Cloning to CD-RW?

[ils]

I have read and did about everything about cloning Max Payne available in these forums (and some) but with no success. I have tried it with CloneCD and BlindWrite (with profiles from the forums). And I have been at it for at least 6 hours already and running out of ideas. The only media I have been using is CD-RW. I wonder if this is a wrong approach to begin with. I want to make a backup of my copy and go to run from hard drive after this.
Please help because I am loosing what little hair I have left.
Thanks in advance.

[dx]

Max Payne should not be much of a problem to copy if you have the right equipment (hardware/software). It's uses an older Safedisc 2 copy protection. I have made several copies of it with CloneCD and my LiteOn burner.

Using a CDRW should only be a problem if your reader is not compatable. I test burn with CDRW's all the time and do not have problems.

Sooo...what burner are you using? Is it Safedisc 2 compliant?

What settings are you using in CloneCD (which version)? and are you using AWS (unless a LiteOn)?

What exactly is failing? IE, does the game install?

Are using your burner to play the game? And if so, you are using the "HideCDR Media" setting in CloneCD?

[ils]

Well, thanks for your quick reply. Below is some info. from CloneCD:
Info on CDWriter:
Manufacturer: SONY
Product: CD-RW CRX160E
Revision: 1.1b

Device Capabilities:
Note: This information is provided by the unit, it might be inaccurate. CloneCD does not use this information!
Can write CD-R Discs: Yes
Can write CD-RW Discs: Yes
Compatible with CloneCD RAW-DAO: Yes
Compatible with CloneCD RAW-DAO Write Simulation: Yes
Supports writing of CD+G RAW-DAO: Yes
Compatible with CloneCD RAW-SAO: No
Supports Buffer Underrun Protection: No

Is it Safedisc 2 compliant? I don't know.
I am using CloneCD version: 4.1.0.1. I am currently using one of the profile downloaded from this forum (SafeDisc 2 & 2.51 AWS). Write speed is max and AWS and Always close last Session are checked.
After I made the backup, it installed fine. But when time to play the game, I can't play. The game told me to eject the disk and reinsert and restart the game. At this point, I can put in the original CD and it works great but not the backup on CD-RW (keeps telling me to eject and reinsert and restart).
I am burning the backup with computer A and install and play the game on computer B. Computer B has DVD/Burner combo and Blindwrite installed (no CloneCD). "HideCDR Media" is an option in CloneCD tray icon, am I correct? I don't have CloneCD installed in computer B where I play the game.
I am stumped here. Thanks for any suggestion. I don't know if I answered all you want to know.

[dx]

From what I've read, your Sony drive is not Safedisc v2 compliant. So no matter what you try you cannot clone this disc. Safedisc v2 checks for certain things on the CD before it will play. It also checks for ATIP (it's the info that identifies a CDR or CDRW to your burner). So if you play it in a burner you MUST enable "HideCDR Media" (yes its a tray option ). If it still fails to play in your burner with CloneCD HideCDR Media turned on...then you have confirmed that your drive is not SD v2 compliant.

So instead of driving yourself nuts and wasting more time...get a No-CD check exe to remove the CD check. Try Gamecopyworld, Gamefix, or Google for these.

[ils]

I used Safedisc2Cleaner_v120 to clean the exe file and I can run the game from my hard drive now which is what I wanted originally. I gave up on trying to clone the original CD to the CD-RW. When I have a chance I will try out that new version of CloneCD. I don't know if you can tell that I am not much of a game guy. I spend most of my free times with my kids and use what's left of it editing digital pictures (taking pictures of special events; wedding, birthday, etc...). I have only two games on my notebook which are Unreal Tournament, and Max Payne, and I have managed to spend a total about 27 minutes on both games in a period of about 6 months.
Anyway, thanks to both of you and it's a comfort to think that there are help out there when needed.

[Mantra]

ils i had the same problem with the same cd-recorder

i update the firmware and now it does copy everyting

look here
h$$p://forum.firmware-flash.com/portal.php

[ils]

Thanks Mantra. I will definitely give that a try.
Right now, I am trying to decide if No One Lives Forever 2 or James Bond: Nightfire. I tried the demo of both games but the Nightfire keep giving my computer problem (any changes in the option lock my computer up). I am leaning toward the NOLF 2 because it's funny and the demo worked flawlessly in my computer.
Again, many thanks and I will look at the site. What I really want to do is run the game from the hard drive and if I can't do that, I want to run it off a backup CD.

[ils]

Mantra,
I have a quick question: if I do a firmware update, what do I do if the update fails half way? Normally, this would render the drive as a nice piece of paperweight because it's invisible to the computer's operating system. Is there a way to reflash the hardware to restore it to its original state or do I need to buy a new one? I am afraid buying the new one is the only answer.

[Mantra]

i have a sony flash utility that FORCE the flash update

it's an exe and u must copy the *.bin file in the same dir

u could update wich bin do u like!