Help with Starforce / Etherlords 2

[bluejabberwocky]

I am new to Daemon Tools, so sorry if this is a daft question.

I am trying to back up my precious etherlords 2 game disc. I know it uses Starforce (v 3.03 I believe). I am using DT Pro advanced, v4.36.

I have made images using the default Starforce profile, mount them, but when I run them I get a "No Disc Found" error from Starforce.

Reading through the forum, I gather there's a problem if Starforce can see SCSI drives, so I deleted my virtual SCSI drives and mounted the image on virtual IDE. Still no luck.

Can anyone help? Thanks

Paul

[Blazkowicz]

Please check protect.dll for exact version of StarForce.

Also if you get "No Disc Found" it means wrong disc.

[bluejabberwocky]

ProtectionId reports Starforce v3.3.31.21 (Build 13.02.04)
Protection level Starforce Professional.

When I use the physical disc I use to create the image, I don't get "No Disc Found" - the game loads as it should.

Thanks

Paul

[Blazkowicz]

Try to recreate your image with High DPM precision (also try different DPM speeds in case non-working). I haven't had that old SF version yet, only a bit newer ones.

[bluejabberwocky]

I already tried that once unsuccessfully, so please could you give me a few pointers? (sorry these are newb questions)

Are the slower read speeds going to be better, or do I just keep trying different speeds?

Is it going to be better to check the "lock media" and "open exclusively" boxes, or, again, do I just try all the combinations?

Does the image format make any difference? (I've been avoiding ISO)

Anything else I should know?!

Thanks again

Paul

[Terramex]

Also if you get "No Disc Found" it means wrong disc.

Nah, not in this case. Afair the complete message is:
No disc found. Please insert the disc in another drive and restart the application

@bluejabberwocky
So your image most likely is ok but Starforce doesn't want to perform the check in the virtual drive.
Haven't tested yet but afaik those very old version don't work with DT - no matter if it's vSCSI or vIDE.
You either have to unplug your physical drives or you can try a tool called Starforce Nightmare.
Please have alook at this thread:

http://forum.daemon-tools.cc/f18/problem-starforce-v3-3-a-17639/index2.html

[bluejabberwocky]

@Terramex
You may be right. And Starforce seems to see the drive even when it's been disabled in Device manager - happily spins up the disc and reads it when present though disabled.

Had a look at Starforce Nightmare and I'm a bit nervous - some people seem to have had problems after using it. Any thoughts on SFN, anyone?

And I don't quite understand what is the point of the vIDE drives if the protection software can tell it's not a physical drive.

[Blazkowicz]

Terramex, if user can't post the full message nobody can guess for such old protection.

bluejabberwocky, these old StarForce versions send a command directly to every drive connected and if it gets a reply, it wants to read the original from real drive.

SFN is only good for IDE drives if I'm not mistaken.
You may unplug your real drives or try to disable physical optical drives in BIOS.

[moonie]

to disable physical optical drives in BIOS.

testet with some older Starforce Game:

Disable in BIOS is USELESS when the Game not work after disable in Device manager.
Starforce send a command via IDE Bus. The Drive(s) response and Starforce "see the truth" .
you need to unplug the IDE Drive.

The 100% working way is to change the BIOS Drive defaults to AHCI. After reboot find the OS new Hardware and you have ONLY SCSI Drives
or
SCSI Drives and some external Drive(s).

The Problem is the AHCI driver!
subsequent installation sucks and is a VERY hard work.

you need while XP installation is running to load the AHCI Driver for you Board ( is the OS Vista oder W7 you don't need to load the Driver)

[Blazkowicz]

@moonie
I thought since version of SH3 they implemented send command, but I can't really remember correctly.

[bluejabberwocky]

Well thanks for putting me in the picture, guys.

Unplugging my drives or delving deep within the BIOS is a bit further than I am ready to go at the moment, so I guess I will need to take *special* care of my physical disc and hope that Nival republishes it through digital distribution.

Starforce 3.3 is pretty savage stuff eh?