Server.dat on Client 5065

[Zedaf]

Hello,

I know there's absolutely tonnes of threads about already so I do apologize for that but I must have referenced over 100 related threads by this point so I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction. I've been working on and learning from the 4274 source but wanted to try experimenting with a newer version. I opted for 5065 and did the following:

• Downloaded 5065 Comet source
• Downloaded 5065 client from the thread here
• Downloaded `ConquerLoader` and updated with my external IP address in comet.game, comet.account, realm table and `server.dat` (I know some people will say that should even be necessary with the loader but it has never worked for me without doing so and consistently works with the change on older versions.

I have now also tried using olydbg / xdbg to prevent the issue but to no avail. I've managed to make changes like not requiring `play.exe` to be opened but just can't get anywhere with this one major issue of `server.dat`

Would appreciate if anyone can just even point me in a new direction, more than happy to work just don't even know where to go from here.

Thanks

[Spirited]

4 hours ago, Zedaf said:

Hello,

I know there's absolutely tonnes of threads about already so I do apologize for that but I must have referenced over 100 related threads by this point so I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction. I've been working on and learning from the 4274 source but wanted to try experimenting with a newer version. I opted for 5065 and did the following:

• Downloaded 5065 Comet source
• Downloaded 5065 client from the thread here
• Downloaded `ConquerLoader` and updated with my external IP address in comet.game, comet.account, realm table and `server.dat` (I know some people will say that should even be necessary with the loader but it has never worked for me without doing so and consistently works with the change on older versions.

I have now also tried using olydbg / xdbg to prevent the issue but to no avail. I've managed to make changes like not requiring `play.exe` to be opened but just can't get anywhere with this one major issue of `server.dat`

Would appreciate if anyone can just even point me in a new direction, more than happy to work just don't even know where to go from here.

Thanks

Hey there, what's the exact issue? Are you getting an error message when starting up the client?

[Konichu]

Can imagine only one scenario now, is your client is crashing when connecting to looppack address?

In OllyDBG you can:

1. Search for command `CMP AL, 7F` on Conquer.exe, there might be two or more results. Keep in mind you'll want to change only the first ones (result 1 and two)
2. On first match, the next command will be a JNZ or JNE command which you will change to JMP
3. On second match it will have a JE command, you will fill it with NOPs

Save the executable and done. Server.dat file just changed to new format on 5078 Conquer.exe, so probably you're not having issues with crypto, am I correct?

[Zedaf]

Hey, I wanted to ensure that I was following your process correctly and without any other modifications already being present so I downloaded a completely clean copy of the 5065 client and followed your instructions as best as I could. Here are some screenshots of what I found, what I change and what the error showed.

[Zedaf]

I wasn't certain from your instructions if you meant that I should apply the NOP to the actual `CMP AL, 7F` command or to the JE command which followed but I have tried both and still seem to get the error.

[Konichu]

2 hours ago, Zedaf said:

I wasn't certain from your instructions if you meant that I should apply the NOP to the actual `CMP AL, 7F` command or to the JE command which followed but I have tried both and still seem to get the error.

I'm sorry, but u must NOP the JE instruction. Are u using the retail server.dat? You must be careful because TQ ini readers will not read correctly if you change field orders or if any field is missing. Did you change the server.dat file? If you open the 100% original one, will it work?

Edited August 28, 2024 by Konichu

[Zedaf]

Not sure if it's worth mentioning but I sometimes get another error instead. I can click the Enter button sometimes and get the server.dat error and sometimes I click it and get the please login later error. Usually the first error that I get will be the server.dat one though and the login later one will occur after a couple of times pressing Enter.

I am using the original server.dat file which came with the client but I haven't changed the order of any fields or removed any fields. I've just gone in and changed the IP address and nothing else. If I use the original file without making any changes I believe it would work. It actually just hangs and times out, I assume because I'm trying to connect to real conquer servers using a 5065 client and they won't allow it but I don't receive the server.dat warning.

 

Edited August 28, 2024 by Zedaf

[Zedaf]

17 minutes ago, Konichu said:

I'm sorry, but u must NOP the JE instruction. Are u using the retail server.dat? You must be careful because TQ ini readers will not read correctly if you change field orders or if any field is missing. Did you change the server.dat file? If you open the 100% original one, will it work?

So I guess from looking at my screenshots you would agree that I have followed the instructions correctly because I used NOP on the JE instruction which followed `CMP AL, 7F` and I changed the JNZ which followed the other `CMP AL, 7F` to JMP.

[Zedaf]

So now what I did looks like this:

• Download clean 5065 client & Comet 5065 server
• Modify IP address in 5065 Comet server (game.config & account.config) to IPv4 address (e.g. 192.168.1.168)
• Modify IP1 for server Dark in server.dat to 192.168.1.168
• Modify GameIPAddress to 192.168.1.168 and Name to Dark in realm table
• Open Conquer.exe with Olydbg and search for `CMP AL, 7F`, found 2 results.
• On the first match (followed by JNZ) I changed the JNZ to JMP.
• On the second match (it has a JE command preceding and following) I filled the JE which followed with NOP.

