Hi can someone plz help the game is instored ok, but when i click on play i get the message--unable to Authenticate original disk within the time limit -- i have all the right requirements but im a computer novice, can someone plz point me in the right direction, is this game worth or the hassle, 3days ive been trying to figure it out PLZ HELP ME..!!
MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION (5.1build 2600)
HP PAVILLION 061
SYSTEM MODEL PJ498AA-ABU t645.uk
pentium 4
memory 512mb
directx 9.0
NIVIDA geFORCE FX5200
PILLIPS DVD8421 dvd/cd RW
SAMSUNG DVD-ROM-SD-616E (DVD RW)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mark184,

Myst V: End of Ages (EoA) uses SecuROM copy protection. What you're getting sounds like a generic SecuROM error, which may occur if:
-- a. You aren't logged into Windows with full Administrator privileges when starting EoA and/or didn't install the game while logged in with full Administrator privileges.
-- b. You installed the game from a DVD-RW drive (burner) and not from a DVD-ROM drive (non-burner).
-- c. You have software, like a disc burning or copying program, that installs virtual disks on bootup.
-- d. You're trying to install and play EoA over a network. Local machine only!
-- e. You're trying to start the game from a burned copy of the original disc. Original disc only!
-- f. You're trying to start the game from CD2 or CD3, instead of from CD1.
-- g. You're trying to start the game from a DVD-RW and not a DVD-ROM drive.

You don't say whether you installed EoA from a DVD or from CD's. Be that as it may, EoA has well-recognized problems with DVD-RW drives (burners). Especially when installing/starting from a DVD, it's very much preferable preferable to install the game from a DVD-ROM (non-burner) drive. Usually, problems with a burner can be solved by updating the drive's firmware. But this isn't always true, in which case using a DVD-ROM drive is usually the answer.

Suggestions:

1. As a first pass, log into Windows with full Administrator privileges and try the following:
-- a. Start EoA with the original disc in your DVD-ROM drive.
-- b. Disable or uninstall all programs intended to allow playing DVD movies from any region. For example, DVD Region Killer.
-- c. Using Device Manager (right-click on My Computer icon > Properties > Hardware > Device Manager), remove all virtual disks installed by CD/DVD burning or copying programs. For example, Daemon Tools, Alcohol 120%, CloneCD, Easy CD/DVD Creator, Nero Burning ROM, etc.
----- 1. Do NOT reboot after removing the virtual disk(s), before starting EoA.
----- 2. You may need to prevent the program(s) from loading on bootup, using the System Configuration Utility, before starting EoA.
-------- a. Click on Start > Run.
-------- b. Type msconfig in the Open: box, then click on OK to run the program.
-------- c. Click on the Startup tab.
-------- d. Scroll down to the program you want to prevent from loading on startup, and click on the check box to clear it.
-------- e. Click on Apply, then on OK.
-------- f. Reboot, then start EoA.
----- 3. Worst case, you may need to uninstall the program itself and reboot, then start EoA.
-- d. Using Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del once, then click on Task Manager), disable all programs that enable drag-and-drop-file-transfer CD/DVD burning, aka packet writing software. For example, Direct CD, InCD, DLA/Sonic DLA, Instant-Write, Packet CD, Drag to Disc, FileCD, abCD, etc.
----- 1. Do NOT reboot after disabling the packet writing software, before starting EoA.
----- 2. You may need to prevent the program from loading on bootup, using the System Configuration Utility as above.
----- 3. Worst case, you may need to uninstall the program itself and reboot, then start EoA.
-- e. If you have them, uninstall PlayBackup and Insektors, then reboot and start EoA.

2. Update the firmware for your disc drives.
-- a. The latest firmware update from HP for your Phillips DVD8421 is available here. This is "Philips DVD8421 8X DVD+RW Drive Firmware Update", sp26401.exe, version 9H10, released 2004-10-20, 2.97MB. You'll need to install the update by booting either from a floppy diskette or a CD, as per the instructions provided by HP. Do NOT run any programs or access the Internet, or shut down your PC, while the firmware update is in progress.

