[peterloo]

I've personally once used virtual drives to backup some legally purchased games

However, I'm not sure whether it's legal to mention the method here, so...

I recommend all game companies to replace all broken / scratched discs for free (1 scratched disc --> 1 new working disc), or release some way to remove the protection mechanism once the product reaches its end of life

Finally, I must stress that all protection mechanisms, like Starforce, Securom, Tages, or Safedisk failed to meet their original goal (that is, prevent pirvacy and boost sales), that's why they should be abolished instead of strictly enforced.