Starting Civ III without the CD

ivanbuto · November 30, 2003, 05:38

Is this possible?
I tried this: I copied the contents of the CD to a folder on my hard drive, and then changed the registry key "CD_Path" under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Infogrames Interactive\Civilization III" to the folder where I copied the CD, but this doesn't work - the game still asks for the CD. I'm annoyed by having to have the CD in the drive, and by the drive spinning up constantly and making noise. Is there any way how I don't have to use the CD?

Thanks,

Ivan

vmxa1 · November 30, 2003, 13:44

I use Alcohol120 to make all my games run on a virtual drive and never have to use the real CD. This works fine for CivIII, PTW and C3C.

ivanbuto · November 30, 2003, 18:02

Yes, I know there is some software available that creates virtual CDs, but is there any way how to do this without extra software?

Kloreep · November 30, 2003, 20:07

Quote:

Originally posted by ivanbuto
Yes, I know there is some software available that creates virtual CDs, but is there any way how to do this without extra software?

Unfortunately, no. Civ3 actually doesn't need the CD if you did a full install; the reason Civ3 demands the CD is for the copy protection software, which checks that you have an original non-pirated CD.

However, there is such a thing as a "no-CD" patch which disables this CD check. Try contacting Atari customer service for it.

ivanbuto · November 30, 2003, 23:22

Thanks for the reply, I'll look into that.
I'm also wondering about the following: My Civ3 CD has a couple of unreadable sectors at the beginning of the disc (according to Nero CDSpeed). Is this normal and is this also some kind of a protection? (The game installed fine and it's also possible to copy all of the files from the CD to the hard drive, so it doesn't seem that there is anything actually unreadable.)
Thanks,

Ivan

vmxa1 · November 30, 2003, 23:28

Yes this SecuRom 4.8.x at work.

Cyber-Spyder · December 8, 2003, 08:04

it is illegal and wrong to use pirated versions of the game. However for those legitimate users who {like me} hate having to dig CD's out all the time and don't have the space to load all CD's onto HD, I DO have a no-cd crack for PTW 1.27f. If you need it contact me and be prepared to convince me you have a legit copy.

Andy_dean · December 18, 2003, 13:26

Hi guys, i was just wonderin what the name of the civ3 CD is?
I.e. What appears under ( D: ) in windows explorer.
I am quite sure i have lost the CD, however i will endeavor to find it, i seem to have gotten used to keeping all my .iso s locked away on my HDD.
I cant seem to find it anywhere and i think this is the problem when it says that it cant find the CD. Im using Virtual CD software (Deamon) that is why.
I have chosen not to download the CD Crack because that sucks ?! (I do however have a place to get the crack, im choosing not to warez it.)
Just wanted to know, because i took a CD image of the Civ CD (i do this for every game and chuck CDs), and its called something like 000_0E7C.iso . thnx guys.

Andy.

alva · December 18, 2003, 19:44

[ming]
Apolyton does not support or condone the illegal use of software. The publisher of Civ III has NOT authorized a no cd crack... so any discussion on this topic constitutes illegal use of software.
[/ming]

Andy_dean · December 19, 2003, 07:43

i guess you didnt read what i said, in bold for you....

All i need is the name of the cd. ill get the CD crack if there isnt any help on these help forums.

It will take you a whole 10 seconds....

vondrack · December 20, 2003, 03:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Andy_dean
Hi guys, i was just wonderin what the name of the civ3 CD is?

vanilla Civ3: disk name under Explorer is CIV3, (Volume) Serial Number is E4CF-0957
Civ3 PtW: disk name under Explorer is CIV3PTW, (Volume) Serial Number is F5C3-B235

Not sure which one of those two details you need to know (and before someone starts thinking... the volume serial numbers have nothing to do with copy protection, they are merely randomly generated number identifying the CD (diskettes & harddisks use the same volume serial number - it is displayed with the "dir" command).

Mind you... these are for the US versions, European prints will most likely have different label/number.

Andy_dean · December 20, 2003, 06:22

Thanks for that, thats what i mean, the name (not the volume number but thnx anyway.
It now seems to say its out of range...hmmz.

Andy_dean · December 20, 2003, 07:09

Thanks for that, thats what i mean, the name (not the volume number but thnx anyway.
I couldnt seem to get the CD name to work ?! :< so i tried a CD Crack, and that bypasses that issue.
It now seems to say its out of range...hmmz.

(AMD1700+, 196SDRam, Geforce2 Titanium. Went for the latest drivers @ nVidia's website still doesnt seem to cure.

Ennet · December 26, 2003, 12:52

Um, maby someone could help me with a similar prob.. i installed C3C without any probs but when im trying to run it, it says i must insert the CD in the drive :S
and it's bought, and NOT copied.. and i got both Civ3 & civ3Ptw installed which both works fine.. so could i get it to load without the silly cd as it seems to be something wrong with it..? or any other suggestions?

