Hostile waters - SD2 help

hmmm · #1 20-06-2001, 04:08

I'm hoping someone can help me on this nagging problem I am having backing up this game.

I read the copy method on GCW and tried to apply this, however even if I follow the instructions to the letter the batch file fails. I think it is trying to access data2.cab which is a read only file. So I take the read only attribute off the file and try again, this time it works and I can burn the file to a disc. However when I try to run the install program I get CRC errors in almost every file, so it turns out the CD copy is no good. I've spend 3 days trying to sort this out.

The next thing I tried was to take an ISO image of the disc using Nero, cdrwin, and clonecd. All these images are about 770Mb and will not fit on a 80mins CD. So I decided to zip the image and store this and the cracked exe on a new CD. This burns OK however when I try to extract the ISO image form the zip file on the CD it returns an error about bad data in the extraction file. It seems that the ISO image for SD2 games doesn't like to be compressed.

Can someone please help me, this problem is really driving me nuts, I think I have tried just about everything now but I really don't want to be beaten.

My burner is the Ricoh 6200S, I really don't want to upgrade this to a burner capable of burning SD2 disc which will probably be invalidated in a few months time when technologies such as FADE arrive.

Please help!

NeTsurFer · #2 20-06-2001, 04:12

U better try daemon tools !

Image are always lager than the content of the CD ... cuz they contain stuff like subchannel / ECC EDC stuff that u don't see on a CD !

hmmm · #3 20-06-2001, 05:28

Correct me if I am wrong but Daemon tools is used as a virtual CD to mount an ISO image. It does not produce the image in the first place and this is my point, how to get this image onto a CD in view of its size 770MB. If I can do that then I'll use Daemon tools to mount it.

Help!

NeTsurFer · #4 20-06-2001, 05:36

U don't have any clue what I mean eh ?

the size of an IMAGE is not the size the CD needs that the image contains !!!

U can create a copy of SD2 using daemontools fastdump feature (read instructions on the homepage)

hmmm · #5 20-06-2001, 13:22

You seem to be missing the point my CD writer cannot write RAW, therefore I can make a backup of the CD but not in RAW mode. This backup is useless as any attempt to run it generate errors.

I have tried fastdump and followed the instructions to the letter but it doesn't help. I have tried accessing the CD whilst running DT with safedisc emulation #####ed but it makes no difference.

Just how do you think DT can help?

NeTsurFer · #6 20-06-2001, 15:02

If it not even can write SAO RAW ... than I guess u really better buy a new burner cause its absolutely useless for backing up protected games without using cracks !

tonyG · #7 23-06-2001, 13:24

I guess i better breakup this conversation before it gets ugly...
i had similar problems when i want to take my sd2 clonecd images over to my friends house for burning.
This is what i do...
(1) Use winrar -compression utillity better than winzip as it compresses to smaller sizes
(2) Winrar also has a nice feature that allows you to split your compressed files into certain sized chunks ie 650 max and then the rest is put in another file which is required when you unrar it later.
this will require 2 cds for over 850 uncompressed and 1 cd for under that (on best compression in my tests).
Im sure your next question is going to be where can i get winrar from... and unfortunately i cant remember and im too lazy to ##### the program, but im sure you can search for it....
Hope ive been of help
-- ps i tested this on b&w sd2 protection from mitsumi 4804 te all clonecd options (including subchanel data--though not needed)
to acer 8*4*32 worked well but took some time

hmmm · #8 24-06-2001, 14:28

thanks but I've already tried winrar and it gave me the same errors as winzip about a corrupt data archive. I'm sure the problem is in compressing the data2.cab file. The archive works fine on the hard disk but the minute you put it onto a CD the problems ####t. It may also have something to do with the fact that your Acer can write RAW mode whereas my Ricoh can't. Maybe the fact that my archive is not written to the CD in RAW mode is the root cause.

Thanks anyway.