here it is, a step-by-step tutorial for backing up ut2003. blindread/blindwrite latest version is needed. a demo can be downloaded at www.blindread.com. being a newbie, i spent several nights after work trying to backup the 3 disk set i bought for $48. not to mention the 15 cdr's i wasted with various software and configurations (boy was my girl pissed since they were hers, i ran out). my son, 3 yrs old, who believe it or not began playing unreal at 2, cannot get of my pc !!! after i noticed several scratches on the original disk 1 which is needed everytime to begin the game, so here we go:

Read Portion: Extract the contents of the cd into an image. (orange arrow from cdrom to disk). When blindread begins follow and apply the following check marks.

1. make make sure you click on general settings, test cd layer access, and that the vso driver is used. if prompted to restart do so, if not go back to main menu.

1.5 next select dump image from cdrom.

2. select your writer from the drop down list

3. check the box with extract subcodes only!!!

4. leave the default location for the image file which would be in the vso/blindread directory. IMPORTANT!!! also leave the default name of the disc as the image name ex: UT2003_CD1.

5. make sure #1 NIBBLE is selected ***

6. check the box with adapt speed.

7. i wrote and read at 4x, thats the speed i recommend.

8. check the box with eject disk if you wish

at this point, it will begin to make the image. errors will occur at the end of the process, around 15 seconds remaining, dont be alarmed, its ok.

NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE A .BWA FILE

1. start bwabuilder application. (cannot be lauched thru the desktop icon, but rather by clicking start/all programs/blindwrite suite/physical cd characteristic dumper).

2. make sure the drive with the disk is selected, set for 4x, and the default 324800.

3. click start mesure, when complete if not given the option to save, click on file and save bwa.

4. !!!URGENT!!! when the process is complete, you will be given the opportunity to save the file, BE SURE TO NAME It THE SAME AS THE IMAGE ex: UT2003_CD1 and no extension because the application will give it the .bwa. ALSO IMPORTANT, the file has to be saved in the same directory where you save the image.

WRITE PROCESS, YOUR ALMOST DONE!!!

1. lauch blindwrite, turquios colored arrow pointing from HD to cdrom

2. click start cd writing wizard

3. be sure you writer is selected, on the information tab, blindwrite will give you information about you drive (max read speed, max write speed, etc) the application will not allow you alter any information under that tab.

4. click on advance. !!!URGENT!!! uncheck all the boxes except DAO pw-it should be the only one with a check mark next to it.

5. i am not sure if your drives characteristics matched mine. the max read, write, and suggested speed were at 48, the buffer size was set at 2048, with rewrite at 10. i would suggest going along with the default settings that blindwrite suggests!!!

6. locate the image. and click start, it will verify the image, simply click next when finish.

7. last step, make sure DAO pw mode is selected, at 4x, and that the box next to USE BWA FILE IF AVAILABLE IS CHECKED!!!!!!!!!! along with the other two boxes. CLICK GO. YOUR DONE.

Also, it is recommended that you run your copy from a cdrom or cdreader-not on writers. Dont ask me why, i read that on the net and for some reason, it's true. I tried running it on my writer and it would not start up, just spin. You might try to use insektor v3 from gameworld.

I hope this tutorial helped, I wish I could have came across something similar when I was trying to backup my disks. It could have same me alot of hours!!! If you need any additional tips or advice, feel free to email me at ppedrog321@cs.com.