Hard drive based games - How to read the firmware on the drive?

gamefixer

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Hard drive based games - How to read the firmware on the drive?

So we have a few games that I suspect have drives with modified Firmware. Specifically DDR Super Nova 1 and 2.

I've tried everything I can think of to copy the hard drive. From dedicated copiers to CHDMAN nothing ever works.

Does anyone know of a firmware reader/copier/writer via software? I googled the subject but didnt find anything that helped.

The copied drive from Konami cost me over $1000.00. Thats BS in my mind. The game comes with a restore DVD but it will only write to the drive that comes from the factory.

TIA
 
Norton Ghost couldn't do it?

Nope. Much like the older Mega Touches of the 2000's I think this drives firmware is modified to prevent making copies of the drive. I got an EXACT replacement and did a 1:1 copy and it didnt work.
 
I remember some of the old hard drives had their firmware on a PLCC flash chip, which was removable... a newer one may have it on a soldered TSOP or something, but you could try dumping/burning it, or at least swapping them. I guess you're not really out anything if it doesn't work.

Or, since you have identical drives, you could just swap the boards on the bottom, assuming the board is good (just be careful, because if they're not IDENTICAL, you likely will blow something). I used to swap HD boards and in extreme cases the platters, but like I said, if they're not completely identical models, usually something ends up smoking.

You could also try DD in Linux... I've had good luck with it copying strange drives, as well as damaged drives.

DogP
 
Nope. Much like the older Mega Touches of the 2000's I think this drives firmware is modified to prevent making copies of the drive. I got an EXACT replacement and did a 1:1 copy and it didnt work.

The problem may not be the copy, but the fact that you've got a different drive - the software is likely checking the manufacturer/type/size/whatever of the hard drive and only allowing that one.

The way to get around such checks would be to modify the software to avoid them - the question is, which software? Is it the software in the machine that does the initial load? Or is it the software that's on the drive itself? That's obviously not trivial, depending on how much effort they put into their protection.
 
You could also try DD in Linux... I've had good luck with it copying strange drives, as well as damaged drives.

DogP

DD in linux? Is this off of a bootable Live CD or DVD?

FWIW, I put the drive in a PC to see how it reports itself to the Mobo. Expecting to see something like "Konami" or "DDR" I was surprised to see a typical Seagate part number show up.

I'm convinced that its got something to do with the drive model and firmware but I cant find a way to read the firmware let alone burn it to another drive.

Thanks for the pointers guys.
 
If it's anything like the protection used on Ultracades, then it may be the drive's unique serial number that is the problem. Unless you physically remove the hardware portion of the drive, and move it to an identical platter and housing, the software will refuse to run.
 
Matt,
I had a DDR SN take a crap on me, and Betson wanted $1k to fix it. A buddy of mine who is heavy intio modding these dance games took a look at it for me. Somehow he hooked up a Play Station 2 controller, and with a combination of buttons, got the game to boot. (I think he hit the X button or something). Seriously.

A side note: For those not into operating newer equipment, this is the shit we as ops have to put up with. From having to do a motherboard cap job on a two year old, $8000 unit like Matt did on a Superbikes, to paying $1000 to fix a COMPONENT (not a whole new system)! on a GLORIFIED Play Station freaking 2 like what Betson used in SN1 and SN2.

I will call my friend who is out of town and see if he can enlighten us here.

-Mike
 
FWIW, Arctic Thunder is similar too in that you can't ghost the drive. I'm just about done with those too.

-Mike
 
I think maxstang hit the nail on the head - sata and ide drives actually have a protection mechanism built in that most computers never use - it uses a firmware serial # to lock down the drive. If the controller doesn't send the serial number, the drive acts dumb. Original Xboxes use this as their primary protection.

There are utilities you can use to unlock the drive, but you need a way to figure out the serial # in order to do so.
 
If it's anything like the protection used on Ultracades, then it may be the drive's unique serial number that is the problem. Unless you physically remove the hardware portion of the drive, and move it to an identical platter and housing, the software will refuse to run.

The difference being that on the Ultracades you can install the software to any drive. You just have to get a new key from GlobalVR (which I've done lots of times).

With this setup I cant use any other drive then whats in the machine from the get go. Now I have another DDR Super Nova CPU here that I was going to pull the drive and toss it into the other computer to see what it does. If it boots then I dont think its a serial number lockdown. If it doesnt then thats probably what it is.

