Backup copy of new game (DVD) ?

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Copy Protection Discuss, Backup copy of new game (DVD) ? at Software forum; Hope I'm posting this in the correct section. N00b question > I have recently purchased the fantastic game: Half Life 2. I want to make a backup copy for archival purposes. After doing a bit of digging on this site, I found that this game has something called 'Securom' protection

barracudaz (New on Forum): Posts: 2; Posted: 22-06-2005

Hope I'm posting this in the correct section. N00b question >

I have recently purchased the fantastic game: Half Life 2. I want to make a backup copy for archival purposes. After doing a bit of digging on this site, I found that this game has something called 'Securom' protection on it. Is there a method or a piece of software that I need, to be able to back this up directly to another 'blank' DVD-R ?

Edit: My DVD drive is a pioneer model (109), if this helps?

Many thanks in advance for any help

Regards

Baz

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Today (MyCE Staff): Posts: 15,596

Razor1982 (CDFreaks Resident): Posts: 1,487; Posted: 22-06-2005

the most easy way: just copy the dvd with ANY burning program for dvd's - only the data is important because of:
--> when you have installed it, you'll need to activate / update it via "Steam". By doing that, it will automatically download and install the latest available updates, which remove the copy protection, so you'll never need the dvd any more, as long as you need to re-install the game...

of course, this does not solve the problem of copying the dvd WITH protection, but since the available hardware is not capable of copying protected dvd's without emulation this is all you need to do with HL2...

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Gurm (CDFreaks Resident): Posts: 1,940; Posted: 22-06-2005

Hey, have I been out of the loop WAY too long? 'Cuz there's no such thing as SecuROM for DVD's, last time I checked.

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Razor1982 (CDFreaks Resident): Posts: 1,487; Posted: 22-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurm

Hey, have I been out of the loop WAY too long? 'Cuz there's no such thing as SecuROM for DVD's, last time I checked.

well, actually there is EVERYTHING on dvd: SecuROM (up to v 7.xxxx), SafeDisc, StarForce 3 (professional)...
this time (compared to the CD's), software development (of copy protections) goes fast, hardware development is as good as not existant when it comes to beat DVD-Copy-Protections...

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docdocdoc9 (CD Freaks Member): Posts: 246; Posted: 23-06-2005

Quote:

hardware development is as good as not existant when it comes to beat DVD-Copy-Protections...

When the CD standard was created copy protections were not considered yet, letting CD recorder manufacturers implement things like RAW mode into their drives. When DVD recording was born, specifications took it into consideration as you may find even in some official documents (ECMA and probably others) things like :

17.11.3 Content provider information
These 28 672 bytes shall be set to all (00). Under no circumstance may data
received from the host be recorded in this field. Circumvention: Recorders and
recording drives shall be considered as circumvention devices when these are
produced to record, or can easily be modified to record, in any manner, a
user-defined number in this field.
(source : ECMA 337 - about the DVD+RW format)

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barracudaz (New on Forum): Posts: 2; Posted: 23-06-2005

Ok, I can try Nero or Alcohol then? Will I need to setup any specific options, or will it rip the information just fine ?

Best regards

Baz

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