-= CDRWin/DAO V3.8 Open-Source Keymaker V2.0 -
Small FAQ for People who do Care =-

[I] What is this all about?

Tired and Sick of burning coasters with Goldenhawk's Cdrwin?
Before blaming your girlfriend, see why it's in most cases NOT her fault, nor the
fault of your cdr-writer, nor of Cdrwin itself, but simply a consequence of using
a bad key or crack.

[II] Why should I care?

Because you want to save your hard-earned bucks by avoiding future coasters.

[III] I'm convinced, but how do I use Cdrwin without adding to my coaster-
collection?

It's simple. Don't use any keymaker/crack that is not written by me :)

[IV] Unfortunatly, it's too late - I've already used a bad crack. What now?

Find the person responsible for the bad crack and make him eat all your coasters.
Make him suffer real hard for his stupidity. Nowadays the world has seen too many
so-called crackers who want to cover themselves in unjustified glory.

[V] How do I use your keymaker?

Is this the 1st time you run Cdrwin? If yes, then use my keymaker and enter your
Name/Company to receive a valid Unlock/Check-Key. You can also manipulate the
year-range within which your key will be valid. Note that the time is not
dependent on your system clock, but on the build version of Cdrwin (i.e. Cdrwin
V3.8a was released 3/2000, so you should make sure that your key is valid within
that date).

If you've already used Cdrwin and even run a crack, then there are two possible
ways to continue. A) Did you apply a crackpatch? If yes, sorry for you, but you
have to reinstall Cdrwin, because there is no way of telling what bytes the
cracker has modified. B) Did you run another keymaker? If yes, then you'll want
to know if the key you've used was OK and didn't cause any coasters. In order to
do that, click on `Get information from cdrwin.dat` and point to your cdrwin path
where you should find the file cdrwin.dat. Latter contains the keycode
information. If you receive no error message, then you are fine and you can
continue using that keycode.
If, however, you receive a message saying that the keycode is not 100%, you've
the option to fix the key. I can only strongly suggest that you do so....

[VI] I have an original key, but it expired. Can you make it valid again?

Yes, using my keymaker you can bring your old key back to life. To do so, first
click on `don't randomize`. Then click on `Get information from cdrwin.dat` and
point to your cdrwin path where you should find the file cdrwin.dat. Latter
contains the keycode infromation of your original key. When done, you can change
the expiration range. My keymaker will automatically calculate the new key.

[VII] I have no girlfriend and need something else to get laid. Can you give me
more technical information about how the keyscheme of Cdrwin works?

Example:
Name:       Raymond E. Feist
Company:    Riftwar
Unlock Key: 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC
Check Key:  9357BB62-8CAC8011-908DCC07-8F76F774

Cdrwin uses an Unlock Key and a Check Key. The latter is trivial as it is only
used as a checksum check (hence the name!) that you've entered the Unlock Key
correctly.

The Unlock Key consists of -4- 32bit values. Use the following information in
addition to the keymaker source to get the idea.

1) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

Checksum of Name/Company. Further, using this 32bit value, Cdrwin
differentiates between unlock codes for Cdrwin and unlock codes for DAO
(each app uses an unique checksum-table). At last, the value is also used to
determine if your key is blacklisted or not.

2) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

Encoded expiration information.

3) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

Second Checksum, invoked after Cdrwin is started for the first time. If
invalid, anti-piracy message and exit.

4) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

Hidden Checksum, during cd-burn process. If invalid, ... another item for
your coaster collection.

5) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

Hidden Checksum, same as in 4).

6) 022BD9CE-8E8759DF-1E0A95D8-917C62AC

IMPORANT
Here is the answer why even my keymaker does not create keys that are 100%
identical with keys which have been legally purchased.

The two 16bit values are not yet (meaningfully) checked as of Cdrwin V3.8b.
This doesn't mean that my keymaker is not 100% working. It IS 100% for the
current version of Cdrwin and most probable for future versions as well,
UNTIL the programmers at Goldenhawk decide to implent that check. And until
then, I'll make sure that with each new version of Cdrwin my keymaker
doesn't miss that check. Fair enough?
For the smart ones among you: This is were the mysterious `don't randomize`
comes from. It simply prevents my keymaker to insert two random 16bit values
here. This is especially important when you want to change the expiration of
your real key, which has of course, the CORRECT two 16bit values. We don't
want to overwrite those with random ones... :)

TO ALL THOSE !%/$) IDIOTS WHO STILL CLAIM THAT THEY'RE HAVING
PROBLEMS USING MY KEYMAKER:

FOAD! You are simply wasting my time and the time of others with your
unqualified rubbish. If you think Cdrwin doesn't work probably after you've
used my keymaker, then blame it on someone else. Go and blame your g/f.
Or if you feel any safer, use one of the many patches that're floating around,
which claim that they are safer to use than a key code. Believe whatever you
want to believe. History has shown us the strength behind ignorance.

[VIII] Fine, I see that you are convinced of your own work so I'll use it, too.
Last question: With your ego, do you still have any friends left?

I wouldn't go that far to call anyone my friend :> Yet, greetings to the following
people :)

- everyone in X-FORCE. After years of fun & sorrow, I still love you!

- the first generation of UCF - when cracking had still some style.
Greetings at this place especially to Marquis de Soiree, whom I consider
my one and only tutor.

- Random, for he is the sickest of all people I know :) Without him,
things are just half as much fun.

- everyone in UNION and of course every proud #RC member :)
Especially to Devil, for the often philosophical debates; to Ratso, to
Drone, to ACP, to G-Rom, to Halvar, to Dezzy.

- every op in #WA; especially to Hugo for the endless debates why M$ is
evil or not :)

- everyone in COUNCIL.

The Riddler / X-FORCE / UNION.