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Entry Information:

DRML Entry Name:

copy-X

Authors/Contributors:

  • HeroponRikiBestest - Entry author
  • gig3x - Background information, leads, and research allowing for the creation of this article
  • TheRogueArchivist - Reviewer

Table of Contents:

Categories:

  • Optical Copy Protection

Protection Features:

  • Ring protection1
  • Dummy files1
  • Disc check2
  • SoftICE Debugger Protection2

DRM Information:

Names:

  • copy-X3
  • copy-X - the ultimate Copy-Killer.3
  • copy-X audio3
  • copy-X light3
  • copy-X professional3
  • copy-X trial maker3

Developers:

  • optimal media production3 (Until 2011)4
  • optimal media5 (Current)

Overall Description:

Copy-X was a ring-based copy protection scheme from german company optimal media3. As seen in Names, four different types seem to have been in use3. Note that it has not yet been confirmed whether light and professional correspond to the currently established distinct behaviors, but it seems to be the most likely conclusion. Had to be mastered at a specific optimal media production plant6.

Timeline:

2000s

  • 2000-03-02: First known reference to copy-X.7.

  • 2009-07: As of this date, some sort of overhaul6 of copy-X occured.

  • 2011-01-26: Last known official reference to copy-X.6 (Document is from 2009, but it was hosted on their website until at least 2011)

Versions & Differences:

Tested:

copy-X light:

This behavior has been tested, but it is still unconfirmed if it specifically corresponds to copy-X light. Basic ring protection via dummy files intersected18 by rings. No software protection is used unless otherwise supplied by the game itself8. Can be circumvented by simply not copying the dummy files when copying the rest of the game from the disc.

copy-X professional:

This behavior has been tested, but it is still unconfirmed if it specifically corresponds to copy-X professional. Builds upon copy-X light. Contains everything described there, but also adds software protection in the form of a disc check, which appears to additionally check one of the dummy files. Copy-X professional also checks if the kernel debugging software SoftICE is active via a process called SoftICE-Test, checking both for "SoftICE for Windows 95" and for "SoftICE for Windows NT", ending game execution if detected when booting the game. This seems to be the only debugger protected against, likely due to the popularity of this debugger at the time.

Untested:

  • copy-X audio
  • copy-X trial maker
copy-X audio:

No samples have been tested at the moment, so exact specifics cannot be confirmed. Used to protect Audio CDs.

copy-X trial maker:

No samples currently known, and thus no information either.

Samples:

Confirmed:

  • copy-X light
    • Black Cats and Pointed Hats (USA) (En,De)8
    • Robinson Crusoe (USA)9
    • Webmaster (USA)10
    • Kenny's Adventure11
    • Max and the Magician (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es)12
  • copy-X professional15
    • Case for TKKG, A - The Mystery of the Mayan Treasure (USA) (En,De)13
    • Emergency 4 - Global Fighters for Life (Germany) (Disc 1)14
    • German Emergency 2 Deluxe16
    • Petterson und Findus - Hühnertanz und Katerzirkus17
    • Sluzhba 911 (Russia)15 - Remnants (Official Russian release of Emergency 2 with protection removed)

Unconfirmed:

  • copy-X (Unsure which variant):
    • Alberts mysterioese Insel (Germany)19
    • Ein Fall fuer TKKG - Das geheimnisvolle Testament (Germany)20
    • Onkel Alberts geheimnisvolles Notizbuch (Germany)21
    • Webmaster (Germany)22
  • copy-X light:
    • German Westerner 22324
  • copy-X audio:
    • Die Wilden Kerle – DWK4 - Der Angriff Der Silberlichten (Das Hörspiel Zum Kinofilm)25
    • Laava – Wherever You Are (I Feel Love)26
    • Manfred Mann* – 200627
    • De-Phazz – Godsdog28

Supported Platforms:

  • copy-X light: Any (no software protection is employed, although it appears to mainly be marketed for Windows games regardless.)

  • copy-X professional: Windows (Some professional games are Hybrid PC/Mac discs, but the Mac versions of these games do not appear to utilize any sort of software protection.)13

  • copy-X audio: Audio CD

Software Known to Detect:

  • ProtectionID29 (Note: While ProtectionID does detect copy-X, it detects it as "Optgraph Copy-X / Ring-Protech". As far as current research has found, there is no relation between copy-X and Ring Protech other than both being ring-based protections, and the optgraph file in question is not found on Ring Protech. PiD is thus believed to be incorrect in designating it also Ring-Protech, and it's just detecting Copy-X in these instances.)
  • BinaryObjectScanner30

Preservation Instructions:

The ring protection present on all copy-X discs will cause errors during dumping. This will not cause issues with the playability of the final image, but may make it difficult or slow to copy/rip data, and makes it very difficult to guarantee you've gotten a 1:1 rip of all data on the disc.

copy-X light: None. Copying all files from the disc besides the dummy data directory is sufficient to defeat the protection.

copy-X professional: Any sort of basic copy of the disc image appears to work. An ISO of the game will function, as will Bin/Cue or other similar formats if the game has audio tracks.