-- b. A version F508 (F508COM.bin, 2005-7-11) firmware update is available here from CDRinfo for your Samsung SD-616E. Before updating, open your PC's case and look at the label on the drive. This update is ONLY for drives with <serial number> = EXP, DIN, RPSM, EPB, EPG, EPV, RP, RPSBM, PSG on the label. You'll also need to download the Flash Utility, sfdnwin.exe to install F508COM.bin. Download and save both sfdnwin.exe and F508COM.bin to a folder, not to the Desktop.
----- 1.Log into Windows with full Administrator privileges, and close any open applications. Also disable your anti-virus software. Make certain there is not a disc in your Samsung SD-616E.
----- 2. Click on Start > Run, and browse to the folder where you saved sfdnwin.exe.
----- 3. Double-click on sfdnwin.exe to put it in the Open: box, then click on OK to run it.
----- 4. Select your Samsung SD-616E using the down arrow at the right end of the Drive: box, then click on OK.
----- 5. Click on the Download File Open button (leftmost button, upper left corner).
----- 6. On the resulting Open panel, browse to the folder where you saved F508COM.bin
----- 7. Click on F508COM.bin to put it in the File name: box, then click on Open. If this is not the correct firmware for the drive, SFDNWIN will give you an error message.
----- 8. If you don't get an error message, click on the Start Download button (middle button) to start the update. Do NOT run any programs or access the Internet, or shut down your PC, while the firmware update is in progress.

3. If the above don't help, post a DxDiag report in this thread so that we can take a look at your system and maybe make recommendations. See Myst V: System Requirements and Posting Guidelines under To post a DxDiag report for a how-to. Run all of the graphics and sound tests you can before saving the report to a file, and post *all* of the file.


BTW, if you don't already have the URL, the latest drivers and downloads from HP for your Pavilion 061 (t645.uk) are available here.

Heimdall

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Heimdall G,

Hi thanks i`m going to give it ago it all sounds abit confusing You say remove all virtual disks what are they? and do i disable or uninstall them..? and in task manager do i end process and how do i know what is what, it might sound a bit dumb, but i dont know much about computers lol i just want to play the game, the firmware i downloaded can i use a CD-RW Cd instead of Cd-R , I only have one Cd-r cd and its got a program on it, is it ok to use that one and copy over it, as i cant delete the program on it? i installed the game from a original DVD and logged in with full Administrator privileges and only have one disk and its a DVD

There's not a CD or DVD drive shown in your DxDiag report. Are you using an external drive, and if so, what are the manufacturer and exact model number?

Hi they are internal i think not 2 sure
Philips DVD8421 DVD/CD-RW
Samsung DVD-ROM SD-616E (DVD+RW Drive)
Ive tried the firmware for the samsung but it wasnt the right one, this is soo anoying ive played Myst Revelation & i cant wait to get going on this one, ive tried reversing the drives but that didnt work, so im stuck now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mark184,

Yeah, it's annoying, but EoA is worth the effort!

When you use a CD burning program to copy files to a CD-R, unless you specify differently the CD-R is "closed" at the end of the copying process. You then can't copy anything else to the CD, or delete anything that's been copied to it. It sounds like your CD-R has been closed, so try the CD-RW.

Your DxDiag report doesn't show any virtual disks.

Suggestions:

1. If an SD-616E and a DVD8421 are your only drives, they're internal. The fact that they don't show up in the DxDiag report may mean that Windows hasn't properly detected them, and that may be part of the problem. Have Windows re-detect them as follows:
-- a. Log into Windows with full Administrator privileges and close any open applications23.
-- b. Click on Start > Run, type services.msc, then click on OK.
-- c. Double-click on Plug and Play. (If you get a Configuration Manager message, click on OK.)
-- d. In the Startup Type list, click on Automatic, then click on OK.
-- e. Close Services, and reboot into normal Windows.
-- f. If you get no error messages during bootup, reboot into Safe Mode.
-- g. Right-click on the My Computer icon on the Desktop.
-- h. Click on Properties, click on the Hardware tab, then click on Device Manager.
-- i. Click on the drive you want to re-detect, and press Delete.
-- j. Close Device Manager, go back to the Desktop, and reboot into normal Windows. The drive should be re-detected.

