Bad original cd - or "great" protection?

[DizMan]

Hi there.

My 4 year old daughter has got 4 pc/mac games each of them on original cds. All the games are from the same company - and were released about the same time. Some time in 2007 or early 2008 i'd gues. They are all easy games for children produced with Macromedia.

I don't like the combination of original discs and a 4 year old, so I've used CloneCD to rip the discs to the pc. I then used VirtualCloneDrive to mount the images and installed the games. I've set VCD to automount these images. And voilá; she can now play the games without having to put the cd in the drive.

But... This only worked for the first 3 games. The 4th cannot be read by CloneCD. I've tried on 2 different pc's with different drives. For some time nothing happens - and the progress is 0%. Then it says "bad sector <number>". After 15 minutes of reading i aborted the process. At that time it had read about 10% of the disc and reported > 50 read errors.

I can install the game without any problems from the disc and play the game (if the cd is in the drive) - but I can't get CloneCD to work. I've tried all the read-profiles with the same result. I haven't tried to clean the disc though, because the first time I used the disc was with CloneCD, so it was absolutely brand new.

Question: Do you think I have a bad original cd (and have a chance of getting it replaced at the store) - or do you think it has a copy protection, that CloneCD can't handle? Any idea what I can do to be able to back up this disc? Would GameJackal be something for me here?

Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks...

Yours
Diz

 

[Webslinger]

click http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?t=9352, and provide all of the requested information, please

Generally, Virtual Clonedrive is not going to help with anything other than a simple disc check (and virtual clonedrive, due to virtual drive blacklisting, may cause more problems with certain protections) and, in general, Game Jackal is a far better choice for what you need to do. However, nothing is going to help if the original disc is bad.

Regardless, please provide the requested information.

 

[DizMan]

Answering questions on the list...

Hi Webslinger.

Thanks! Ok... Here goes - answers to all the questions on your list. As stated in my first post I've tried backup up the disc on two different machines a Pentum 4 stand alone pc and a new HP laptop so I'll try answering the questions for both machines.

1) CloneCD version: 5.3.1.3 - both pc and laptop

2) OS: pc: Win XP professional oem 32 bit danish fully updated with service packs hot fixes etc. by Windows Update. Laptop: Windows Vista Preminum 32 bit danish - preinstalled

3) Both AnyDVD and Virtual Clonedrive were running.

4) Clonecdtray was disabled on both machines. And also AnyDVD

5) Nero 8 is installed on the pc - but I think Nero Incd is disabled. There is no packet writing software on the laptop. I've used the process monitor of sysinternals, and theres no process belonging to INCD.

6) I've only installed the game on the pc (because i would like to install from the image and not from the cd). I've scanned the folder contained the installed game - and the original cd. Results scan CD/DVD Drive (file):

20:16:37 | F:\Install.exe | VISE Mindvision Wizard Module
20:16:38 | F:\Kaj og Andrea 1\xtras\PrintOMatic MX.x32 | Possible CD/DVD-Key or Serial Check

Results scan CD/DVD Drive (sector):
20:17:01 | *DISC* F:\ [Kaj og Andrea CD] | Disc Protection: SafeDisc Signature v 4 (or higher)

Note: I also tried making an ISO with the PiD software. Result:
20:15:11 -> Ready
20:37:31 -> Checking Drive F:\
20:37:31 -> Media seems present.. processing further
20:37:31 -> Unit accessed as \\.\F:
20:37:31 -> Thread launch successful... beginning operations
20:37:31 -> Bps 02048, Spt 032, Tpc 064, Cyl 0163
20:37:31 -> Disk size = 0683671552 (Bytes) = 0652 (Mb)
20:37:33 -> [x] Disk is protected with SafeDisc - iso making is pointless...
20:37:33 -> Cd/Dvd operations thread exiting...
-------- -> --------
Result of scanning directory where the game is installed:
21:05:20 | C:\Programmer\Kaj og Andrea\I højeste gear\Kaj og Andrea 1\xtras\PrintOMatic MX.x32 | Possible CD/DVD-Key or Serial Check

7) It is a children's game in the danish language called: "Kaj & Andrea - I højeste gear". Developed and distributed by "Krea medie" and DR (Denmark's Radio = like the BBC in the UK)

8.) There is no description of version in the booklet or on the cd case of the game. The "about" box just says "Produced by Krea Medie 2007". So I'll guess there's just one version of the game.

