Page 1 of 6 123456 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 81

Thread: RE: Just purchased Sturmwind - Plan on 'cracking' the protection, if possible

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default RE: Sturmwind Copy Protection Project 'Cracking' the Protection, If Possible

    Like the title states, I just purchased a copy of Sturmwind with the intentions to 'crack' its protection. I didn't pay much for the game either. Based on the conversations that I have already had with different people, it would appear that Sturmwind uses the age-old 'bad' sector protection trick to prevent people from making duplicates. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to combat the protection. If successful, I will upload Sturmwind and make it available for everyone to enjoy. Wish me luck!
    Last edited by NeoGeoGamer74; 15th-October-2013 at 21:33.

  2. #2
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    Good luck, with that

    Bad sectors copy protection can be copied it just takes a very long time to do, just set whatever copy software to ignore errors, lower the retries to 0 or 1, that seemed to work with bleem! back in the day (PC version of bleem!) though that was with CDRWIN but Dreamcast games that are released now are Mil-CD's that I don't think CDRWIN can handle, might be able to rip it but the output image with need to be tinkered with after to make it bootable again

    P.S. there are other ways to rip possibly direct from the Dreamcast as well, though this is not something I have tested myself I know it can be done for GD-Roms that is very well known, but for Mil-CD's it may not work, I was thinking of the SD mod plus the SD loader software (I forget what you call it) anyway that lets you rip Dreamcast discs, because if the way it works it should work with a Mil-CD but as I said I have not tried that. (I could test that out though)
    Last edited by Zorlon; 13th-October-2013 at 00:38.

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    I appreciate the reply, Zorlon. Thanks to it being Columbus Day here in America, my copy of Sturmwind will not be delivered until tomorrow. Funny, isn't it? Historians learned years ago that Columbus wasn't the first to discover America (the vikings were), yet the US STILL celebrates it as a Holiday. Ridiculous! I would rather have my copy of Sturmwind delivered than observe a Holiday that has no basis in historical facts.
    Last edited by NeoGeoGamer74; 14th-October-2013 at 15:16.

  4. #4
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    Only in America

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    Sturmwind FINALLY arrived. Let's see if this protection can be defeated.

    I've been working on Sturmwind this afternoon and found out something interesting. While running some tests on the game disc, I discovered that its 'read speed' seems to be part of the protection. Ironically, the game seems to read at 0x during my tests (it even registers at 0x speed), which is technically impossible. There is also a minimum of five errors on track 25 and not throughout the disc like previously stated on other forums. The main error, or where the bulk of the protection resides I wager, is the L-EC or CIRC unrecovered read error that comes up during my tests. Now, there are a few ways around this 'error', but extensive poking and prodding will be needed. Depending on how extensive the protection is, these bad 'tracks' could be replaced by dummy files or even duplicated at much slower speeds. But again, it depends on how extensive the protection is.

    Edit: Ripping the game from the disc, as Zorlon previously suggested, could be another possibility.

    This is what I have found so far, so I will keep everyone posted. Keep your fingers crossed everyone!

    Update: Oh my! I have just discovered that a total of 13 known 'errors' exist on track 25. If I attempt to use the dummy file method, a total of 28 dummy files per 'error' will be needed. More as it develops...

    Edit: Also for the record - each 'error' is divided into 28 sections, hence the reason for 28 dummy files per 'error'.
    Last edited by deadlegion; 16th-October-2013 at 04:28. Reason: merged posts

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    20,338
    Thanks
    845
    Thanked 2,575 Times in 1,219 Posts
    EP Points
    20605

    Default

    No double, triple or whatever posts please.
    Use the edit button.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    My apologies, Deadlegion. I didn't realize that I had double-posted.

  8. #8
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    You do now

    Any progress or has it beaten you.

    Still not looked at the ripping Mil-CD via SD yet, mostly due to lack of interest and playing games.

    ImgBurn can also make a bootable bin+cue from a Mil-CD (and burn it as a Mil-CD) but you would still get the sector errors

    P.S. when I done this with Bleem! back in the day instead of using the sector replace method, that was commonly used I let it copy all the error sectors (think I had that set to ignore errors after 1 retry or something like that) and the backup ran the same as the original and preserved the errors, I have no idea if that can be done with ImgBurn though and sturmwind plus that had taken about 24 hours to rip using the original CDRWin
    Last edited by Zorlon; 17th-October-2013 at 12:02.

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    Yup, I do now.

    I haven't been beaten by the protection yet, but I will say that it's a beast to wrestle with. My next step is to rip the game using the Dreamcast and hopefully beat the protection that way. I plan on using my Dreamshell to get the job done.

    EDIT: I haven't attempted the Dreamshell method yet, but if all goes well, it may look like I have beaten the protection. I really can't say for sure until I burn a copy and test it on my pre-2000 Dreamcast, though. So no celebrating until I know for sure! Worst case scenario: I rip the disc using my DC and Dreamshell.
    Last edited by NeoGeoGamer74; 17th-October-2013 at 22:14.

  10. #10
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    Dreamshell that's the fella I forgot it's name before. Best of luck with that

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    My last attempt didn't work out as planned. The game booted, but locked up after the title screen. Yup! The good ol' Dreamshell should do the trick. I just need to purchase a new SD card because my old one corrupted on me for some reason. Once the SD card I ordered comes in, I'll begin ripping the game.

  12. #12
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    Is the SD just corrupt or dead

    I noticed the last version of Dreamshell only reads some SD cards not all but the older version reads more SD cards
    Last edited by Zorlon; 18th-October-2013 at 16:17.

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Neo-Geo Land
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    28
    Thanked 19 Times in 5 Posts
    EP Points
    25

    Default

    Yeah, the last release of the Dreamshell is pretty fussy about the type of SD cards you use (I own the last version). Unfortunately, the SD Card is just dead. It can't be read, formatted, etc (not even on my PC). It's a pretty old card, too. I ordered a few SD Cards from a wholesaler; they should be arriving soon.
    Last edited by NeoGeoGamer74; 23rd-October-2013 at 20:31.

  14. #14
    Zorlon's Avatar
    Zorlon is offline Older than you think
    Still loves Retro gaming
    Still loves new consoles
    Part time games modder
    Just here to help out when I can
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    UK Newcastle
    Posts
    22,205
    Thanks
    177
    Thanked 2,176 Times in 1,328 Posts
    Blog Entries
    5
    EP Points
    12100

    Default

    Well I wish you luck with that

    Mod projects - XBOX
    Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 & 2 - online quests in offline mode packs [COMPLETE]
    [Quest Packs Collection]
    GTA San Andreas - Hot Coffee [COMPLETE]
    [Mod ready] & [Full ISO ready]
    GTA San Andreas - Real Car Names extra content mod [WIP] [Back burner, just won't have the time ]
    Please can all ESR users post your results here to help with the project and others wanting to use ESR

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    121
    Thanks
    84
    Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
    EP Points
    15

    Default

    I am following this thread. I have played Sturmwind Beta and loved it.
    Twenty Minutes Into The Future

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
About Us

We are the oldest retro gaming forum on the internet. The goal of our community is the complete preservation of all retro video games. Started in 2001 as EmuParadise Forums, our community has grown over the past 18 years into one of the biggest gaming platforms on the internet.

Social