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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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 Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 16:34 Post subject: Starforce Best Way Around |
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Some 2 weeks ago someone posted that with your DVD Drives connected to a PCI ATA RAID card and disabling it before running any SF game would work flawless.
After some tests I found something even more easy and cheap, you don't need to buy any Controller Card, you just need to have a SATA HD (with windows installed on it), and go to device manager disable your onboard IDE Controller.
I've tested it first with my 3 PCs, but I have suceded testing this method with more 4 PCs of some friends, for all those who have windows installed in a SATA HD, just disable your onboard controller before playing any SF game.
I suceded with Prince of Persia the two thrones and X3 Reunion, both SF 3.5+ games
Tested with nForce 2, 3, 4 Boards
1) Mount your SF Game Image in DT4
2) Go to Device Manager and disable your IDE/ATAPI controllers
3) Play the Game as Starforce doesn't even exist
hope this method will help some of you 
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 16:53 Post subject: |
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you said "2) Go to Device Manager and disable your IDE/ATAPI controllers ",aren't you talking about DVD\CD-ROM Drives,i'm not sure what ide/atapi controllers are about,but when i disable my dvd\cd-rom devices from the device manager,many starforce games work.I have nforce 3 motherboard.
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 17:09 Post subject: |
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controller is a bus system where something is connected to
every single motherboard has a ATA controller (for ATAPI devices), a SATA controller (for SATA devices), a PCI controller (for PCI devices) and so on.
if you disable only CD/DVD units, starforce will check the controller for inactive hardware connected to the controller.
what you have to disable is the controller itself, that way Starforce will never check for inactive hardware because your ATA controller is deactivated.
the main concern about this way around is that you NEED to have Windows installed in a SATA HD, otherwise, in a ATA controller the PC would just freeze.
within Device Manager you have a list of all the hardware you've got, one of wich says (IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers)
just go there and deactivate it before running any SF Game, and when you finish playing just turn it back on.
this method will solve the unplugging of hardware before you run any SF Games
StarForce is often divided in 2 groups SF <3.5 and SF 3.5> , this division is made because SF 3.5> games required physical unplugging of CD/DVD Drives in order for the game to work.
this method changes that annoying solution because everything is made by software instead of hardware, you simply need to disable your controller and the game will work flawless
Remember: never follow this method if you have Windows installed in a ATA HD, your PC will freeze immediately.
good luck
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 17:45 Post subject: |
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I guess its just a matter of time until those idiots who code starforce are gonna fix this "bug".
Maybe in Version 3.8 or 3.9 and if not there then at least for version 4.
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 18:16 Post subject: |
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yes i have SATA HD, i will try that whit some starforce game.But i wanna ask something,in my device manager i have two controllers in the ide/atapi controllers menu:
Nvidia CK8S Parallel Ata Controller
Nvidia CK8S Serial Ata Controller
do i have to disable them both or just one of them.
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 19:34 Post subject: |
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Does this work on NON-Nforce boards? Abit or Asus with SATA? I ask this because starforce has trouble detecting nforce MBs to begin with.
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 19:45 Post subject: |
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Doesn't work here, my pc just reboots when i try to run a starforce game that way.
And yes i have windows installed on a sata hd.
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Tue, 27th Dec 2005 19:59 Post subject: |
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Deportivo: it's the first one - Nvidia CK8S Parallel Ata Controller
sexyjesus: haven't tried that, but I assume it will work, try it
Starforce is programmed to check the active and inactive devices on each controller found, so if no controller is found then the game will run
Edit: this method seems to be flawless so far, I've updated X3 to the latest version and it still works every single time
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 01:42 Post subject: |
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Buy an external usb 2.0 box and put your cd/dvd writer into.All problems will be solved.
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 02:12 Post subject: |
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with this method you've got all problems solved, don't spent money, don't have to remove hardware, no nothing, just disabling a little option in your Windows, couldn't be easier
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 08:14 Post subject: Re: Starforce Best Way Around |
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| Ronhrin wrote: | Some 2 weeks ago someone posted that with your DVD Drives connected to a PCI ATA RAID card and disabling it before running any SF game would work flawless.
After some tests I found something even more easy and cheap, you don't need to buy any Controller Card, you just need to have a SATA HD (with windows installed on it), and go to device manager disable your onboard IDE Controller.
I've tested it first with my 3 PCs, but I have suceded testing this method with more 4 PCs of some friends, for all those who have windows installed in a SATA HD, just disable your onboard controller before playing any SF game.
I suceded with Prince of Persia the two thrones and X3 Reunion, both SF 3.5+ games
Tested with nForce 2, 3, 4 Boards
1) Mount your SF Game Image in DT4
2) Go to Device Manager and disable your IDE/ATAPI controllers
3) Play the Game as Starforce doesn't even exist
hope this method will help some of you |
You cant do this with higher version of Starforce...
So go get some Enclosure! its better! 100% works!
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 11:14 Post subject: |
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Kommando: you need to use DT4
Startx: this method allowed to me to play every single Starforce game released so far, even with Starforce 3.5+
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 11:25 Post subject: |
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of course u need dtools4... just a waste of time to try without
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si110
Posts: 334
Location: Hobart,Australia.
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 11:44 Post subject: |
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| luiluilui wrote: | | Buy an external usb 2.0 box and put your cd/dvd writer into.All problems will be solved. |
I have VIA chipset so disabling the controller in device manager doesnt work. I got an enclosure and have had no probs since.