I'm just sick of paying $1000.00 for a programmed hard drive.
 
Matt,
I had a DDR SN take a crap on me, and Betson wanted $1k to fix it. A buddy of mine who is heavy intio modding these dance games took a look at it for me. Somehow he hooked up a Play Station 2 controller, and with a combination of buttons, got the game to boot. (I think he hit the X button or something). Seriously.

A side note: For those not into operating newer equipment, this is the shit we as ops have to put up with. From having to do a motherboard cap job on a two year old, $8000 unit like Matt did on a Superbikes, to paying $1000 to fix a COMPONENT (not a whole new system)! on a GLORIFIED Play Station freaking 2 like what Betson used in SN1 and SN2.

I will call my friend who is out of town and see if he can enlighten us here.

-Mike

Did you guys use the drive that was in the PS2 to reload the game or another drive? I've done this countless times and it NEVER works. I always have to fall back to Betson for these machines and I have about 60 to 80 of them.
 
GuidoTorpedo said:
Matt,
I had a DDR SN take a crap on me, and Betson wanted $1k to fix it. A buddy of mine who is heavy intio modding these dance games took a look at it for me. Somehow he hooked up a Play Station 2 controller, and with a combination of buttons, got the game to boot. (I think he hit the X button or something). Seriously.

A side note: For those not into operating newer equipment, this is the shit we as ops have to put up with. From having to do a motherboard cap job on a two year old, $8000 unit like Matt did on a Superbikes, to paying $1000 to fix a COMPONENT (not a whole new system)! on a GLORIFIED Play Station freaking 2 like what Betson used in SN1 and SN2.

I will call my friend who is out of town and see if he can enlighten us here.

-Mike
That probably was the system not booting in supernova, and the message coming up asking if you'd like to repair the corruption. You can either hit 'X' or 'O' (Yes/No, don't remember which is which) to try to fix the issue. You can just plug a controller directly into the python hardware, since it's just a ps2.

gamefixer said:
So we have a few games that I suspect have drives with modified Firmware. Specifically DDR Super Nova 1 and 2.

I've tried everything I can think of to copy the hard drive. From dedicated copiers to CHDMAN nothing ever works.

Does anyone know of a firmware reader/copier/writer via software? I googled the subject but didnt find anything that helped.

The copied drive from Konami cost me over $1000.00. Thats BS in my mind. The game comes with a restore DVD but it will only write to the drive that comes from the factory.

TIA
You can't back it up onto a new drive and have it work. It's just not possible no matter what programs or backup methods you use. It's the encryption on the python hardware to the drive, and something connecting them; somewhere in the bios or hdd. I don't magicgate "marries" each drive to a python unit, but there is some protection in place where you can't copy the drive and have it work.
 
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Matt,
Pop open the case, and plug in the PS2 controller. A screen should pop up in Japanese that allows you to pick an item. Whichever item spells "yes" in Japanese, hit the "O" button. The game should boot, albeit with a probably corrupted hard drive.

Trade it in to Betson, buy an old Andamiro Pump It Up for like $1, and buy the new PIU Pro 2 kit. It is not earning bad at all, and it is much less of a piece of shit than DDRx or probably X2 (which I have not yet seen).

-Mike
 
I'm just sick of paying $1000.00 for a programmed hard drive.

Did you have to send them the old drive when you got a replacement from them ?
Or send them any specific information about the motherboards and such ?

Just trying to get an idea if there is a form of security that it might NOT be if ya know what I mean.
 
Did you have to send them the old drive when you got a replacement from them ?
Or send them any specific information about the motherboards and such ?

Just trying to get an idea if there is a form of security that it might NOT be if ya know what I mean.

They wont send a bare drive they have to send out a complete CPU (we just open the CPU's up and swap PS2's though).
 
They wont send a bare drive they have to send out a complete CPU (we just open the CPU's up and swap PS2's though).

So in order to replace a bad HDD you have to buy the whole motherboard setup ?!?
That is insane.......

But it would kinda leave you to think that the motherboard and drive are married somehow.
(which does suck)
 
So in order to replace a bad HDD you have to buy the whole motherboard setup ?!?
That is insane.......

But it would kinda leave you to think that the motherboard and drive are married somehow.
(which does suck)

The "motherboard" in question here is a Japanese PS2. I have another working DDR Super Nova CPU here that I'm going to pull the hard drive from and put it in the other machine to see what it does. I expect that its going to boot which would mean that they are NOT married.
 
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