data/data self-boot

[trig21]

I've got a newer dreamcast that won't run the audio/data selfboot games and it's been about two years since I've burned a data/data game. I decided I'd try out a couple more games, yet I can't seen to find the correct combination to get the games to boot. I've tried some of the ones I've previously created and they all still work fine, so my dreamcast is fine. I'm pretty sure I'm using the same method as before, but maybe I'm forgetting a step.

When I started converting the games two years ago I was not able to get Disc Juggler to successfully create the disc. It would burn all the files, but would not self-boot. It was only after I started using cdi2nero that the game would boot.

I've tried burning the images from bin2boot with both Alcohol and Nero 6, but neither will boot. I wonder if there was a bug in the version of Nero I was using two years ago that masked a problem with my procedure (hence why it never work in disc juggler.)

Here's what I'm doing to convert the audio/data to data/data:

cdirip game.cdi
isofix tdata02.iso (lba from second session, 11700/11702)
bin2boot fixed.iso

I've tried burning both the image.cdi from bin2boot with Alcohol and converting it to a nero image with cdi2nero (tried Nero 6 and Alcohol on the .nrg) and neither work.


Can someone point out my mistake? Thanks in advance.

[trig21]

I downloaded the latest version of Discjuggler last night and guess what, same method, bootable disc. I wonder if Nero 6 and Alcohol 120 can even burn a bin2boot created image. Nero used to burn them just fine, but not now.

[hrb2k]

nero6 has problems with dc images. try nero 5 instead.

if that doesn't work, i'll post a tutorial on the data/data method. only thing is, you have to have experience with the echelon selfboot method.

[terminator]

i remember having trouble with cdirip
caused due newer versions of diskjuggl*r.

i ever solved any version conflict
using da*mon tools and isobust*r.
than use the echelon way.
a powerful combination, still today.

maybe multiple files have to be patched.

check if your burner gives you a 11700 or
a 11702 lba after burning a 300 sector
data track.

[brute44]

I have a DC dated December 2000, so I have to use the DATA/DATA method. My problem is this, I cannot use Discjuggler with my cdr, keep getting drive not ready errors. I have nero 6 and cdrwin 3.9 that will at-least burn a disk for me. Ive looked at echelon's tutorial and it is very good but will not work for me.
If anybody has info on the processes of creating a DATA/DATA disk please post step by step. Thanks

[hrb2k]

i typed a long ass tutorial, but the damn planetweb browser froze on me. i'l make a quick tutorial cause i don't feel like retyping everyhing.

**you need to know the echelon method.**
*you can get game files from images with either, ISOBUSTER or CDMAGE.*

bin2boot:

-put game files in the data folder including the ip.bin
-binhack bootbins to lba 0
-mkisofs with lba 0,0
-IPINS the ip.bin into the .iso
-open bin2boot, type the name of the .iso and let bin2boot do its thing.
-burn the cdi or use cdi2nero to burn with nero
-try it in you dc.

*downside to bin2boot is you cannot copy files from the cd to your pc hard drive.

ISOFIX:

find isofix on google or megagames.

-put game files in the data folder
-binhack bootbins to any lba, let's use 11702
-mkisofs with lba 0,11702
-IPINS the iso with the ip.bin
-open ISOFIX, type the name of the .iso, it will ask for an lba, type 11702
-it will create 2 files, fixed.iso and header.iso. fixed.iso is the game data. header.iso is the hacked ip.bin the points back to every file in the 1st session. we will burn fixed.iso in the 1st sesion and header.iso in the 2nd session with cdrecord.

cdrecord -dev=x,x,x -multi -xa1 fixed.iso speed=12
cdrecord -dev=x,x,x -eject -xa1 header.iso speed=12

*change -dev=x,x,x to your device numbers, and change the burn speed if you like.

-try it in you dc.

ECHELON DATA/DATA

this method is untested by my, but should work. instead of burning audio.raw in -audio mode, burn audio.raw in -xa1 mode. if someone can test this and confirm, that would be cool.

hope it helps.

[brute44]

Thanks for the help. But the ISOFIX method doesn't work. I tried this method first because I've used bin2boot before with lots of coasters. After the ISOFIX coaster I tried the bin2boot method for fun and had some issues. First when I ran bin2boot on the iso it gave an error, a record for IP.BIN could not be found. I looked for a newer version and came across a gui version of bin2boot that said the same error message as before but gave me an option to create an IP.BIN file first I said no and the program quit so I restarted and said yes and the cdi file was created. Finally I started cdi2nrg and it created the nrg file. I went to cdmage and checked the new nrg image and in the ISO9660 image tree there is only 1 session not 2. I don't think this will work so I quit at this point. Any suggestions?

[hrb2k]

the reason that bin2boot gives the error is because the ip.bin is not in the data folder. that was step one. keep the ip.bin in the data folder. after you binhack the boot bins to 0, copy the ip.bin up a folder, then mkisofs with lbs 0,0. and then IPINS. then bin2boot the iso.

after bin2boot has made the .cdi, when opening it in isobuster or cdmage, only one session is supposed to appear. thats because the 2nd session is the header that points back to every file in the 1st session, where the game data is. so thats normal.

what errors do you get with isofix? that method is better. did u try echelon data/data?

[brute44]

All 3 methods described here including Echelon's data/data version don't boot my DC. The isofix method went smoothly with no errors, it just doesn't boot my DC. The bin2boot method, after a couple of changes finally created the iso image then I burned with cdrecord and it still didn't boot my DC. I even tried the Utopia method described in the faq to no avail.
Unless someone out there knows some other techniques, this DC I own is unplayable using backups.

I finally got Discjuggler to burn cd's. I don't know if it was the cdr's I was using (bought new ones different than before) or possibly the method I was using to create the cdi image, or both.

Three question's I still have are, does discjuggler need to be set up to burn DC backups in it's settings or something else? Does nero need to be setup the same way? Why cant you just burn a DC image without any hacks? I thought the system wasn't protected, except for mine and the newest versions. Thanks

[Megalexxx]

Some games need more than Binhack.

Which game are you trying to make selfboot ?

[hrb2k]

hmmm, maybe your dc only boots cd-r's at lba 45000???

[brute44]

Trying to burn Tee Off golf.

[Megalexxx]

Could you just try to scan it with PAL Patcher, and see if it has "PAL Protection 2" ? In some cases, I know some games wouldn't even boot.

[brute44]

It says:
Pal Protection1 Code Found
Pal Protection1 Code Found

So this means it's a PAL right?
Is there a utility that can scan an image and tell me if it's a PAL or NTSC?

[Megalexxx]

If it finds a "protection", it means your game is protected against ...

Scan only 1st_read.bin, and try to patch "Protection 1".