PC Can't dump disc with text printed on data side

Tyree_Cooper

Tyree_Cooper

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So I have a variant of Alone in the Dark 4 for PC. Disc 1 and 2 have extra text written on the data side: "INFOGRAMES ALONE IN THE DARK CD1/2 IFPI LH28". Disc 3 doesn't have it.

I can dump disc 3 no problem, but disc 1 and 2 immediately gives an "unreadable data" error in Alcohol 120%. Both discs are super clean with no scratches.

So I'm wondering if that text is somehow an intentional or unintentional copy protection, and how to dump them for my variant collection.

Thanks!

20210410_160610.jpg
 
You mention you can't dump them, but are you able to browse their contents and install the game? If the answer is no, then it's most likely a pressing error (ie. manufacturing defect).
 
Just installed the game with CD1 and played with CD2 for 30 minutes. Absolutely flawless, no errors at all and the discs didn't do any suspicious seek/stop.
 
That's definitely weird. Is this a US release? Or from what country/region?
Is it an original release or re-release or Best Hits or something like that?
Also would you mind posting the rest of the text/numbers from the ring area? Would be nice to compare to the entries in redump.org

In regards to how to dump it, if it's even possible, you're best bet is with a Plextor drive + DIC
 
It's the Taiwan release of the game for PC, with exclusive CD cover art.
This page lists the game twice, once with unknown copy protection and once with SecuRom new. I'm trying to dump them again with that.


The ring has the same text twice, as seen on the photo, and the other part has a code on the inner part that says K20010706A2. That could be a date of 6 July 2001. Seems to match very accurately since the game was first released end of June 2001, so this version was printed just a month after.
 
Those drawings/text on the data part of discs, like the Saturn and Dreamcast "rings" are typically illegal EFM patterns. IIRC, if one was to trick a drive into reading the Dreamcast rings, it would actually be read as the closest legal EFM (most 0 or most 1), it wouldn't return bad sectors.

In your case, you could simply try to ignore bad sectors. I don't remember Alcohol 120% much, but I'm fairly sure there's an option to do so. That might not be optimal for preservation though.
 
I used the "SecuROM *NEW" profile in Alcohol. Took a long time but managed to dump it. All the bad sectors found were within 2xxx and 8xxx for both discs. I can't find a list of EFM-compatible drives (mine is a MATSHITA UJ8A2). Will be testing the images soon.

It's the first time I encounter a disc that seems to have a protection but Alcohol doesn't find it.
 
Tyree_Cooper said:
I used the "SecuROM *NEW" profile in Alcohol. Took a long time but managed to dump it. All the bad sectors found were within 2xxx and 8xxx for both discs. I can't find a list of EFM-compatible drives (mine is a MATSHITA UJ8A2). Will be testing the images soon.

It's the first time I encounter a disc that seems to have a protection but Alcohol doesn't find it.
Click to expand...
This is everything I have on EFM drives:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com www.dropbox.com
 
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