Are you afraid that your game disc will be scratched or damaged? As the rightful owner of the game, you may back up the game. But game publishers will make this difficult with the excuse of preventing program piracy. To back up game discs, you'll need some special programs and a little free time. See Step 1 below to find out how.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Copying Discs
Step 1. Install a program to copy discs
To be able to copy games you need a program that can transfer the contents of the disc to your computer. There are a variety of burning programs available, ranging from free to paid, and all of these programs are at your disposal. Some of the most popular programs are:
- Alcohol 120%
- CloneDVD
- ImgBurn
- Nero Burning Rom
Step 2. Identify the types of copy protection
You must know what kind of copy protection is on the disc before you can copy it. The best free utility to do this is Protection ID. This program can detect the copy protection methods used by the disc.
This is only necessary if you are using Alcohol 120%, because Alcohol 120% asks for the type of protection before copying it. If you are using CloneDVD or ImgBurn, you do not need to identify copy protection
Step 3. Install AnyDVD
This program will bypass the encryption on the DVD, so you can make a perfect 1:1 copy of the disc. Not all copying programs require AnyDVD to run, but the chances of success are much greater. AnyDVD is a paid program, but you can use the trial version to make copies.
- You don't need this for Alcohol 120%. Instead, use the copy-protection identification steps above.
- AnyDVD runs in the background and you don't have to do anything for this program to work.
Step 4. Look at the disc writer brand
In order to create a backup that doesn't require a patch, your disc reader and writer must be able to read and write RAW and subchannel DAO data. Most modern drives support this, although there may be problems with older computers.
- Philips, Lite-On and Plextor are the best drivers for copying games, and most models support RAW DAO.
- If your drive doesn't support this mode, you'll need to install a patch later to be able to play.
Step 5. Run the copying process
Open the copy program. If you are using CloneDVD, ImgBurn, or Nero Burning Rom, make sure that AnyDVD is running in the background. If you are using Alcohol 120%, make sure that you have specified the proper way of protecting the disc.
- Insert the disc, click the Create Image button (or something similar), and select the correct drive from the image copy program.
- Set the image location. When the disc is copied, an image file will be created on the hard disk. This file will be the same size as a game disc, so make sure your hard drive has enough free space.
- If you are using Alcohol 120%, select a copy protection method in the Datatype menu.
- Lower reading speed. Copying games with a protection program is not easy, and copying them too quickly can result in errors. Set the copy speed to 4X or lower to ensure no errors occur during the process.
Step 6. Wait for the copying to complete
After setting your copy preferences, you can simply wait for the process to complete. Depending on the setup speed and disc size, this process can take some time.
Part 2 of 4: Using Virtual Drive
Step 1. Install the virtual drive program
After you save the image file on your computer, you can burn it to a blank disc or use a virtual drive to load the image file as if it were a disc. Alcohol 120% comes with a virtual drive program, or you can also use the Daemon Tools program.
- Avoid using the operating system's built-in programs to load the image. Programs like Alcohol 120% and Daemon Tools come with programs that will help trick copy protection.
- If you cannot copy the image using RAW DAO, use Daemon Tools to reload the image. This allows you to load the image even if copy protection is not bypassed.
Step 2. Load the image
Open the virtual drive program. Select the image file to load. The virtual drive program creates a new DVD drive on the computer, and the image file acts like a disc. When the image file is loaded, it is like inserting a disc into the drive.
Step 3. Use the disc as usual
Once the disc is loaded, it will act exactly as it would when a physical disc was inserted into a physical drive. Most games will display an Autorun menu once the disc has loaded, and you can install or play as normal.
Part 3 of 4: Burning Image
Step 1. Open the burning program
To be able to copy the newly created image to another disc, you will need an image burning program. Many disc copying programs also come with burning programs, such as Alcohol 120%, ImgBurn, and Nero.
Step 2. Load the disc image
When starting the image burning program, load the disc image created in the first section. Most image burning programs support all major types of image files.
Step 3. Insert a blank disc
Make sure you insert the same type of disc as the original. For example, if you are burning a CD image, make sure that you are using a CD-R. If you are burning a DVD image, make sure that you are using a DVD-R.
- Avoid using CD-RW/DVD-RW discs. Discs of this type often cause errors when loading the burned image.
- The best disc brands include Memorex, Verbatim, and Sony. This brand minimizes the possibility of errors.
Step 4. Run the burning process
Lower the write speed to help prevent potential errors. Just like copying, a lower speed will be more reliable. Once the burning process is complete, your disc will contain a 1:1 copy of the original game disc, and can be used just like the retail version.
Part 4 of 4: Installing Cracked Programs
Step 1. Find a crack program (aka crack) for the game
In order to run games without having to insert discs or backup images, you'll need to install a crack anti-CD program. This is a program that makes the game think that the disc is already in the drive. You can find cracking programs on the internet.
- The above sections are just to trick copy protection. You may still have to resolve the CD check issue if you want to play without a disc or backup image.
- Crack programs allow you to play on the internet, even if you don't have a valid key or license.
Step 2. Scan for viruses on cracked programs
Game piracy is a huge market, and cracking programs are the most widely used to spread viruses. Make sure you scan for viruses on these programs, and only download these programs from trusted sources.
Step 3. Install the cracking program
The installation varies for each game. Some cracked programs are already in a standalone installation file, and can be installed just like most programs. Some other programs take the form of executable files that replace the main game files. All of these files should be placed in the games folder on your computer.
Almost all cracked programs come with a README file that will explain how to properly install them
Step 4. Run the game
Once installed, you can run the game as usual or run a new cracked file, depending on how the file works. The game will load as usual, although some flaky programs may include a new loading screen or introduction.
