Can I do this?

Mekrel · 26 Apr 2006 at 14:02

Well just completed FEAR after having no internet for a while to play BF2 online.

Got the internet back up and running yesterday and went to pop onto a BF2 server where the game refused to load.

On further investigation the CD has a crack from the center but only goes onto the disc by not even a mm. So can't understand why the disc will not even read now.

My friend has BF2, will it be possible to get an ISO off him and mount it in a virtual drive to run?

Can't be bothered neither do I have the resources (camera) to email EA for a replacement.

Drake5 · 26 Apr 2006 at 14:05

There is programmes that allow you to run ISO files. Alls you have to do is mount them.

Daemon Tools is a mounter, im not sure if its illegal or legal though.

- Denic

Mr Blonde · 26 Apr 2006 at 14:07

Just put in your code when asked - job's a goodun.
Legally I'd guess they would want you to get a replacement disk but it wouldn't concern me in the slightest.

Yewen · 26 Apr 2006 at 15:40

If you need a camera remind me next time I see ya and I will take a picture for you.

Nieldo · 26 Apr 2006 at 15:46

As far as I know as long as you own an original copy of the game its legal to download/make/mount/use an image of the disk for backup reasons.

But distributing it and sending it to people is illegal.

Drake5 · 26 Apr 2006 at 19:53

Nieldo said:
As far as I know as long as you own an original copy of the game its legal to download/make/mount/use an image of the disk for backup reasons.

But distributing it and sending it to people is illegal.

Its definetly NOT legal to download a game even if you have purchased it, as you are downloading and seeding to other people.

- Denic

Davey_Pitch · 26 Apr 2006 at 20:02

To set the record straight, as there are a lot of people here who are speaking rubbish

p), no, it's illegal to get an ISO from your brother and use it. Why? Because making a backup of a game CD in any way, shape or form is illegal, so therefore the ISO will be illegal.

Contact EA and get a replacement.

Oh, and can we make sure from now on that no-one advocates making backups/ISO's of games and using them. Whether morally wrong or not, it *is* illegal, so no discussion about it here should be entered into.

Mekrel · 26 Apr 2006 at 20:51

Sorry, my fault should have known better just god damn annoyed how the slightest crack onto the cd has caused it to not even read.

I'll have to contact EA

kdd · 26 Apr 2006 at 21:10

Mekrel said:
Sorry, my fault should have known better just god damn annoyed how the slightest crack onto the cd has caused it to not even read.

I'll have to contact EA

EA are actually pretty good with replacement cd's, my brother scratched his c+c generals cd and they sent him a new one for the cost of postage. Arrived in about 3 days as well.

ScarySquirrel · 26 Apr 2006 at 21:11

Sorry Davey, leason learnt.

guess you got your answer mate, get on that phone to EA

Davey_Pitch · 26 Apr 2006 at 22:20

ScarySquirrel said:
Sorry Davey, leason learnt.

Not a problem. Up until a few years ago I think you actually could make a backup of games, so it's no surprise most people still think you can

MNuTz · 27 Apr 2006 at 11:12

Davey_Pitch said:
Not a problem. Up until a few years ago I think you actually could make a backup of games, so it's no surprise most people still think you can

Yeah i know you could as long as you owned a proper copy, however if you sold the original you had to destroy the copy as well.

I thought it was still legal to do it, learn something new everyday!

Davey_Pitch · 27 Apr 2006 at 11:55

MNuTz said:
Yeah i know you could as long as you owned a proper copy, however if you sold the original you had to destroy the copy as well.

I thought it was still legal to do it, learn something new everyday!

Nope, not been legal since late 2003, when the European Union Copyrights Directive came into effect, which basically forbids you from making a backup copy of any game, DVD or music CD you own. You can make a backup of software, as long as you don't have to bypass any copyright protection to do so.

ScarySquirrel · 27 Apr 2006 at 12:08

Davey_Pitch said:
Nope, not been legal since late 2003, when the European Union Copyrights Directive came into effect, which basically forbids you from making a backup copy of any game, DVD or music CD you own. You can make a backup of software, as long as you don't have to bypass any copyright protection to do so.

Actually now you say that, I was watching Family Guy Season 4 the other day, and it listed when i first put the DVD in all the things you can't do, and yeah, anything that attempts to bypass copy porotection was on there.

kieronw3 · 27 Apr 2006 at 14:56

Davey_Pitch said:
Nope, not been legal since late 2003, when the European Union Copyrights Directive came into effect, which basically forbids you from making a backup copy of any game, DVD or music CD you own. You can make a backup of software, as long as you don't have to bypass any copyright protection to do so.

does that mean microsoft media player is built to break the law as it offers to rip any music cd you put in the drive to your hard drive.???

just a thought

kieron

Davey_Pitch · 27 Apr 2006 at 15:05

kieronw3 said:
does that mean microsoft media player is built to break the law as it offers to rip any music cd you put in the drive to your hard drive.???

just a thought

kieron

No. There are plenty of utilities that have legal uses, which are used for illegal activities. Media Player is one of them. Bittorrent is another, as is Nero. I could go on, but you get my point

fullfat · 27 Apr 2006 at 15:10

this is meationed in the back of the BF2 booklet iirc, with contact details and what to do to get another disc

kieronw3 · 27 Apr 2006 at 16:20

understood .

zytok · 27 Apr 2006 at 17:21

in summary, I think that this just goes to show how complicated and misunderstood the whole copyright issue is.

The whole thing is almost impossible to grasp. It is easy to understand people's frustrations at doing something which in itself does not appear to be causing anyone any harm (using a no-cd crack when you own the game/making a backup for personal use/making a compilation cd etc, etc.) is subject to legal objections.

Anyone can see that downloading a movie or copying a game off a mate is illegal but there are many grey areas where the rules seem to change. For the record, I am not advocating any of the above. My original (deleted) post suggested that what the OP wanted to do was illegal but that the reasons for it being so were unclear.

zytok · 28 Apr 2006 at 09:16

Davey_Pitch said:
Nope, not been legal since late 2003, when the European Union Copyrights Directive came into effect, which basically forbids you from making a backup copy of any game, DVD or music CD you own. You can make a backup of software, as long as you don't have to bypass any copyright protection to do so.

so what's the difference between "software" and "a game"? This months PC Format discusses the same issues as discussed here and appears to contradict itself in the same way that Davey does (no offence, just an observation) by saying in one bit that it is legal to make a backup of software you have bought but in another that it isn't. PC Format goes on to say that using a no-CD crack is legal but reverse engineering of software isn't which surely most no-CD cracks are anyway. Also one poster's comment about Media Player is interesting as according to PCF, it is illegal to rip a CD on to your hard drive though they do not discuss why this is such an integral part of Media Player.

I'm confused......