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 18:35 Post subject: |
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| Ronhrin wrote: | Kommando: you need to use DT4
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| Selt wrote: |
of course u need dtools4... just a waste of time to try without |
Ya i know, but when i installed DT4 when it was released, it completely screwed up my PC. All safedisc games were asking for the CD, even if the original CD was in my drive and all the virtual cd hider programs stoped working like giving me all the same error message "nothing to hide".
So i had to format to remove all trace of DT4 and i will never install it again
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 18:40 Post subject: |
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enclosure?
By the way, those with nForce 4 boards, make sure you first update your Mobo drivers. And the make sure you MANUALLY update IDE controllers by pointing it to the driver's folder, that should update it. The 2 separate IDE controllers will be replaced by one Parallel ATA controller
i7 - 2500k
8GB RAM
AMD XFire 6950s
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| Posted: Wed, 28th Dec 2005 20:25 Post subject: |
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it didn`t work for me.I disabled it and it still gave me the insert pop3 cd error.I`m giving up,no game can be worth this much trouble.
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 15:12 Post subject: |
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I have sata and nforce 4 when i disable my ide/ata controllers and start SF game my pc do reboot.
I have in the ide/ata controllers list:
nvidia nforce4 parallel ata controller
nvidia nforce4 serial ata controller
nvidia nforce4 serial ata controller
I'm using DT4.
What i need to do?
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 15:39 Post subject: |
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^^ do you even read above?
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 18:35 Post subject: |
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ast: disable the parallel ATA controler ONLY
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 18:57 Post subject: |
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| Ronhrin wrote: | | ast: disable the parallel ATA controler ONLY |
its still reboot my pc
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Ronhrin
Banned
Posts: 6428
Location: Paradigms are changeable, reality is absolute.
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 20:01 Post subject: |
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your disk should be in use by some operation, before disabling the conrtoller just check if there is something you are using on some cd drive or hd drive connected do that controller.
He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither
- Benjamin Franklin - 1759
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 20:03 Post subject: |
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I have the following:
-Intel(R) 82801FB Ultra ATA Stotage Controllers-2651
-Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Stotage Controllers-266F
-Primary IDE Channel *2(that means two primary ide channels)
-Secondary IDE Channel *2.
I disable the second ultra ATA storage controller 266F and it doesn`t work.
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| Posted: Sat, 31st Dec 2005 21:23 Post subject: |
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if you have a sata board just connect your CD/DVD drive to that... like your HD.
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| Posted: Thu, 12th Jan 2006 21:37 Post subject: |
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Good Day,
I Have two SATA HDD so I will try the solution.But,
1.- Can someone please summarize what thing I have to disable?
2.- Can someone answer why you still need DT4 with this solution. Starforce dont find any IDE so why DT4 is needed?...
Thanks
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| Posted: Thu, 12th Jan 2006 21:50 Post subject: |
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AHHH I almost Forgot,
I have seen all good results with Nforce MB....This is a well known issue....The questions is if this can be done with other motherboards as someone clverly asked?? Thanks
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| Posted: Sat, 14th Jan 2006 00:28 Post subject: |
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Well,
Yesterday night, I tested the idea of using the Disable Option of the IDE CHANNELS in Hardware Tab of Windows. The results are the following,
1.- The Victim: My home PC:
a.- P IV 3.2, 1 MB cache.
b.- 250 GB Sata HDD with XP installed; 160 GB Sata HDD used as backup
c.- 2 GB RAM
d.- Nvidia 6800 GT video card 256 MB DDR3
e.- SB X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card
f.- LG DVD Rom Dirve
g.- LG DVD RAM Rewriter
h.- Asus CDRW 52X
i.- Intel 865 Perl MB
2.- The Target: Starforce (must die)
3.- The Software: X3 Reunion, Price of Persia Two Thrones, Daemon Tools v4.03
4.- The Tests:
a.- Trying to Disable IDE CHANNELS in WIN XP. Leaving only SATA HDDs, the results were a complete DEFEAT!!!. Both X3 and POP, showed a Protection ERROR. So, in conclusion, I assume that as is well known, only nforce MBs let you use this solution.
b.- Using SF Nightmare to disable ide channels, also resulted in no success, which is also a well known issue with SF 3.5 and above.
5.- The Discovery.
Before I start unplugging ide cables I entered the Bios of my MB trying to find some way to disable ide drives leaving the SATA working...Well, under the ADVANCED MENU and choosing the DRIVE option, I came with a list of all detected IDE and SATA drives and an option called "IDE/ATA Configuration". This option had three suboptions, ENHANCED, DISABLED and LEGACY. Enhanced mean all devices enable. Disable, means all devices turned off but sadly also the SATA ones. But here is the discovery...Legacy show a list of conbinations of my Ide and Sata channels. You can leave two operating...I obviously tried leaving both SATA working and all PATA not working....The result?...booting after making changes and trying to play X3 was a COMPLETE SUCCESS. The POP was also a COMPLETE SUCCESS...So this way I dont need to unplug cables, I only need to enter Bios CHANGE ONE OPTION and play all SF games. After playing I changed back the BIOS settings.
6.- Drawbacks.
I dont know if all motherboards let you change this option. With my Intel is possible. Also I used the last version of Daemon Tools. And finally, you need to have SATA drives or maybe an HDD IDE with windows in one channel so as to disable the other one with the Optical ones. Hope this will help...
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| Posted: Sat, 14th Jan 2006 09:20 Post subject: |
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all motherboards have an option in the bios to disable ide controllers. its something people were doing ages ago when starforce first came about but loads of people were whining about it probably because they were to scared to enter the dreaded bios and change 1-2 lines of text to off
its usually the fact that you cant emulate a cd drive with starforce easily nowadays that stops people doing it so much
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