I have a growing game collection which I bought online. I buy almost all new games which are at least a year if not two years old or more-cheaper and (I don't have the time finish all titles bought). My questions are about backuping the game so that I can play it on the move without bringing my dvd collection along with me. Also, it saves load time and protects my dvd collection as well. So far all games purchased are below £5 (Best purchase was OEM Dirt 2 new for <£4 ). 1. Is it legal to backup oc dvd games that you bought to your hd? 2. Is there a good method/software to backup games? I know that games have some sort of encryption on the HD preventing from making a backup.
Once you have the disk ISO (they are a multitude of programs that does this), you can use Deamon Tools to load the ISO, and emulate many copy protection systems and by pass the game disk. However, some protection Daemon Tools can't emulate.. or requires the paying version. 1. In Canada: yes; U.S: No. And as for the U.K: I have no idea. Basically in Canada, if you don't GIVE a copy or SELL a copy without a written authorization from the publisher/creator you are fine. Canada uses a much more realistic and fair approach. The Music, Movie industry HATES Canada for that and tries to bully our government and politicians to enforce a more than stricter U.S policy. 2. I believe Alcohol 120% is said to go a good job, but I never used it.
In the UK it is not illegal to make a personal backup copy of your media, however it is illegal to bypass copy protection. So usually to implement something that you are allowed to do, you have to break the law to do it! At the end of the day as long as you are not then flogging multiple copies at your local Sunday market you will be OK and can sleep without the fear of Her Majesty's finest remodelling your front door at 2am. I backup all of my DVDs (protected or otherwise) onto my server. Firstly because my 3 year olds can destroy a DVD in days and so I constantly need to make new ones, and secondly because I can then watch them over the network without scrabbling round for the disk. I don't copy games as all of my PC games are bought on Steam.
Thanks for the replies. I know daemon tools, but how do I successfully backup my games with the encryption on board? Is there a software that can handle that backup process? The games are linked to my x-box live account and I want to play online. Making multiple copies is out of the question. The rarest game I have is a Samurai Showdown II for Win 95. Steam is cheap, but I can find cheaper alternatives using google store. Also, steam does not have blazblue calamity trigger...
backing up a game with encryption is rather difficult and not worth the effort since its much easier to crack the protection and not use the disc instead.
also what i do, just copy the installer files off the disc into a folder on a hdd, find applicable nocd, done. otherwise check out blindwrite.
this is pretty much spot on. You can probably clone a disk with good software and tutorials. you can also use software like dameon tools to make an image ad run the image of your hard drive. The problem though comes with a lot of complicated copy protection, a lot of games applications actively scan for somefoware like dameon tools, and also perfom cd checks which will make it difficult to run backup games from your hard drive. Alo if you go through routes to patch these checks then you're breaking the law, as you're circumvent copy protection. I understand what you're trying to do though, swapping games disks around is apet peeev of mine, and that's why I get my games from steam. No need to waste drive space creating backups and running games off drive.. Myt games are always on the server. Even after a reformat I can redownload my games. And also dont have to deal with cd protection checks
From my understanding in maths terms: positive X negative = negative Steam ain't that cheap-by some margin. It does make it easy though to play it. Guess that this is the hassle obtained from cheap games.
If you want your legally bought games to run without a disc, i'm sure there is a way to bypass copy protection out there in the world.come back any time if you have more questions.
