::: Basic Guide to DiscJuggler: Setup for Backups :::

Bottom Line Up Front: This particular guide has some straight forward instructions on setup for ‘near’ out-of-the-box burning. It will not image or burn SecuROM 4.8x; everything else is fair game. If you don’t know the protection on the CD then start here.



Download DiscJuggler from Padus Inc from here. This time-unlimited, fully-functional demo is available for you to download, at no cost or commitment. You are only capable of writing to one CD or DVD writing drive (at a time) at the lowest speed possible at a capacity no higher than 700 MB. Technical Support is only available by support@padus.com for demo users. Of course, you can post your queries here at CDFreaks The tutorials for premastering are here but they only hint at copy protected CDs. The tutes are very good for starting out. Many routine issues are reported here.. Check them out if you have problems up-front. If your hardware is not listed here, don’t worry. None of the ASUS drives are listed but they work fine.

DJ is a powerful program. It looks intimidating, it has settings that probably only make sense to a rocket scientist but it will do exactly as you ask as long as you have a fully MMC compliant reader/writer. There’s no room for poorly designed Hewlett Packards and NECs or Panasonics that don’t understand certain, standard commands. Make no mistake: DJ either works (kudos to Padus) or it doesn’t (your fault) in terms of working backups. It is a valuable investment and is a worthy rival to ahead software’s Nero. Install and reboot. If the install hangs, look for the DJ ‘snake’ in the system tray – right click and close it – the install should proceed.

The Manual for DiscJuggler is 251 pages and 3.87MB in .pdf format. However, I’m going to set you up for SafeDisc, LaserLock and SecuROM backups, in far less space than that. The beauty of DJ is that once you’re set up for copy protection, audio, premastering that’s pretty much it. There are a couple of settings that you need to understand and be familiar with so you can troubleshoot if something goes wrong. Padus do not market DJ as a copy killer so please don’t bother them with problems like error skipping, sector densities, weak sectors and regular bit patterns. They know what EFM is but they don’t outwardly care about its relationship with SafeDisc and correct EFM encoding of regular bit patterns.

DJ has its own ‘ASPI’, namely pfc.sys. Like all virtual device drivers, things can go wrong. Well designed and written device drivers do not cause problems, only bad ones. Unfortunately, installing a good driver from Xyz next to an old existing driver from Abc can lead one to the think that the reformat was caused by Xyz. No so! These software drivers range from downright terrible (VOB’s ASAPI) to awful (Adaptec’s WNASPI32.DLL) to almost useless (Microsoft’s SPTI) to trouble-free. I consider aheads’s version of WNASPI32.DLL, Elaborate Bytes’ own ELBYCDIO and Padus’s pfc.sys ASPI Shell as trouble-free. The only ASPI problems I ‘ve had were with Adaptec and VOB (now Pinnacle). Cool programs like DVD Decrypter can I/O with anyone of four ASPI shells/file systems.



The latest version, 4.10.1084, supports GigaRec, VariRec II and some third party images (.BIN + .CUE and .NRG formats).



So, install DJ and reboot if you have not done so yet. The default setup is OK insofar as there’s not much to adjust. DJ will not produce a useful image of SecuROM 4.8x for burning or mounting. You can try Daemon Tools and emulation but there’s no guarantee. Click Tool/Options on the menu bar. This will display the “Defaults” tab.



From left to right (and top to bottom) Tick the following:

• Write
• RAW
• CD-TEXT
• PQ
• R-W (CD+G)
• Enable (this is a radio button)
• Ignore read errors

Click OK. PQ is required for SecuROM and R-W in combination with RAW is for PSX. Ignore read errors is required for SafeDisc, LaserLock and Ring PROTECH (anything involving errors). The RAW 30 sec. CD leadout *must* be unchecked for copy protected CDs. It is useful only for premastering! The following tabs are irrelevant and should be left alone:

• Log, and
• Notification

On the I/O tab, choose your temp and work folders – same disk is OK.

MOST IMPORTANT! On the verify tab, make sure that the EDC/ECC RAW Mode checkbox is UNCHECKED! On the Confirmation tab, make sure that Burn discs with illegal TOCs is checked.



Click OK and you’re set!

Now we’re ready for a disc. I’m using The Sims Superstar SD2.90.040





Click “Start” and the ‘supplying of dummy blocks’ will begin



To burn, choose File/New > Burn CD and DVD images



On the Source & Destination tab ... choose your source and destination by clicking the icons to browse. Choose "Write" as the "Action" option.

On the Advanced tab, make sure that CD-Text, PQ and RAW write are checked.

Then click Start to begin the burn!

If you have a problem, check your settings and then please post here.

Creating a working SafeDisc backup in DiscJuggler depends on the pre-gap being read and written 'as-is'. These are some results, working from the ASUS CRW-5242A FW Rev 1.0, a known pregap reader/writer (all ASUS two-sheep writers are pregap killers). The pregap is only an issue for DJ; the popular burning apps reproduce the pregap in a way that should not be of a concern to the user ... or should it?

Using DJ allows you te create a backup that requires no thirdparty assistance (Daemon Tools emu, CloneCD "Hide CD-R Media"), if this is what you desire

The objective of these tests is to determine other pregap reader/writers and assess whether emulation, of some description, is required.

Game Title: The Sims Superstar expansion; original install.
Protection: SafeDisc 2.90.040
Program: DiscJuggler V4.10.1084-STD2 (ASPI Shell = pfc.sys)
Reader: ASUS CRW-5224A FW Rev 1.0

Writers used are known burning app 'two-sheep' burners, or, are capable of correct EFM encoding of regular bit patterns (ie Weak Sector writers):

Toshiba SD-M1202 CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo FW Rev 1023:

• Toshiba SD-M1402 DVD-ROM - does not work with or without "Hide" and Daemon Tools
• Toshiba SD-M1202 CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo - works with DT, works with "Hide"
• ASUS CRW-5224A - works with CCD "Hide" does not work with DT emu ... ah! But wait ... eject the disc, reinsert again, and it will work
• LITEON LTD-163D - works without DT emu and CCD "Hide".
• Observations: the 1402 does not like an ASUS image; the 1202 can write the pregap correctly as the backup works without emu in the 163D DVD-ROM

Next on the list are:[list=1][*]LITEON LTR-24102B[*]LITEON LTR-32123S[*]LITEON LTR-40125S[*]LITEON LTR-52246S[/list=1]If you get a backup failure message on execution, it pays to reboot, as sometimes the guard module stays memory resident and will detect the backup (I have tried this, seen the process and got things to work). Before doing that, try ejecting the backup and starting the game again. If you change emu at any point, turn off all emu, eject the backup, turn on your emu of choice and THEN close the drive tray - the emu tool needs to grab control of the disc before the OS

Stay tuned