Test Drive 1 (Accolade) Installer Analysis

edited February 2017 in Video Games
Installing Test Drive (360K) v1.0 diskettes on PCE MS-DOS 3.3 configuration yields this result:

Mistakenly left WRITE PROTECT on:

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With WRITE PROTECT off:

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The game may then be run on the Hard Drive without the need of 360K DISK 1.

As well, the 360K DISK 1 may still be run on any system even if installed to other Hard Drive.

In the case of DISK 2 360K (EGA) the copy protection on Track 39/0/1, it is only used for launching the EGA version direct from disk and is not be modified by install process.



The original 360K DISK 1 (v1.0) is modified upon ejection:

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Attempt to install 360K DISK 1 once installed on fresh PCE Hard Drive:

Files are yet still installed to Hard Drive, but no signature this time. Game can not be launched from this Hard Disk.

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Uninstaller procedure of signature back to floppy disk:

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Attempt to run uninstall from fresh Hard Drive:

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Using signature from saved Hard Drive many times over to original 360K DISK 1. Would anyone care for Test Drive 1 with 13 install grants?

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However, one must wonder why untouched version of 360K DISK 1 v1.0 might show modified Track 39/0. Perhaps mother disk install/uninstall was performed/tested and then mass duplicated after. I do find interesting how Track 39/0 matches exactly 360K DISK 1 that is known to have install/uninstall performed.

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Examination of untouched 720K v1.0 DISK shows different on Track 39/0:

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Comments

  • Very interesting.

    I also figured out that Track 39/1/45 (256 bytes) is modified after installation.


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    *Before installation
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    *After installation
    fiCXNow.png
  • Yes, I see this is now where the installer count is stored.

    Here is sector with 12 installs remaining:

    eKc5ysS.png
  • elgibbons wrote:
    However, one must wonder why untouched version of 360K DISK 1 v1.0 might show modified Track 39/0. Perhaps mother disk install/uninstall was performed/tested and then mass duplicated after.
    It shows up "modified" because Kryoflux' method of detecting modified sectors is simple. The protection uses overlapping sectors, meaning that sector 39/0/241 starts inside sector 39/0/6, and sector 39/0/222 starts inside sector 39/0/7. Kryoflux falsely interprets this as a write splice.

    Kryoflux' "modified" detection is generally informative, but should not be blindly relied upon.
  • The protection uses overlapping sectors, meaning that sector 39/0/241 starts inside sector 39/0/6, and sector 39/0/222 starts inside sector 39/0/7. Kryoflux falsely interprets this as a write splice.

    I see now, thank you for explanation. I also wonder if there is a way to tell the difference between untouched disk and disk that has had install/uninstall performed. At first glance I am unable to find a difference, but may have overlooked it.
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