Re: ADTPro 1.2.4 Released

[David Schmidt <schmidtd@my-deja.com>]

On 9/11/2012 12:46 AM, Hot Rod wrote:
> Very nice.  I need to try the nibble xfers further on some originals.  I think this has the potential to streamline capturing more disks in native form.

I'm thinking it will help in those cases where we went and grabbed 
individual tracks at the nibble level with Advanced Demuffin - hopefully 
it'll provide enough clues to see what you're battling with.  Also 
hopefully, it'll deliver the bits it reads without further adulterating 
them like 1.2.2 did.  It's not intended or advertised to capture useable 
nibs of copy-protected software as-is.  That's the job of something 
other than Woz's disk controller.

> You should tell the story about the deprotect and all the fun it was... :)
> (It's a good story.)

Here's the story, in algorithmic form:
1. HR requests some tracks from Advanced Demuffin.  Dave obliges.
2. Dave sends disk bits with ADTPro.
3. HR discovers another bug in the tools we're using.
4. HR decompiles code and discovers another layer of the onion.
5. HR generates a new RWTS to get the next track to read.
6. Goto step 1.

We eventually broke out of the loop, but it took an awful lot of 
iterations.  HR can give some of the juicy details of code obfuscation 
and RWTS tomfoolery they used.

This was a nicely fortified disk, using Ultima-IV-style protections.  It 
is essentially a demo disk for a workbook-plus-disk-companion" sort of 
thing for matching clothes to body shapes, "Your Ideal Silhouette":
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/154110209?versionId=168019710

> Great job, Dave!

Thanks - hopefully this will save you time with the next remote 
deprotection session you engage in!