Mini\Maxi Image

[laziffer]

Can someone tell me what's the difference between a mini and a maxi Image?

[kiki1989]

how i can create mini/maxi image ? sorry for may bad english (croatia)

[caki]

A mini image and a maxi image both contain data needed to full the protection in letting you play. Sometimes, the protection only checks the beginning of the disc, so we can make a mini image. Other times, it checks for the entire disc and DPM, so we need to make a maxi image, which is the entire disc, just with the game content removed.

Also, since maxi images need to be the entire CD, they are HUGE. But, you can use windows compression to compress them down to a couple of megabytes.

@The Croatian Dude:

Depends upon what type of protection you want to create a maxi image for. For Securom:

Get Alcohol 120%, and make a image using the Securom profile, DPM set to high. Now, open the .MDF you have just made in a hex editor, select the entire file, and fill it in with 00' (I recommend Winhex for this). Then just save it, and you got a maxi image. Just mount the file, like you would with a full image. I do not know if this works for CD's...

To make a Safedisc Maxi image from a safedisc DVD is just a little different. Instead of 00ing the entire file, leave intact the last 200 KB of the DVD, and the first parts of the DVD that contain all the necessary data to make it a valid image + safedisc files.

To make a maxi image out of a safedisc CD is pretty... Interesting. Safedisc randomly creates error block all over the image, and it checks for every single of them. Also, they have new error blocks that differ from the error blocks in the old version. For example, in an older version of Safedisc a standard error block would be like this:

http://rapidshare.de/files/8205068/error1.txt.html

However, the good ole guys in C-Dilla got smart, and put them all over the disc in small concentrations (so they would be hard to spot in a hex editor, and so they think that some drives might skip over them, producing an invalid image (they were wrong )).

For example, look at this error block that is in the middle of nowhere, and yet if we 00 it out we get an invalid image:

http://rapidshare.de/files/8205414/error2.txt.html

Hehe, and thats not all. CDILLA made up a bunch of new error blocks, but they are easily taken care of because they are positioned in a predictable way

http://rapidshare.de/files/8205480/error3.txt.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/8205500/error4.txt.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/8205516/error5.txt.html

And ofc. you have to leave the cdilla files on the disc intact (00000002.TMP, 00000001.TMP, 00000000.256)

And there are a bunch of other little tricks that the CDILLA people kicked in. For example, they CRC a small block of data on the disc, and if you 00 it out, then they get an invalid CRC and you are screwed (charming thought).

Thats about all of the CDILLA tricks for CD maxi images I have picked up. Nevertheless, you can easily make one in an hour, but I would only do that if you are desperate (i.e no DVD version of the game, so you gotta maxi the CD image)

For all safedisc versions less than 4.6 to make a mini image, use alcohol 120%, set it to safedisc 2/3 profile, let it read 0.3 % of the disc, cancel image making process, do not delete the files, and you got yourself a mini image.

To make a mini image for securom 4.8-5 games (only works on some games i.e Warcrat 3) Use the old securom profile, but select DPM and set precision to high. Right after it gets the DPM cancel, and you got a mini image. Sometimes, if your drive is as ****ed up as mine, you have to get the DPM multiple times before you get a 100% working mini image. I had to try this for Warcraft 3 7 times before I got a working mini image. My friend reports it works for GTA:SA after his 3rd try. This also works on some Securom 7 games... So far I got Warhammer to work, and that is really the only Securom 7 game I play... Maybe will look at Battlefront 2 and see if it works...,

Anyways, I think that covers most of the crap except Starforce and obscure protections (Laserlok... CDCops...).

Enjoy.

[laziffer]

thank you.

[caki]

It was my pleasure. Plus I get to practice for my english test

[Zulu]

There are severeal later sectors (besides those containing 00000001.TMP, 00000002.TMP, 00000000.256) to be checked by newest Safedisc (not only last 200kb). So without a Buslogger you don't know which sectors have to stay in the image (should be valid for Securom, too)

- Isn't Warcraft III protected by Securom 4.68 ?
- Is there any advantage for legitimate owners to obtain such a maxi-image ?

[caki]

Hmm Zulu, what is a Buslogger. I'll google now, but please tell me what it is.

Answers:

I think Warcraft is Securom 4.8... Dunno for sure. Either way, I have a working mini image.

There is an advantage. You can save HD space and play without your CD inserted.

[Zulu]

Originally Posted by rendari

Hmm Zulu, what is a Buslogger. I'll google now, but please tell me what it is.

With a buslogger (Bushound, Bustrace) you can e.g. log which sectors are checked on a disc

Originally Posted by rendari

There is an advantage. You can save HD space and play without your CD inserted.

... yes, when not playing; but otherwise the unpacked (maxi-)image is as big as the original one (or did i get something wrong ?)

[caki]

Originally Posted by Zulu

With a buslogger (Bushound, Bustrace) you can e.g. log which sectors are checked on a disc
... yes, when not playing; but otherwise the unpacked (maxi-)image is as big as the original one (or did i get something wrong ?)

You can use windows compression to compress is to 1-2MB

[Bopchie]

HMMMM u just use wincompress on the MDF?? or put mds in it too? i tred just the mdf and i cant mount it(well it mounts but dont work) or is compression just for storage of the maxi?

[caki]

I use compression on the .MDF and it works...

[LupinIV]

@rendari

Can u help me please to do a maxi or mini image for Football Manager 2006(SiSports)?

It's protected with last Safedisk(4.6 I think)

Help me how can i find this protected parts on file .mdf please!

[Joe Forster/STA]

Read the FAQ on creating images.

[LupinIV]

I red it, but I was asking to rendari an help about to find the protected parts on that mdf game

[caki]

I'm still working on a generic method. Pretty much try 00ing out data blocks and see what works and what doesnt. If it doesnt work, leave that data block, and go to the next one. You will start to see patterns. Thats all the advice I can really give you.