Dvd drive help

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Hi I'm not sure I'm in the right forum but I'm desperate. :(
My problem involves my _NEC+-RW ND-3530A dvd drive. It is only 2 months old and yesterday I installed something called starforce cleaner. Afterwards my dvd drive has failed to function meaning read or recognize any kind of disc cd or dvd. The drive is still listed under my computer but I keep getting message please insert disc. I've moved all my data to an external hard drive and reinstalled xp twice to no avail. I've also removed the drive from the computer and put it back again. No change. Can please someone offer some suggestions? Thanx in advance!
 
That sucks sounds like what happend after I tried to upgrade win98/2k the os doesn't see the cdrom drive at all.

Did you do a fresh install then try to see if winxp saw the drive.
 
I did a dell system reset, as I do not have a windows xp installation cd. But the reset wipes everything and restores to factory conditions. And yes xp does recognize the drive. Just can't figure it out unless something is not configured right.
 
you do have your drivers disc though right, before you install almost everything on them go to your control panel and check to see if there are any driver problems. Then make sure all the drivers are updated for the drive.

your lucky at least it see's your drive. :(
 
well windows shows that all the drivers are installed for it, and no I do not have a driver cd. The package I ordered from dell did not come with one nor an xp installation cd either for that matter. So I guess I'll just continue to bang my head against the wall trying to figure this out!(stupid me for trying to get around starforce protection instead of just buying a 30 dollar silly game)
Anyway here's some more info on the file or files that I think caused this mess
I downloaded this file from edonkey
Meta Tag Information
Availability 16
Format exe
Hash 667a268a46dd08899e373eedb870b2ad
Name Starforce Cleaner.exe
Size 18432
Type Pro

And here's a note I received (not sure if it came with download though)

Just a note to say that I did not create this Starforce cleaner tool,
and take no responsibility for any results you obtain when using it.
I just host it as a convenience.
It was originally distributed by either Codemasters or The Adventure Company
-- Jeff Jones
Also this note
Download and execute a file called StarForce Cleaner v 5.0
And bye bye StarForce
Modded bye SFxKaOs
And I also have this tool and was trying to use it after I knew things were really screwed up with my drive. But it's too damn complicated for me to figure out.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// //
// Starforce Nightmare //
// Enjoy! //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
1. Overview
This tool lets you deactivate CDRom drives in your system. Actually it supports
not just deactivating of all drives on IDE channel, like star**** it do, but even a
cd drive separately. Also the combination of hard drive and cd drive on the same channel
would be possible too.
This program is the technical further stage of star**** project. The project star****
had to be freezed for undefined time because our development team has changed.
Before using this program keep in mind: all what you do, you do on your own risk.
Be carefull, if you are using it: not all features will work for every one, it depends
on your hardware and software combination.
If you are not sure about it, delete this program.
Important!!!
After long time beta testing I had to add this information, because not all drives fully
conform to ATA standards and not all commands are supported by those drives.
I don't mean just cd drives, there are LS 120, Zip, MO, Flash drives, even hard drives are involved, and so on. Also, the using of this program can cause physical damage of your IDE drives. There is no other way to find it out, if the drive is fully supported or not, as to try it! BUT THIS CAN CAUSE HARDWARE DAMAGE OF YOUR DRIVES! USE IT ALWAYS ON YOUR OWN RISK!
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, DELETE THIS PROGRAM!
Please don't ask me about, should the program work for you or not, I can't know it for sure.


2. Short briefing (how to)
- IMPORTANT: For correct working you must have administrator rights

Control buttons purposes explanation
- "Disable ch1" // this button lets disable first IDE channel of built-in ATA controller (Primary Channel)
- "Disable ch2" // this button lets disable second IDE channel of built-in ATA controller (Secondary Channel)
- "Disable ATA" // this button lets disable built-in ATA controller
- "Disable CD" // this button lets disable installed ATAPI CDROMs on built-in ATA controller automatically
- "Disable node" // this button lets disable relation to SCSI CDROMs device nodes
.
.
- "Enable ch1" // this button lets reenable first IDE channel of built-in ATA controller (Primary Channel)
- "Enable ch2" // this button lets reenable second IDE channel of built-in ATA controller (Secondary Channel)
- "Enable ATA" // this button lets reenable built-in ATA controller
- "Enable CD" // this button lets reenable installed ATAPI CDROMs on built-in ATA controller automatically
- "Enable node" // this button lets reenable relation to SCSI CDROMs device nodes
----------------------------------------------------------------
If automatical handling doesn't help you to deactivate your drives, you can try its manual equivalent.

