Starforce 3. Is it THAT bad??

[Ripperjack]

O/S: Windows XP Pro. Sp1 + latest patches/hot fixes from windowsupdate.com ( 24-nov-2003 )
Image/Burning software: Blindwrite 5.0.2 + Alcohol 1.4.7 ( Build 1005 )
Daemon Tools: 3.41

Well I finally got my copy of "X2 - The Threat", only to find that it has StarForce 3 protection. I never had to deal with that before so I decided to have a look on the forums about it.

I was shocked to see that nobody can create an image, that will run with Daemon-Tools. :shock: I've been running games from virtual images now for quite some time, rather than swapping CD's, so I'd hate to have to run my copy of "X2 - The Threat" from the CD itself. I mean, playing games from the CD's is soooo 20th century.

So my questions are:

Is StarForce 3 THAT bad?
Is it really not possible to run this game from a virtual image?
Does any of my listed software programs above have any ghost of a chance, of creating an image that I can run?

I know these questions have probably been asked before, I guess it's just wishful thinking that I'm going to get a positive answer.

Damn! I knew I should have got my CD from the US, rather than locally here in Australia. Probably, wouldn't be faced with StarForce in that case. :cry:

[Copytrooper]

StarForce3 refueses to run the game, if any IDE-CD-ROM device is fount in system - so the only way to run from virtual (SCSI) device is to disable all IDE-drives (not recommended).

[Ripperjack]

ARGH!!! Damn you STARFORCE!!!!!

DAMN!! That's what I figured.

Good thing my main games rig only has 1 CD drive, on the secondary IDE channel, with nothing else on that channel. So a quick trip to the BIOS would fix that. ( I keep my HDD's and CD/DVD drives on separate channels when at all possible. )

...but really guys, there HAS to be a better way.

I don't want to think that I spent all this money on software like Alcohol and Blindwrite, only to be facing a copy protection that renders these titles all but useless, unless I start disabling parts of my computer to get the virtual images to run. It's just not right. :x

Thanks for your advice, though.

[maXmo]

StarForce 3.0

http://www.star-force.com/products/prof30/features.htm

The copies of the protected software made in RAW mode using CloneCD, CDRWin, BlindWrite or similar, are absolutely unusable since the embedded protection requires a licensed CD in the drive, not its copy.

http://www.star-force.com/products/prof30/implementation.htm

This 24-byte alpha-numeric key is valid only for this particular batch of discs. Using this key, the developer performs the final testing of the protected application produced on the discs of the test batch. After the tests are completed, the rest of the batch can be manufactured. This extracted key is used to launch the protected application and can be printed on the discs' packaging material, the discs themselves, or made available on a product website.

This key depends on the complex aggregation of numerous unique phisical parameters of glass master, from which the CD-ROM discs of the batch are replicated. These parameters are not replicated during CD copying. Using a common CD-ROM StarForce copy-protection DLL can determine were supplied key corresponds to supplied disk or not.

We can only be on strike. Were not people purchase disks with a label, game developers would not use this copy protection system.

[shinji]

Some of that stuff sounds like the "digital" signature used for SafeDisc and SecuROM. Only in those cases, it was just a sequence of bad sectors. Star Force sounds like an interesting protection that needs some work to get copies working. I will look into that one. Anyone know which products are protected with this protection?

[Ripperjack]

"X2 - The Threat" Australian version, and most likely Asian version, for starters.

If I had known about this protection, I would have NEVER bought the game. :x

[Villy]

Some of that stuff sounds like the "digital" signature used for SafeDisc and SecuROM. Only in those cases, it was just a sequence of bad sectors. Star Force sounds like an interesting protection that needs some work to get copies working. I will look into that one. Anyone know which products are protected with this protection?

I've got the disk of EtherLords II (3cd) (russian) protected with StarForce3

[Ripperjack]

Well..

To add insult to injury, I've just discovered that the American version of X2 doesn't even use StarForce 3, but instead uses SecuRom New ( v 5.0 ).

To make it worse there is a No-CD exe over at GameCopyWorld, that I can't use as the copy protection is different. ARGH!!! :evil:

Last time I buy a locally produced ( Australian publisher ) game. In future it's going to be American release games, or nothing.

As it appears that the hacker groups only bother with American releases, so I don't hold out much hope for a StarForce No-CD exe or virtual mounting solution. TYPICAL!! :roll:

[Ripperjack]

Woohoo!! Just got the new version of Daemon Tools, and I can now play all my SecuRom games via virtual CD. You guys behind Daemon Tools, are legends.

Any news on StarForce 3 games?

Is there a chance that these games will work with D-Tools, or is that a lost cause.

Anyway in future I'm sticking to US printed/released games, since any game made in Australia will most likely use StarForce. :roll:

[Andareed]

Try using rmps emulation, or try unplugging all ide drives (like sf 3 old).

[Reef]

Do the drives really need to be unplugged? Or is it ok to just disable them in the bios?

[Andareed]

You can try both, but I think you must unplug.

[unruled]

well kay, seems the game trackmania has starforce 3, now without unplugging other ide drives the setup wont even run, so unplug reboot and ok, install runs then it asks for serial verification - i put in a serial gotten with the cd it says verifying (takes like ages) then says it doesnt match..but theres no other cdkey as far as im aware of,

anyone else hav this problem?

[unruled]

hmkay now tried to mount with both drives disconnceted and with alcahol and then it works..but i would want it to work with daemon :cry: :oops:

[maXmo]

Let's see in Google

I heard, that ( ClonyXXL + D-Tools ) and ( Alcoholer + Alcohol 120% ) packs may help. Another measure is placing virtual drive before IDE drive (in alphabetical order). :?:
You can also try "starforce alcohol" search in Google...