Get past Securom 7 & Starforce 3 !!!!!

[mrv2k]

OK this will only work if you have the right hardware. You will need...

Daemon Tools 4
IDE Raid Controller (Tested on SIS 180/181. Didn't work on my ITE 8212 card)

The way it works is that normally a CD/DVD ROM plugged into your motherboards is classed as an IDE device. Most protection systems read the IDE ports to check for your CD and give you an error message.

If you plug your CD/DVD into an IDE raid controller Windows recognises it as a SCSI device and SCSI devices aren't checked by current protection systems.

So if you have and IDE raid port turn off your computer. Plug your CD/DVD into the IDE raid port on you motherboard or card. You'll know if your card works if when the Raid config screen comes up you see your CD/DVD.

Load up your computer. Your CD/DVD will still be in My Computer and work normally. Install Daemon Tools 4.00 and mount the image of the game you want to play.

I've tested it on Matrix: Path of Neo (with 1.1 patch) (Securom 7), Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Safedisk 4.3), F.E.A.R 1.1 and X3: Reunion (Starforce 3). All ran without problems

[BarryB]

Securom 7 can be hidden with SR7Stop and DT 3.47 usually, maybe F.E.A.R. 1.02 may need this approach.

I have an ABit Hot Rod 100 PCI raid card but only for HD's, maybe I need to plug my DVD drives into it

[mrv2k]

I can confirm that FEAR 1.02 works fine. You don't need any virtual CD hiders.

[maciozo]

IDE RAID Controller? Aren't those different things? Please clarify as your soultion looks pretty reasonable

[NITROUS SYSTEM]

To say the truth Fear work's just fine at mine Pc because i have No-DvD exe...And i don't have to do anything....

[maciozo]

OK, I've went net surfing to educate myself and I've found that most of IDE to RAID controllers don't run optical drives (well, at least those cheap ones). Anyway, I'll buy an IDE to USB since it's in the range of my wallet & it's confirmed to bypass SF3. Now, my updated question is: does USB trick overcomes also the SR7 protection?

[Joe Forster/STA]

@maciozo: Some (deluxe?) motherboards, including ones released many years ago like my old ABIT KT7-RAID, have a HighPoint 370 (??? don't remember the name exactly) RAID controller integrated. There was a a third and fourth IDE connector, for even more IDE hard disks. By enabling and configuring the RAID controller in the BIOS setup, you can have hardware-based RAID which is shown as a SCSI controller under modern OS's (Windows, Linux etc.) and supported via INT13 by the BIOS under real DOS.

[maciozo]

Thanks for contributing Joe. Altough my mobo (ASUS K8V Deluxe) has 2 RAID controllers, I don't know if they can handle ATAPI. I think I'll stick with USBs - 2 IDE to USB cables + 2 ports will cost me about 80zl (that's about 25 USD). Anyway, it also gives a really cool ability of Hot Plug - even if those damn cd sratchers aka copy protections will detect the drives - BANG - off with the USB cables > no drives = no problem