I need a refresh to my knowledge on sf3

[halfluke]

I woke up this morning and I found myself someway confused...
Can anybody clarify the following matter to me?

Before ISOprotect in the latest versions of sf, we could use mini-images with a correct mds to play games.
But why could NOT we use the full image? Sf check didn't pass with a full image, maybe because the hd speed is different from a cd/dvd drive and doesn't give a valid result (timings / angle) to the check?
Does isoprotect only check for the presence of real files?
In this case, we could burn (if a mounted full image doesn't work) the image with rmps and play again.
But I guess here the RMPS blacklisting came...
So we are stick to the usb 2.0 trick.

Please tell me if my history is correct, and try and answer my first question.
Because if it's a problem of hd speed and timings, I can't figure out how an IDE emulation such as the one in the next dt4 could work out the problem.
But probably this last subject has to be kept secret...

[Kitna]

If the full image didn't work but the mini image did, it simply means the mini image was "fixed" (i.e cracked)

[halfluke]

I don't think so: I created the mini-image with a prog called isodir, from the full one.
I'm waiting for a more technical explanation anyway...
Locutus?

[JariK-Tietomedia]

Starforce also simply checks if a HD is accessed at the same time as the CD.

I don't have the DT beta but I can see from future game milestone releases/betas that SF is also constantly improving (for example more and more p-code and anti-debugging code AND new low-level checks). Naturally I haven't seen the actual source code but for instance disc checks on certain not-so-basic configurations take 30-60s (checks continue in the background while non-critical game data like textures and lightmaps load/are precached). On a certain future FPS game the game menu executable and preload data is not protected while everything else is encrypted, this is done simply to gain more time for copy protection checks (as far as I can figure).

I don't have much information about future release media protections, sorry.

Let the second battle of low-level drivers commence soon, Starforce won the first fight but not the war!

[halfluke]

I still would like to understand why a FULL image WITH A CORRECT MDS doesn't pass the starforce check (using daemon tools + starforce nightmare), and a mini-image created from the same full one works flawlessly.
I can report this behaviour for Pacman world 2 (sf 3.3.33.08 ) and Virtual skipper 3 (sf 3.3.35.4)
Since the introduction of IsoProtect in latest SF, I have never been able to play a game from an image, because I have to mount the full one.
Thx for any further replies.

[stonyrue]

i would like to know if the normal, free version of the coming demon tools 4 can handle the new starforce protection, like the one of splinter cell chaos theory. or do i have to buy the pro version to be able to use an image without the original dvd?

[halfluke]

ok, I have my answer:

Because till ISOprotect introduction there were the so called ATAPI check. This consist to block file system by looking for certain sector ( for CRC or not), and that feature have not been implemented on DT yet, so, when SF tries to load this from image/CD, if it does from image, then all the system hangs up. From CD is OK, no prob.
In MI, there isnt sector to check, so SF pass without problems.

[Underheaven]

double posted

stonyrue, you double posted!!

See your answer over here: http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/port...?p=25291#25291

[stonyrue]

Re: double posted

stonyrue, you double posted!!

See your answer over here: http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/port...?p=25291#25291

yes. shoot me.

nobody answered me, here. so i thought i got a better chance in the other thread.