How to deactivate new software driver based Sony copy protection on Anastacia album

The latest Anastacia album (Sony Music) comes up with a next generation copy protection system which is not passively based upon bad sectors or TOCs anymore relying on the firmware weaknesses of the optical drives. The disc installs - without prompting for permission - a driver which interferes with the digital audio extraction causing awfully ripped tracks which have numerous drop-outs. In opposite to first generation audio copy protections like CactusDataShield, key2audio, DOC.loc, MediaCloq or Copy-X this new protection is working hardware-indenpendently.

The CD is a standard CD-Extra without any C2-errors (a scan with PlexWriter Premium and PlexTools 2.10 couldn't find any C2- or CU-errors). On the disc itself you can find the Compact Disc Digital Audio Text logo. Surprisingly, the cover does not have such a logo.

As this copy protection works like SunnComm's MediaMax CD3 system (e.g. Anthony Hamilton - Comin' From Where I'm From, US-market), it can be deactivated in the same way.

There are 3 scenarios:


I) Use an operating system which is resistant against the driver:

a) Windows NT4: The installer crashes ('script error') after CD autorun is done and no driver is installed.

b) Linux: As there is no binary compatibility with Windows software and there's no autorun, nothing will be installed.


II) The CD has never been inserted and the driver has not been installed, yet:

a) In order to avoid the installation of the driver, just hold down the SHIFT-key before you insert the disc and keep it held down until Windows has recognized the disc (20 seconds should be long enough). This suppresses Windows's autorun so that the installer will not be started.

b) Looking forward to forthcoming software driver protected audio CDs, I'd suggest to deactivate Windows' autorun in general:

Windows 98: Device Manager -> CD-ROM -> (name of the drive) -> Settings -> DISABLE auto insert notification -> Reboot.

Windows 2000 / XP: regedit -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CurrentControlSet -> Services -> Cdrom -> set autorun = 0 -> Reboot.

c) Windows 2000 / XP: Log on as a user who neither has administrator nor power user priviledges. This makes the autorunning installer crash ('script error') so that there will be no driver installed on the system. Nevertheless, the driver file will be copied to the hidden directory %USERPROFILE%\Local settings\Temp but can be deleted without any problems.

d) Windows 98 / 2000 / XP: Insert the CD before Windows has finished booting. In that case the autorun will not be performed and nothing will be installed. NEVER run the program \BIN\WIN32\START.EXE on the CD. This is the installer.


III) The CD has been inserted, yet, and the interfering driver is installed and active

There are 2 symptoms: Awfully ripped tracks and an increased (by the factor 2) ripping speed. In that case you need to uninstall the driver manually:

a) Windows 98: You can find in C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\ the virtual device driver NSYSAUDM.VXD. As long as Windows is up and running, you cannot delete this file as it is in use. Because of this, restart the PC in MS-DOS mode and enter the following command line:

DEL C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\NSYSAUDM.VXD

In case Windows is installed in another directory, enter the proper path instead. I haven't found out, yet, how the driver is loaded and started. Searching the registry for NSYSAUDM had no matches.
Alternatively, it is also possible to uninstall the driver with the help of the command line SCANREG /RESTORE. But make sure, that you have neither installed any other software nor changed any system settings after you inserted the CD the first time.

b) Windows 2000 / XP: The kernel-driver file is named cdrmkaun.sys and is saved in the hidden directory %USERPROFILE%\Local settings\Temp\ (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local settings\Temp\). You cannot simply delete the file because it is in use. In order to uninstall the driver you need administrator priviledges (maybe a poweruser is enough, too). Be careful following the steps below, as you edit the Windows registry!

1.) Start -> Run -> regedt32 (NOT regedit !!!)
2.) Change to window HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
3.) Navigate to key SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\cdrmkaun.
4.) Delete this key by pressing the DEL-key.
5.) Navigate to key SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_CDRMKAUN.
6.) In menu Security choose Permissions.
7.) Give Everyone Full Control for this registry key.
8.) Now you can delete this registry key.
9.) Repeat the last steps for the cdrmkaun-key in CurrentControlSet1 and CurrentControlSet2 if existant.
10.) Reboot the Computer.
11.) Using Windows Explorer, navigate to %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp.
12.) Delete the following files: cdrmkaun.sys, CmdLineExt02.dll, SIntf16.dll, SIntf32.dll, SIntfIcn.ani und SIntfNT.dll.

After successfull uninstallation, don't forget to suppress Windows' autorun when inserting the CD again! Otherwise the driver will be installed again, ref. to chapter IIa or IIb.

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Last edited by mediamaxcd3; 19-04-2004 at 13:40.

If that driver works as you say, and is on the UK version of these discs, it'll be interesting to see if someone is prepared to test whether Sony are breaching the UK's Computer Misuse Act.

An audio CD installing a driver that interferes with all DAE is pure evil!


For various reasons, my main user on my main XP box has Power User privileges - but this is just one more thing encouraging me to sort out the few permissions problems that remain and revoke its Power User status.



David

@DavidW,

I haven't tested yet, whether the driver interferes with all DAE. I guess the driver 'knows' just this one disc and only interferes with the grabbing of this CD.

My CD is from Germany and here's what is printed on the CD:

(C) 2004 Sony Music Entertainment Inc., Epic, Daylight, Compact Disc Digital Audio Text, Sacem SDRM, EPC 513471 2, 5134712000, BIEM, LC001199.

