Changing Gears for a Moment - How can it be done?

[nickelzy]

I know this is a DVD-R forum, as I'm a long time visitor of this forum and have gotten a tremendous amount of knowledge and help from here, but I'm not sure where else to turn to get the help that I need. I figured that even if I don't get the help that I am seeking, at least someone here will be able to point me in the appropriate direction.

What I'm trying to do is back-up a pc game, Half-Life 2. I received the game for Christmas and I've found myself enjoying playing it at both home and during my lunch break at work at times. However, carting the cd back and forth every day is annoying, and often I forget. Isn't there a way that I can make a back-up of it just like we do with DVD's?

Is it as easy as just copying and burning it from a program such as Nero? The reason I ask is that I've tried doing this before and had problems. The disc wouldn't boot up and recognize like the original. Any help that can be offerred or if there is a more appropriate place to get the help, if you could point me to that place, I would GREATLY appreciate it!

Thanks so much!

[bugster]

Moved you to off-topic. /moderator bugster

I thought you didn't need the CD to play HL2, your steam account should be all that is required. My version was on DVD, but it doesn't have to be in the drive to play.

[northcat_8]

I've found myself enjoying playing it at both home and during my lunch break at work at times.

"during lunch break" yea right...who do you think you are talking to? anyway...

Why not just rip the game onto your work computer using Decrypter in File mode and play the game from the HD?

[nickelzy]

Everytime I try playing the game, it asks me for my cd (so I always have it in my drive) which is why I thought I had to take it to work to play on the computer in my office. How can you play from your HD?

Taking a step back for a moment, in general, for other games - can you back up by simply selecting "copy disc" from Nero or is there more to it than that? I was thinking Nero might have a problem with copyright protected discs. Also, doesn't DVD decrypter only work with DVD's and not CD's? I tried putting Half-Life 2 in my drive and running DVD Decrypter, and it won't recognize it because it states that it is not a DVD.

[northcat_8]

Don't really know to be honest. Anytime I have backed up a PC game I just used Nero and did a disc copy. never had a problem.

I've taken games and just copied them to the HD in a folder and they played just fine. I copied it, then installed the game from the HD folder rather than from the disc.

For me it's been a while Deus Ex <the first one> is the last game I have played on the PC.

[bugster]

Taking a step back for a moment, in general, for other games - can you back up by simply selecting "copy disc" from Nero or is there more to it than that?

With *most* games, that won't work. With some games, no succesful solution to backing up has yet been found.

take a look at www.gamecopyworld.com , or try google

[reboot]

Treading on thin ice here, but...
Get a copy of Daemon tools. Lots of decryption/emulation, and virtual drive ability. (free).
I won't go into further details, but Google is a wonderful thing

[northcat_8]

You know I was thinking Daemon tools...but I didn't know if it would work...

Couldn't hurt to check it out though...

[reboot]

It's worked on everything for me so far.
Another tool to...sheesh, I can't say it here

[nickelzy]

Ok, I have begun the process. I downloaded Daemon tools. The help guide informed me that I need a 1:1 copy program so I got Alcohol 120%. However, now that I have that program, it seems to do everything that Daemon tools does. Why would I need Daemon tools? What am I missing here?

[northcat_8]

Daemon Tools installs a virtual DVD drive on your HD.

Daemon Tools allows you to take something like DVD Decrypter, rip a DVD in ISO mode and then play the DVD from the ISO.

You mount ISO files in it, and then it operates just like you have the disc in the DVD-ROM drive.

I would think you should be able to take Half-Life 2, create an ISO of it, then load the ISO into Daemon tools, install the game from the Daemon Tools virtual drive...you do this so the program points to that particular drive rather than your real DVD-ROM drive...once installed, you mount the ISO in daemon tools and should be able to play the game just like you have the disc in the Rom drive.

You shouldn't need Alcohol 120, but it's a good program to have anyway.

[nickelzy]

Thanks Northcat - but that's what Alcohol 120% does - it functions like a virtual drive and allows you to mount an image like what you described. The one thing that's nice about Daemon is that it's free, whereas alcohol 120% costs 50 bucks. However, Daemon doesn't copy files which is why you need a program like alcohol 120% (a 1:1 copy program that deals with encryption). The main question I have is what does Daemon tools do that a program like alcohol 120% does not. I've got to think it does something because in their help guide one of the steps to making copies is to get and use a program like alcohol 120%.

I probably ought to report that I was finally successful backing up Half-life 2. Nero definitely doesn't work (I wasted in a bunch of discs trying that). With alcohol 120% I was able to burn the disc as an image to my hard drive and then when I want to play it, I just mount the image to the virtual drive. So far, I haven't needed Daemon tools (but again, I know it must do something useful, I just haven't found out what that is).

[northcat_8]

I'm far from an Alcohol 120% expert, I've checked out the program, a ways back, but I don't use it.

Basically all Daemon Tools does is install a Virtual drive, where you can mount ISO images and play them like you actually have the disc in a DVD drive. I'm partial to Daemon Tools because it's free, it doesn't rip..that's true, but DVD Decrypter does and it's free too...so for 2 free downloads you can do the same thing you did with Alcohol 120% and you can spend the $50 on some real Alcohol.

[nickelzy]

Northcat, correct me if I'm wrong (because I want to make sure I get this straight!), but DVD decrypter will only work with DVD's, right? I tried using DVD Decrypter for Half-life 2, because someone suggested it, and DVD Decrypter gave me an error message that it couldn't read the files because it wasn't a DVD. Alcohol 120% or GameJack, from what I understand, are able to copy cd's that are heavily copyrighted which I don't believe DVD Decrypter can do. Please correct me if I'm mistaken!

[reboot]

You're right, hence our recommendation for using Daemon tools AND dvd decrypter together.
Mount the thing in Daemon, decrypt/burn with decrypter.

[nickelzy]

GameJack, which I just used this afternoon (as a trial) only costs 30 bucks as compared to Alcohol 120% which is 50 bucks (so it's not that bad) claims that it is able to handle even the most difficult of copyright protection on games. So far, I would say their claim is accurate. I was able to back up 2 of my games today by using it - Call of Duty and Half-life 2.

I will try doing the method you are suggesting, but for some reason, I have my doubts. Nonetheless, I would be VERY happy if it works (I love to save money whenever possible!) I'll report back later, after I give it a go.

[nickelzy]

Wait a sec... how can you mount "the thing" in Daemon? It is a cd - it must be an image (or file) that you mount, not a whole cd (that defeats the purpose of using a virutal drive - if you put a cd in the drive and then you mount it, that doesn't make sense). That's why Daemon tools suggests using a program such as Alcohol 120% or GameJack because they allow you to make a 1:1 copy which THEN you can mount. However, without the copy, you cannot simply mount the entire cd. As for DVD decrypter, it won't load the files from any of my games. It gives me the message "not a DVD".

Have you ever tried doing what you suggest (and with a game, not a dvd movie?) I just don't see how it can possibly be done. At any rate, thanks for the suggestions!