Suggestion for solving the StarForce 3 DVD Version Problem (DTM / TOCA / V8 Cars Race Driver 2)

[karlmueller]

I think I found out something very interesting about how the DVD Version of StarForce 3 works:

One weak ago I read in serveral newsgroups that a Alcohol 120% Image DTM Race Driver 2 mounted over a LAN with DaemonTools works if they are no IDE drives in the PC. I couldn't believe that because a Alcohol 120% DVD Image doesn't contain any physical data of the disc at the moment.

So I tried it and it really works.

So StarForce 3 DVD doesn't checks the discs physical signature as most people belives. Because if it would check the physical data such a mounted Alcohol 120% could never works but it works.

So I thought if the Image works and it consists no physical data a DVD burned from this image should also work. So I burned exactly the same image I prevously mounted over the LAN on a DVD-R with 1x recording speed. But I doesn't works.

So the only logical for the thing that the image works and the burned disc not is that StarForce 3 DVD "only" checks for WEAK SECTORS.

So I think if you would integreat a function into DAEMON TOOLS to Emulate those WEAK SECTORS on the StarForce protected DVD the burned DVD-R must also work.

Hope I could help you in beating this anoying copy protection!!!

Thank You

[Andareed]

Afaik, Starforce does not use weak sectors, but uses purely absolute dpm measuring.

[karlmueller]

But if it uses DPM Messure why a mounted Alcohol 120% Image wich doesn't contains any DPM information works?

Thank You

[Andareed]

I believe the trick is that you are mounting over lan.

[karlmueller]

No, the mounting over LAN is only required because StarForce 3 slows down all local disks during the DVD check and so Daemon-Tools is not able to provide the required data at the correct time when the Image is mounted from local disk. But StarForce can't slow down Disks in a different computer on the LAN and therfore a over the LAN mounted Image works.

But this has nothing to do with the DPM informations. There are just not aviable in an Alcohol 120% Image. And therfore the mounted Image wouldn't work if StarForce would check for DPM informations. No matter if mounted over LAN or from Local Disk.

Thank You

[karlmueller]

OK, I think I was wrong with this.

StarForce checks for DPM informations.

But I found out that the RMPS Emulation is blacklisted by StarForce so I think if you would fix this blacklisting problem it could be possible to make backups of StarForce protected CD Games using RMPS Emulation.

Thank You