Windows 95 / 98 / NT 4. Must run in 128Mb RAM. Plug-in's for AutoCAD R14, Adobe
Photoshop 5.0/5.5, Adobe Premiere v5.0 are fine, as are corresponding
filters.Here's a selection of answers to common questions which seem to repeatedly manifest their way into my inbox, before you e-mail me, all I really ask is that you use a little common sense and check that the answer to your question is not here or available via a search engine.
Q1. The program author just updated his software's version number so I can't follow your tutorial, also some of your documents are really out of date.
A1. I'm afraid there is very little I can do about either of these as a lot of my tutorials were written in 1998 and my time does not permit me to be continually updating. Software authors deliberately release lots of versions to thwart the neverending supply of crack programs (I'm sure you know the sorts of sites I am referring too). Its really a self-perpetuating arrangement because by releasing umpteen versions authors are just guaranteeing crackers and warez groups a steady supply of releases.
Q2. Do you have/can you make me/fix me a crack for (insert name of) software?.
A2. I really detest these type of e-mails. I refuse to make any cracks / keygens / patchs for anyone, if you cannot be bothered to learn how to reverse engineer for yourself then my site isn't for you. Understand, that all these requests are deleted immediately without any response and that includes those lamers who mailbomb me with 3 identical requests. Go to Yahoo, type in your program name + crack and try your luck there.
Q3. I have tried to reverse (insert name of) software without success, here are brief details of the approaches I've tried, the protection scheme, other information, can you take a look for me?.
A3. This type of e-mail is far more likely to get a response. If you have found a protection scheme which is interesting and I feel you have made a reasonable attempt to reverse the software yourself, I may take a look (and thats a really big may - I can't stress this enough), recently I've received requests which would take me a significant amount of time to reverse so don't expect miracles. If you're merely feigning interest to obtain a crack see Q2. On any requests I accept, I will usually need the software, so provide me with a full URL or make arrangements to send it to me. Please bear in mind that my bandwidth like my time is not unlimited so large ISO's will not appeal to me.
Q4. Will you link to my site / display my banner / accept sponsorship?.
A4. I reserve the right to exercise personal discretion in all of the above areas. I tend to dislike the concept of gratuitous linking just because a page was brought to my attention, although banners can add to the overall visual impression of any site I find most people do not appreciate the extra waiting time (or at least I wouldn't if I was paying for my connection). Now that my site is pretty much established (+200,000 genuine hits in fact) I will consider the possibility of a 'discrete' sponsor.
Q5. Are you a member of a (cracking / warez / hacking) group? and could you just crack a few small things for me / my new group?.
A5. I have only a single link to 1 cracking group, MEXELiTE incorporates many people who I am priviledged to call my friends, note that since 1997 we actually DON'T crack and distribute anything. I am never going to re-join any warez group (I've been there and done that), I'd really rather not be sued for a 20 minute crack of some exotic piece of software which I have no use for. I am NOT a hacker, never have been and never will be, so don't ask me to break into servers, your friends Hotmail account etc, because I won't do it (in fact I probably don't know how to).
Q6. I've found an error on one of your tutorials.....(any other associated problems relating to tutorial comprehension).
A6. Strange as it may seem, to err is to be human, and therefore I do make my share of mistakes :-). Please send me an e-mail detailing the nature of the problem and a correction, I will do my utmost to issue a correction (e.g. Virtual Gibbs :-) ). As you can appreciate when I wrote these older tutorials some details were rushed!..... since 1999 I double check my theories.
Q7. I really need BoundsChecker / IDA / SmartCheck / SoftICE / latest version (delete as applicable), can you send it to me / upload it to this server / tell me where to download it?.
A7. In short, NO (that means "not under ANY circumstances").
Q8. Why don't you place all of the tutorials in a single zip file so I can download them all and read them off-line?.
A8. I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to do this, the SandMan does yet Fravia doesn't. I've decided against it for now for 2 reasons, the first is a simple matter of administration, the second reason put simply, is that there are tools already available on the web for "site grabbing" and I have no desire to make myself work when you can use a tool from the web.
Q9. I've written a keygen/tutorial, will you display it on your site?.
A9. I welcome all keygen sources/tutorial submissions but I reserve the right to edit any parts which I feel are irrelevant (this includes endless lists of greetings and gratuitous publicity for your warez group).
Q10. I'm fairly new to all this reversing business and I'm looking for a mentor/tutor to show me all of the main techniques, can you possibly help?.
A10. Most likely I cannot help, although you are welcome to ask. I am not a particularly good cracker or teacher, having only experience of one and not the other. There are many other 'great' mentors on the web, I would strongly recommend you find one of them.
Q11. On some of your tutorials you quote "files available on request", how do I get them?.
A11. Okay this is pretty easy. Firstly set yourselves up an ftp account, (good anonymous places where you need to provide just an e-mail address are FortuneCity, GeoCities, Xoom and many others). Once you have a login/password e-mail me the details and the files you require, I will upload them as soon as I can.
Q12. Are you a member of the HCU?, who do I contact about joining? and who is +ORC?
A12. I am NOT connected in anyway with the HCU and I know very little about the organisation. Joining is a matter of passing the yearly "strainer" which is usually a cracking challenge. I have not the faintest idea who +ORC is although I did receive a rather peculiar e-mail a while back - you should search for other sites dedicated to this task, one rumour is that +ORC was really a student who translated some cracking notes and took the credit when they became infamous..... there are many other theories, choose the one which suits you best :-).
Q13. Can I help you in anyway?
A13. Probably yes, if you can write a tutorial, offer me a secure file server/mirror location then drop me a line. I don't ask for any money for my site even though each visitor could easily go shopping and download $50,000 worth of software and use it for free, instead appease your consciences and buy SoftICE (its the only software that really deserves it), else throw a few $ or whatever your native currency is (not lira) directly to your favourite charity.
Q14. I just can't stand your new artwork, its crap/garish/slow to load/unnecessary, can you change it/revert to the old style/shoot the artist?
A14. In short, NO (and btw I recently shrank some of the GIF's & JPG's to make the site load even quicker, so there).
Before you send me any files to examine, please make sure that I will actually be able to install and use them. Please also make sure that your request adheres to the following requirements and don't send any files larger than 1Mb to my Hotmail account (they don't like it and neither do I).
Windows 95 / 98 / NT 4.
Must run in 128Mb RAM.
Plug-in's for AutoCAD R14, Adobe
Photoshop 5.0/5.5, Adobe Premiere v5.0 are fine, as are corresponding
filters.
No doubt this FAQ will be modified slightly in due course.
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