SQ1EGA - How to Determine the Version?

[tfarr]

I originally posted this over on spacequest.net's forums...

http://forum.spacequest.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1790

Posting it here so that 'Collector' can hook me up with the AGINFO tool.

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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).

This is the black box edition, as pictured here:



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.

Details here: http://www.sierrahelp.com/GeneralHelp/F ... blems.html

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'm not sure I believe that, given that I bought such an early release of the game. I'm thinking that ScummVM might not be reading the version correctly? (As in it reports the game version with the interpreter that it has built into ScummVM?) It is, of course, always possible that I actually do have version 2.2 and that the seller on eBay tossed in disks from a different release. The version number isn't written anywhere on the disks, in case anyone was thinking about that route.

Because of the copy protection I can't just run the game natively in DOSBox. When I try, it asks me to insert the original disk 1. It's not possible use the disk 1 image that I created (to get past the copy protection), as it lacks the unique sector configuration that the copy protection is looking for. It's also not possible to present the original disk 1 floppy as a volume in DOSBox. Sadly enough, that's just not how the software that came with the external USB 5.25" controller board works. The floppy isn't a normal mount point in Mac OS X or a drive letter in Winblows.

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?

[audiodane]

I am most intrigued by your usb 5.25" ... I have looked into that $55 adapter off-and-on for the past several months but never could pull the trigger.

Out of curiosity, does their application only pull files off the drive, or can it create an "image" of the drive? I was wondering if you could image it with their tool and then use Virtual Floppy Drive 2.1 to mount the image. I wonder if it would mount it properly (bad sectors and all) ... I admit it's a long-shot. But curious nonetheless.

thanks,
..dane

[Collector]

Welcome, tfarr. Here you go.

AGINFO.ZIP

(25.95 KiB) Downloaded 425 times

If you have 64-bit Windows you will need to run it in DOSBox. If that doesn't work I can look through my files to see if I have another tool that might work.

Dane, unfortunately, imaging the disk will not work with the kind of copy protection that Sierra used with the games of that era. The link that tfarr includes in his post explains why.

[tfarr]

Welcome, tfarr. Here you go.

AGINFO.ZIP

If you have 64-bit Windows you will need to run it in DOSBox. If that doesn't work I can look through my files to see if I have another tool that might work.

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

Thanks again!

[Collector]

I figured it was, but it is nice to have independent confirmation.

[MusicallyInspired]

Didn't I make a post in here? It's not here anymore....

[Collector]

Perhaps you are thinking of the same thread on the JT.

[MusicallyInspired]

Lol! You're right. Just saw my post there. Forgot that I initially read it on the JT.

That's funny...

[tfarr]

I am most intrigued by your usb 5.25" ... I have looked into that $55 adapter off-and-on for the past several months but never could pull the trigger.

Out of curiosity, does their application only pull files off the drive, or can it create an "image" of the drive? I was wondering if you could image it with their tool and then use Virtual Floppy Drive 2.1 to mount the image. I wonder if it would mount it properly (bad sectors and all) ... I admit it's a long-shot. But curious nonetheless.

thanks,
..dane

The application let's you either copy individuals files from the 5.25" floppy disk or create an image. For MS-DOS 360k and 1200k floppies, it saves the images as .IMG files. If you're reading a C64 disk, it creates a .D64 file which can be run by most C64 emulators (like Vice).

Alas, it does not include the intentional bad sectors in the image that it creates.

[audiodane]

I am most intrigued by your usb 5.25" ... I have looked into that $55 adapter off-and-on for the past several months but never could pull the trigger.

Out of curiosity, does their application only pull files off the drive, or can it create an "image" of the drive? I was wondering if you could image it with their tool and then use Virtual Floppy Drive 2.1 to mount the image. I wonder if it would mount it properly (bad sectors and all) ... I admit it's a long-shot. But curious nonetheless.

thanks,
..dane

The application let's you either copy individuals files from the 5.25" floppy disk or create an image. For MS-DOS 360k and 1200k floppies, it saves the images as .IMG files. If you're reading a C64 disk, it creates a .D64 file which can be run by most C64 emulators (like Vice).

Alas, it does not include the intentional bad sectors in the image that it creates.

If there was knowledge out there of how a bad sector was made, could one not be created within the binary image after the image is made?

This would be a whole lot of work, I know. I'm asking I guess from a more academic standpoint..

cheers,
..dane

[Collector]

It seems like it should be possible to do it through imaging, but I am no engineer. Even if it is, I don't think there would be anyone willing to invest the time and effort to do it just to support a handful of games. Only a few of the very first AGI games used it.

[Tawmis]

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.

If it seems so difficult to get around this, why did Sierra move away from it (during the floppy disk phase)?

[gumby]

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.

[Collector]

There were some hacks that were available at the time, such as the SUP (Sierra Unprotector Program). The link at the top of the first post gives a lot more about this copy protection. It is probably one of the most important pieces of information that I salvaged from the SierraGamers board before the database got hosed from an upgrade. Most of the information is still there but cannot be searched and is barely accessible.

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.

Probably why it was not used very long.

[envisge0ne]

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