PSX BACKUPS!!!!!!

[kieran_]

I have begun the task of backing up my psOne games into iso's, using Alchol120%and then compressing them. I have a few question, and a problem that I would like help in solving.
First of all, I have notice that some of my iso's compress extremely well. So well, I am worried. Resident Evil 3 compressed with .rar compression at the best setting to about half the soze, from around 700mb to 350 or so, while Vagrant story compressed down from the same size to something like 90mb!!! It decompressed fine, but I am wondering if this is ok. Also, if someone else has a copy, could they take the time to verify this for me?


Now, on to the problem. I tried ripping MGS disc 1. It gets to the same point, and it stops with a "CIRC ERROR" This is if I un-check "skip errors". However, if I choose to skip errors, it simply skips these sectors (there are only about 10 bad sectors) and it does not stop the dumping. Here is the logfile for the latter scenario:

Code: Select all

########################### System Information ###########################
  Windows 98 Second Edition 4.10 (Build 2222)
  Processor info: Pentium II (0.25 um) (331MHz)
  Memory Available to Windows: 81,412 KB

############################ Program Information ###########################
  File Name: C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALCOHOL SOFT\ALCOHOL 120\ALCOHOL.EXE
    Company Name: Alcohol Soft Development Team
    Description: Alcohol 120%
    Original: alcohol.exe
    Product: Alcohol 120%
    Trademarks: Alcohol Soft Development Team
    Copyright: Copyright(C) 2002-2004 Alcohol Soft Development Team
    Version: 1.9.2 ( Build 1705 )
    Date: 2005/03/09
    Size: 1375232 Bytes
    Hash: 8e470ca8ffdf9819d73a4f401096c412
  File Name: C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALCOHOL SOFT\ALCOHOL 120\alcoholx.dll
    Description: Alcohol virtual device control library
    Original: alcoholx.dll
    Copyright: Copyright (C) 2000-2004
    Version: 3.47.0 ( Build 0 )
    Date: 2004/04/30
    Size: 74240 Bytes
    Hash: c11b59c21722ca30141696c21b72578d
  File Name: C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALCOHOL SOFT\ALCOHOL 120\devsupp.dll
    Company Name: Alcohol Soft Development Team
    Description: Alcohol Software Device Capability Library
    Original: devsupp.dll
    Product: Alcohol Software Device Capability Library
    Trademarks: $
    Copyright: Copyright(C) 2002-2003 Alcohol Soft Development Team
    Version: 2.3.7 ( Build 505 )
    Date: 2004/05/05
    Size: 38400 Bytes
    Hash: 0e6f733d3f570f3b0328261d11a2794e

########################### User Information ###########################
  User Name: UN-REGISTERED
  Company Name: UN-REGISTERED
  Registered User ID: UN-REGISTERED

########################### Options Setting ###########################
  Devices control interface: Default Driver Control Interface
  CPU Priority Level: High
  Memory Buffer Size (MB): 32
  Examine the accuracy of data read from physical device: Yes
  Turn off "Auto-Select best write speed" function if possible: No
  Overburn disc(s): No
  Fill memory buffer before recording discs: Yes
  Ignore Media Type: Yes
  RMPS (Recordable Media Physical Signature) Emulation: No
  BAD Sectors Emulation: No
  Sub-Channel Data Fixed & Emulation: No
  Laserlock Emulation: No
  Current Language: English

############################ Device(s) List ############################
  (D:) COMPAQ DVD-ROM GD-2000    (ESDI_506, HBA 1, Bus 0, Target 0, Lun 0)
  (E:) ATAPI CD-RW 52X24         (ESDI_506, HBA 1, Bus 0, Target 1, Lun 0)
  (G:) AXV CD/DVD-ROM            (A347SCSI, HBA 0, Bus 0, Target 0, Lun 0)

