Burning PC Games (Daemon Tools) FAQ

[gibbocool]

This guide is one of a series of guides that are the TorrentSpy FAQ

What is DAEMON Tools?

DAEMON Tools is an application for advanced copy protection emulation with an implemented virtual DVD ROM drive. Means it helps you to play copies of nearly every CD available. This software may only be used to create or run backup copies of legally owned CDs. We DO NOT SUPPORT software piracy in any form! We cannot be held responsible if you are going to use this software for illegal activities such as copyright infringement or software piracy.

Get DAEMON Tools HERE

Why does dumping an image of protected games take hours on my PC?

This is because a lot of CDROM drives have problems reading the unreadable sectors some copy protections use. Use DAEMON Tools Fastdump feature if the game is protected with Safedisc. Consult readme.txt or manual (right-click DAEMON Tools systray icon and select 'Help' --> 'Manual') on how to use fastdump.

Why does the game xyz not run although Daemon is installed correctly?
OR
I have mounted the image of game xyz correctly, but when i start the game it asks me for the original CD. What i'm doing wrong?

1. You need a 1:1 Copy for DAEMON Tools to emulate a copy protection. Also check if you enabled the correct protection emulation in the menu according to the protection scheme which is described in the 1:1 Copy section.
2. Usually games need to be played from the same drive they have been installed from. You can uninstall and reinstall the game or change the CDROM drive lettters. The manual explains how to change drive letters.
3. Some games even need to be played from the lowest drive letter.
4. Some protections uses special commands that prevents run the game in recorders. Use your CDROM instead.

Why does the Safedisc 2 emulation not work?

Use the Fastdump feature of DAEMON Tools to create your image! Then burn this image like normal. This copy will work if you enable Safedisc emulation in the DAEMON manager (right-click DAEMON Tools systray icon and select 'Emulation' --> 'Safedisc').

I downloaded an ISO of the game "XXX" from the web and it does not work with DT! What's up?

We don't know! And honestly we care a damn about it. We do not support the use of warez or illegal copies.

DAEMON Tools cannot open my image! Why?

1. Your image wasn't created by a supported burning program.
2. Your image was 'dumped' badly. Recreate it using a lower reading speed and/or use another burning program to create the image.
3. Your ISO image was created by EasyCD. EasyCD creates images with the ending *.ISO, but these images are no ISO images. ISO is an open standard and EasyCD violates it's specifications. Recreate the image using another burning program. Anyway we do not recommend the use of EasyCD on a PC where DAEMON Tools is installed (or the other way round).

How can I create an Image?

Use a program like Disc Juggler, CDRWin, Alcohol 120%, Disc Dump, CloneCD or Blindwrite.

When I try to make an image the program which creates the image stops with an error - Is there a way to bypass that problem?

1. Try another CD/DVDROM or CD/R(W) drive.
2. Make sure you selected 'IGNORE' or 'SKIP' errors (NOT ABORT)!

I have a perfect 1:1 raw image mounted with DAEMON and also installed from this image but the program still requests "Insert CD"!

1. Change the name of the virtual drives in DAEMON Manager.
2. Your program may have blacklisted DAEMON Tools in a different way. Download the latest DAEMON Tools version. If you already have it go to the Support Forum and read the messages there - if you cannot find a message dealing with your problem post a new message including DETAILED information about the software you wanted to run as well as your system specs and installed programs.

I made an image with a software and want to burn it with a second one, but the burning program doesn't recognize the image - How can i cope with that?

Mount the image generated with the first software and burn with the second software from DAEMON Tools 'Generic DVD-ROM' which contains the mounted image (you may even burn 'on the fly').

My CD writer is not able to burn in RAW mode and/or doesn't write (full) subchannel data. Can I create a working backup anyway?

If the CD is protected with SAFEDISC®, SAFEDISC® 2, SECUROM® or LASERLOCK® create a 1:1 copy anyway and enable the according emulation option in DAEMON Manager to play from this copy. For SAFEDISC® 2 your image must have been created using DAEMON Tools Fastdump feature. Also read this FAQ!

