.DMS Access?

30 July 2001, 21:00

Just to reiterate a problem I conveyed earlier in the mod section - does anyone know of any software or any method in which I could get into some very old Dms archives. The problem I have is that they were saved with password protection and basically I've forgotten them all after all these years. On advice from Paul (The Green Amiga Alien) I downloaded 'xDms' which he kindly offered (I thank you for this) but it obviously still required a password. Sorry to bother you all. Thanks.

Amiga1992 · 31 July 2001, 00:24

I suppose you need a DMS password cracker... have you tried looking for one on the Aminet?

http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/aminet

03 August 2001, 17:36

Sorry for the wait. Yes I have looked on Aminet but without success. I was actually posing the question from a PC pespective as I don't have access to my Amiga at the moment. I was wondering what type of encryption the Dms system is based upon. Perhaps it's similar to other types (Lha, Lzx etc) although I admit I know very little about this field. It's beginning to look as if I may never open these files at all!

03 August 2001, 17:40

I've never seen a DMS password cracker

I've looked for one for many years now but with no luck

I have no idea how the DMS format works either. If I did, maybe I could have tried writing a brute forcer

I would love to see a password cracker though. On every Amiga Format CD, there was the Subscribers disk which was always a DMS protected file. I would love to see what kind of stuff subscribers got

03 August 2001, 17:47

Many years ago I tried encypting files with a series of numbers or letters to try to determine whether each letter initiated a pattern of encryption, in the hope of being able to cross reference the hex code from my inaccessible Dms files with my experimental ones. I know this sounds very lame, but I was young at the time. But I suppose every archive would have been encrypted with a different algorithm or something wouldn't it?

Paul · 03 August 2001, 17:50

Give this tool for the Amiga a try with DMS password cracker.

1. Copy xdms to C in Workbench.
2. Use CLI or shell

Hope this helps and works. Found tool with Google.

This is a newer version with DMS password cracker but it only works on the Amiga or emulated Amiga. Could not find the ms-dos one.

Ian: Removed Xdms, available at the WinUAE site

03 August 2001, 18:05

Sorry about this Paul but it was me who enquired about this problem in the 'mods' section. I downloaded Xdms there and used it in MsDos in Windows on the Dms files stored on my machine. I was under the impression that this program was for the PC and when I ran the program it simply stated that a password was required. I could view the contents of my inaccessible .dms files but without a password there would be no unpacking. If this Xdms can be used within the Workbench environment using Winfellow would I be able to copy and paste it into a Adf file somehow? Or I am completely stupid?

Paul · 03 August 2001, 18:13

I will get back to you. PLEASE send a password protected dms file or direct me to a web site with one to test so I can help you more.

It is a good idea to register to be able to get into ADF-Zone.

03 August 2001, 18:24

I appreciate your help. The most simple thing to do would be to get one of the problematic .dms files to you, but I suspect that I may have stored some pretty private files in there (probably CV's and letters - the Amiga was in regular use from other family members) so I wouldn't be happy doing that. I suppose I could try and work out something on the Amiga using Winfellow.

Well I must go for a while to save the telephone bills, I'll come back online around midnight (I should be sick of playing IssPro2 with Vgs by then too!). Thanks again...

Paul · 03 August 2001, 20:04

Good news
I have made my own encrypt dms file to test the decrypt new function in xdms for the Amiga.

Bad news
I have tried to decrypt my own dms file by typing in CLI/SHELL window

xdms c path:filename.dms

Now it should show you your password but when I get to this stage it counts up crc numbers and that’s it. Left it doing this for 15 mins but when I came back it was still counting so I quit the emulator. So it is not straightforward and looks like it takes a long time to do this.

If you do manage to decrypt password you then type

xdms u -p password path:filename.dms path:filename.adf

Now I give up, I wish there was a quicker way to do this.

Sorry I cannot be anymore helpful.

Ian: Removed screenshot.

03 August 2001, 20:13

Paul - your help and assistance will not be forgotten, I appreciate your efforts. I'm new to this place and I'm surprised by the positive responses. Thanks again Paul and to everyone else. All I can do is keep trying. I may well join eventually...

03 August 2001, 20:54

I tried it and got a similar response

The count stopped at #0087 for a file I tried

Either that's the offset for the password, or the program doesn't work properly

Twistin'Ghost · 03 August 2001, 21:24

Well, it does say in the readme that it is beta, so...