################## Detailed Information of Device(s) ##################

  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    (D:) COMPAQ DVD-ROM GD-2000(1:0) detail information.
  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    Vendor Identification: COMPAQ
    Product Identification: DVD-ROM GD-2000
    Production Revision Level: 0056
    Location: ESDI_506, HBA 1, Bus 0, Target 0, Lun 0
  -* Note: This information below is provided by the unit, it might be inaccurate. *-
  -* This software does not use this information!                                  *-
      Removable media: Yes
      Version: ATAPI (INF-8090i/INF-8020i/INF-8028i)
      Response Data Format: 01h
      CD-R Read/Write: Yes/No
      CD-RW Read/Write: Yes/No
      Read CD-R Fixed Packet: Yes
      Test Write: No
      DVD-ROM Read: Yes
      DVD-R Read/Write: Yes/No
      DVD-RAM Read/Write: No/No
      Audio Play: Yes
      Composite Audio and Video Data Stream: No
      Digital output (IEC958) on port 1 Supported: No
      Digital output (IEC958) on port 2 Supported: No
      Mode 1 Form 2: Yes
      Mode 2 Form 2: Yes
      Multi-Session: Yes
      BUF: No
      CD-DA Commands supported: Yes
      CD-DA Stream is Accurate: Yes
      R-W Supported: No
      R-W De-interleaved and Corrected: No
      C2 Pointers Support: No
      ISRC Supported: Yes
      UPC Supported: Yes
      Read Bar Code: No
      Lock media into the drive: Yes
      Currently drive Lock state: Unlocked
      Prevent Jumper: No
      Eject Command: Yes
      Separate volume levels: Yes
      Separate channel mute: Yes
      Changer Supports Disc Present: No
      Software slot selection: No
      Side change capable: No
      P through W in Lead-In: No
      Maximum Read Speed Supported (with current disc): 20X (3000 KB/Sec)
      Current Read Speed Supported (with current Disc): 8X (1200 KB/Sec)

  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    (E:) ATAPI CD-RW 52X24(1:1) detail information.
  ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    Vendor Identification: ATAPI
    Product Identification: CD-RW 52X24
    Production Revision Level: F.JZ
    Location: ESDI_506, HBA 1, Bus 0, Target 1, Lun 0
    Support recording method: DAO, RAW SAO, RAW SAO+SUB, RAW DAO(96), TAO
    BURN-Free Technology: Seamless Link
    Auto-Select best write speed: Not Supported
  -* Note: This information below is provided by the unit, it might be inaccurate. *-
  -* This software does not use this information!                                  *-
      Removable media: Yes
      Version: ATAPI (INF-8090i/INF-8020i/INF-8028i)
      Response Data Format: 02h
      CD-R Read/Write: Yes/Yes
      CD-RW Read/Write: Yes/Yes
      Read CD-R Fixed Packet: Yes
      Test Write: Yes
      DVD-ROM Read: No
      DVD-R Read/Write: No/No
      DVD-RAM Read/Write: No/No
      Audio Play: Yes
      Composite Audio and Video Data Stream: No
      Digital output (IEC958) on port 1 Supported: Yes
      Digital output (IEC958) on port 2 Supported: No
      Mode 1 Form 2: Yes
      Mode 2 Form 2: Yes
      Multi-Session: Yes
      BUF: Yes
      CD-DA Commands supported: Yes
      CD-DA Stream is Accurate: Yes
      R-W Supported: Yes
      R-W De-interleaved and Corrected: No
      C2 Pointers Support: Yes
      ISRC Supported: Yes
      UPC Supported: Yes
      Read Bar Code: No
      Lock media into the drive: Yes
      Currently drive Lock state: Unlocked
      Prevent Jumper: No
      Eject Command: Yes
      Separate volume levels: Yes
      Separate channel mute: Yes
      Changer Supports Disc Present: No
      Software slot selection: No
      Side change capable: No
      P through W in Lead-In: Yes
      Maximum Read Speed Supported (with current disc): 52X (7800 KB/Sec)
      Maximum Write Speed Supported (with current Disc): 52X (7800 KB/Sec)
      Current Read Speed Supported (with current Disc): 24X (3600 KB/Sec)
      Current Write Speed Supported (with current Disc): 52X (7800 KB/Sec)

#######################################################################

####################### Dumping/Recording Progress Log #######################
23:24:46 Processor info: Pentium II (0.25 um) (331MHz)
23:24:46 Disc dumping: (E:) ATAPI CD-RW 52X24(1:1)
23:24:46 Reading Mode: RAW + SUB-96 , Ignore reading errors
23:24:46 Source Info:  Session: 1, Track: 1, Length: 573.5 MB / 065:14:63
23:24:46 Writing image file: C:\My Documents\NEW.mdf
23:26:15 Disc read error at: 184400
23:26:17 Disc read error at: 184401
23:26:18 Disc read error at: 184402
23:26:20 Disc read error at: 184403
23:26:21 Disc read error at: 184404
23:26:23 Disc read error at: 184405
23:26:25 Disc read error at: 184406
23:26:26 Disc read error at: 184407
23:26:28 Disc read error at: 184408
23:26:29 Disc read error at: 184409
23:26:31 Disc read error at: 184410
23:26:33 Disc read error at: 184411
23:26:34 Disc read error at: 184412
23:26:36 Disc read error at: 184413
23:26:37 Disc read error at: 184414
23:26:39 Disc read error at: 184415
23:27:56 Disc dumping completed!
23:27:56 C:\My Documents\NEW.mds: Image file writing completed!
##############################################################################

I seemed to have forgotten to bring the logfile where it crashes with me, but it is not really important for here is my actual question:
If I was just to play these on an emu, would the fact that my iso is missing these sectors cause a crash, or would it even matter, seeing as there are only a few?