- "Pr.Master Off" // this button lets disable one installed drive in master position on Primary Channel
- "Pr.Slave Off" // this button lets disable one installed drive in slave position on Primary Channel
- "Sc.Master Off" // this button lets disable one installed drive in master position on Secondary Channel
- "Sc.Slave Off" // this button lets disable one installed drive in slave position on Secondary Channel
-
- "Pr.Mas-Sl Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in master and slave positions on Primary Channel
- "Sc.Mas-Sl Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in master and slave positions on Secondary Channel
-
- "Pr.M-Sc.M Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in both master positions on Primary and Secondary Channel
- "Pr.M-Sc.S Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in master position on Primary Channel and in slave position on Secondary Channel
- "Pr.S-Sc.M Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in slave position on Primary Channel and in master position on Secondary Channel
- "Pr.S-Sc.S Off" // this button lets disable two installed drives in both slave positions on Primary and Secondary Channel
.
.
- "Pr.Master On" // this button lets reenable one installed drive in master position on Primary Channel
- "Pr.Slave On" // this button lets reenable one installed drive in slave position on Primary Channel
- "Sc.Master On" // this button lets reenable one installed drive in master position on Secondary Channel
- "Sc.Slave On" // this button lets reenable one installed drive in slave position on Secondary Channel
-
- "Pr.Mas-Sl On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in master and slave positions on Primary Channel
- "Sc.Mas-Sl On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in master and slave positions on Secondary Channel
-
- "Pr.M-Sc.M On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in both master positions on Primary and Secondary Channel
- "Pr.M-Sc.S On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in master position on Primary Channel and in slave position on Secondary Channel
- "Pr.S-Sc.M On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in slave position on Primary Channel and in master position on Secondary Channel
- "Pr.S-Sc.S On" // this button lets reenable two installed drives in both slave positions on Primary and Secondary Channel

- IMPORTANT: After clicking on needed button you'll see "Processing..." in main window caption
!!!Be patient, don't click any button till "Processing..." caption will be changed to "Starforce Nightmare"


3. System requirements
This tool is designed for using under Windows XP-Windows 2003 Server (Beta support for Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98 and Windows 95)
(IMPORTANT: This tool will not work under Windows 95)
(On Windows2000 systems your host should not be administrated externally by another main computer in the network, else you will not be able to run it properly)


4. Known issues
Since starforce version 3.4.65.09 to prevent old star**** methods for deactivating
cd drives starforce goes a very hardware incompatible way. StarForce protected game tries
to reset ide channel before it begins to check protected disk. Therefore this can take up
to 2 minutes before starforce begins with its disk check. All users, who have CD
drive on SCSI controller, ATAPI CD Drive on ATA/RAID controller, CD drive on USB controller
and even coming hardware innovation called CD drive on SATA controller, all those users are
involved by this hardware incompability issue of Starfore protection. This hardware
incompability appears even than, if you remove all your drives from IDE channel physically
and deactivate your IDE channels in BIOS to set needed resources free, also you don't even
need to use our program to find it out. That's, what you get with Starforce.
It seems, starforce team doesn't care about its hardware compability and not just that, they
don't care about software compability of their product, for which they want money.
If they try to reset the channel, they "play" with priority system of windows os, therefore don't
wonder if your computer will crash or after few times starting the starforce protected game
in such environment you will not be able to start any windows application more. It happens since
starforce version 3.4.65.09 and above.
On our test systems we were very often able to reproduce this software crash issue.
As you see, all what starforce has done before is useless. What they added to the protection
is just rapidly increased hardware and software incompability, nothing more, nothing less.
It's diffucult to imagine, what will be next hardware/software incompability level, if starforce
tries to prevent methods present in this program. How far they will go with their paranoid
idea to don't care about the hardware and software compability of their protection?
How it will work on coming PCI Express? How it will work with controllers in native mode?
I have already noticed many problems with starforce and native mode controllers.
For example most of Nforce2,3+ users can already set their IDE controller in native mode since
windows xp sp1> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devic...ve-modeATA.mspx
Just add to registry
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\PnP\Pci]
"EnableNativeModeATA"=dword:00000001(cont)
 
