You can't hide forever, Baal!

May 15, 2007 12:57 PM

So I have a scratched CD with a few corrupt files, and access to the files that I need on another PC...can I combine these somehow to create a working CD or image with which to install/use my program?

The program is Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction (the expansion). Yeah, I'm a nerd. Anyway, the original game installs fine, and I own a perfectly legal copy of the expansion, but the disc is scratched to hell, so the install hangs trying to copy two files (d2exp.mpq and d2xtalk, if it matters). These won't copy to the desktop, either, so I assume they're just gone. I can hop on an ancient PC that lives in the closet and pull these files off via thumb drive, however, so I have access to good copies of the files that are corrupted.

The installer, unfortunately, insists on copying over whatever's in the directory, so just tossing those files into the install directory before the installer starts trying to copy doesn't work, it still tries to copy the files and hangs. Worse yet, copying the files into the directory makes the launcher think the expansion is already installed, so it won't let me try to install over/install the rest. Long story short, I think I need to somehow replace the files on the CD with the good versions. I can get all of the other files off of the CD by copy/paste, but taking an image of the whole CD fails because of those bad files.

Is there some way for me to successfully create an image with all working files that should work? I'd really like not to have to go out and buy a new expansion, and torrenting it is pretty much out of the question due to bandwidth issues. Any help is greatly appreciated!

posted by Rallon to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

Have you tried taking the scratches out, with something like Disc Doctor? Sometimes even a minor improvement in the disc surface allows it to be read.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 1:26 PM on May 15, 2007

Response by poster: Yeah, I worked some magic on the disc and the surface looks pretty good now, but the files are still apparently FUBAR.
posted by Rallon at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2007

You could try copying everything you can onto the computer, adding in those two files from the thumb drive, and burning that onto a CD. Don't even try to image it - just copy them off.

(This may not work at all, depending on whether there was any copy protection used, but it's worth a shot. Even if the game won't launch because it recognizes that this new disk is an imposter, you might be able to install with it, then use the original disk as the 'hey, it's me, go ahead and run' disk.)
posted by spaceman_spiff at 2:14 PM on May 15, 2007

You could try having it resurfaced at a used CD store.
posted by 6550 at 3:02 PM on May 15, 2007

Try running Unstoppable Copier on the CD.. it will pull off as much as it can get, I've used it many times to get files that normally wouldn't come off a CD.
posted by mattdini at 3:18 PM on May 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

I don't think DII has any copy protection, I took all my CDs and the Expan and put them all on a DVD, so I could just use 1 disc and install everything. Works great.

I'm pretty sure spaceman_spiff's idea will work!
posted by mattdini at 3:30 PM on May 15, 2007

I'd try a different drive if you have access. I've often found different drives have different tolerances for scratches and other errors.
posted by chairface at 4:55 PM on May 15, 2007

If you get really desperate and nothing else works, you could ask me to mail you my D2 LOD expansion CD, because judging from the layer of dust on it, I ain't ever gonna use it again.

'Course if you need instant gratification, then you're back to fooling the install. Since D2 protection is based on the printed key, and I've seen it run without the CD, I can't help but think the suggested solution of copying around files should do the trick.
posted by mdevore at 6:11 PM on May 15, 2007

Response by poster: Alright, tried copying the files and making a CD out of that to no avail - everything installs, but then I get a "corrupt file" error once the install finishes, and trying again with a new CD/reinstall gave the same issue. I've got a torrent going that's actually making some progress, so despite feeling somewhat shifty I should have it downloaded by the end of the week, barring revelations of any faster solution. The Unstoppable Copier is also chugging along and has been for a few hours, so we'll see what happens there. In the future, I'll be taking better care of my CDs.
posted by Rallon at 7:09 PM on May 15, 2007

I recently revived Diablo as well, so I feel your pain. But I would try and find a friend that has the CD and simply copy his/hers. IANAL, but I think you are in the clear being as you own a legal copy. Just make sure you use your license to install. If that doesn't work, hit up eBay. You can probably find one real cheap. You don't need it sealed because you don't care about the license. Either way you go, good luck.
posted by coolin86 at 7:19 PM on May 15, 2007