Still, I have some old DMS files that have needed decrypting for about 7 years (clearly, I never gave up on being able to decrypt them after forgetting my password!) I may attempt decrypting them on my A2000 by starting it up and letting it run while I am at work or something. If it's still running when I get home, then I will just wait on a later release.

04 August 2001, 01:13

Here's what I did using Winfellow:

Got into workbench, copied the following into Ram:
Xdms.exe
Crc.exe
Disk.dms

Set off Xdms on its little mission to crack the file with:
Xdms c Disk.dms

About 20 minutes later it stopped and gave me a hex reading #---- (obviously the #---- was a series of hex digits but I forget now). Then after reading the supplied .readme file I type up:
XDms -p #---- x Disk.dms

Then it comes up with 'probably the wrong password' - well why did the Crc program stop searching then? Maybe the experts here could take a closer look at the Crc.exe file as it initiates plenty of options when run through workbench which I don't understand. Or have you all gone to bed?

Twistin'Ghost · 04 August 2001, 04:33

Well, I am definitely no expert, but I will look at it when I get home and see if I can make anything out of the crc options. I still have to make it work for me, too.

I'll report my experiences after I muck with it for a bit.

Oh, and I quit sleeping. Filthy habit!

Paul · 04 August 2001, 10:40

Here is where I got the DMS password cracker from if interested

http://www.xfilesystem.freeserve.co.uk/

Twistin'Ghost · 05 August 2001, 09:28

I tested it on a file. It appeared to have decrypted it and provided a CRC value, which I used to make an adf. The disk image was invalid, however, so I guess that's a caveat of using beta software.

05 August 2001, 17:49

Oh well. Thanks for your time anyway. Maybe it'll be sorted out eventually.

30 July 2001, 21:00	#1
Dengle Posts: n/a	.DMS Access? Just to reiterate a problem I conveyed earlier in the mod section - does anyone know of any software or any method in which I could get into some very old Dms archives. The problem I have is that they were saved with password protection and basically I've forgotten them all after all these years. On advice from Paul (The Green Amiga Alien) I downloaded 'xDms' which he kindly offered (I thank you for this) but it obviously still required a password. Sorry to bother you all. Thanks.

03 August 2001, 17:36	#3
Dengle Posts: n/a	Still seeking... Sorry for the wait. Yes I have looked on Aminet but without success. I was actually posing the question from a PC pespective as I don't have access to my Amiga at the moment. I was wondering what type of encryption the Dms system is based upon. Perhaps it's similar to other types (Lha, Lzx etc) although I admit I know very little about this field. It's beginning to look as if I may never open these files at all!

03 August 2001, 17:50	#6
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	Give this tool for the Amiga a try with DMS password cracker. 1. Copy xdms to C in Workbench. 2. Use CLI or shell Hope this helps and works. Found tool with Google. This is a newer version with DMS password cracker but it only works on the Amiga or emulated Amiga. Could not find the ms-dos one. Ian: Removed Xdms, available at the WinUAE site Last edited by Ian; 13 October 2001 at 00:56.

03 August 2001, 20:04	#10
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	Good news and Bad news Good news I have made my own encrypt dms file to test the decrypt new function in xdms for the Amiga. Bad news I have tried to decrypt my own dms file by typing in CLI/SHELL window xdms c path:filename.dms Now it should show you your password but when I get to this stage it counts up crc numbers and that’s it. Left it doing this for 15 mins but when I came back it was still counting so I quit the emulator. So it is not straightforward and looks like it takes a long time to do this. If you do manage to decrypt password you then type xdms u -p password path:filename.dms path:filename.adf Now I give up, I wish there was a quicker way to do this. Sorry I cannot be anymore helpful. Ian: Removed screenshot. Last edited by Ian; 13 October 2001 at 00:54.

03 August 2001, 20:13	#11
Dengle Posts: n/a	Got back on Paul - your help and assistance will not be forgotten, I appreciate your efforts. I'm new to this place and I'm surprised by the positive responses. Thanks again Paul and to everyone else. All I can do is keep trying. I may well join eventually...

