hyqwn

It's very sad how greedy record companies are now using these "trojan" based copy protections to stop you from copying your Audio CDs and preventing freedom w/ iPod etc.. Like Alex Halderman proved nothing is 100%.

I know all you CD Freaks know how to disable the MediaMax drivers. The purpose of these instructions is meant to disable the other (less known) trojans being used on Audio CDs.

As always if autorun is turned off there is no need for these instructions, however when it isn't - these drivers will infect your PC and then you need to either reformat or simply remove them as stated below:

HOW TO REMOVE CD AUDIO PROTECTION DRIVERS FROM PC

CDS-300 (MacroVision) http://www.macrovision.com

How to identify: There will be a directory in the root called “CDS300” and multiple files with “CDS” in the name.

Win98/ME: No protection

Win XP/2K: On windows partition (where Windows is installed default is C:/ drive) search for file called “sdcplh.sys” and delete it. You must restart the computer & now copy protection is now permanently disabled.

The default path is C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers

XCP2 (First 4 Internet) http://www.xcp-aurora.com/

How to identify: There will be a file called “VERSION.DAT” if this is opened with Note Pad it will say something like “VERSION=XCP2, Version 1.7”

Win98/ME/2K & XP

Step 1. Press F8 during startup to boot into safe mode.

Step 2: On windows partition (where Windows is installed default is C:/ drive) Search for a file called “$sys$caj.dll” and delete it.

The default path is C:\WINDOWS\system32\$sys$caj.dll

Step 2: Reboot PC and go to “Device Manager” and uninstall all CD/DVD drives and then rescan for hardware changes.

Now the XCP protection is permanently disabled.

If you are looking for info on SunnComm's MediaMax CD3 see: http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~jhalderm/cd3/

hyqwn

See new news post: http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12618

jef195

hyqwn-Good job i fear what is to come in the Future but with Your help i believe we have a fighting Chance.

Halcyon

In the future of EU, posting instructions like these will be illegal.

It's a sad entertainment industry we have to live with...

hyqwn

NOTE: Since Sony has released an update tool to remove the cloaking technology component, this has made it even easier to disable the XCP2 copy protection. I have updated this post.

I tried to make this a little more "Idiot-proof" as I am not trying insult any pros on here.

XCP2 (First 4 Internet) http://www.xcp-aurora.com/

How to identify: There will be a file called “VERSION.DAT” if this is opened with Note Pad it will say something like “VERSION=XCP2, Version 1.7”

Win98/ME/2K & XP

Step 1. Install the patch from: http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html this will remove the cloaking technology component exposing it so you can delete the file in windows without going into safe mode.

NOTE: Optionally, you can avoid installing the patch by booting directly into safe mode. Press F8 during startup to boot into safe mode.

Step 2: On windows partition (where Windows is installed default is C:/ drive) Search for a file called “$sys$caj.dll” and delete it.

NOTE: If you did not install the patch and booted into safe mode, you must restart your PC and boot back into Windows for the next step.

The default path is C:\WINDOWS\system32\$sys$caj.dll

Step 3: Go to “Device Manager” and uninstall all CD/DVD drives and then rescan for hardware changes.

To get to Device Manager, right click on “My Computer”, select “Properties”, click on the “Hardware” tab and then select “Device Manager”.

Find where it says “CD/DVD Drives” and highlight and right click on each of your drives (this must be done on all drives in order to remove the filter). Then select “Uninstall” and your drive will be gone.

Finally when all your drives are gone, go to the “Action” button and select “Scan for Hardware Changes” and let Windows refresh your drives.

Now the XCP protection is permanently disabled.

hyqwn

Or users can simply install SlySoft's AnyDVD, which I just recently learned defeats the Sony Rootkit infection. http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html

drdexter33

Hi there.

Yes, I am one of the gullible people who installed Music Player Version 1.0.11.09290 and OpenMG on my machine after buying Trey Anastasio's new album Shine.

I naively did this thinking that it was a fairly benign application and for some strange reason the CD wasn't being recognized as a music CD!

So some of my collegues in the office were quick to clue me into my mistake..

At any rate, they told me to remove the app, but following these instructions, I wasn't able to find a file called VERSION.DAT or a DLL called $sys$caj.dll.

Perhaps I am using the wrong set of instructions.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Doug

Haldrie

drdexter,
From what I can tell after reading the above posts the VERSION.DAT file should be located on the CD itself and the $sys$caj.dll file should be located in the WINDOWS directory on your hard drive (drive C:\). Of course this will only be true if the protection being used on the CD was the XCP2 protection. Since I have never actually encountered any kind of Audio CD protection there really isn't much more I can say about this.

Dave McMahon

I haven't bought media for years, I just don't want to give them my money! I only come on here to get advice on (recently) how to rip a BBC stream for a customer!

I don't rip off media (other than above) because I listen to internet radio.... erm yeah you know how that's going!, so it sounds like silence for me in the future (dammed if i'm gonna buy anything for about 5 years (it'll take at least that long for them to change the business model!/ Go bust

I also hate the way that songs,films(movies) etc are now just media (like tinned beans) it makes feel like a prat (idiot) going into HMV (music shop in UK)

Feel better now! Delete this post if you like, I've had my therapy!

p.s gonna turn off Autorun in my future computers that go to teenagers etc.