And in the near feature native mode for IDE controllers will be necessity for coming windows
systems to get "Windows hardware logo" from Microsoft. As you see, the world of hardware
don't stay on the same level, but all what starforce do is degrading its hardware and software
compability.
If you, as game developer or distributer, bring your software, games or updates to users
you have to take into account, that even with update of starforce protection the compability of
your software will rapidly sink instead expected improvements. Especially by considering last
events.
Still want to protect your games with starforce?
As user you have to take into account, that if you buy new hardware, for example, just
new motherboard, it may happen, that your favorite games will not run on such system
due the hardware incompability with starforce protection. Or if you are already a
owner of last computer hardware and starforce game started till now without problems, than you
can just install update on your game and you will no more be able to run it from original
disk on your computer.
Still want to buy such games protected by starforce?
You see, to create this program you need deep expert knowledge of hardware
architecture and as you see, we have it, else this program wouldn't exist.
All, what I want to say with, my opinion described above is not just yeasty words, it is
reality. So think about it, what you buy for your money.

PS: it works fine even for starforce version 3.4.65.11, but as described above, by
using the function "deactivate channel" since version 3.4.65.09 you may have to wait up
to 2 minutes till starforce finished its senseless trying to reset your channel.
It is the problem of hardware incompability of starforce and appears on every system
without physically installed ATAPI drives on IDE controller.
By using the function of deactivating cd drives separately it should start immediately

5. Contacts
If you have some comments and suggestions, send your mail to: starforce.for.de@gmail.com

Anyway thanks! :mad:
 
TRy updating your DVD Rom firmware. Go to manufacture's website and search for downloads/firmware. If not firmware prob, this software might have completely damaged your DVD ROM. That would major suc.

Good luck,
 
Tried that already. No luck....
Yeah I think its shot. But good news is I just got off the phone with dell and they're overnighting a new one to me. Damn glad I sprung for the extended warranty :giddy:
 
Wow, that's great, I assume you didn't mention HOW it died! :grinthumb
That was an interesting post you did above about this software Starforce.
Never heard of it before. What games use this security function? I definately won't buy any that does.
Thanks.
 
3. System requirements
This tool is designed for using under Windows XP-Windows 2003 Server (Beta support for Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98 and Windows 95)
(IMPORTANT: This tool will not work under Windows 95)
(On Windows2000 systems your host should not be administrated externally by another main computer in the network, else you will not be able to run it properly)

This might be why you had a problem. It looks like this program is for administrators so they can disable client computers so they cannot play games or stop them from playing games on the network.

That's pretty cool if you can just stop the drive on a clients computer. Could you imagine your self right in the middle of your favorite videogame and right before you beat the level booom stuff just stops working or you have lost your rights to save to harddrive but that was an hour ago and the game had already preloaded everything to the drive. so when your ready to save you get access denied or drive not found, or you do not have permission to save to this drive.

now that would be funny, but I am not trying it, until I load up my Server 2003 Enterprise on a server and test it.
 