31 July 2001, 00:24	#2
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	I suppose you need a DMS password cracker... have you tried looking for one on the Aminet? http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/aminet

03 August 2001, 17:40	#4
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	I've never seen a DMS password cracker I've looked for one for many years now but with no luck I have no idea how the DMS format works either. If I did, maybe I could have tried writing a brute forcer I would love to see a password cracker though. On every Amiga Format CD, there was the Subscribers disk which was always a DMS protected file. I would love to see what kind of stuff subscribers got

03 August 2001, 17:47	#5
Dengle Posts: n/a	Many years ago I tried encypting files with a series of numbers or letters to try to determine whether each letter initiated a pattern of encryption, in the hope of being able to cross reference the hex code from my inaccessible Dms files with my experimental ones. I know this sounds very lame, but I was young at the time. But I suppose every archive would have been encrypted with a different algorithm or something wouldn't it?

03 August 2001, 18:05	#7
Dengle Posts: n/a	Sorry about this Paul but it was me who enquired about this problem in the 'mods' section. I downloaded Xdms there and used it in MsDos in Windows on the Dms files stored on my machine. I was under the impression that this program was for the PC and when I ran the program it simply stated that a password was required. I could view the contents of my inaccessible .dms files but without a password there would be no unpacking. If this Xdms can be used within the Workbench environment using Winfellow would I be able to copy and paste it into a Adf file somehow? Or I am completely stupid?

03 August 2001, 18:13	#8
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	I will get back to you. PLEASE send a password protected dms file or direct me to a web site with one to test so I can help you more. It is a good idea to register to be able to get into ADF-Zone.

03 August 2001, 18:24	#9
Dengle Posts: n/a	I appreciate your help. The most simple thing to do would be to get one of the problematic .dms files to you, but I suspect that I may have stored some pretty private files in there (probably CV's and letters - the Amiga was in regular use from other family members) so I wouldn't be happy doing that. I suppose I could try and work out something on the Amiga using Winfellow. Well I must go for a while to save the telephone bills, I'll come back online around midnight (I should be sick of playing IssPro2 with Vgs by then too!). Thanks again...

03 August 2001, 20:54	#12
Amigaboy Posts: n/a	I tried it and got a similar response The count stopped at #0087 for a file I tried Either that's the offset for the password, or the program doesn't work properly

03 August 2001, 21:24	#13
Twistin'Ghost Give up the ghost Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: U$A Age: 33 Posts: 4,662	Well, it does say in the readme that it is beta, so... Still, I have some old DMS files that have needed decrypting for about 7 years (clearly, I never gave up on being able to decrypt them after forgetting my password!) I may attempt decrypting them on my A2000 by starting it up and letting it run while I am at work or something. If it's still running when I get home, then I will just wait on a later release.

04 August 2001, 01:13	#14
Dengle Posts: n/a	My results: Here's what I did using Winfellow: Got into workbench, copied the following into Ram: Xdms.exe Crc.exe Disk.dms Set off Xdms on its little mission to crack the file with: Xdms c Disk.dms About 20 minutes later it stopped and gave me a hex reading #---- (obviously the #---- was a series of hex digits but I forget now). Then after reading the supplied .readme file I type up: XDms -p #---- x Disk.dms Then it comes up with 'probably the wrong password' - well why did the Crc program stop searching then? Maybe the experts here could take a closer look at the Crc.exe file as it initiates plenty of options when run through workbench which I don't understand. Or have you all gone to bed?

04 August 2001, 04:33	#15
Twistin'Ghost Give up the ghost Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: U$A Age: 33 Posts: 4,662	Well, I am definitely no expert, but I will look at it when I get home and see if I can make anything out of the crc options. I still have to make it work for me, too. I'll report my experiences after I muck with it for a bit. Oh, and I quit sleeping. Filthy habit!

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04 August 2001, 10:40	#16
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	Here is where I got the DMS password cracker from if interested http://www.xfilesystem.freeserve.co.uk/

05 August 2001, 09:28	#17
Twistin'Ghost Give up the ghost Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: U$A Age: 33 Posts: 4,662	I tested it on a file. It appeared to have decrypted it and provided a CRC value, which I used to make an adf. The disk image was invalid, however, so I guess that's a caveat of using beta software.

05 August 2001, 17:49	#18
Dengle Posts: n/a	Mmmm Oh well. Thanks for your time anyway. Maybe it'll be sorted out eventually.