Ennet · December 26, 2003, 13:12

nvm.. :-) E_T saved me! i already had the orginal PTW installed, which messed things up quite a lot :-)

Filippo · January 8, 2004, 05:04

Quote:

Originally posted by alva
[ming]
Apolyton does not support or condone the illegal use of software. The publisher of Civ III has NOT authorized a no cd crack... so any discussion on this topic constitutes illegal use of software.
[/ming]

Since when installing software (like a no-CD .exe is) on your own computer is illegal ? As far as you bought the game, you have the licence to use (play) it; if you want to install a no-CD patch on your own PC for your own comfort, you can very well do it.

mushpuppy · January 12, 2004, 09:13

Quote:

[ming]
Apolyton does not support or condone the illegal use of software. The publisher of Civ III has NOT authorized a no cd crack... so any discussion on this topic constitutes illegal use of software.
[/ming]

For what it's worth, legally, under the terms of the Bern Convention, private use of a no-cd crack by a purchaser of Civ3 does NOT constitute copyright infringement, and Infogrames has no legal right to prevent a private purchaser from using it.

Imagine a book publisher telling the purchaser of a book that s/he can't tear off its cover, and you'll get a sense of what I'm talking about; all the publisher can say is that a purchaser cannot then sell the book without its cover.

However, it's also true that Apolyton can allow/disallow topics on its web pages as it chooses, and that it has valid legal and business reasons other than protection of other persons' copyrights to discourage discussion of copy protection schemes.

FYI yes, I'm an Internet attorney.

stefanoc · February 13, 2004, 09:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyber-Spyder
it is illegal and wrong to use pirated versions of the game. However for those legitimate users who {like me} hate having to dig CD's out all the time and don't have the space to load all CD's onto HD, I DO have a no-cd crack for PTW 1.27f. If you need it contact me and be prepared to convince me you have a legit copy.

I'm looking for a way to play PTW on airplanes where CDs are forbidden. How can I convince you that I bought PTW? Really I bought it twice: Civ3 in English as soon as it came out, and recently PTW in Italian (my language)

Thanks

Stefano

vmxa1 · February 13, 2004, 13:30

stefanoc then read the thread, the means has been mentioned.

vmxa1 · February 13, 2004, 13:34

mushpuppy I don't have any problems with your points, but you analogy is not valid.

Tearing the cover off a book is not equatable to coping a CD. Copy in the book is and that could be construed as a violation.
Tearing up the box the game came in is more like tearing the cover off the book.

mushpuppy · February 13, 2004, 20:13

Analogy has worked 100% of the time in every court case in which I've used it. If you've bought a piece of intellectual property, you have the right under international law to modify it how you see fit in a private setting as long as you do not profit from it or take profit from the rightsholder.

vmxa1 · February 13, 2004, 21:18

Quote:

Originally posted by mushpuppy
Analogy has worked 100% of the time in every court case in which I've used it. If you've bought a piece of intellectual property, you have the right under international law to modify it how you see fit in a private setting as long as you do not profit from it or take profit from the rightsholder.

I don't care about courts they are political animals.

Intellectually ou cannot equate ripping a book cover with copying a CD. You cannot have multiple people use one book simultaneously in distant lands, but you can a Cd if you copy it.

So again copying the book is an analogous event to copying a CD.
I am not talking about the law.

Cyber-Spyder · February 14, 2004, 01:55

I'm not talking about the law either, but fair use of the software says I can run one copy for myself, even if I do that on two machines alternately. I don't want to have to dig a Cd out every time I load up a game on my box, and I certainly can't carry around any game CD I may choose to use with my laptop.

Forget analogies, look at the situation for what it is.

The use of no-cd patches can be very justifiable, and does not necessarily constitute piracy.

vmxa1 · February 14, 2004, 03:28

Cyber, what are you talking about and to whom. Near as I can tell no one here said anything else. So you may want to use a quote so we no where you are coming from.

Mushpuppy and I are wasting time talking about what is a valid analogy. We do not disagree with each other about fair use.

ivanbuto · February 26, 2004, 08:34

I looked around for a no-CD patch and had trouble finding one for Civilization III 1.29f. In the end I found one dowload named "CIVILIZATION.3.129F.ENG.GIMPSRUS.NOCD.zip". I am a little suspicios because the Civilization3.exe file included in this download is about 1869 KB, while the original Civilization3.exe (1.29f) is 2623 KB. Why would there be such a big difference in the file size? Has anybody else used this no-CD patch and is the .exe file not corrupt in any way?
Also, somebody suggested that I contact Atari to get a no-CD patch. Would this be worthwhile?

Thanks for your input.

Ivan

vmxa1 · February 26, 2004, 13:03

I seem to recall that Atari has given out a patch for it. I could be mistaken and I have no idea what the criteria is to get it.
It can't hurt to check in with them.

StupidLlama · February 29, 2004, 14:44

My cd drive broke last night and ive been looking for a no cd crack for conquests. Ive found a few but they are RAR files and i dont know how to install them. Help appreciated

vmxa1 · February 29, 2004, 17:14

DL WinRAR and you can unzip RAR files.

bongo · March 29, 2004, 10:40

Anyone knows what the SecDrv service are doing?

Just tried to install c3c on a computer at work. It failed and an error message appear in the system log every time I try to start it.

Also got the benefit of ptw not working anymore as well, with the same error message.

Fistleaf · March 29, 2004, 11:31

Maybe game companies should provide their own no-CD crack.
To activate the crack for use, the original CD must be in the drive the first time the crack is used.