... and on the inner ring of the CD:

Sony Music, IFPI L551, S0100514137, 0101 11 B4, IFPI 945P (on plastic)

Once upon a time we had a disc in Germany (Wolfgang Petry - Laengste Single der Welt - Teil 3) which came out in two versions. One version had CactusDataShield200 and the other wasn't protected. The only way to identify the version visibly was to check the IFPI number (number of the glass master). Could you kindly post which IFPI number is on your CD?

Btw.: What the hell is Sacem SDRM? Is this the name of the copy protection? As far as I can tell it can't be key2audio XS (e.g. Naturally 7 - What is it), because key2audio XS features a scrambled TOC.

Has there been a reaction of consumer organizations yet? I mean, installing software on a computer without asking for permission is a violation of privacy and security rules, isn't it?

There's a french Sacem-website http://www.sacem.fr/cgi-bin/portl/po...ep/home.do?a=1. Unfortunately I don't understand french.

Neither do I :-).

Hi guys, I just now registered to share this info with you...

This is a solution for ripping tracks from the CD...

You need to start your computer in "Diagnostic Startup". This simply starts your basic computer services and devices only.

In Windows XP, (I'm not familiar with other operating syatems, but may work)..

Click Start
Click Run
Type in "msconfig" > OK
Choose "Diagnostic Startup"
Click Apply
Click Close
Now restart your computer

As you are now loading up basic services, your pc will not load up the driver which prevents you from reading the cd.

Now simply use the program you would do normally to rip tracks from CD. I ripped the tracks from the CD to mp3 using a program called "Creative MediaSource Organizer" which came with my mp3 player. I guess other programs must work too in diagnostic start-up though.

When you have done, you need to start your pc back in Normal mode. Simply retrace the steps above and change "diagnostic startup" to "normal startup".

I hope this works for you guys. Please let me know how you get on.

Hi all,

my Anastacia CD * (limited edition, germany) did load a ddxgb.sys driver to my system.
For me it worked to delete the ddxgb registry key in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

After reboot I was able to delete all my temp files., including ddxgb.sys and SIntf32.dll
I can now use the CD normal.

Have a lot of Fun,
Rafiki

* on the inner ring of the CD:
Sony Music, IFPI L551, S0100514137-0101, 21, A2

Thanks for that, worked a treat! That'll teach me for just slinging a CD in the player and letting Auto-Run do it's thing. . . Bloody outrageous having software installed on your PC without your permission!

Sacem is the same thing in France as RIAA is the US, or Gema in Germany. The logo is on all french CDs. It just states that the music is copyrighted.

Only one detail.

At least the copy distributed in Spain, for XP platforms, it seems that the name of the service is generated randomly. Every time the service is installed it gets a different name.

The way to identify it is easy. Search in your %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp for a file with *.sys extension and match that it exist too in the both HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\* and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_*
Where * is the same name than the file with the sys extension.

Luck and regards!!!

Apart from loading strange drivers I had great trouble with this cd. It won't play properly in the car (a mcIntosh player) as the format somehow seems to obstruct the read ahead buffering. Everytime the car hit a minor bump the muisc would pause, truly horrible.

I was able to solve the problem by making a conventional format cd using Nero 6. I selected 'make a music cd' and then selected the 12 music tracks (not the data track) in the directory Omgaudio and dragged them into the list of tracks to burn.

The result has been a cd that not only plays properly in the car but one that is safe to insert into the PC. Pity Sony did not see fit to do this themselves.

YMMV

Holding the shift key is a long known trick and works wonders yes, but if people would just disable autorun, they would never have these problems at all, IMO autorun is one of th emost useless features to any new, moderate, or advanced versed PC user.

If autorun is part of your life, you can always dual boot with DOS and use older software like audiograbber's blade enc which was syntax driven and can rip any copy protected cd ever, no need to bloat a huge partition to linux or unix and dos is easier to remove at any time by a simple deletion of its core folder and removal from the boot.ini file.

Hi all. Thanks for the tips & tricks about the last Anastacia CD.

I bought the French version (I'm French) and I realized that I couldn't copy it on my I-River jukebox. Through this forum section, I could understand why ! Amazing !

On my CD inner ring : Sony Music, IFPI L551, S0100514137-0101, 11, A2

I tried to locate on my PC (Win-XP Pro and audio extraction with Easy CD- DA Extractor 7) where the protection was, searching the .SYS, .DLL and XP services in the Registry. I found none of them, except SIntfNT.dll (and .16 + .32) in %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp. I had no problem deleting them, but it wasn't enough.

Then I used the Diagnostic Mode of "msconfig" given by Ralvuimago (thanks to you !). It worked fine, but be careful : XP then says that it must be activated, just as if it had never been registered (you get the 3-day delay box). A normal reboot after that does not solve the problem, the message's still here !
So, before doing that, just be careful to save on a floppy your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WPA.DBL file. Then, run the Diagnostic Mode, rip your CD (I had no problem). Run "msconfig" again, prepare your PC for a future normal boot and reboot in SAFE MODE (press F8 key at WinXP logo). Then, delete the existing WPA.DBL (must be present date and time) by the original one on your floppy and make another normal reboot. No more activation message and CD is ripped.

Hope this helps ! Regards,
JUMP