SQ1EGA - How to Determine the Version?

[Tawmis]

The problem was 'solved', way back in the day (DOS 3.x). I used to have several utilities (one of them was called CopyRight or something like that - anyone else remember that app?) that would copy the entire floppy, bad sectors and all.

I guess the 'bad sector' solution wasn't as secure as Sierra wanted, or maybe they had way too many customer service calls with the copy protection not working properly.

Yeap, you're right. I think I used a program called CopyIIPc that allowed me to copy the discs, with the `bad sectors'. I remember it wasn't that difficult to find software that let you make a complete copy. Even though some programs claimed they'd make a complete copy but didn't really work. Sure brings back memories of those days

CopyIIPC is what I used back in the day as well.

[gumby]

It is strange that, the "Bad Sector" thing has not yet been "hacked" properly by some software to get around it, considering how old it is.

Re-reading your post, I realized that my brain malfunctioned on the first fly-by. You're right - it seems to me that someone by now should have written a bypass for these checks, for today's computing. Now that's an endeavor that sounds like some fun...

[Collector]

The problem is that even with a physical internal floppy drive, modern Windows doesn't allow the low level access that these kinds of schemes require, so you would need to boot into real DOS to make it work or to use a program such as CopyIIPC. Rather than hack the fake bad sector, it is better to hack the AGI or executable to skip the CPC.COM check. That is what the SUP (Sierra Un-Protector) did. It is the approach that Sierra took for the AGI games in their collections, rather than to recompile the games without the copy protection.

[MusicallyInspired]

I remember using SUP. I still have it archived on some old floppies lying around somewhere (probably packed away actually).

[Collector]

I have it. When I get around to putting up a page for the AGI tools, I'll have it with them.

[audiodane]

Reviving a slightly old thread ... pardon the summarizing quotation:

I just recently purchased the 1st edition release of Space Quest 1 and I'm struggling to determine just what version I have (specific software version). [...] It came on two 5.25" floppies, which I was able to create images of using my fancy pants external USB 5.25" floppy drive (You can have one too! Details on my blog - see signature) [...] Since this is an early AGI game, it has that pesky copy protection that involves encryption that actually looks at the sectors on the disk to verify authenticity. [...] Now... I'm not struggling to play the game. I can do that by either copying in SIERRA.COM from the copy of SQ1EGA in the SQ Collection or by just using ScummVM.

What I'm trying to do is determine what version of the game I have. When I run the game using the either of the two methods described above, the opening credits state that I have version 2.2. [...] I tried the SUP program that's referrenced in that link, but it too asks for a floppy and doesn't think my images are the real deal.

So my question to collectors out there is: How can I tell what version I have?

Can I trust what ScummVM reports (both in the ScummVM menu and in-game)? Or does ScummVM always report version 2.2 no matter what?

When I copy in SIERRA.COM it too reports version 2.2. Is that the truth, or is it because I'm running the game with an updated interpreter?

Thanks Collector! It turns out that ScummVM was in fact reporting the correct version (AGINFO also reports v2.2). Interesting!

Several things I found interesting.. I spent a few hours messing around with my PC that has a 5.25" floppy drive in it, and "installed" SQ1 (ega) and tried playing it a few different ways. I need to actually get out a "DOS Boot Disk" and try it raw, but long story short I was reminded of this thread and versions and thought I'd take a look. Downloaded AGIinfo as well as Scummvm, and AGIinfo reports this for my copy:

Code: Select all

C:\SIERRA\SQ>AGINFO.EXE
AGI interpreter: 2.089
AGI game: "Space Quest 1 (IBM) 1.0X"

Result:
- known game and interpreter

C:\SIERRA\SQ>

and Scummvm reports this:

Space Quest I: The Sarien Encounter (1.0X 1986-09-24/DOS/English)

In-game, Scummvm (v1.2.1) reports

Code: Select all

Version 1.0X
AGI engine v1.2.1
Emulating Sierra AGI v2.089

I, too, cannot get SUP to work on this version. It reports:

Code: Select all

Please insert your ORIGINAL game diskette 1 in drive A:
This diskette MUST be write protected.
Hit the <ENTER>-key when ready...

Sorry, but the copy protection check failed.
Unable to continue.

Which I find rather unusual as it is QUITE an early version (obviously). I also tried copying SIERRA.COM as well as *.OVL from my SHP-Installed SQ1EGA from the Space Quest Collection Series (1997) as per instructions at Sierra AGI Back-up Disks but that did not work either.

I have just downloaded the SQ1EGA/Floppy SHP installer and when trying to run it, the following is displayed:

sq1ega_v1.0X_badimage.JPG (3.63 KiB) Viewed 4030 times

Although admittedly this computer does NOT have a sound card, and I'm not sure SQ1ega can run without a sound card? (sureiy it can!) I added "nosound=true" to the "[mixer]" section of dosbox.conf but get the same error. I have attached the diagnostic log for reference. Interestingly it indicates that it is an "unknown version." Also strangely it indicates that my version of DOSBox installed is outdated, but the installer is the one that installed it. (I didn't already have it installed yet on this PC)..

It is a curiousity for sure..

..dane

[Collector]

When SUP does not work, often you can get past the CPC "bad sector" check by using some of the engine files from a version from one of the collections. Often this is just the main executable and/or the AGI file. Depending on the particular version of the game, it sometimes might take additional files like some of the .OVL files to work. When you start to mix files and the game does not find the version of the file it expects you will get that error and you need to replace at least one more file. It can be a fine line to walk for the installer when it starts requiring additional files. I can't include game logic files for legal reasons, so I am limited to how far I can go.

[audiodane]

When SUP does not work, often you can get past the CPC "bad sector" check by using some of the engine files from a version from one of the collections. Often this is just the main executable and/or the AGI file. Depending on the particular version of the game, it sometimes might take additional files like some of the .OVL files to work. When you start to mix files and the game does not find the version of the file it expects you will get that error and you need to replace at least one more file. It can be a fine line to walk for the installer when it starts requiring additional files. I can't include game logic files for legal reasons, so I am limited to how far I can go.

I see.. so I should try an incremental approach.. Maybe will try that tomorrow... I still have a lot of floppies to try..

Unfortunately both of my KQII floppies are coming back as unreadble. Windows says they are not formatted. Not sure yet if it's something tricky on the floppy that WIndows doesn't like, or if they're really dead disks. Need to get a dual-boot of DOS622 going to try that theory out..

..dane

[Collector]

You might need to do that anyway to use any effective data recovery program that will need low level access to the disk drive.

[audiodane]

SQ1 V1.0X works great booting DOS and providing the Disk1 on program start. Still can't get it working with the SQ.COM or other files from the 1997 Collection CD though. Interestingly, most of the files themselves have the same size and date code. I'll have to get them over to my work PC to do a binary comparison on them to see how they differ.

KQII however did not work (at first). It is V1.1H. Turns out that Disk1 is a boot disk! Booting with the KQII Disk1 in the drive it booted up just fine, asked for Disk2, then proceeded to the intro and then the game. Massively low-level graphics, too. I took some pictures (and a video), I'll upload them later. Because of that, I can see no way to backup these KQII diskettes.

SQIII loaded and installed and loaded just fine. (all of this was done under a dual-boot of MSDOS)

At this point I'm going to go ahead and focus on reading off all these old diskettes first, I'll go back and mess with them later.

..dane