how do i make a backup CD?

[jdv57 0]

Hi all,

I'm not asking to do anything illegal here. I believe I read somewhere that I can make a backup of my game in case

something happens to my original, which is what I am worried about, so I was able to copy my disc 1 of

SimCity4 (with rushhour) but when I try to make a copy of disc 2 (which is the one I use constantly in my computer

when I play) I get error messages. On my laptop, using Roxio creator basic, it tells me there are scratches on the CD (which makes me want to make a copy even more because of this) and I tried to copy it on my desktop using Nero

and it just tells me there is a read error.

So, does anyone have any advice on this? Has anyone been able to make a copy of their CD's? And if so, how?

thanks in advance,

JD

[Xyloxadoria 1,099]

Making a backup CD Is okay, but you can only make or have ONE at time.

Once you have that list there are quite a few things you cannot do with it (as written in the games EULA)

For each validly licensed copy of an applicable OS Product, you also may reproduce one additional copy of the OS COMPONENTS solely for archival purposes or reinstallation of the OS COMPONENTS on the same computer as the OS COMPONENTS were previously installed.

same computer as the OS COMPONENTS were previously installed. quote>

and farther down

You may not otherwise copy, display, distribute, perform, publish, modify, create works from, or use any of the material on the backup CD. Without limiting the preceding sentence, you may not modify, reverse engineer, disassemble, license, transfer, distribute, create works from, or sell the backup CD, or any of its contents quote>

That being said if you make a backup cd it can only be used when the original CD breaks or does not work anymore. If you do not agree to the terms above then you could get into hot water.

Now that ive got that out of the way you will need to find a program that can copy a CD. There are many free ones out that and many comptuers alredy come with one on them, look to see if it has one.

If it doesnt, i would suggest getting Nero. It came with my comptuer and it works well when i burn cds of my drawing and stuff for my art classes.

[jdv57 0]

Yes, as I said in my original post, I did try Nero and it gave me read errors... this is what worries me, that my disc 2 is screwed up and I will have to buy the game again. I was wondering if there is some kind of special copyrighting on it

that is stopping me. But it sure seems like a person should be able to backup their own game for pete's sake!

[tungston 19]

The CD's are not copy protected, they aren't even encrypted.  Try copying the files to the hard disc, then make a CD from those.

I don't believe you can start the game with a disc copy.

[Xyloxadoria 1,099]

I seem to have not noticed the part about using Nero. If you are getting read errors, then its probably becsue your disc is damaged. I had the same problem with sc3k a while back, and i had to do what tungston suggested. I made a "sc3k" folder then copied each file indivudally into that folder after cleaning the disc. I was then able to make a backup copy. That backup copy could only install the game, it would not start it. I dont know if its the same way for sc4 though.

[jdv57 0]

Thanks so far the input from you guys, this is really what I need to know...

If people here have been able to make a copy and then use it to play the game, then I would know if by trying to do this, I

wouldn't be banging my head against a brick wall for no reason...

The disc 2 is the one that won't copy and that is the disc that I have to put in everytime I play. So if making a copy of that

won't let me play the game, then it's not going to be any use when my original bites the dust (which it seems is happening). I wonder why, if you can make a copy, why you wouldn't be able to use it to play, that doesn't make any sense

to me.

I wonder if I took it down to a gamer store, if they could buff it out for me... I've bought used WII games before and they had

a big machine for really cleaning and buffing the disc...

I appreciate your help!

[tungston 19]

There is a code [safedisc] that doesn't copy using a disc copy, that is needed to start the game.  That is intended to keep the game from being pirated.