See A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP, if you're not familiar with Safe Mode and how to use it. The option you want is "Safe Mode (SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal)".

2. Other firmware update versions are available from The Firmware Page for your Samsung SD-616E. Try their F508, F506 or F505 (in that order), installed as per suggestion 2b, above. You can use the SFDNWIN flash utility if you've already downloaded it, or download it here.

3. Make certain that EoA CD1 is free of smudges, fingerprints, any sort of "haze", etc. To clean the disc, use either water-clear (additive-free, no witch hazel or whatever, no green color) rubbing alcohol or a warm mild detergent solution. Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth using a center-outward motion, not circular around the disc. If there are any deep scratches on the disc, repair kits are available that may be able to remove them.

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM..
Well yesterday i managed to update my phililps firmware that went ok but unfortunley still no luck, i tried the samsung firmware update in the order you said , but still the wrong one, the samsung is not a RW just a drive so would that make a difference to the update, ive tried the msconfig, i even uninstalled my recording programs yesterday, big mistake i messed my computer up deleted things i should`nt, i could not do any restore, and ended up doing a system Recovery, but every thing is ok now back to normal, waiting on next instructions lol
i think your going to run out of idears soon, but im not going to give up yet, Mark.

If you haven't been using the System Restore utility, see How to turn on and turn off System Restore in Windows XP. Also see How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP. Or, click on Start > Help and Support, type system restore in the Search box, and then press ENTER.


Questions:

1. Did you have Windows re-dect both of your drives? If so and the process was successful, does your DxDiag report now show the drives (under "Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives")?

2. Your Samsung SD-616E, since it's indeed a CD-ROM drive and not a CD-RW, is more likely to be able to successfully read the EoA disk. Have you looked at the label on the drive itself? If so what was (all of) the model and serial number information on the label?

3. What exactly were you doing when you tried the the msconfig?

4. Did you actually clean the EoA disk, not just look at it and say "it's clean"? A haze may not be visible to the naked eye, but if it's there the drive's read capability is affected by it.

5. Have you ever used a drive cleaning disk to clean the laser lenses in your drives? The lenses can build up a haze coating over time which fouls up drive read operation. Particularly if:
-- You live in a dusty area.
-- There's a smoker in the house.
-- You don't have a vent hood over your kitchen stove or cooktop.
-- You use burning-candle or plugin oil-dispersing room deodorizers.

Using a CD/DVD laser lens cleaner might help. This is essentially a disk with tiny brushes on it that take the haze off of the lenses. The best ones (especially for smokers, non-hooders, and candle burners/oilers) come with a cleaning solution used to wet the brushes, but this isn't a strict requirement. Run the cleaning cycle at least 3 times in succession, as a first pass.

Hiya yeah windows redected the drives after i uninstored them, but whan i did the Dxdig again they still did not show up in the Dxdig,strange i thought.
When i did the msconfig, i went on start up and disabled all the programs then rebooted & tried Myst, i had a Email from Ubisoft saying to do that aswell, (they havent been no help & jst forgot about me lol)

Right i managed to take the drives out of the Pc and have a look at the labels, really easy to do.

TOP DRIVE
Philips DVD+R/RW
DVD8421/44;9305 046 642 44
H/W rev01 FWrev 6H01

THESE NEXT 3 ROWS WERE BARCODES:
HP P/N:5187-5977
S/N:MYJV49782C
V/M: DVD8421/44


I have discovered that the bottom drive (SAMSUNG)is in fact a DVD Drive too.

Bottom Drive:
SAMSUNG
DVD MASTER 16E MODEL SD-616
fcc id :RWASD616

TWO BAR CODES SHOWING:
V/M: SAS-616EHPC
P/N:5187-1941

THEN THERES ANOTHER BARCODE:
SD-616E/HPC 6RFX721055

F/W= F503
H/W:A Ver.E

Thats everything on both of them, hope this helps,oh yeah the CD is clean and the lasers are fine, Mark.

You did actually clean the EoA disk, right? And how do you know that "the lasers are fine"?