Edit: I should have called this PSX l33t warez RAWMz!!!!!, but that would have been silly.

[Nightcrawler]

The RAR compression should be fine. If you're worried, you can always uncompress it and test it. I doubt there will be any problem.

Maybe your MGS disc.. maybe it has a scratch or something? If your other PSX games ripped sucessfully, I'd suspect it's the CD.

[Agozer]

I can verify that some images compress extremely well... e.g. Time Crisis: Project Titan = ~610MB uncompressed, 16MB compressed in RAR using Normal compression.

All my PSX images are compressed in RAR.

As for your problem, test the image. Does anyone know if MGS uses bad sectors as a part of copy protection?

[blackmyst]

Yeah, Vagrant Story compresses like that. I downloaded it, and I thought it was strange too when it unpacked to nearly ten times its size. I thought maybe they'd ripped the voices, or something, but the game apparently doesn't have any.

As for your ISO, I've always been using CDmage, which is awesome for fixing disk images, but it hasn't been updated in forever.

[Agozer]

Yeah, Vagrant Story compresses like that. I downloaded it, and I thought it was strange too when it unpacked to nearly ten times its size. I thought maybe they'd ripped the voices, or something, but the game apparently doesn't have any.

As for your ISO, I've always been using CDmage, which is awesome for fixing disk images, but it hasn't been updated in forever.

Vagrant Story does have voices in some cutscenes. Nothing was ripped and still it's extremely small. maybe it has something to do with the data order on the CD?

[casualsax3]

I don't recall Vagrant Story having any voices at all.

[Oblivion]

Vagrant Story with Winzip is only some 117MB, so I'd imagine that something like 7z would make the thing tiny.

[SquareHead]

I don't know why, but I tend to use an old version of CloneCD to rip my psx cds to hd. I havent noticed any trouble with them. Now to burn them to dvd for archival... (the only part of my doing this that makes no sense, is that I dont have a modded playstation, and no ps2, so my backups are pointless other than emulation)

[darkbenny]

Kilivipin, what the fuck happened to your avatar>??

[Noxious Ninja]

I really recommend compressing them with Mooby's plugin using his .bz format; that way, the emulator doesn't have to decompress the whole thing before running it.

Also, RAR (and .bz) are lossless. Some games just compress really well.

[kieran_]

I don't recall Vagrant Story having any voices at all.

What he said.

Kilivipin, what the fuck happened to your avatar>??

I'm only changing it for a bit. I like my old one too much. I just had a burst of inspiration woith my current one. I made the time between the frames too fast, though.


Back on topic...: I realise that it is the disc. It was always kind of dodgy and thee are a few minite scratches. But what I want to know is whether the game will be damamged. Will there be freezeups, crashes etc?

Edit:

I really recommend compressing them with Mooby's plugin using his .bz format; that way, the emulator doesn't have to decompress the whole thing before running it.

I'll give that a try. Although I'll be using CVGS if anything, but once I get a faster pc, it'll be epsxe all the way!

[AntoineWG]

Also, RAR (and .bz) are lossless. Some games just compress really well.

Losslessness is the whole idea behind data compression. If it lost even a single bit, then the data would be rendered useless. Some algorithms are more efficient than others, like zip compared to RAR or 7zip. And some data just compresses better. I can compress a 700 MB video store database down to <40 MB, but 2.5 GB worth of digital camera pictures in JPEG format only compresses down by 30 MB.

[creaothceann]

ZSNESW.EXE is compressed down to 10%, IIRC. Wouldn't work if the algorithm wouldn't be lossless.

[grinvader]

ZSNESW.EXE is compressed down to 10%, IIRC. Wouldn't work if the algorithm wouldn't be lossless.

ZsnesW is already compressed to <15% of its original size using UPX in the first place.