I have a perfect image which works great when mounted with DAEMON Tools - but if I burnt it to CD the program refuses to work from the copy. I tried all the emulation options but nothing helped - how do I create a backup copy?

1. Your software is SAFEDISC® 2 protected. Read here!
2. If your image is not too big (or use 99 min media if your CDROM/CD-RW supports them - you can get those media at Disc4You) you can burn the image files (eg. *.cue/*.bin, *.iso etc...) to CD. This means to backup the image files themselves - if you access the CD later you should only see your image itself (eg. *.cue/*.bin, *.iso etc...), not what it CONTAINS! This way you can mount the image to 'Generic DVD-ROM' directly from CD.

Is CDRDAO compatible with DAEMON?

Yes, just the extension of the biggest image file to *.ISO and mount this file in DAEMON Tools. We cannot guarantee this will work always.

I don't want to find out if my backup is protected with SAFEDISC®, SAFEDISC® 2, SECUROM® or LASERLOCK® - can i use all three emulation options at the same time?

Should cause no problems. Anyway we cannot guarantee it will work always. So better try and identify the used protection. Read this section to find out how.

I cannot hear any sound from the tracks of a mounted image! What's wrong?

1. Your soundcard driver may not be WDM compatible your you didn't enable 'Digital CD Audio' for 'Generic DVD-ROM' (refer to manual on how to do so).
2. Alternatively enable 'Analog Audio' in DAEMON Manager.

Can i mount an AUDIO cuesheet which refers to MP3 files?

No, the files must be in *.wav format. We cannot see any sense in mounting MP3 files as they can played directly from HD anyway.

Windows Media Player says 'Digital audio is not available' when at least one 'Generic DVD-ROM' is active. What's wrong?

This is bug in Windows Media Player affecting all systems with more than one CDROM (including virtual drives, of course). If you want this feature you must bring the drive letters of your CDROM drives to the same order as listed in ASPI manager. To view this list start any burning program using ASPI (eg. CDRWin) and open device list.

Will DAEMON Tools ever support image formats of other programs (e.g. WinOnCD, Prassi etc.)?

It is possible. DAEMON Tools now supports a plugin system. Now, 3rd party image formats can be added.

Will DAEMON Tools ever support more than 4 drives?

No, never.

There may be one or more third-party applications which perfom something similar to this. Please check the Main Site for more information.

Will DAEMON Tools support mounting a directory?

Not directly, but Windows 2000/XP will let you do this only if you are using NTFS:

1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type compmgmt.msc and click OK
4. Click Disk Management
5. Right-click on the Generic DVD-ROM Drive (in the bottom pane)
6. Click Change Drive Letter and Paths
7. Click Add
8. Click Mount in the following empty NTFS folder
9. Enter or browse for an empty folder
10. Click OK
11. Click OK
12. If you want to remove the drive letter, click on the letter, then click Remove, then click Yes
    This works for harddrives too!

Will DAEMON Tools emulate a CDRW or DVD-RW?

No, for sure not as this doesn't make any sense. We cannot see any reason why a writing device should be emulated, even for testing purposes to see if a burned image would work. Burn to a RW media if you need to test. The main problem in emulating (apart from it's senselessnes) a burning device is that every writer has different abilities. And most programs usually support each writer on individual basis, so they will not work with virtual burner without special support.

My system crashes when i change number of PHANTOM drives in Win9x!

We have some reports that this may happen after you have run CVGS at least once after reboot! If you want to change the number of drives after you used CVGS better reboot first. CVGS seems to tamper with some system components that cause crash when Windows searches for new devices.

Further assistance

* This thread can not be replied to. For comments, questions, or suggestions related to this guide, please create a new thread indicating what step in this guide you got stuck on: here.

References:

• daemon-tools.cc - original post can be read here