I own Exile (the original CD version) and have loaded it on my pc. It requires I have disk one in the disk drive in order to load. We want to play when we travel but I fear the original disk could get damaged or lost. It is not easy to replace. Is there any way to make a back up that will still allow me to load the game so we can leave the original at home?

Thanks

As far as I know, Riven is old enough that there was no copy protection on the disc.

You should be able to backup all the discs without any problem.

Optional: you can legally make an image of your disc on your hard drive and perhaps use Daemon Tools to mount it, so you don't even have to have the disc in your drive.

edit: oh, it's for Exile? Perhaps use a software for backups with copy protection, it uses Safedisc 2, so it has fake errors in the data. A program like Alcohol 120% could easily back that up. Also CloneCD can do the job... otherwise you'd have to resort to a crack, which would be legal because you DO own the game.

You can create an ISO and burn it, or just leave the ISO in the hard drive an mount it when you open your game.

To create and/or burn an ISO, you can use ImgBurn, possibly the best burning software anywhere, and it's free. To mount your ISO, you can use Virtual CloneDrive, which creates a virtual drive in your system to mount different types of disc images, and it's also free.

Don't use Daemon Tools, it has some type of spyware that when you install it, sends information about the ISOs you mount and your activity with them to the Internet to keep a history log without your consent.

Here's a detailed article on hardware and programs that will and won't back up Safedisc2 discs successfully.

http://club.myce.com/f81/copying-safedisc-2-protected-games-50778/

Many of these drives are long obsolete. Results with newer drives will vary, and you may or may not succeed.

Alcohol 120% is still the best software for the purpose. If it won't get the job done, maybe BlindWrite or CloneCD will.

Azrael360's right: avoid Daemon Tools, which claims it is not spyware but still installs MountSpace, which reports all the images you mount to MountSpace's server. This is not defeated even by opting out of MountSpace.

Just my 2 cents - Alcohol52% (it has freeware edition while alcohol120% is a commercial version with ability to burn images) is all you need for making disc image. Don't try to make iso - instead use mdf/mds images and mount it with virtual drive Alcohol52% installs. If Alcohol52% will not be able to pass CD/DVD DRM - it is very likely no other software will work.Use in-build copy protection scanner and various image-making profiles.

Thanks to all for the leads. Much appreciated.
Andy

Use Alcohol 120%. It has a strong disc imaging engine and plus virtual drive (CD/DVD/BD) feature. If your problem/question is solved, please mark this thread as "solved".

Reading through this thread made me curious... after hearing about Daemon Tools, I started to wonder if the program I've been using is one you folks are familiar with, and whether or not they're reliable. I'm using PowerISO to mount discs / create virtual drives. I haven't heard of Virtual CloneDrive until now, but will certainly check it out.

PowerISO, as far as I know, is completely safe ;)

Cool, thanks for the input! I've seen Daemon Tools recommended as often as I have PowerISO, so I was a bit nervous. :)

Clone CD + Daemon Tools is the best solution, IMO. Clone CD is shareware and has a 30 day trial period but that should be enough time to make a few backups. Daemon Tools Light is completely free.

And oh yeah, there is this mounting history thing but I don't care. :P