9) It is on cd

10) The cd is from Denmark and in the Danish language

11) PC: Pentium 4. 3,2 GHz. I don't recall the processor number. I believe it was 645J or something like that. Laptop: Core 2 Duo T7500, 2,2 GHz.

12) PC: Brand new: Pioner RWDVR-215D firmware 1,18 of 08/01/11. Laptop: TOSHIBA DVDW/HD SD-L802B HP05 08/21/07 A7B080

13) Both machines: Symantec Endpoint Protection. Newest version and definitions updated today. I can't find version numbers.

14) Here's the CloneCD log from the pc. I used the profile "Protected PC game" with the exeption that I turned on the option "report read errors"
I 23:23:13 CloneCD Version 5.3.1.3 started!
I 23:23:13 ElbyCDIO Driver 6.0.1.2
I 23:23:13 ElbyCDIO.dll 6.0.7.1
I 23:23:13 CCDDriver.dll 5.3.0.0
I 23:23:13 ElbyECC.dll 4.0.0.0
I 23:23:13 WriteDVD.dll 2.6.5.1
I 23:23:13 Searching for SCSI/ATAPI devices...
I 23:23:13 Device Scan found 4 CD-ROMs and 2 CD-Writers!
I 23:23:21 Starting copy from PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-215D to F:\spil\Kaj og Andrea\Kaj og Andrea - I højeste gear.ccd
I 23:23:21 Read Speed for Data Tracks: Maximum
I 23:23:21 Read Speed for Audio Tracks: Maximum
I 23:23:21 Read SubChannel Data from Data Tracks: No
I 23:23:21 Read SubChannel Data from Audio Tracks: No
I 23:23:21 Fast Error Skip: Yes
I 23:23:21 Don't report read errors: No
I 23:23:21 Intelligent Bad Sector Scanner: Yes
I 23:23:21 CD contains CD-Text: No
I 23:23:21 Reading Track 1... (Blocks 0-335411)
W 23:23:38 Failed to read Sector 842
W 23:23:45 Failed to read Sector 851
W 23:23:59 Failed to read Sector 892
W 23:24:06 Failed to read Sector 895
I 23:24:13 Fast Error Skip has been enabled automatically!
W 23:24:13 Failed to read Sector 908
W 23:24:20 Failed to read Sector 917
W 23:24:27 Failed to read Sector 920
W 23:24:34 Failed to read Sector 929
W 23:24:48 Failed to read Sector 958

