"-keevill-" <keevillus@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OcbSpsATIHA.5164@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I have bought a database of names and addresses which consists of 2 cds.
>One containing the front end software and one containing the data. Of
>course it is encrypted to prevent unauthorised duplication .
That is NOT what encryption does. Nothing prevent anyone from copying
a file regardless of whatever arrangement of bytes are contained
within. That the file is encrypted is irrelevant to copying it.
Encryption means that someone without the key cannot *use* the
contents of that file.
I just assumed that data disk was encrypted. When I just copied the data
disk and it didn't work in the application then I noticed that the size of
the copied disk was somewhater less than the original disk. So I used and
ISO making software to make a true image of the orginal and then the size
was identical . However when I loaded the backup disk into my pc and opened
the application it failed to work.
THese facts led me to believe that there was some encryption involved.
> How can I make a backup in case the data cd becomes damaged or lost.
Just go copy it. If the file(s) was(were) encrypted, that doesn't
prevent you from copying the CDs. If, however, what you really meant
is that copy-protection is employed on the CDs then you will need to
go Googling on copying software that cracks whatever copy protection
scheme was employed on those CDs.
How do I know if copy protection is employed ? As I say above, I did make
copies both straight and ISO copies, it allowed the copy process and all
looked ok but the application refused to read it.
> This is the 2nd one I have had to buy since the first one - data disk
> became damaged and could not be read by any pcs.
Yeah, so if the file wasn't encrypted then a damaged disk would still
be unreadable.
Absolutely !
You're saying that this marketing firm from where you
bought your database doesn't provide for sending out replacement CDs?
Well, then you are not dealing with a legitimate marketing firm and
are instead talking about some cheapo spam lists that you paid for,
and you really were naive to believe you would get any support from
that outfit. Just order replacement media for the database to which
you subscribed.
It is more complicated than that. The company that made the disk is a very
large one and is still going however the data which I have is older than
their current one and they now refuse to support the old version.
For my own reasons, I want to use the older data and thefefore their new
version is not of use to me.
I was forced to purchase a second hand copy from ebay when my own original
data disk died.
> I have tried to use Nero to make an image of the data cd and burn that
> image onto a cd but it does not work when I test it .
Probably because COPY PROTECTION was employed, not encryption. It
really sounds like you need to have your IT crew handle the database
and saving backups.
How can I know that ? I do not have an IT crew hence my recourse to your
kind help here.
You could look into using something like CD-Clone or DVD-Clone by
Elaborabytes (or something close to that). It isn't free anymore
after they decided to sell it (to someone that starts with an "S" in
their business name). However, for a reliable copy, you need to
ensure the CD-R/DVD-R drive supports *hardware* RAW mode. Not many
optical drives list that spec anymore. Maybe they have a utility to
determine the features of your optical drives to determine the
likelihood that you can make backup copies of the copy-protected CDs.
OK I will now look into that - many thanks !!
