NUON Authentication Tools Thread - Emulating older outdated versions of Linux

[The Helper]

So what is the target we are going for here? My buddy thinks he can get any version of redhat setup on emulation system so what environment do we need? I think I saw that information here in the forum somewhere and I am going to search for it but all information about getting the Authentication Tools to run needs to go in this thread.

 

[The Helper]

Links post here is the one talking about the older version of Red Hat needed

Nuance 0.5.0 Source and VM Labs Authentication Tools

From my understanding, the Nuance 0.5.0 Source was placed online by DSI back in January 2008 after developer Mike "Riff" Perry passed away. Unfortunately, the 0.5.1 source, which would have been the most recent, was lost. As for the VM Labs Authentication tools, the binaries and source code...

www.thehelper.net

Additional information

NUON Authentication software

I should know better than to post important things on my blog without giving a link here. :) http://www.dragonshadow.com/-/archive/2007_Q4.html#03_Oct_2007

www.thehelper.net

 

[The Helper]

Authentication Tools download

http://www.dragonshadow.com/-/downloads/authentication.zip

 

[Stephen]

Looking through my old stuff, there is this quote "This document is based on a meeting held in Jan 1998, regarding Software Authenticity strategies for NUON."

I'm not a Linux guy, but I'll try my best to help with this. I have multiple ways of setting up Virtual machines for running any OS we can find.

Maybe this will help:

Linux – Distributions - Red Hat

Linux – Distributions - Red Hat

www.linux.co.cr

 

[The Helper]

What do you need from us to make that happen?

 

[Stephen]

At this point, I just need time. My HDD with all of my development stuff on it (yes, it's backed up) is exhibiting some read errors, so I have a new 4TB drive coming in to replace it. It will take a bit of time to get the 1.5TB of data transferred. I'm also on a mostly clean OS install so I have several development tools to get re-installed.

I guess the first step is getting my old dev tools setup and making sure I can compile my old code. I also need to get a working instance of the Nuance emulator.

Keep pinging me so I don't let this slide

 

[midnight8]

At this point, I just need time. My HDD with all of my development stuff on it (yes, it's backed up) is exhibiting some read errors, so I have a new 4TB drive coming in to replace it. It will take a bit of time to get the 1.5TB of data transferred. I'm also on a mostly clean OS install so I have several development tools to get re-installed.

I guess the first step is getting my old dev tools setup and making sure I can compile my old code. I also need to get a working instance of the Nuance emulator.

Keep pinging me so I don't let this slide

ping. lol

 

[The Helper]

1998 Linux Distributions is what I am seeing here. Stephen you are the best chance that we have to get this working and if we can get this working we have the chance for new NUON games. I am going to definitely ping you.

 

[Stephen]

This is insane man. Sitting here trying to figure out this damn SDK. You'd think I could remember doing it. I mean, it's only been 20 years since I did this the last time.

Then I run across this:

# Makefile for starfield

# Stephen Anderson
# Started October 1, 2002
# Completed ???

I've now been writing code full time since 2007. Recently at this job (coming up on 10 years) I'm finding I can't remember working on shit from just a few weeks back. Don't know if it's burnout, getting old, dementia setting in, or what.

 

[Stephen]

Well well, look what we have. One small step for me. I am back to where I was in 2001

gmake
coffpack -o cd_app.cof starfield.cof
coffpack, a COFF file section consolidator.
Version 1.0.2, last built Sep 11 2001
Copyright (c) 2001 VM Labs, Inc.  All rights reserved
Confidential and Proprietary Information of VM Labs, Inc.

CreateNuonCD

This is CreateNuonCD v1.08

NUON.CD size 818500
 -- Loading ./cd_app.cof
      Start 0x14f4c
      732664 read

 

[atarigalore]

I've got quite a few boxed versions of linux from back then, and a 32 thread 192GB ram server that's up 24/7 running vmware esxi.... i might be able to set something up if you want to do dev remotly... if you use regular vmware to log in it would also let you attach your local cd burner to the vm as well.

 

[eltoozero]

The issue isn't compiling from the SDK, I had to reproduce the environment to get the controller dump working, I didn't encounter any major hurdles.

The real issue is the authentication key is misleading or wrong; without that it's hopeless.

Someone with first-hand knowledge or experience with the "secure laptop" should know or remember if the info in README.txt is accurate.

 

[midnight8]

so, if you just made the games with out the key like homebrew, then only samsung owners could use them, right? or is that just because homebrews are on cdr? So, if you made it like a homebrew and it was a legit dvd, not a cdr, could everyone play them? I don't think most people would mind having that screen at the beginning

 

[midnight8]

I'm also getting ready to show my dumbness, if you had source code to an existing game, would you be able to get the key from that

 

[eltoozero]

so, if you just made the games with out the key like homebrew, then only samsung owners could use them, right? or is that just because homebrews are on cdr? So, if you made it like a homebrew and it was a legit dvd, not a cdr, could everyone play them? I don't think most people would mind having that screen at the beginning

That's not the issue, the problem is the N501 has a habit of spontaneously bricking itself, and I've got a stack of dead units waiting for diagnosis and revival.

Only the Samsung machines can actually boot "home-brew".

I'm also getting ready to show my dumbness, if you had source code to an existing game, would you be able to get the key from that

If you want to burn that same game, yes, but that's not what anyone wants/needs.

 

[Stephen]

The issue isn't compiling from the SDK, I had to reproduce the environment to get the controller dump working, I didn't encounter any major hurdles.

The real issue is the authentication key is misleading or wrong; without that it's hopeless.

Someone with first-hand knowledge or experience with the "secure laptop" should know or remember if the info in README.txt is accurate.

Looking at this some more. Given the dates in the README.txt, it would seem that the two most likely possibilities for the authentication PC would be Red Hat 5.2 or Red Hat 6.2. Dumb question, could there be a specific version they used or would all Linux versions of the time have the same public keys? It sounds like from your post, you have ran the encryption software and using the given pass phrase the software just won't boot once burned to DVD?

Just thought of something else. Could there be an issue of using burned DVDs vs glass mastered ones, even if the encryption process was successful? I am guessing this is not the case but I never tried duplicating the retail discs I have.

 

[atarigalore]

Looking at this some more. Given the dates in the README.txt, it would seem that the two most likely possibilities for the authentication PC would be Red Hat 5.2 or Red Hat 6.2. Dumb question, could there be a specific version they used or would all Linux versions of the time have the same public keys? It sounds like from your post, you have ran the encryption software and using the given pass phrase the software just won't boot once burned to DVD?

Just thought of something else. Could there be an issue of using burned DVDs vs glass mastered ones, even if the encryption process was successful? I am guessing this is not the case but I never tried duplicating the retail discs I have.

unless an issue with the player... my nuon n501 reads buned copies of games fine.

 

[Stephen]

Double posting this:
Hey guys - hope posting a link to other forums is OK. I have decided to post on Yak's own forum about this. If anyone has anything they think they can contribute, I've posed the question here http://www.yakyak.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=88773

 

[The Helper]

Double posting this:
Hey guys - hope posting a link to other forums is OK. I have decided to post on Yak's own forum about this. If anyone has anything they think they can contribute, I've posed the question here http://www.yakyak.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=88773

We can use all the help we can get on this one.

 

[midnight8]

wish I was smart enough to help with this kind of stuff. lol