Test Drive 1 (Accolade) Installer Analysis
Installing Test Drive (360K) v1.0 diskettes on PCE MS-DOS 3.3 configuration yields this result:
Mistakenly left WRITE PROTECT on:
With WRITE PROTECT off:
The game may then be run on the Hard Drive without the need of 360K DISK 1.
As well, the 360K DISK 1 may still be run on any system even if installed to other Hard Drive.
In the case of DISK 2 360K (EGA) the copy protection on Track 39/0/1, it is only used for launching the EGA version direct from disk and is not be modified by install process.
The original 360K DISK 1 (v1.0) is modified upon ejection:
Attempt to install 360K DISK 1 once installed on fresh PCE Hard Drive:
Files are yet still installed to Hard Drive, but no signature this time. Game can not be launched from this Hard Disk.
Uninstaller procedure of signature back to floppy disk:
Attempt to run uninstall from fresh Hard Drive:
Using signature from saved Hard Drive many times over to original 360K DISK 1. Would anyone care for Test Drive 1 with 13 install grants?
However, one must wonder why untouched version of 360K DISK 1 v1.0 might show modified Track 39/0. Perhaps mother disk install/uninstall was performed/tested and then mass duplicated after. I do find interesting how Track 39/0 matches exactly 360K DISK 1 that is known to have install/uninstall performed.
Examination of untouched 720K v1.0 DISK shows different on Track 39/0:
Mistakenly left WRITE PROTECT on:
With WRITE PROTECT off:
The game may then be run on the Hard Drive without the need of 360K DISK 1.
As well, the 360K DISK 1 may still be run on any system even if installed to other Hard Drive.
In the case of DISK 2 360K (EGA) the copy protection on Track 39/0/1, it is only used for launching the EGA version direct from disk and is not be modified by install process.
The original 360K DISK 1 (v1.0) is modified upon ejection:
Attempt to install 360K DISK 1 once installed on fresh PCE Hard Drive:
Files are yet still installed to Hard Drive, but no signature this time. Game can not be launched from this Hard Disk.
Uninstaller procedure of signature back to floppy disk:
Attempt to run uninstall from fresh Hard Drive:
Using signature from saved Hard Drive many times over to original 360K DISK 1. Would anyone care for Test Drive 1 with 13 install grants?
However, one must wonder why untouched version of 360K DISK 1 v1.0 might show modified Track 39/0. Perhaps mother disk install/uninstall was performed/tested and then mass duplicated after. I do find interesting how Track 39/0 matches exactly 360K DISK 1 that is known to have install/uninstall performed.
Examination of untouched 720K v1.0 DISK shows different on Track 39/0:
Comments
I also figured out that Track 39/1/45 (256 bytes) is modified after installation.
*Before installation
*After installation
Here is sector with 12 installs remaining:
Kryoflux' "modified" detection is generally informative, but should not be blindly relied upon.
I see now, thank you for explanation. I also wonder if there is a way to tell the difference between untouched disk and disk that has had install/uninstall performed. At first glance I am unable to find a difference, but may have overlooked it.