. That can't be good for business!

And I would theorise that there isn't a bug in CloneCD tray as such, just something being exploited by this newer securom version. And how did they find out about that? Chance? Hmm I wonder.......

This would mean, of course, that sony have reverse engineered (aka "cracked" as some might say) Olli's little app, and in the process been guilty of what they accuse many of us of doing.

The plot thickens.....

[kagetsu]

It would appear that the hide cdr media only affects the disc when trying to read from it. I tried burning the game with my plextor and got the exact same results. Best part is i was able to reproduce the same results with WarCraft 3....

I'll keep you guys posted on more that i find out.

[kagetsu]

Another update, i'm sure the hide cdr media affects the authorization of games in the newest versions of securerom. I've tested this on other systems. I installed clonecd and enabled the hide cdr media function and same thing happens the disc stops working.

[themis_t]

maybe the "bug" thing affects only your pc...