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[Expack2]

In order to verify Mario's Time Machine was, in fact, released on the PC (in this case, MS-DOS), I need someone to crack the copy-protection on the image so generously posted by UnconformistSheep in the game's request post. If someone can do so, I'd really appreciate it because it will allow either another Abandonia staff member or myself to verify the abandonware status of Mario's Time Machine.

[Professor Oak]

I'll have a look into this later.

[UnconformistSheep]

I guess you guys didn't have more luck than I did, uh?

That mobygames.com doesn't list PC/DOS as one of the supported platforms, but wikipedia can confirm both games were released for the DOS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario%27s_Time_Machine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_is_missing

I never played the NES and SNES versions, but, from the look of the screenshots, the DOS version looks (from what I remember) a lot like the SNES version.

The archaic copyright protection mechanism I think were introduced by the Portuguese publisher, which also did the translation. It seems to have worked by changing something in the Floppy Disk #5 during install, which I guess got reverted when doing an explicit uninstall. I guess I could have made a backup copy of this 5th Floppy Disk, but I didn't know better as a kid. :-P

Anyhow, this company no longer seems to exist. At least, google returned nothing for the name.

[Professor Oak]

My main problem is trying to work out how to mount multiple floppy images, if only there was a bare bones tutorial which would make actually the process easier.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Current official DOSBox version doesn't support that. The last one that did was v0.65. If you have that, all you have to do is specify the image files one after another. When mounted, CTRL+F4 cycles to the next image (or to the first if the currently mounted one was the last).

[Japo]

I didn't know that but

Originally Posted by The Fifth Horseman

If you have that,

You can download old versions from the dosbox.com site, it's the last link the in list below all the platforms, it takes you here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/dosbox/files/dosbox/

[UnconformistSheep]

Originally Posted by Professor Oak

My main problem is trying to work out how to mount multiple floppy images, if only there was a bare bones tutorial which would make actually the process easier.

I copied each floppy to a zip archive in another computer. What I did next was to copy said content to a directory, which I mounted in DosBox as a:. Then, when the installer asked for the next floppy disk, I replaced the content of that directory by the content of the following floppy disk. ;-)

Originally Posted by The Fifth Horseman

When mounted, CTRL+F4 cycles to the next image (or to the first if the currently mounted one was the last).

Off-topic, but a nice hack would be to add a menu-bar to DosBox (when in window-ed mode, like in other emulators), so you would have access to such commands, and to allow you to easily mount directories and etc.

[UnconformistSheep]

I still have the box, manual and etc of the game. I will get you guys a scan of the thing. Anyhow, here is a translation of a piece of paper (A5) that came with the game, instructing how to install/handle the game:

Warning
To avoid problems, please attent the following:

• Know which floppy disk comes with the program "INSTALAR" (consult the manual)
• Before installing, verify that all are disks are unprotected against writing (left hole closed)
• Correct eventual problems with the disk with CHKDSK /F (DOS 5) or SCANDISK (DOS 6)
• Follow the instructions of the installation program.

A lot products from Multitarefa come with a protection device against illegal copies. This system allows the owner of the original installation disks to install the product an unlimited number of times, provided that, before proceeding to a new installation, the previous one is uninstalled.

In the case of protected products, during installation, besides the product files, your authorization of function is also moved. In this process, two hidden files are created in the root of the disk C ("EV*.SYS"). These files - essential for the product to function - are extremely sensitive and may not be removed, or even altered, otherwise the product will irremediably stop functioning! (Note: There is no problem using "Defrag" in DOS, even under "Full Optimization").
If you have memory managers like QEMM, we advise you to disable them before the installation.

To re-install/uninstall the "Authorization":
The authorization is moved from one drive to another using the command:
"PROTEGER drive_origin: drive_destiny:"
for example, to move the "authorization" from the floppy to the hard-disk, do "proteger a: c:". From the hard-disk to the floppy: "proteger c: a:"
The authorization can only be moved from the original floppy-disk (the one with the file PROTEGER.COM) and the floppy-disk has to be unprotected from writing.

You can also uninstall by using the program "DESINSTALAR" from the same floppy-disk:
From the DOS prompt in drive A, after you introduce the floppy-disk, issue command: DESINSTALAR.

In case of any difficulty, you may solicit help from the Technical Department of Multitarefa through the Green Line 0-500-11-67.

Summary: the floppy #5 is missing two files (named EV*.SYS), because they were moved to the hard-disk by the initial installation.

I am not sure how we can possibly re-create these two files. In Linux (as in other operating systems), you have this "strace" command that allows you to see which system-calls a program is making (which includes stuff like opening and reading files).

That is likely not enough for us: we need to see exactly what the installer (and then the game) are trying to match the file with. Fortunately, with DosBox, we should be able to track exactly what the program is doing. Anyone knowing their x86 Assembly might also be able to do the same by looking at the disassembled code.

I have never done any reverse engineering, and I am short of time at the moment, but it sure sounds like a fun project to eventually get around to. If anyone knows more about this, I would love to help though.

By the way, the same A5 piece of paper is found in both boxes of these Mario games. The manual of the games themselves is very brief in installation instructions: it only says basically: "insert floppy #1; type INSTALAR; follow the instructions". It says nothing about the protection mechanism, or even that you should type DESINSTALAR to uninstall the game. Crappy publishers...

[The Fifth Horseman]

There's one thing I could think of - if the files are erased from the floppy just by deletion and not overwriting, it could be possible to locate and recover their contents from the disk images.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Scratch what I said. Your floppy image isn't missing those files - IMGMOUNT it in DOSBox and see for yourself.
What's the case is that the image is truncated and more than likely missing part of the original game data.