Here is a list of starforce protected games, and no way in hell did I tell em..LOL. :angel:
- 1944 - La batalla del Bulges [v3.4.71.17] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- 7 sin [v3.4.71.19] (Copia 1:1 perfecta) (Parche 100% operativo)
- Afrika korps VS desert rats [v3.3.31.21] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Area 51 (DVD) [v3.4.76.0] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Battlemages [v3.3.33.8]
- Blitzkrieg - Rolling thunder [v3.4.50.1] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Codename: Panzers - Phase one (3 CDs) [v3.3.37.2] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Colin Mc Rae rally 2005 (DVD) [v3.4.49.1] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Cossacks II - Napoleonic wars (2 CDs) [v3.4.65.11] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Counter terrorist SF - Fire for effect (DVD) [v3.4.71.19] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Cultures III (Northland)[v3.4.76.0] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Cycling manager 3
- Cycling manager 4 [v3.3.36.1]
- D Day (2 CDs) [v3.4.41.1] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Dead to rights (3 CDs) [v3.3.37.26]
- Domination (2 CDs) [v3.4.76.0] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Etherlords 2 (2 CDs) [v3.3.31.21] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Fair strike (2 CDs) [v3.3.33.3]
- Fire department
- Freedom force VS The third reich (2 CDs) [v3.4.76.0]
- Gangland [v3.3.36.1]
- GTR FIA GT Racing game (2 CDs) [v3.4.70.2] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Juana de Arco [v3.3.36.1] (Parche disponible 100% operativo)
- Kill switch (2 CDs) [v3.3.33.8] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Korea - Forgotten conflict [v3.3.27.36]
- Manager de liga 2005[v3.4.50.1]
- Medieval lords - Build, defend, expand [v3.4.43.1] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Mortyr II - For ever [v3.4.50.1] (Parche 100% Operativo)
- Obscure (1 DVD) [v3.3.36.1] (Parche 100% Operativo)
- Pac Man World 2 [v3.3.30.11] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Pax romana [v3.3.30.11]
- Pro cycling manager 2005 [v3.5.7.0] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Psychotoxic ( 3 CDs) [v3.4.71.19] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Real Madrid club de fútbol (DVD) [v3.4.50.1]
- Scrapland (2 CDs( [v3.4.50.1] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Shade - Wrath of angels [v3.4.53.0] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Silent Hunter III [v3.4.71.19] (Parche 100% operativo)
- Singles [v3.3.33.6](supuesto crack funcionando: NO es mi caso)
- Singles II - ¿Tres son multitud? [v3.4.76.0] (Parche 100% Operativo)
- Still life [v3.4.65.11] (Parche 100% Operativo)
- Soldiers - Heroes of WWII [v3.3.36.1] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Splinter cell - Chaos theory [v3.4.71.19]
- Sudeki (DVD) [v3.4.71.19]
- The black mirror (2 CDs) [v3.3.27.36] (Parche 100% operativo)
- The entente [v3.3.37.26]
- The fall - Last days of Gaia (2 CDs) [v3.4.63.3] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- The kreed [v3.3.27.36]
- The suffering (2 CDs) [v3.3.37.2]
- Toca race driver 2 (1 DVD) [v3.3.35.2]
- Trackmania
- UFO Aftermath ( 2 CDs) [v3.3.27.31]
- Victoria - Un imperio bajo el sol [v3.3.30.5]
- Virtual skiper 3
- WWII Frontline command [v3.3.0.26] (Copia 1:1 perfecta)
- Xpand rally (2 CDs) [v3.4.43.1] (Parche 100% Operativo)

StarForce Professional 3.0 is the first system that offers a multi-level and fully-functional protection, which encrypts not only the executable files, but also non-executable files included in the application. StarForce protected games exe files are protected in many ways making reverse code engineering difficult.

Most of the other copy protection (SafeDisc 2 SecuRom *New* etc.) incorporate various uncopyable "digital signatures" or other marks, which are applied on the CD's surface utilizing special mastering equipment. When such a CD is copied using CD Burning software, these "digital signatures" don’t transfer to the copy, thus making it difficult to burn. Yet, there are many problems associated with copy protections of this kind. The main problem is the fact that the glass master can be made only at the replication facilities that possess special mastering equipment. Also, these days there are many sophisticated CD burning programs widely available (such as CloneCD, Alcohol 120%, Blindwrite etc.) that can make copies in RAW mode and recreate the original disc sector-by-sector, ignoring the "digital signatures" all together. Finally, altering the physical structure of the CD by applying the "digital signatures" can lead to compatibility problems of the protected discs with CD/DVD-ROM drives that consumers use. StarForce protection systems do not require the use of any "digital signatures" on the CD's surface. The protection reads and evaluates the native physical parameters of the genuine CD's. These physical parameters cannot be copied from CD to CD because they depend on the complex unique structure of the glass master. The CD's containing the same product but manufactured from different glass masters have distinct physical parameters. The StarForce protection allows the extraction of a 24-byte alpha-numeric key, using only one of the genuine CD's and an ordinary CD-ROM drive. This key contains information about the physical parameters of the CD's of a particular batch. The key is used by the protection module, embedded in the executable file of the games application, as a replica for identification of the genuine CD's. It allows the launching the protected games application only if the CD is identified as genuine, that is, its physical parameters correspond/match to this particular key, and it is located in the CD/DVD-ROM drive. If you want to learn more about the official release of StarForce click here.

Detection Of The Protection

You can use one of the many protection detection tools from our Game Copy Protection Identifying Tools page to identify whether the protection is being used on your game.

