Problem with Plextor Premium and SecuROM 4.84

#1

I recently purchased the game “Republic: The Revolution” and wanted to make a backup copy of it with my Plextor Premium V1.05. A quick ClonyXXL scan detected SecuROM 4.84 in the main executable.

Yesterday I installed BW5 and BW5Tweaker and rebooted (for my backup I have used kalas’ backup guide). I read the image with the Plextor at 8x and then tried to write it. I wanted to use a CD-RW to do the test, but the VariRate feature didn’t support it. So I tried the TwinPeak method. But I got the following error:

Twinpeak method requires topology information, but topology missing. Write aborted.

… although kalas’ guide explicitly tells: “Read topology never extract checked” (= check “never extract topology”) and also tells you can use TwinPeak method or VariRate without it.

I re-read the image with topology and burned it to a CD-RW at 8x with the Twinpeak method. Result: backup doesn’t work. Takes a while to load but game doesn’t start. What did I do wrong ?

#2

Either use a CD-r, or use the twinpeak copy in another drive (plextor drives don’t like such out of standard CDs).

#3

I have not tested the copy on the Plextor as it would have revealed the CD-RW ATIP. I have tested it in my LG DVD-ROM DRD-8160B.

However I might have found my error: I did not include any .BWA file with topology information in, although I did make an image with topology information (it eliminates the need of a BWA file, doesn’t it?).

I am currently burning the game to the same CD-RW as before with the BWA file downloaded from makeabackup.com :cool:

#4

Or you might as well directly burn it to a CD-R with varirate, it’s very reliable (never had a single coaster with BW5 and the premium) and produces a backup of much higher quality than twinpeak.

#5

Twinpeaks with a BWA work pretty good, but they are not 100% fool-proof, and they sometimes have problems installing.

#6

A BWA file is indeed needed to create a backup either using TwinpPeak or Plextor Premium Varirate feature :). About including topology and a BWA file, I never tested this before. I don’t know if this works, or if BlindWrite even allows you to include the BWA information when topology information is already included in the image? Would be nice posting your result, because I’m also interrested in this. Thanks in advnace.

p.s. as docdocdoc9 posted using your Plextor Varirate feature is more reliable than using the TwinPeak option. I never got any coasters using it like doc.

#7

Can i just ask, why use varirate if BW5 does a near perfect copy anyway?

#8

I’ll answer both to you and merther02. To make a backup copy of my SecuROM 4.84 protected game, I have followed the how-to written by kalas.

Important: it seems that if you have an image with topology information included, no .BWA file is needed.

FIRST TRY: (TwinPeak method on CD-RW) Image WITHOUT topology information, NO .BWA file. Result: writing could not be possible - my first mistake.

SECOND TRY: (TwinPeak method on CD-RW) Image WITH topology information, NO .BWA file. Result: writing succesful, but game does not start. Protection takes about 30 seconds to authenticate but then fails, I think.

THIRD TRY: (TwinPeak method on CD-RW) Image WITH topology information, WITH .BWA file. Result: as 2nd try.

Plextor Premium’s VariRate feature does not support CD-RWs. I have used CD-RWs to check if the burner can do the TwinPeak job well, but it seems it cannot. I’ll try a CD-R w/VariRate soon.

#9

Just use BlindWrite 4/5 to read and write using the Plex Premium and a CD-R, this should get you a working backup that is as close to 1:1 as it’s going to get.

#10

Yes it does work, even if the image file contains topology information you can still tell BW5 to use a .BWA file instead.

#11

I have just written the first CD (the second is not protected). Unfortunately I have uninstalled the game due to HDD space problem. I’m reinstalling it in 3-4 hours 'cos I have to go out now.

Burn: (VariRate feature on CD-R at 8x) Image WITH topology information, .BWA file USED.

However, I have noticed that topology information seems to be useless if you use the VariRate feature.

If it doesn’t work, I’ll try burning it without the .bwa file (maybe the topology informations are different because of different game versions…)

#12

Just tried: backup on CD-R works perfectly. VariRate has done it well. Authentication takes about 5 seconds.

Now I’m wondering why the TwinPeak method didn’t work on a CD-RW…

#13

Thanks for the info, I will give it a try next time.