Assassins Creed [FULL Backup] (DVD9 to 2x DVD5)

[cacaoso]

Originally Posted by inlinestunter19

I extracted the following files from cabs with iscab:

File2="DataPC_Acre.forge"
File5="DataPC_Common.forge"
File6="DataPC_Damascus.forge"
File9="DataPC_Jerusalem.forge"
File10="DataPC_Kingdom.forge"
File13="DataPC_Masyaf.forge"

Then I copressed them with freearc and made a sfx archive with high compression, named Assassins_Creed_arc.exe

Then I replaced the following files with dummy files:
[sound_es]
File1="DataPC_StreamedSoundsspa.forge"

[sound_fr]
File1="DataPC_StreamedSoundsfre.forge"

[sound_it]
File1="DataPC_StreamedSoundsita.forge"

[data]
File2="DataPC_Acre.forge"
File5="DataPC_Common.forge"
File6="DataPC_Damascus.forge"
File9="DataPC_Jerusalem.forge"
File10="DataPC_Kingdom.forge"
File13="DataPC_Masyaf.forge"

[sound_de]
File1="DataPC_StreamedSoundsger.forge"

and the game should be around 4,10 GB

but there is a small thing...
after the setup installer finishes his job u need to run
Assassins_Creed_arc.exe and extract those files to game folder...
So if anyone can help me to put the archive to extract itself ... when the setup runs... like in this conversion
http://fileforums.com/showthread.php?t=88182&page=2

First I'd like to thank inlinestunter19 for the above idea. Took me some time to figure out how to do it for myself. I have attached a semi-auto procedure of the steps needed to do the above (which I have figured out how to do, I may be using a lot of wrong techniques for all I know so pls feel free to correct me of any errors)

Steps:
1) Extract dvd9 to a temp folder (eg. C:\ASSASSINS_CREED)

2) Extract attached RAR file to this folder (overwrite the layout.bin file)

3) Run "1-extract.bat" file to extract these files out:
DataPC_Acre.forge
DataPC_Common.forge
DataPC_Damascus.forge
DataPC_Jerusalem.forge
DataPC_Kingdom.forge
DataPC_Masyaf.forge
DataPC_StreamedSoundsfre.forge
DataPC_StreamedSoundsger.forge
DataPC_StreamedSoundsita.forge
DataPC_StreamedSoundsspa.forge

4) Now use FreeArc (I assume you know what and how to use it) to compress only these files:
DataPC_Acre.forge
DataPC_Common.forge
DataPC_Damascus.forge
DataPC_Jerusalem.forge
DataPC_Kingdom.forge
DataPC_Masyaf.forge
(Basically leave all the non-english "sounds" forge files out)
Using "Maximum (192mb decompression): -mx -ld=192m" setting, I made mine a self-extracting EXE just for convenience, you basically get a 1.93GB file (eg. ASSASSINS_CREED.exe)

5) Once this is completed, extract the "3-Extract_to_root_folder_(fakes).rar" to the root (C:\ASSASSINS_CREED) folder and overwrite all the 10 DataPC files. The fake files are just empty text files which you can create yourself and rename them to the same names as the 10 DataPC files.

6) Now to put the fake forge files into the data?.cab files and clean up after ourselves. Run "4-repack_cabs_and_cleanup.bat". This will suck everything back into the data?.cab files and overwrite the big forge files with the zero-length ones.
Pls note: You orginally have
Data1.cab (2.19MB)
Data2.cab (1.82GB)
Data3.cab (1.92GB)
Data4.cab (2.00GB)
Data5.cab (496MB)
After this you will end up with just:
Data1.cab (2.19MB)
Data2.cab (1.99GB)

I also modified the setup.ini file (out of paranoia) not sure if its absolutely necessary, but usually advisable.

[Startup]
EnableLangDlg=N
...
CheckMD5=N
[Languages]
Default=0x0009
count=1
key0=0x0009

Done.
(addition) Btw, you can also safely get rid of the directx folder and its contents OPTIONALLY if you need to space to put something alongside your dvd5 (total 4.07GB) as the game never executes or copies it (just has it in the disc for you to use if you need it.) Other files and folders for non-english files & manuals only take up a total of 3MB so no big saving there. I just left them where they are.

(edit) Oh yeah one more thing, place the FreeArc compressed file ("ASSASSINS_CREED.exe" in my eg.) Some where on your dvd5 so you will remember to uncompress it to your Program Files folder later. I could not make the file execute by itself after the installation was done though. The only file it runs after the installation is the "RegistrationReminder.exe" (which is copied to your Program Files folder FIRST then executed) - so if you rename your "ASSASSINS_CREED.exe" to "RegistrationReminder.exe" and replace it in your dvd5, the game will copy the WHOLE 1.99GB file onto your Program Files folder first then.....display some info msg about FreeArc blah blah and NOT give you an option to extract the files So that idea seems to FAIL-FAIL-FAIL. I think the main idea is to reduce the required space during installation (this method would increase that by 2GB but in the end it doesn't even prompt you with "Where would you like to extract this hughjazz file which took 10mins to copy into your hdd in the first place?"

I'm pretty sure the above is NOT the way to do it. Usually I see some INNO setup file impostering a "vcredist.exe" file or something which then prompts for the path where to install the ARC file to. Can someone point me to the best guide to set these setup files up so I can at least *appear* less noob

Or is there a way to edit the installation procedure to include your ARC file extraction. Assuming its a game that just installs itself and does not run another exe file after that?

Interested to learn how to convert like a pro. Just out of interest btw, not making it a career! Feel like digging up all my precious collector's editions and dvd5ing them before letting my bro touch them (which usually come back scratched or not at all!)
So any tips are most welcome!
-----------
Now my turn to ask questions! (since when I started I had no idea what I was doing!?)

Q1) I had to use the Editlayout to change the layout.bin file for the repacking to take (otherwise I keep getting the "Media too small to fit data2.cab in disk1...etc error msg). Now the current layout.bin in the attachment I set it to 4GB (the max setting) seeing how the data2.cab file came up to be 1.99GB, does that mean I could have just used the 2GB setting? or is it a universal practice to just set it to the highest setting just in case?

Q2) By my observation the repacking *seems* to be restricted to creating one data1.cab file and only another data2.cab file? The data1.cab file's size didn't change and the whole lot of files had to be absorbed by the data2.cab? Is this the only technique? or are there better ways of splitting them into data3,data4,data5.cabs etc?

Q3) I also used iscab_14.0.0.162 (seems to be a popular version used by mondragon in several of his conversions, so I figured, "can't go wrong there") Now there is iscab_15.0.0.498 version out there, can I just use the latest version out there? Or do I need follow what the games use to pack their original files?

Okay other than Q1 to Q3, I am pretty sure I did everything else correctly. So I guess its safe for ppl to use my attachment.

Thanks again inlinestunter19! One backup DVD-R saved for the environment!
p.s. I think using plastic is more harmful than paper, right?