Burning/Backup Solution

There are several different methods you can use to successfully burn/backup your game, as follows:

StarForce Professional v3.0 has been released recently and there is no known way to successfully backup games protected with this version. Previous versions can be copied with the following methods:

You can use CloneCD to successfully burn the game. Use ClonyXXL to scan the game, it will then tell you what protection is being used on the game (StarForce) and the correct settings to use in CloneCD to successfully backup the game. You can also use Alcoholer protection scanner and Alcohol 120% burning software. Use Alcoholer to scan the game, it will then tell you what protection is being used on the game (StarForce) and the correct settings to use in Alcohol 120% to successfully backup the game. BlindWrite can also successfully burn a game with this protection on it. You can also use Daemon Tools to emulate the game and the protection. *Remember, if you experience problems with burning the game at high speeds, (2 speed +) (both the read and write process), then burn the game at lower speeds such as 2 speed and under (both read and write process). A lot of the time burning the game at slow speeds will solve problems of the install not working, or the burner not bypassing the CD's protection
 
Wow, I had no idea so many games were protected like that. I hate games were you have to run them with the CD in the drive, you always have to remember to put it in there and keep it handy etc. I got a new gaming rig a month ago and the GeForce 6600GT vid card came with a bunch of lower end games. They ALL had to have the CD in the drive to play them. As soon as I found that out I uninstalled the 2 I had loaded and thru them in a box, Fk em. :dead:

That's too bad Splinter Cell is on that list, was going to get that game, not now.

Cheers, Thanks for the info and all the best with your new DVD, sweet!
 
Remember if you get software and the readme says for Windows Server anything and you don't have windows ex. Windows Server 2003 Enterprise installed as your OS don't use the software.

and the documentation doesn't even mention Windows XP at all so that should have been a big warning not to use it.

You must always read the readme and take the reade me serious plus when you install beta software your using unsupported software that probably is glitchy and it is very risky so be careful and I hope you fix your drive have you tried turning it back on using the BETA software.
 
Thanks for the info Bill. Will look ahead in the future. Now I have my new drive not gonna take any more chances. Join the ban against Starforce protected games!!!! And BTW,kirock, it was splinter cell chaos theory that messed me up, or rather trying to get around the protection. :grinthumb
 
i am having a similiar problem and i bought a new dvd-rw and still it wont work ,device manager says driver cannot run because it is missing or corrupted (code)39 can any one help
 
Windows should be able to install it's default driver for it if you remove it form the Control Panel/System/Device Manager/. Click on Properties and uninstall. Now reboot and Windows should find new hardware and just let it install again.

As far as software, there are many products out there to use like PowerDVD for watching movies and Nero6.0 for burning DVDs. CDs etc. These are not free.

If you have any problems after you install the windows driver (not playing etc) go to maddog website and search for firmware download for your make/model. Make sure you get the right model!!!, you can kill your DVD player if you download and install the wrong firmware. Firmware is machine code language written to on-board RAM in the DVD palyer, it can make the unit work better then ever or you can put the wrong one on and kill it.

Cheers,
 
i have tried uninstaling and the reinstalling and it says " problem occured during hardware installation your hardware may no be working properly" this is a new burner the old one did the same thing....what can i do ???
 
Change the IDE cable (data cable from mother board to DVD unit). At least check that it is seated properly at both ends. The red line goes toward the 3 pin power connector. Does the BIOS recognize the unit properly? Hold delete on boot-up to enter BIOS menu. It will be in the 1st menu option.

If this fails you may need to search maddog website for installation problems with WinXP.
 
Starf*ck or starcleaner is designed to hide the real drives from the security (starforce) so that you can play off a mounted copy. All you have to do is unhide the drives. Download it from here!
Just run it then click enable cd drives and it should be fine
 
SFN request of help

I tried in other sectors, but...
hope here you can help me, thanks in advance

Horrible
with starforce nightmare it was disabled CD and node, while there was a black out in electric power.
once PC restarted it was a disaster: impossible to charge OS (XP Pro), nor in temporary mode.
Tried a lot of solutions, working only F2: and seems it doesn't find SATA Hard Disk, and F8 but cannot charge the OS.
Tried also temporary mode with debug, and locked automatic restart in case of error: crash message says IROL_DEVICE_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (seems missing a file in SATA driver).
Most of times it doesn't see the Disk and video is blank: seems that SFN caused this: I'm trying to seek a solution before deciding to re-install all again (it'd be the third time, and takes four days)
OS XP Pro
Celeron 2.8
HD SATA 160Mb
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256
RAM 1Gb
Thank You for help!
 
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