[Konichu]

Your screenshots are right, with that change your client wont crash on login when it receive a loopback (localhost or router ipaddress) address on MsgConnectEx response.

But I can't remember what may cause this on Server.dat. If you use 127.0.0.1 IP Address it will do the same? I was using a 5065 client to reverse some stuff a few days ago but I didnt get the "Failed to open server.dat" message, I even cleaned up mine to display only 1 server.

Just extracted a clean 5065 client, cracked the exe and it worked without issues with this server.dat

[Header]
GroupAmount=1
Group1=Group11.swf
GroupHint1=

[Group1]
ServerAmount=1

Server1=Dark
Ip1=192.168.1.168
Port1=9958
ServerName1=Dark
HintWord1= 
Pic1=Group3/server2.swf

It has a line break after the last line (forum trimmed it)

Edited August 28, 2024 by Konichu

[Zedaf]

Okay it actually does work for me now when I use 127.0.0.1 but not when I use 192.168.1.168 

Edit: I do have the necessary ports opened too.

Edited August 28, 2024 by Zedaf

[Konichu]

26 minutes ago, Zedaf said:

Okay it actually does work for me now when I use 127.0.0.1 but not when I use 192.168.1.168 

Edit: I do have the necessary ports opened too.

"It do not work" is quite vague. What error? It hangs?

[Zedaf]

Sorry I just thought it would be clear that I meant that everything occurring prior to me saying that it now works on 127.0.0.1 is what still occurs when I use 192.168.1.168

So everything I described above my last post remains true for 192.168.1.168 i.e. I still get the server.dat error

[DamNationZ]

how did you crack the conquer.exe to use mod server.dat?

[thecomputerist]

36 minutes ago, DamNationZ said:

how did you crack the conquer.exe to use mod server.dat?

Client version 5065 does not require anything, it's clear text. More specifically 5077 and before. So just open server.dat with your preferred text editor.

 

On 8/28/2024 at 4:51 PM, Zedaf said:

Sorry I just thought it would be clear that I meant that everything occurring prior to me saying that it now works on 127.0.0.1 is what still occurs when I use 192.168.1.168

So everything I described above my last post remains true for 192.168.1.168 i.e. I still get the server.dat error

I would question if you have any additional spaces, invisible characters, etc, within your server.dat. There's nothing to block you from entering a local address on 5065, just a loopback/ 127.0.0.1.
 

Edited February 21 by thecomputerist

[DamNationZ]

i tried the guide above and after that i tried to edit the server.dat it still saying that error of server.dat

[Konichu]

11 hours ago, thecomputerist said:

Client version 5065 does not require anything, it's clear text. More specifically 5077 and before. So just open server.dat with your preferred text editor.

 

I would question if you have any additional spaces, invisible characters, etc, within your server.dat. There's nothing to block you from entering a local address on 5065, just a loopback/ 127.0.0.1.
 

That's right, first encrypted server.dat was on 5078 afair

Must be careful with the structure. Most TQ files are read sequentially, so you must respect line breaks and properties order.

If you add/remove one more line break, change one property order or w/e, it will break the file read. Localhost IP Address will also break the reading and you need to be careful, if you do not crack the exe for local debugging, any address that is mapped as "loopback" will break or crash it.

Original:

Edited

Edited February 21 by Konichu

[theshadowpriest]

I went a little mad trying to connect to the TQ leaked server using 5065. The server.dat isn't encrypted, but you can't just edit it with notepad. No matter what I did it would fail to use any different IP, local or not.

 

I was forced to use the Conquer Loader.

[thecomputerist]

3 hours ago, theshadowpriest said:

I went a little mad trying to connect to the TQ leaked server using 5065. The server.dat isn't encrypted, but you can't just edit it with notepad. No matter what I did it would fail to use any different IP, local or not.

 

I was forced to use the Conquer Loader.

Unfortunate. I've had success just editing the Server.dat with notepad (edit: make sure you're saving in a ascii friendly format, so byte sized char's, no UTC-16, 32, etc). No hooking/ loading required.

I only state this for anyone who might come across this post in the future and is looking for answers.

Here's an example Server.dat from an older attempt/ project of mines which worked fine (Patch 5065, no modifications just Server.dat). Had the server on another locally networked machine.

Quote

[Header]
GroupAmount=1
Group1=Group1.swf
GroupHint1=

[Group1]
ServerAmount=2

Server1=HelloTest
Ip1=172.24.119.215
Port1=9958
ServerName1=HelloTest
HintWord1=
Pic1=Group1/server1.swf

Server2=HelloWorld
Ip2=192.168.1.51
Port2=9958
ServerName2=HelloWorld
HintWord2=
Pic2=Group1/server2.swf

 

Edited February 22 by thecomputerist

[theshadowpriest]

Can easily just edit in notepad with older clients, but 5065 that I was using specifically would  let met make changes to the server.dat but never work with them  local or WAN IP, just wouldn't connect afterwards.