Suggestions:

1. Samsung has various firmware versions available for your SD-616E on the SD-616E Firmware Downloads page, the latest being F508.
-- a. Before you try F508, click on the pink "Check F/W version" box to go to the Check F/W version page.
-- b. On the Check F/W version page, again click on the pink "Check F/W version" box to download WININQUIRY.exe.
-- c. Run WININQUIRY. Select your SD-616E, and write down what you see in at least the Version Ex: box. Also check the Model Name: box to make certain that it confirms you have an SD-616E. Close WININQUIRY.
-- d. Go back to the SD-616E Firmware Downloads page, and click on the F508 line to go to the F508 Firmware download page.
-- e. If anything in WININQUIRY's Version Ex: box matches any of the "Byuer:" entries (EXP, DIN, RPSM, EPB, EPG, EPV, RP, RPSBM, PSG), you can install the F508 firmware. If no matches, do NOT install this firmware!

2. If you have no success with the above, try using Samsung's LiveUpdate service to update your SD-616E's firmware to version F508.
-- a. Click on Download LiveUpdate Full Version to download the LiveUpdate Full Version software, Liveudpate12_Install_Eng.exe. Install it. Do not run LiveUpdate after installation - install the patch first.
-- b. Click on Download LiveUpdate Patch Version to download the LiveUpdate patch, Liveudpate12_Patch_Eng.exe. Install it.
-- c. Run LiveUpdate.

3. Install a new IDE ribbon cable for the DVD-8421 and SD-616E, one that's specifically certified for Ultra DMA/ATA 133 service. This cable should be no longer than 18" overall, since some IDE controllers can't reliably recognize devices on a cable longer than 18". It'll be a 40-pin cable with 80 wires, usually with a blue plug on the motherboard end. (If the SD-616E is set up as slave on the IDE channel, install this new cable as part of suggestion 4, below.) After installing the new cable, boot up and start EoA.
-- a. Check the 40-pin connector on the drives to make certain that none of the pins are bent.
-- b. There's a small, usually black jumper on the back of each drive near the ribbon cable. Don't use the cable select or 'CS' jumper position on either drive. Use only the master ('MA') and slave ('SL') jumper positions.
-- c. CD/DVD drives should NOT be on the same IDE channel as a hard disk.

4. If the SD-616E is set up as slave, set it up as master on the IDE channel. Switching drive positions in the PC case makes it much easier to re-connect the ribbon cable. When plugging the ribbon cable into the connector on a drive, be certain that the plug is bottomed out in the connector.
-- a. Unplug the ribbon cable from both drives, but leave it plugged into the motherboard (unless you're replacing it). Before unplugging the cable, note whether the red color-coded wire on the cable is nearest the power connectors or the 40-pin connectors on the drives.
-- b. Disconnect the power cables from both drives, and switch the positions of the drives in the PC case. Set the jumpers while the drives are out of the case.
-- c. Set the SD-616E's jumper as master ('MA' position) and the DVD-8421 as slave ('SL' position). Be careful not to inadvertently use the cable select position on either drive. Also be careful to position the jumper so that it pushes down over both pins in a position.
-- d. Insert the end plug of the ribbon cable into the connector on the SD-616E. There's a "key" on the ribbon cable plug that fits into a corresponding slot in the 40-pin connector on the drive.
-- e. Insert the middle plug of the ribbon cable into the connector on the DVD-8421. If you're replacing the cable, insert the (blue) end plug into the motherboard connector.
-- f. Re-connect the power cables to each drive. The Molex power connectors have bevels on one side to prevent inserting them backward.
-- g. Check to make certain that the plug on the end of the ribbon cable is still bottomed out in the connector on the motherboard.
-- h. Close the case and boot up. Windows should detect the drives in their new positions during bootup.
-- i. Start EoA.

Hi ive updated both the Samsung + phillips firmware, but still no joy. i think im going to call it a day Maybe i should just get a cable so i can connect my home DVD Player.The white Ribbon cable is smaller than 18" its a tiny one, anyway thanks for your help and time, i appreciate it, i guess it was never ment to be, thanks again,

Mark.

i had about same problem. running game in compatiblity-modus windows 2000 did the trick!
all ok now! maybe you didnot try that?
bye from gerrit in arnhem, netherlands.