Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!nike!oliveb!glacier!mips!rick From: rick@mips.UUCP (Rick Frazier) Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga Subject: Re: Copy protect methods & paranoia Message-ID: <598@mips.UUCP> Date: Sat, 2-Aug-86 16:25:48 EDT Article-I.D.: mips.598 Posted: Sat Aug 2 16:25:48 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Aug-86 06:05:32 EDT References: <236@neoucom.UUCP> <169@hao.UUCP> <584@mips.UUCP> <1539@well.UUCP> Organization: MIPS ... where RISC is a way of life Lines: 39 > > EA does NOT, I repeat does NOT, write to write protected disks!!!!!!!!! > None of my EA disks have failed, not one, and I am running with normal > Amiga internal and external drives. I keep all my EA disks write protected > at all times. -Mitsu (mitsu@well.UUCP) PAGING ELECTRONIC ARTS.....PAGING ELECTRONIC ARTS....PAGING.....HEY EA are you out there?........come on, settle this little discussion once and for all........Do you really write to disks when they are "protected?" - - - - - - - - Until someone from EA answers the question of whether they do, I would like to point out that there appears to be no HARDWARE reason they couldn't. (the drives do not appear to interrupt the write current to the heads) In the Amiga hardware manual, there is a description of the pinout of the internal and external connectors to the disk drives. In each case there is a signal called WPRO*, which in the port signal assignments for the 8520 that "talks" on these connectors is labeled "write protect." This, and the fact that I have had experience with MANY other disk controllers and drives that use the "write protect" as an "advisory" signal to the controller that the user DESIRES the unit write protected, leads me to believe that they can (and personally, I would guess they DO) write to a "write protected" disk whenever they want. It's not too difficult to imagine that they have a modified trackdisk driver that allows this, as they DO have a modified (or replacement for) the workbench that assures they run in the single-tasking mode by taking over the machine. Just for grins sometime, start up a game from the external drive, then remove it at some point. It'll pop up a requestor that indicates you should re-insert the game disk. (At least the Marble Madness disk I have does this) The only way out is to reboot the system. The game disk takes over the existing workbench and transfers control exclusively to itself, keeping you & me from doing anything else (and, of course the bad pirates from robbing them :-) ). Tricky, huh? If I can get a few extra minutes, I'll hook up the trusty oscope to the drive and see if they move the read/write line to assert write while they are "reading" the disk. Then I'd know for sure......... -- --Rick Frazier-- DISCLAIMER: The above is individual opinion (the result of my imperfect recall of facts, real or imagined) in no way representing anyone else. UUCP: {decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!mips!rick DDD: 408-720-1700 x278