Starforce 3 - The gravestone?

[niom]

Originally Posted by dyn!o

I have loaded original Xpand Rally binaries and it still works with the relase because they cracked Starforce engine, not game

the only way to make this possible is to crack the starforce device drivers.

if they did this, can you please send windows\system32\drivers\prodrv06.sys and windows\system32\drivers\prohlp02.sys as an attachment to this thread?

thxalot

[dyn!o]

Peleon: unfortunately we won't. Starforce protection, like all other CD protections, doesn't allow to use it on your own. You have to use server-like wizard and protect your files online. It's a good idea indeed.

Niom: I see you know the structure of Starforce . That's very good, but prodrv06.sys and prohlp02.sys don't count in this game because they stay untouched (in original form). If you know Starforce basis then you should know that it contains other very important file. Tell me which one? .

Regards.

hehe some dll come into my mind

if they have done it that way they really had to spend a lot of time
reversing it and patching it against all this paranoiac checks SF uses...

[niom]

Originally Posted by dyn!o

If you know Starforce basis then you should know that it contains other very important file

theres always a protect.dll which contains usermode protection stuff, but you said that you have used original binaries ?!

and you said

Originally Posted by dyn!o

it's wiser to find an generic idea like Starforce engine cracking. Then, one crack can work for many StarForce protected games.

thats why i thought the drivers were patched (because they are the only common sf3 component)

or do i miss something?

[dyn!o]

Nice shot.

Every Starforce protected soft contains protect.dll. Last months Starforce freaks are trying to mess a little by changing its name (for instance: protect.dll in Xpand Rally is named xpandrally.bin). I don't know why and I don't know what do they count for.

Niom: Let's see what I wrote:

"...I have loaded original Xpand Rally binaries and it still works..."
I tried to say that the original files (chromeengine2.dll and xpandrally.exe) don't have to be cracked because the modification of xpandrally.bin (protect.dll) was enough.

Drivers are the only common Starforce 3 components? For sure, but don't miss protect.dll.

Regards.

Originally Posted by dyn!o

Nice shot.

Every Starforce protected soft contains protect.dll. Last months Starforce freaks are trying to mess a little by changing its name (for instance: protect.dll in Xpand Rally is named xpandrally.bin). I don't know why and I don't know what do they count for.

They've been doing that forever. It's up to the developer to decide what to rename it to. The dll itself still reports itself as 'protect.dll' in its export table.

Originally Posted by dyn!o

Niom: Let's see what I wrote:

"...I have loaded original Xpand Rally binaries and it still works..."
I tried to say that the original files (chromeengine2.dll and xpandrally.exe) don't have to be cracked because the modification of xpandrally.bin (protect.dll) was enough.

Drivers are the only common Starforce 3 components? For sure, but don't miss protect.dll.

Regards.

Then the crack is not as interesting (even though it is still impressive) protect.dll changes from game to game - the same effort that was put into this particular game will have to be repeated on others. A driver crack, if it existed, would activate all other games too... which is probably why niom got interested