Installing games without using CD to play the games

Please help me. I am so tired of installing a game from CD and having to use
the CD to play the games. Is there anyone who can tell me how to install a
game from my CD to my computer without having to use the CD to play the game.
I am running Windows XP Pro.
--
sistergirl

I also don't agree with having to do that. It means you're always putting at
risk your investment/equity. Don't particularly like the wear and tear on
the drive opening/closing either.

If they could somehow come up with some means of controlling how many copies
were made (e.g. 1 backup only) and that'd work, I'd accept it. An additional
option I liked is what Codemasters did in CMR2, install full game on first
pc (but did require original cd at runtime) but could install a "Network
only" copy on other pc's so people could enjoy the multiplayer without
everyone needing their own copy.

That said ...

What you want is referred to as a "no-cd" crack. Commonly it's a file that
replaces one of the games installation files (usually main executable but it
does vary). It's been "hacked" to omit/ignore any cd requirement. A less
common method is a "patch file". Running this patch file results in specific
game files being altered, e.g. edited with alternate information being
written into specific places within the original file. The result is more or
less the same, you have an altered game that doesn't need a cd to play.

Cautionary notes :

Either method means you must run a program that came from some
non-commercial source. Obvious risk for "god knows what" so ... Some sites
that provide such downloads (megagames.com is a well known one) tend to be
ok but still ...

Many crack/patch files are version dependant. Many are even region
dependant, e.g. NA/Eur/Jap etc. Often this is a problem if playing with
friends because if they update their game you may not be able to without
first re-installing "unpatched" game, update and then patch with another
version specific patch.

Hardest circumstance is you sometimes get an update file that will demand to
see the original cd. If you don't have one, you're stuck, e.g. can't update
game means may not be able to get fixes for crashing etc. In general, once
you get it working, one tends to not update game etc. as risk/bother isn't
worth it (mind, I'm dialup so never play online).

Sometimes patch doesn't work. Best to make backup of "whatever is getting
changed" (usually main exe game file) so you an unpatch to try another as
many times there's more than one choice for patch. Most patches are "signed"
by who provided/wrote it. After awhile, you'll note some "people" are more
reliable than others in what works and how.

Legalities ... ?

I don't believe my using a no-cd crack to play a game I bought is illegal.
As I already indicated, I'd accept them allowing a 2nd copy, included with
original fine by me. Otherwise, I've learned from prior experience that a
bad cd cannot always be replaced. MS never could replace my version of
Encarta (last ver worked under Win3.1) when it got a scratch on it. In fact
I recently commented here that I finally got Final Fantasy VII to run after
no-go for 5/6 years using a back-up cd crack.

Clearly using the above info to run a game off a burned copy from a friend
is illegal.

Where I get "fuzzy" is when I want to play a game with some friend who's
dropped by (I own multiple pc's, 2 with ff wheels for racing). I'm not sure
I can actually put it into words other than it just doesn't seem right that
I'm expected to pay for two copies of the same game when the 2nd copy is
never used except during these times.


"sistergirl" <sistergirl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E6A769F5-4D92-49AF-9527-3608E06C974C@microsoft.com...
> Please help me. I am so tired of installing a game from CD and having to
use
> the CD to play the games. Is there anyone who can tell me how to install
a
> game from my CD to my computer without having to use the CD to play the
game.
> I am running Windows XP Pro.
> --
> sistergirl

Hi Sistergirl,

If you have lots of hard disk space then take a look at these tools.

http://www.alcohol-software.com/

http://www.cd-rw.org/software/cdr_so...emon_tools.cfm

Alcohol can take an image of the CD/DVD in question.

Daemon can then use that image and trick windows into thinking that the
image is a Valid CD.

Having lots of images of CDs on your PC will take up lots of room, that's
why you will need lots of hard disk space.

You should only ever take images of CD's that you actualy own otherwise you
are cheating someone out of money. Taking an image of a CD that you have
spent your hard earned cash on is totaly legal.

Cheers

Dave

"sistergirl" wrote:

> Please help me. I am so tired of installing a game from CD and having to use
> the CD to play the games. Is there anyone who can tell me how to install a
> game from my CD to my computer without having to use the CD to play the game.
> I am running Windows XP Pro.
> --
> sistergirl

The latest ver of Alcohol 120 requires activation, in my case this was
unacceptable. I bought the product 2 years ago and then a month ago I
found out that they switched to requiring it. Sigh. So if you don't
like activation like other sane minded people then you'll have to use
CloneCD or BlindWrite (BlindWrite is the best).....or just use the
trial of Alcohol to create your image and then use Daemon Tools to
mount it. ;)

hodgeda1 wrote:
> Hi Sistergirl,
>
> If you have lots of hard disk space then take a look at these tools.
>
> http://www.alcohol-software.com/
>
> http://www.cd-rw.org/software/cdr_so...emon_tools.cfm
>
> Alcohol can take an image of the CD/DVD in question.
>
> Daemon can then use that image and trick windows into thinking that the
> image is a Valid CD.
>
> Having lots of images of CDs on your PC will take up lots of room, that's
> why you will need lots of hard disk space.
>
> You should only ever take images of CD's that you actualy own otherwise you
> are cheating someone out of money. Taking an image of a CD that you have
> spent your hard earned cash on is totaly legal.
>
> Cheers
>
> Dave
>
> "sistergirl" wrote:
>
> > Please help me. I am so tired of installing a game from CD and having to use
> > the CD to play the games. Is there anyone who can tell me how to install a
> > game from my CD to my computer without having to use the CD to play the game.
> > I am running Windows XP Pro.
> > --
> > sistergirl

I've also found that if you are going to use a "virtual cd" (Nero, Alcohol,
Daemon etc.) that you might as well do a minimum install (if game allows
option) as at least then there's only "one copy" of most of the game files
on your hard disk (e.g. incorporated into image on hd anyways so why "copy"
to game folder). Speeds the same as both are on hd.

Thanks for heads up about Alcohol's activation scheme, guess they wait as
what I use now works fine :)

"DosFreak" <d0sfreak@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1120865165.067879.177500@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> The latest ver of Alcohol 120 requires activation, in my case this was
> unacceptable. I bought the product 2 years ago and then a month ago I
> found out that they switched to requiring it. Sigh. So if you don't
> like activation like other sane minded people then you'll have to use
> CloneCD or BlindWrite (BlindWrite is the best).....or just use the
> trial of Alcohol to create your image and then use Daemon Tools to
> mount it. ;)
>
> hodgeda1 wrote:
> > Hi Sistergirl,
> >
> > If you have lots of hard disk space then take a look at these tools.
> >
> > http://www.alcohol-software.com/
> >
> > http://www.cd-rw.org/software/cdr_so...emon_tools.cfm
> >
> > Alcohol can take an image of the CD/DVD in question.
> >
> > Daemon can then use that image and trick windows into thinking that the
> > image is a Valid CD.
> >
> > Having lots of images of CDs on your PC will take up lots of room,
that's
> > why you will need lots of hard disk space.
> >
> > You should only ever take images of CD's that you actualy own otherwise
you
> > are cheating someone out of money. Taking an image of a CD that you have
> > spent your hard earned cash on is totaly legal.
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Dave
> >
> > "sistergirl" wrote:
> >
> > > Please help me. I am so tired of installing a game from CD and having
to use
> > > the CD to play the games. Is there anyone who can tell me how to
install a
> > > game from my CD to my computer without having to use the CD to play
the game.
> > > I am running Windows XP Pro.
> > > --
> > > sistergirl
>