What is Starforce looking for on a disc ?

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[Underheaven]

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if you want to know about making images of starforce discs (read item number 2),
http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/portal/viewtopic.php?p=27501

[NetSoerfer]

StarForce-protected discs have their data pressed onto the disc with a varying angle or structure, just as SecuROM since v4.8, but it's more advanced (which I'd venture to guess is the reason you don't see the typical SecuROM-rings anymore).

SecuROM v4.8x goes another way [than earlier copy protections], and this way looks very promising right now. The spiral data track on the disc has a varying structure which causes the drive to take more or less time to read a sector. These delays between the delivery of two sectors are checked, and if the delays do not fit the right pattern, the CD is recognized as invalid.

Unfortunately it is impossible to copy this structure because the spiral data track is already pressed into a CDR when you buy it. Inside this track there is a substance that changes when it is hit by the writing laser, so the bits and bytes can be burnt into the track. But it is impossible to manipulate one sector so it takes longer to read it so a CDR will always be recognized as invalid.
("Some facts about SecuROM v4.8x")

This is why you'll need a DPM analysis for StarForce-protected games as well. The reason why StarForce is so hard to beat currently is another one:

It checks for the presence of IDE drives, and if any are found, the disc won't be accepted if it's in a SCSI drive. So far, all existing virtual drives (as Daemon Tools') are SCSI drives. As most people have optical IDE drives, Daemon Tools won't work with StarForce on their computers.

There are a few ways to circumvent this check, but they'll probably be blacklisted some way or other pretty soon.

(However, our developers are currently working on a virtual IDE drive which will render StarForce's strongest idea obsolete. 8) )


This is how I understand StarForce's way of working, if it's wrong, somebody please correct me. Anyway, I hope it answers some of the questions you have!

[LocutusofBorg]

it is correct that the Daemon Tools V4 version will not have virtual ide drive.
Not month later - never.

As we already announced, this technology is reserved for our customers
(DT Pro). If you want, you can even register now (just click on the "Register
DAEMON Tools" button at the left sidebar - you can upgrade than to DT Pro
without further costs.

What V4 can do and what not, will be seen when we release it. There are many
ways to run StarForce Games - one of the latest tricks is "SFCure" - with
that one you're able to run nearly all current StarForce-Games even with
DT V3.47

And now think about this: do you really think that we release the V4 which is
a step backwards? That next V4 will have LESS functionality?

[Underheaven]

Re: DAEMON Tools v4 questions

Dear ß,

DAEMON Tools v4 cannot create image files nor burn discs, those features are only available in DAEMON Tools Pro.

If you will allow me to quote from the DAEMON Tools registration page, "[registering] allows you to use ALL future versions of DAEMON Tools!" You won't have to pay again. So I wouldn't worry about how you would get access to it. Its promised that will have it.

p.s. Of course you should hold onto confirmation numbers forever. Who knows when information will come in handy.

[Nikos]

This is why you'll need a DPM analysis for StarForce-protected games as well. The reason why StarForce is so hard to beat currently is another one:

It checks for the presence of IDE drives, and if any are found, the disc won't be accepted if it's in a SCSI drive. So far, all existing virtual drives (as Daemon Tools') are SCSI drives. As most people have optical IDE drives, Daemon Tools won't work with StarForce on their computers.

Overly simplified the above, I'd say. You can make an image of an SF game, burn it to CD-R or DVD-R, and try to play it from an Atapi drive. It won't work, although the drive's IDE alright. And it's not just blacklisting. You can uninstall D-Tools and Alcohol, burn the image using the twin-peaks method, and it still won't work. SF seems to do really funky stuff behind the scenes, using its own drivers to access the IDE bus (and breaking compatibility with some drives, buses and chipsets in the process).

My opinion is, as soon as D-Tools 4 comes out, StarForce will be updated in no time to prevent backups working with it.

In my opinion, the only way to do DPMS emulation without SF knowing about it, is to implement the emulation in the drive's firmware. Unfortunatly, I don't think it's possible for *anyone* to write a custom firmware for a drive.

I'll stop now before this thread turns from "StarForce" to "ScienceFiction".

[Underheaven]

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My opinion is, as soon as D-Tools 4 comes out

Just so you know there ARE ways to play burned starforce games (with RMPS) with the CURRENT 3.47 version of DAEMON Tools.

[Nikos]

Re: ...

Just so you know there ARE ways to play burned starforce games (with RMPS) with the CURRENT 3.47 version of DAEMON Tools.

You mean the USB approach? Yes, it works. I bought an external USB case where I've put my old DVD reader, and it works with every SF game I have (StillLife, GTR, Colin McRae 2005, Splinter Cell, ToCA 2).

But you said "ways", not "way". I'm not aware of any other method than USB drives, so I'm curious.

[Underheaven]

Re: ...

you said "ways", not "way"

I meant the USB way-- that's all.