just a suggestion for Starforce 3 (last version) protected games (SCCT, TMSunrise)

[maephisto]

hi to everybody... first post, hope don't say an obvious thing... ok, i'm not one of those who say "ok ok, i've discovered how to **** the Starforce protection"... i've just an idea, maybe a ****ty idea maybe a good one... let's say something i've learnt on this forum (and on other sites) about starforce 3 (last version)...

1. the trick of mini-image doesn't work anymore
2. the only way to play with a backup is using an external drive connected through usb 2.0

on another topic here i've read that JUST ONE man managed to beat the protection changing the name of the virtual drive (under Alcohol) like (i don't remember precisely) Vendor USB 2.0 Model Generic Usb 2.0... or something like this.. obviously this is a bull****... but this was a kind inspiration for me...

someone of you (i mean only the smart guys, not the ones coming here saying "i've downloaded the game, where i find the crack?" ) has already thought about usign a Virtual Machine? like the one created with VMWare et similia... this is the idea...

1. under the host system disable all the real drives (with starforce nightmare) and create a virtual drive with parameters like the one said before (just to give the idea it is a drive connected with usb)
2. under the guest system (maybe Win XP Pro) ONLY connect the virtual drive (that is virtual only in the host system, but from the point of view of the guest system it should appear as a real drive)
3. on the host system mount the complete image of the game
4. launch the game under the guest system

Starforce on the guest system sees a REAL drive PROBABLY connected through USB (it u have set the parameters correctly and maybe there is a way to set them correctly) and should be ****ed... ok ok this is just an idea... maybe someone of you could try?

really hope this could work!

[!HaGaR!]

... but the emulated system is too weak to run the game smooth (if it even will try to start it, anyway).

Okay, never tested this by myself, but my fooling around with some of the virtual machine proggies out there shows a real lack of performance even using desktop-programs and operations. I don´t believe these "systems" are able to run this technical high-end-stuff.

Even my "real" system isn´t fast enough to run scct at high-quality-settings... I guess, the emulated one will suck completely ;-D

Grx !HaGaR!

[kosmiq]

Starforce has blocked any usage of VM's during protection execution. Because this could be used to create a key that would work everywere a VM with the same config is used.

Also here's a little update on Starforce

anyway - i read this on reverse-egeneering.net forum from a developer working for ubisoft:

Starforce 3.5.00.08
*Fixed: USB2-Problems
*Fixed: A hole allowing "Mini-Images" again
*Fixed: Advanced Debugger-Protection
*Improved: Starforce Virtual Machine (tm) v2.7.98
*Added: Reactivate iDE-Channels on startup
*Added: Detection of StarFu**/SFN
*Added: Protection of Protection-Drivers
*Added: The exe isn't completely dumped to Memory now - a full dump is nearly impossible

Got this from another forum, if it is true the USB2 trick is gone...

But there's light in the tunnel, look at the "Reactivate iDE-channels on startup". This can be considered illegal in many eu countries as the end-user has decided to deactivate iDE channels. So Starforce changes settings for the end users... Let sue them bastards....

[maephisto]

ok my idea isn't good, but they say

A hole allowing "Mini-Images" again

this problem was fixed in 3.5 version, while SCCT and TMSunrise use 3.4.x version... so maybe for just these 2 games there are other possibilities...

[kosmiq]

But the games also gets higher versions of Starforce with every patch that comes.

But sure, it is worth a shot...

[FarCry]

what about firewire? has anyone tried if dvd rom connected through firewire does the trick? maybe there is a bug like usb 2 which apparently has been fixed

[qwertyqwerty]

Originally Posted by kosmiq

anyway - i read this on reverse-egeneering.net forum from a developer working for ubisoft:

Starforce 3.5.00.08
*Fixed: USB2-Problems
*Fixed: A hole allowing "Mini-Images" again
*Fixed: Advanced Debugger-Protection
*Improved: Starforce Virtual Machine (tm) v2.7.98
*Added: Reactivate iDE-Channels on startup
*Added: Detection of StarFu**/SFN
*Added: Protection of Protection-Drivers
*Added: The exe isn't completely dumped to Memory now - a full dump is nearly impossible

This nfo is a fake, because a German game called Radspoert Manager Pro uses Starforce 3.5.09.002 on the latest released patch and it has already been confirmed from several people that the USB-trick still functions as usual. According to some coders from the SFN-team it is not very likely that Starforce can fix the USB-trick in the near future.