Game images increase the portability of gaming

I like to do some medium duty gaming on my notebook but I hate carrying around play cds and having to use my optical drive while gaming (for noise and power consumption reasons). I was hoping that someone could tell me how to make working game images (iso, bin, cue) so that I dont have to carry the cds around. I use my desktop for most of my gaming needs and have tried to make images with Alcohol 120 and nero but niether has worked. Just for clarification and to put everyone at ease I would be making images of games that I had purchased legally. So if anyone can help Id appreciate it.

 

Most of them can be cracked, so you don't have to do all this extra work. Try searching at www.pennyarcade.com

 

How do I know which one is a no cd crack? Ive looked for them before and they arent really labled.

 

For nocd cracks I recommand www.gamecopyworld.com, they got all the latest and old games.

 

Thanks, Ill try it out tonight.

 

Will a CD-Crack screw up the CD-Key at all?

Reason being we have 2 computers and one notebook in the house. All networked. We have 3 copies of Empire Earth 2. But if I could put the CD-Crack on my notebook so I wouldn't have to bring the CD around with me everywhere that would be nice!

When we're playing a LAN game though, each computer has to have a different CD-key or you can't join the LAN game. I just want to make sure that the CD-Crack won't screw up the CD-key.

 

i don't think that the no-cd crack messes up the cd key...but for no-cd cracks i use www.megagames.com ...it's great!!!!!

 

No CD patches and CD keys don't screw each other up at all, in fact they don't have anything at all to do with each other. Besides, most games can actually exist in a LAN environment with the same CD key.

For NoCD patches I'd recommend www.megagames.com

 

Another option (that I haven't tried personally, but have read good reviews of) is Game Jackal. As I understand it, you insert the CD one time and it records some information (not the whole disc image) that then allows you to play without the CD inserted. They claim it works with 90% of games, but as I said, I haven't tried it. If true, however, it means you wouldn't require you search for patched versions of each game you want to play (plus, I'm paranoid about downloading .exes that I know nothing about). Anyway, I believe there's a free demo if you want to try it...

Andrew

 

I know where your coming form their. I too am nervous about downloading and overrididng .exe files just because im too lazy to put the CD in everytime.

 

i jus put the .exe that it is supposed 2 replace from the original folder into a diff. folder sumwhere on my computer..and if the game dusnt work...i jus put back the file where i took it out from the original directory

 

just backup your old exe files (rename to xxxx.old or something) before you overwrite them.

 

Hmm.. good to know I'm not the only one that stores iso's of apps/games on my pc. I've had a guy come up to me and call this illegal. But I own the apps so as long as I don't distribute the isos or install on more than one machine its still legal right?

 

Yup, its just fine,

It's illegal when you store it on your computer, and then sell it to a friend for $30. Then you both have the game.

But as long as you own the game and don't distrubute it your fine.
Keep in mind if you ever sell/trade-in, Technically you should uninstall the game since you no longer own it.

 

Does anyone know of an online set of instructions that good fr learning how to make working iso's? (for legal storage of previously purchased software of course)

 

All you need to do is pop the disk into nero, and then say make disk image! Or use Alcohol 120% and make a .ISO through that program! Very simple and easy to do!

 

Once I do that I need to get a crack .exe file for it though right? Cause Ive been able to make .iso with both nero and 120% but they never work properly when I try to install and run the game.

 

You have to get either Daemon Tools or use the virtual CD-ROM drive which is included in Alcohol 120% and mount the .ISO to the drive. This will make the computer think that it has the real disk in the drive, when really it is just reading from the .ISO on the hard drive.

SO:
1. Make .ISO image
2. Enable Virtual drive
3. Mount .ISO image
4. Play game, without cracked .exe

The only way you need a cracked .EXE is if you would rather not use an image file. It is really up to you whether you use a cracked .exe or an image file. I would use an .EXE just because you wont need to waste as much hard drive space as you would with an image.

 

I know about utillizing a virtual drive to read .iso (bin cue etc) images. Ive used them in the past and the games I played always needed a crack file to play after installation. I have made a image of a game I own, installed it, but when I went to play it it wouldnt work. That is basically my problem and my reason for asking all these questions. Im not exactly a pro star when it comes to software stuff so I figured I was doing something wrong or that I would need a crack file to play.
When you say that you use a crack file instead of a image file you mean a "no cd" crack right so you dont have to store the image and use it in the virtual drive every time you play right? Also what is the difference between a cracked .EXE and a .exe?

 

a cracked .exe has sumting in its code or sumting that makes it think that the disc is in the drive...even tho clearly that is not the case...and u can play the game w/o the disc since all the installation files are on the computer itself