Cracked games with ERROR protections

[Supamax]

Hi,
I don't know if I am the first one to ask this (but it would seem so)...

PREMISE:
I have some cracked games with error protections.
The boot sector is obviously AmigaDOS, but all the other tracks are "nibble copyable" only. For example: Barbarian (Psygnosis) and Terrorpods.
I dumped them correctly with RAWREAD, and I can upload them to The Zone if someone is interested.

QUESTION:
Since these "protected" crack did circulate back in the years, how did the many BBS's archive them? Did they use some type of primitive warper? I don't think they were only spreaded by user to user...

P.S. I also have some games with only 1 (e.g. Falcon) or 2 protected tracks

[dlfrsilver]

a game cracked is not normally having special tracks. if it doesn't your disk is damaged.

Falcon is using a RNC copylock track, which can't be imaged with rawread.

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

a game cracked is not normally having special tracks. if it doesn't your disk is damaged.

Falcon is using a RNC copylock track, which can't be imaged with rawread.

No no, I HAVE cracked games with protected tracks.
That's a fact.
If you want proof, I can upload them, but don't argue about it. You wrote it right: "a game cracked is not normally having special tracks". I have some who have them.

[dlfrsilver]

please give out the names of the game, and the cracking group !

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

please give out the names of the game, and the cracking group !

I'll better upload them, so anyone can check by himself.
Hey, I'm glad to upload again some material that no one else has seen before

EDIT: Mmmm, Denis, you keep treating me like a noob. This is not nice

[dlfrsilver]

it's just to check ! Nothing else !

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

it's just to check ! Nothing else !

Ok, ok

Mmm... I have to specify this, because it's a little strange:
- I got Barbarian and Terrorpods years ago, around 1988 or such (when I bought my A500). I copied them from a friend's floppies. My friend had great contacts within the Amiga crackers scene of those days, and he got his copies from them.
- they are not dumps from the original floppies, since I could copy them with an early version of X-Copy (1987-88 version), in nibble mode of course. The originals (see the .ipf versions) are much more heavily protected...
- they have *all* protected tracks (except the bootblock on track 0)

Unless my copies are dumps of earlier (less protected) releases
But I'm 99% sure it isn't so...

AND don't forget I have more of these "protected" floppies...

[dlfrsilver]

or your disks have errors.....please upload one of them in zone

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

or your disks have errors.....please upload one of them in zone

Forget it, no errors

Oh, I forgot to specify:
On the floppies there are NO cracker writings or credits.
But they are NOT original dumps!

UPLOADED to The Zone!
Now I'll wait for competent replies only!!! Please respect the work I did to dump them correctly...

[dlfrsilver]

lol ! Terrorpods and barbarian are copies of original disks !!!! An not cracked copies pal !

It uses trackloaders and MFM protection. You saw any cracked version ?! mmh ?

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

lol ! Terrorpods and barbarian are copies of original disks !!!! An not cracked copies pal !

It uses trackloaders and MFM protection. You saw any cracked version ?! mmh ?

Impossible!
They can't be originals. The two I uploaded are perfectly copyable with X-Copy, while the originals aren't.
Try to copy the originals. You will not be able

Anyone else has checked them?

[dlfrsilver]

it loads like barbarian IPF number 1011. It loads exactly the same tracks, the same way.

Some originals could be copied back in the day. Smasth, shadow warriors, etc.....

Ok let's use powercopy

EDIT : Physically, your extended ADF is an EXACT copy of barbarian IPF n° 1011. Same track length, same protection.

So i guess it's hardware copy, or else it can be copied on a standard drive with X-copy, explaining you have a working copy on disk.

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

it loads like barbarian IPF number 1011. It loads exactly the same tracks, the same way.

Some originals could be copied back in the day. Smasth, shadow warriors, etc.....

Ok let's use powercopy

EDIT : Physically, your extended ADF is an EXACT copy of barbarian IPF n° 1011. Same track length, same protection.

So i guess it's hardware copy, or else it can be copied on a standard drive with X-copy, explaining you have a working copy on disk.

Hi,
while you were making your checks, I was making mine
I tried to copy (with X-Copy Pro 8.5, more powerful than the one I used ages ago for my copies of barbarian and Terrorpods) the 1011 ipf and the 1643 ipf.
About 1011 you're absolutely wrong:
- the nibble copy obtained by 1011 doesn't start. It hangs at the end of loading (try copying it with X-Copy. You can't)
- the nibble copy obtained by my floppy works (try copying it with X-Copy. You can. How do you explain this?)

I tried the same with 1063, and the copy loads. It would seem that my copy is somehow derived from the "1063" original, BUT the X-COPY nibbler see the last track as different...

Perhaps my floppy is the copy of a third variant?

I don't know. However, I'll update more simple examples when I find where I put them

[Supamax]

Hi dlfrsilver,

did you realize that we are the only two arguing in this thread?
Are we the only "experts" ??

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

EDIT : Physically, your extended ADF is an EXACT copy of barbarian IPF n° 1011. Same track length, same protection.

This is very very strange. Perhaps Powercopy isn't so reliable sometimes?
I'm not joking: if 1011 is *not* copyable while my copy *is*, then Powercopy *shouldn't* at all see them as identical!!

[dlfrsilver]

As "expert" i fill rather alone

when here are the facts :

I have first loaded in winuae your original copy. Checked the tracks loaded.

Then fired up IPF 1011. It behaves and loads the same manner.

For your information IPF 1643 has a different layout from your extended ADF, so
it can't be it.

Powercopy is reliable even under winuae.

I have used a parameter file for barbarian, and it has recognized your extended ADF
as IPF 1011.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Supamax

Are we the only "experts" ??

No mate, I'm sure BlueAchenar will show more than a passing interest in this thread when he joins us online later.

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

when here are the facts :

I have first loaded in winuae your original copy. Checked the tracks loaded.

Then fired up IPF 1011. It behaves and loads the same manner.

For your information IPF 1643 has a different layout from your extended ADF, so
it can't be it.

Powercopy is reliable even under winuae.

I have used a parameter file for barbarian, and it has recognized your extended ADF
as IPF 1011.

The only fact is: 1011 is not copyable with X-Copy. My copy is copyable with X-Copy. Hence they can't be identical.

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

As "expert" i fill rather alone

And this is the reason you are failing your diagnose here in this thread
You value the others (me) not at your level, so you fail. Feel the Force, Luke...

[dlfrsilver]

of course you can't copy with X-copy, since winuae tracklength is not activated.

When copying barbarian with it, not only you don't have the disk format as a whole,
and your tracks are cutted !!

Remember, you're under winuae !

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

of course you can't copy with X-copy, since winuae tracklength is not activated.

When copying barbarian with it, not only you don't have the disk format as a whole,
and your tracks are cutted !!

Remember, you're under winuae !

Oh my God, you're not listening...
Under winUAE, with no tracklength activated, I can copy my copy but I can't copy 1011. So they are different. Is it clear now?

EDIT: Before posting here any more, write to me PM so we'll clear our doubts. Let's wait BlueAchenar's opinion.