15) Imgburn filters from the pc (haven't installed it yet on the laptop):
===============================================
Filter Driver Load Order - ImgBurn v2.4.2.0
===============================================
Upper Device Filter: redbook
Upper Class Filter: SiRemFil
Device: CD/DVD-ROM Device
Lower Class Filter: ElbyCDFL
Lower Class Filter: ElbyDelay
Lower Class Filter: PxHelp20
Lower Class Filter: AnyDVD
Lower Device Filter: imapi
Filter Name: redbook
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\redbook.sys
File Version: 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108)
File Description: Filterdriver til Redbook-lyd
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operativsystem
Product Version: 5.1.2600.5512
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
Copyright: © Microsoft Corporation. Alle rettigheder forbeholdes.
Filter Name: SiRemFil
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\SiRemFil.sys
File Version: 1, 1, 7, 0 [1.1.7.0]
File Description: Filter driver for Silicon Image SATALink controllers.
Product Name:
Product Version: 1, 0, 0, 0 [1.0.0.0]
Company Name: Silicon Image, Inc.
Copyright: Copyright (C) 2005-2007 Silicon Image, Inc.
Filter Name: ElbyCDFL
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\ElbyCDFL.sys
File Version: 5, 2, 1, 3 [5.2.1.3]
File Description: ElbyCDIO Filter Driver
Product Name: CloneCD
Product Version: 5, 2, 1, 3 [5.2.1.3]
Company Name: SlySoft, Inc.
Copyright: Copyright (C) 2003 - 2006 SlySoft, Inc.
Filter Name: ElbyDelay
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\ElbyDelay.sys
File Version: 5, 1, 0, 1 [5.1.0.1]
File Description: Elby Delay Lower Filter Driver
Product Name: CDRTools
Product Version: 5, 1, 0, 1 [5.1.0.1]
Company Name: Elaborate Bytes AG
Copyright: Copyright (C) 2003 - 2006 Elaborate Bytes AG
Filter Name: PxHelp20
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\PxHelp20.sys
File Version: 3.00.56a [3.0.56.0]
File Description: Px Engine Device Driver for Windows 2000/XP
Product Name: PxHelp20
Product Version: [2.0.0.0]
Company Name: Sonic Solutions
Copyright: Copyright © Sonic Solutions
Filter Name: AnyDVD
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\AnyDVD.sys
File Version: 6.5.0.2
File Description: AnyDVD Filter Driver
Product Name: AnyDVD
Product Version: 6.5.0.2
Company Name: SlySoft, Inc.
Copyright: Copyright 2002 - 2008 SlySoft, Inc.
Filter Name: imapi
File Name: C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\imapi.sys
File Version: 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108)
File Description: IMAPI Kernel Driver
Product Name: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version: 5.1.2600.5512
Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
Copyright: © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
16) N/A. Question is about media type. Here I'm just trying to rip the original to the HD. I'm not even burning yet :-( But when i'm backing up I mainly use Verbatim.

 

[Blazkowicz]

Read errors are normal for SafeDisc, they go up to about 10XXX.

 

[Webslinger]

Results scan CD/DVD Drive (sector):
20:17:01 | *DISC* F:\ [Kaj og Andrea CD] | Disc Protection: SafeDisc Signature v 4 (or higher)

You're going to be better off trying Game Jackal, and yes, those read errors are normal. But you're still going to be better off trying Game Jackal instead of using Virtual Clonedrive.

 

[evlncrn8]

nice, sector scan worked

but also, when scanning its a good idea to scan (folder scan) the folder you installed the program into. I'm guessing it had an installer due to the vise detection, so if there was a protected executable it would be inside the installation 'packages' and would not be detected (pid can read into microsoft cab files, but not vise or installshield ones)..

so just to fully confirm things, can you please scan the folder you installed the software into, and post the report here (if it finds anything) ?, just to assist in pinpointing what the problem could be.

 

[DizMan]

Hi again all.

Thanks for your replies. Here additional info as requested - and a new question from me to you :agree:

When I scan the folder, where the game is installed into, I get the following:

22:41:05 | C:\Program Files\Kaj og Andrea\Kaj og Andrea 1\xtras\PrintOMatic MX.x32 | Possible CD/DVD-Key or Serial Check

So the SafeDisc protection is only detected, when PiD is scanning sectors on the disc.

New development in my problem: I've now bought GameJackal Pro (nice, just before the new licensing with annual fee. Hurry up guys, buy it as well ). It did the trick: the game can now be played without the disc in the drive.

But... Just to be completely sure: Is there a way to backup the original disc that has SafeDisc on it to a cd-r? As I understand your replies here CloneCD can't do that (yet?!?). Do you think that will be available in CloneCD? Or are cd's with SafeDisc un-backupable? (A puzzle I hope SlySoft simply have to try to solve. No protection should beat SlySoft!).

If I have to reinstall my pc and therefore also GameJackal Pro, then I again have to use my original disc. I would love to read these origials only once while making a backup and then put them in the safe...

Thanks again...

/Diz

 

[Webslinger]

But... Just to be completely sure: Is there a way to backup the original disc that has SafeDisc on it to a cd-r? As I understand your replies here CloneCD can't do that (yet?!?). Do you think that will be available in CloneCD? Or are cd's with SafeDisc un-backupable? (A puzzle I hope SlySoft simply have to try to solve. No protection should beat SlySoft!).

It depends on the safedisc version number and on drive hardware. In a lot of cases, especially with higher versions of safedisc, the answer is no. You must use emulation of some sort, and Game Jackal provides that emulation.