Plan 9 from Outer Space NTSC version by Konami with virus on disk 3?

mc68060 · 15 March 2020, 00:31

I just got my hands on a brand-new sealed copy of the NTSC version of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" published by Konami. When I kryoflux'ed the disks I noticed that disk 1 was a normal AmigaDOS disk whereas disks 2+3+4 were in a custom format. In contrast to disks 2 and 4, however, disk 3 had a normal bootblock. This made me curious so I hex dumped the image and found the string "Revenge Bootloader!" in it. The bootblock seems to be identical to this virus.

Since the box was brand-new and still factory-sealed I guess that the game was indeed manufactured with a bootblock virus on disk 3 which probably made it impossible to finish the game because it's likely that the game won't recognize disk 3 because of that virus bootblock.

Is this a known fact already? AFAIR there were several commercial games that were mastered with viruses so I'm wondering whether this particular case is known already?!

dlfrsilver · 15 March 2020, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

I just got my hands on a brand-new sealed copy of the NTSC version of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" published by Konami. When I kryoflux'ed the disks I noticed that disk 1 was a normal AmigaDOS disk whereas disks 2+3+4 were in a custom format. In contrast to disks 2 and 4, however, disk 3 had a normal bootblock. This made me curious so I hex dumped the image and found the string "Revenge Bootloader!" in it. The bootblock seems to be identical to this virus.

Since the box was brand-new and still factory-sealed I guess that the game was indeed manufactured with a bootblock virus on disk 3 which probably made it impossible to finish the game because it's likely that the game won't recognize disk 3 because of that virus bootblock.

Is this a known fact already? AFAIR there were several commercial games that were mastered with viruses so I'm wondering whether this particular case is known already?!

There are quite a number of games with viruses. If you send me your KF dump, i'll arrange you something.

There is a big probability that the disk 3 can be fixed with the disk 3 boot track.

To answer your question, Plan 9 use a standard AmigaDOS disk for disk 1, and disk 2 to 4 are using Atari ST/PC tracks.

DamienD · 15 March 2020, 00:38

...and thread moved to the support.Games section

mc68060 · 15 March 2020, 13:56

@dlfrsilver:
Here are the disk images so you can take a look:
https://easyupload.io/whaaqj

dlfrsilver · 15 March 2020, 21:46

thanks, let's have a look !

dlfrsilver · 15 March 2020, 21:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

@dlfrsilver:
Here are the disk images so you can take a look:
https://easyupload.io/whaaqj

ok, disk 2,3,4 requires a clean-up. The game use the gremlin type 3 format 11 sectors.

mc68060 · 15 March 2020, 23:13

What do you mean by "requires a clean up"?

dlfrsilver · 16 March 2020, 02:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

What do you mean by "requires a clean up"?

You have mould on the disks surface, making bad disks images

mc68060 · 16 March 2020, 11:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

You have mould on the disks surface, making bad disks images

But this can't be the reason for a virus on disk 3, can it?

Retroplay · 16 March 2020, 11:07

Yeah, unfortunately there's lots of unreadable sectors on disks 2, 3, 4.

They sure needs to be physically cleaned.
I used this method a few years back to clean US version of NY Warriors, it was also NOS never opened/used, but disks were in need of cleaning.
[ Show youtube player ]

AmigaHope · 17 March 2020, 01:19

Interesting that there was an NTSC release -- NTSC releases were getting rare in 1992.

It got to the point where some shops (Sideline Software in Florida I know for sure) would buy original PAL games, write scene NTSC fixes over the disks (with no cracktro), and then resell them in the U.S.

mc68060 · 17 March 2020, 11:40

To come back to my original question: What I am mainly interested in is the question: For users who bought this back in the day, was it possible to complete the game with a virus on disk 3? Or would the game refuse to recognize disk 3 with a virus in the bootblock?

TjLaZer · 17 March 2020, 17:07

Yes the boot block won't affect the game as it won't be loaded as you will not be booting from that disk. Can you do a WHDLoad install for this game and put it on the zone for us NTSC guys?

mc68060 · 17 March 2020, 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by TjLaZer

Yes the boot block won't affect the game as it won't be loaded as you will not be booting from that disk.

But there's usually some information in the bootblock that the program reads to make sure that the right disk has been inserted when it asks for disk 3. Not sure if this is the case with this game here, though. But if it is, then the user won't be able to finish the game because of the virus. I thought dlfrsilver wanted to analyze this...

TjLaZer · 17 March 2020, 19:31

That is not always the case, it's a BOOT block. Usually the game will just load the code on the disk. I don't think the game checks the boot blocks within the game, but I could be wrong. Usually boot block viruses destroy the boot block and the game data there is lost. Does your game work?

mc68060 · 17 March 2020, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by TjLaZer

That is not always the case, it's a BOOT block. Usually the game will just load the code on the disk.