Associated File Attributes:

File Directories:

"System":

Directory for dummy files used by most professional1416 discs so far, as well as some light11 discs.

"ZDAT"/"zdata":

ZDAT is the directory for dummy files used by some891012, but not all11 light discs, and two known professional17 disc so far. One calls it zdata13, one calls it ZDATA13, and one uses System11 instead. Further variance likely.

File Names:

Note: file names are not case sensitive, and vary from disc to disc.

"[m/g]ov_*.x64":

Dummy file associated with professional. Names include gov_io.x641317, gov_05.x641416, and mov_io.x64.

"iofile.x64"14161317:

Dummy file associated with professional. Seems to be directly referenced by optgraph.dll.

"sound.x64"141317:

Dummy file associated with professional. Seemingly not present on at least one16 professional disc.

"optgraph.dll"16141317:

Dll file responsible for software protection on professional discs.

Known Manufacturing Information:

Known Manufacturing Plants:

  • optimal media production6

Known Ringcode Information:

Mastering Code:

Note: Tivola discs add "Tivola MM/[last 2 digits of year]" in between "manufactured by optimal media production" and "A######-0[Disc Number]", but otherwise follow that format.

  • manufactured by optimal media production A######-0[Disc Number]13 (The majority of known samples have this mastering code. Only the ones that don't are listed below.)
  • OH! Datenservice GmbH www.oh-datenservice.de A######-0[Disc Number]1416 (Seemingly mainly used by Sixteen Tons Entertainment)
  • `KIDDINX A######-0[Disc Number]17

Mastering SID Code:

  • IFPI L571(Every known sample)

Toolstamp or Mastering Code:

  • N/A

Mould SID Code:

  • IFPI 97xx(Every known sample)

Reference Material:

Media:

  1. 'SoftICE for Windows 95' being detected13:
    "SoftICE-Test" + "SoftICE für Windows95 aktiv!" + "OK"

  2. 'SoftICE for Windows NT' being detected13:
    "SoftICE-Test" + "SoftICE für WindowsNT aktiv!" + "OK".

Additional Resources:

Official Resources:

Footnotes:

Footnotes

  1. Please see the entry for "copy-X light" in "Versions & Differences" section. ↩ ↩2

  2. Please see the entry for "copy-X professional" in "Versions & Differences" section. ↩ ↩2

  3. First known description of copy-X. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  4. Discogs page for optimal media ↩

  5. The current optimal media website link. ↩

  6. Optimal media document from 2009, seemingly for prospective customers. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. First known reference to copy-X, which is present in the "Kopierschutzverfahren" link. ↩

  8. Black Cats and Pointed Hats (USA) (En,De) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  9. Robinson Crusoe (USA) ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  10. Webmaster (USA)) ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. Kenny's Adventure ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  12. Max and the Magician (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es) ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Case for TKKG, A - The Mystery of the Mayan Treasure (USA) (En,De) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12

  14. Emergency 4 - Global Fighters for Life (Germany) (Disc 1) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  15. Sluzhba 911 (Russia) - Remnants ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  16. German Emergency 2 Deluxe ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  17. Petterson und Findus - Hühnertanz und Katerzirkus ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  18. Confirmed via checking dummy files in a hex editor. These dummy files are always intersected by rings (0x55 on redump-images, varies on others depending on what the dumping program does with those errors). ↩

  19. Alberts mysterioese Insel (Germany) ↩

  20. Ein Fall fuer TKKG - Das geheimnisvolle Testament (Germany) ↩

  21. Onkel Alberts geheimnisvolles Notizbuch (Germany) ↩

  22. Webmaster (Germany) ↩

  23. The Westerner 2 im PC-Games-Test: "Ein enttäuschendes Adventure ... " ↩

  24. "The Westerner 2" (gamestar.de Publication) ↩

  25. Die Wilden Kerle – DWK4 - Der Angriff Der Silberlichten (Das Hörspiel Zum Kinofilm) ↩

  26. Laava – Wherever You Are (I Feel Love) ↩

  27. Manfred Mann* – 2006 ↩

  28. De-Phazz – Godsdog ↩

  29. Old PiD website link listing PC ISO protections ↩

  30. BinaryObjectScanner code file in charge of detecting Copy-X ↩