Code: Select all

                     Ultimate Packer for eXecutables
         Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
UPX 1.24         Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer & Laszlo Molnar         Nov 7th 2002

        File size         Ratio      Format      Name
   --------------------   ------   -----------   -----------
   3209156 ->    457767   14.26%    linux/386    zsnesl

Packed 1 file.

Your 'down to 10%' actually means '90% of the UPX size'.

Topic: There are no voices in VS. All the game is padded to be closest as possible to the external part of the disc where transfer speed is best, like Ikaruga. That's why it compresses so much.
Fantastic Night Dreams Cotton Original would be even worse, if it was padded. But it's not... (~3MB compressed, ~35MB uncompressed).

[Noxious Ninja]

Also, RAR (and .bz) are lossless. Some games just compress really well.

Losslessness is the whole idea behind data compression. If it lost even a single bit, then the data would be rendered useless. Some algorithms are more efficient than others, like zip compared to RAR or 7zip. And some data just compresses better. I can compress a 700 MB video store database down to <40 MB, but 2.5 GB worth of digital camera pictures in JPEG format only compresses down by 30 MB.

I know, I was responding to this:

It decompressed fine, but I am wondering if this is ok.

[Dmog]

I have begun the task of backing up my psOne games into iso's, using Alchol120%and then compressing them. I have a few question, and a problem that I would like help in solving.
First of all, I have notice that some of my iso's compress extremely well. So well, I am worried. Resident Evil 3 compressed with .rar compression at the best setting to about half the soze, from around 700mb to 350 or so, while Vagrant story compressed down from the same size to something like 90mb!!! It decompressed fine, but I am wondering if this is ok. Also, if someone else has a copy, could they take the time to verify this for me?


Now, on to the problem. I tried ripping MGS disc 1. It gets to the same point, and it stops with a "CIRC ERROR" This is if I un-check "skip errors". However, if I choose to skip errors, it simply skips these sectors (there are only about 10 bad sectors) and it does not stop the dumping. Here is the logfile for the latter scenario:

I seemed to have forgotten to bring the logfile where it crashes with me, but it is not really important for here is my actual question:
If I was just to play these on an emu, would the fact that my iso is missing these sectors cause a crash, or would it even matter, seeing as there are only a few?


Edit: I should have called this PSX l33t warez RAWMz!!!!!, but that would have been silly.

(wth...what poll?)

Anyway...An algorithm like RAR perform differently depending on the type of data. That's normal. Rar for the most part is based on redundant data. Some psx disc have more redundant data than others, hence why they compress better than some.

Also,Rar is completely lossless so you can relax and not worry.When you'll decompress your cd image, it'll be just as it was before compression, bit-for-bit.

You should note that there are NO PSX disc that cannot be dumped.Of course you'll need either a modchip, a method of swapping or an emu to play the backup as there is a small non-standard part of the disc that cannot be readed or written using conventional readers/burners. Basically it tells the psx whether the disc is legit or not.

However, if I choose to skip errors, it simply skips these sectors

Then the program's doing it's job right
Some discs (PC or Psx) need you to select skip error. Basically some disc may contain "bad data". Even if the disc is in perfect condition.This "bad data" is there on purpose iow, generally has a protection measure.

So to answer your question:

If I was just to play these on an emu, would the fact that my iso is missing these sectors cause a crash, or would it even matter, seeing as there are only a few?

If it's "corrupted data" that was there on the original disc:No. Like I said, some backups won't play at all if you don't choose to skip these sectors. These bad sectors don't relate to the game itself. While the program may "skip" them, it may still record that they were bad sector and act accordingly during the imaging/recording process.



IF,on the other hand, these sectors were caused by a disc scatch, then yes, it may possibly have adverse effect.

Anyway, more likely then not, you have a perfect backup, provided you used Alcohol120% default setting for PSX disc.

To answer even more simply,no problems if the disc has no scratches,possible problems if the disc has scratches (note that many scratches are not "deep" enough to cause data corruption)

[kieran_]

Ok. I realise that rar, zip etc are lossless. I have thought or said that they were lossy formats . When I said it decompressed fine, what I meant was that maybe there was an error in the compressing, seeing as it compressed so much. Just a mis-communication.

[kieran_]

I apologise for the douple post bump.

I have another question. Didn't some of the later PSone releases have a form of copy protection? I think the later Square games had them... How can I circumvent this? Are there additional settings that I should apply in Alcohol120%?

[casualsax3]

Nero has copied every PSX game I've ever attempted with no problems. Later games had better mod chip detection, that's all.

[kieran_]

Thanks.