BUT: the online ACTIVATION is REAL!!! so, i guess, since this is part of a new kind of protection, this belongs here, too...

Half-Life 2 is not Safedisc 3, the only protection it has is online activation, that safedisc 3 is not existent on Half-Life 2 :P

Psssst Ben, it's Tagès.

THE DVD version says 'Please insert Disc' - therefore it must have some protection on it...

Both versions will need to be activated through 'Steam' though...

Ok an update - just 1:1 duped a HL2 disc - it gets past the 'Please Insert Disc' message - but then fails to launch.

A-Ray Scanner says 'nothing found'

Any idea's guys?

It must have some form of protection - to stop people bypassing the download process...

Update: GERMAN version uses SecuROM 5.xx DVD - I found a BWA file here:

http://copybase.ch/Wir.kaufen.nur.be...e=Half+Life++2


Cheers,

MC

ok buys... dont no why copybase.ch said its safedisc

Game Title: Half-Life 2
Game Version: 1.0
Developer: VALVe
Publisher: Vivendi
Region of Origin: UK (DVD Retail)
Protection: SecuROM 5.03.06.0002
Notes: scanned after activation

Guys,

Can we please find out the exact protection used? - None of the 'scanners' I have give me any protection?

MC

I have a downlaoded copy from steam servers. I can copy 1 file to my notebook, and play it on my notebook. I can copy that file to any computer and play it. As long as I sign into steam under my account it will launch the game. no discs, no cracking. They just make you sign in and if your account says you own it, it will load.

Hi Electrox.

Yes - but the DISC version I purchased - makes you insert DISC - I don't want to do this, back and forwards from home ---> office with disc and @ Lan Parties... I want to know if I can a) make a backup or b) use the Steam download exe on my install

As I have paid for the game - and my account will be valid - I see no 'legal' issues to this approach - just hope something is possible.. I like my originals to stay 'original' - e.g. used once to make a backup ;-)

and what about ppl like me who DON'T have broadband / permanent online connection?!? i cannot go online every time i want to play a game, and EVEN IF if could i would call this way of "protection" just "f*ck"!
and, as muzchap said: it's another procedure if you youse the d-load or the retail version...

Just scanned (italian copy):

Game Title: Half-Life 2
Game Version: 1.0
Developer: VALVE
Publisher: Vivendi
Region of Origin: Italian (DVD Retail)
Protection: SecuROM 5.03.06.0002
Notes: scanned after activation

Ahh Xprof interesting :-)

Thank-you! ;-)

I wonder if an emulated image will work! (hoping)

Game Title: Half-Life 2
Game Version: 1.0
Developer: VALVE
Publisher: Vivendi
Region of Origin: UK (DVD Retail)
Protection: SecuROM 5.03.06.0002
Notes: Again scanned after activation

VH

So here's what BB5 has to say about the DVD. This is after I selected the option to clean the curves.



That last curve stumps the hell out of me. I've tried making a clone of this in Alcohol 120% and nothing seems to work. It won't even allow me to select the SecuRom *New* datatype.

BB5 dies after 500,000 or so sectors. Afaik, securom only looks at the first peak so it should not matter.

OMG this sucks if I knew that I need the DVD to play I would have purchased the steam version. Lets make a complain on steam forums when its back online.

germanjulian , All,

I agree - the only reason I got the DVD was to save D/L it every time i wanted to play it!

I live in 3 places...

Place 1 ) Work :-(
Place 2) House in week for work
Place 3) Home @ weekends

I didnt want to D/L 3 times - so I though - aha... I'll buy DVD and Install in all 3 locations!

What a rip-off... I seriously hate Vivendi!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I tried copying my mates 'Steam' exe off - didnt work :-( - it still asked for disc - sob....

I am praying one of you 'legends' on here can make a working backup! :-) :-)

Good luck - may the BWA-Force be with you!

MC

P.S. germanjulian - I have that 'PC case' as well - checked ya webby! - It ROXORZ!

Well heres the reading from my Lite-on SOHC-5252K:


VH

God yours came out perfect. I have no idea why mine came out so bad. Perhaps I should re-install my JLMS DVD-ROM drive and scan the DVD with that.

Ok fella's lets see If I can make this understandable, so bear with me.
I have Counter Strike Condition Zero protected by the same protection, now when I installed it, it not only put it with the Steam games but also created a desktop icon, now if I go thru steam to play all I have to do is open My Games with-in Steam and then choose CS:CZ and start, it authenticates thru Steam and starts without the disk. Now if I choose to start the game from the desktop icon when I double click it asks for the cd, now my guess is that it is asking for the cd to complete authentication since I didn't attempt to start the game thru the Steam application. I hope this makes sense. I got Half-Life 2 thru Steam so I have no way to verify this other than the same happens for Half-Life and Counter Strike (the first ones) since I used the cd's for those install's, go thru steam no cd required, start from desktop icon the cd is required. I hope this makes sense.


Look at the first guide in my signature, it will show you how to clean yours and make it perfect, as long as you have a fairly reasonable one to start with.

Scan the install directory, see if it give anything from there.

if you use steam you can log into your account from anywhere to play, it will even download the needed files and games if they aren't present where you are at.

I've got the CD version of HL2 and found that it asks for the CD if you launch from the desktop icon or from Steam. I used A-Ray Scanner v2.0.1.0 and found the protection to be SecuROM. I was able to make a backup of the first CD (the one that the game authenticates when starting up) using Blindwrite 5 with my Plextor Premium drive. It was a normal SecuROM backup without any problems (runs in my DVD-ROM drive). I haven't tested the backup on any other computers or drives because I'm more interested right now in playing the game.

Update on my prior post: Now the backup doesn't work. It work the first few times and now it won't. Darn! I'm off to try again and refine my backup method.

Has anybody succesfully backed-up the DVD version? I don't mind if its an emulated image or not - i don't care - just need to be able to play in 3 locations without lugging 'dam' disc around :-(

Cheers

MC

Here's instructions (I believe) to play a steam game (I assume HL2) offline after you have activated it once.


How To Make Steam Offline Mode Work

http://steampowered.custhelp.com/cgi...YWdlPTE*&p_li=

yep but not for retail!