The program code is usually on disk 1 of a multi-disk game. The other disks contain merely game data. The first bytes on data disks typically contain an ID signalling which data disk it is (disk 2, 3, 4, etc.)

I can't check if Plan 9 from Outer Space does it like that as well because I'm not getting to the point where it asks for disk 3. So someone needs to analyze the game code. I thought that's what dlfrsilver wanted to do when asking for the disk images...

Retroplay · 17 March 2020, 20:24

But he can't do that before you have cleaned and removed the mold from disk surface and redumped disks 2, 3 and 4.

mc68060 · 17 March 2020, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retroplay

But he can't do that before you have cleaned and removed the mold from disk surface and redumped disks 2, 3 and 4.

Why? Disk 1 contains the game code and disk 1 was dumped fine. It's even a standard AmigaDOS disk. The main program is SYS:Plan9/Plan9. So IMHO all he needs to do is analyze that game code and see how it detects disk 3. I don't see why a clean dump of disk 3 would be necessary for that...

Don_Adan · 17 March 2020, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

Why? Disk 1 contains the game code and disk 1 was dumped fine. It's even a standard AmigaDOS disk. The main program is SYS:Plan9/Plan9. So IMHO all he needs to do is analyze that game code and see how it detects disk 3. I don't see why a clean dump of disk 3 would be necessary for that...

If i remember right, this game has HD Install on first disk. Simple call HD install and check if all disks are accepted.

dlfrsilver · 18 March 2020, 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

Why? Disk 1 contains the game code and disk 1 was dumped fine. It's even a standard AmigaDOS disk. The main program is SYS:Plan9/Plan9. So IMHO all he needs to do is analyze that game code and see how it detects disk 3. I don't see why a clean dump of disk 3 would be necessary for that...

Your disks dumps are faulty. They can't be used because they have mould on them. No clean up = nothing possible.

15 March 2020, 00:31	#1
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	Plan 9 from Outer Space NTSC version by Konami with virus on disk 3? I just got my hands on a brand-new sealed copy of the NTSC version of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" published by Konami. When I kryoflux'ed the disks I noticed that disk 1 was a normal AmigaDOS disk whereas disks 2+3+4 were in a custom format. In contrast to disks 2 and 4, however, disk 3 had a normal bootblock. This made me curious so I hex dumped the image and found the string "Revenge Bootloader!" in it. The bootblock seems to be identical to this virus. Since the box was brand-new and still factory-sealed I guess that the game was indeed manufactured with a bootblock virus on disk 3 which probably made it impossible to finish the game because it's likely that the game won't recognize disk 3 because of that virus bootblock. Is this a known fact already? AFAIR there were several commercial games that were mastered with viruses so I'm wondering whether this particular case is known already?!

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15 March 2020, 00:38	#3
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	...and thread moved to the support.Games section

15 March 2020, 13:56	#4
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	@dlfrsilver: Here are the disk images so you can take a look: https://easyupload.io/whaaqj

15 March 2020, 21:46	#5
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,412	thanks, let's have a look !

15 March 2020, 23:13	#7
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	What do you mean by "requires a clean up"?

16 March 2020, 11:07	#10
Retroplay Lemon Curry ? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Denmark Age: 49 Posts: 4,079	Yeah, unfortunately there's lots of unreadable sectors on disks 2, 3, 4. They sure needs to be physically cleaned. I used this method a few years back to clean US version of NY Warriors, it was also NOS never opened/used, but disks were in need of cleaning. [ Show youtube player ]

17 March 2020, 01:19	#11
AmigaHope Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Sandusky Posts: 942	Interesting that there was an NTSC release -- NTSC releases were getting rare in 1992. It got to the point where some shops (Sideline Software in Florida I know for sure) would buy original PAL games, write scene NTSC fixes over the disks (with no cracktro), and then resell them in the U.S.

17 March 2020, 11:40	#12
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	To come back to my original question: What I am mainly interested in is the question: For users who bought this back in the day, was it possible to complete the game with a virus on disk 3? Or would the game refuse to recognize disk 3 with a virus in the bootblock?

17 March 2020, 17:07	#13
TjLaZer Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma, WA USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,915	Yes the boot block won't affect the game as it won't be loaded as you will not be booting from that disk. Can you do a WHDLoad install for this game and put it on the zone for us NTSC guys?

17 March 2020, 19:31	#15
TjLaZer Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma, WA USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,915	That is not always the case, it's a BOOT block. Usually the game will just load the code on the disk. I don't think the game checks the boot blocks within the game, but I could be wrong. Usually boot block viruses destroy the boot block and the game data there is lost. Does your game work?

17 March 2020, 20:24	#17
Retroplay Lemon Curry ? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Denmark Age: 49 Posts: 4,079	But he can't do that before you have cleaned and removed the mold from disk surface and redumped disks 2, 3 and 4.

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