Disc Combining Kits - Page 2

**shalma** · February 20th, 2009, 13:14

Quote:

I'm looking at the loading routine now, wouldn't it just be easier to hardcode the DMA address to 1F0000 or thereabouts?

Don't know if it'd be safe. Haven't thought about it though.

Got another idea to try out:
Rename FF9.IMG --> F91/F92/F93/F94.IMG
Edit the SLUS file to \F91.IMG;1
Every time the disc swap fails, in-game patch the disc# to F92/F93/F94 and continue playing (using the disc swap routine area).

EDIT:
Tried a test run. It worked! :excited:
Just need to make a better patching tool (flexible) and we're good for DVD.

Last edited by shalma; February 21st, 2009 at 00:38..

eternalwinter · February 21st, 2009, 00:44

That's awesome!

Would be really helpful for other FF games or other long-winded RPG games lol.

momochi · February 21st, 2009, 01:14

Awesome work. I'm still going to try making a combined FF9.IMG for space-saving reasons mostly. If the moving the address the sectors are dumped from the disc doesn't work, I've got another idea that's similar to what I did to Rogue Galaxy to make a DVD5 version, making the merged bigfile with four FATs.

**shalma** · February 21st, 2009, 03:05

Unexpectedly, Squaresoft turns my FMVD001.STR

B21F9-B3EE0 [FMVD001.STR] [162:9.68 - 163:48.42]
-->
cdrom $801F1520 <- 02:09:68($2579), 2048 bytes

Starts @ 8001eb20. Guess this needs fixing. :sigh:

momochi · February 22nd, 2009, 05:00

Hmm, I managed to get your merged FAT to load (with a couple of tweaks), and the game loads to the menu but freezes when trying to start or load a game and I'm not exactly sure why, I'm not sure if it's the fact that the game can't read a part of the table for some reason or if it's because of the size of some of the merged directories. Looking through tracedumps is not fun.

**shalma** · February 22nd, 2009, 17:51

Wow! That's really surprising.
I agree - trace logs are a pain.

You could try PCSX Agemo (CPU Interpreter with emulog.txt has every CDROM LBA read in - that's what tipped me off about things going wrong).

8002037c-80023d0 is when the game converts the LBA # --> BCD m:s:f format. Expanded the minutes to 16-bits but still can't kludge it yet.

SLUS_012.51:
FF9.IMG;1 --> F91.IMG;1

Used these patches for FF9.IMG:

Writes F91/F92/F94/F98 --> F91.IMG;1
0F0084300F00A23024104400261044000800E0032B100200
300082240180043C03048434000082A00800E0032B100000

Force CD swap path
03004010FF00022498A0020C21204002
00000000FF00022498A0020C21204002

Force CD1 swap screen
07004014211060000100632404006228
07000010211060000100632404006228

Skip CD swap splash screen
D471000C212800002400BF8F2000B08F
00000000212800002400BF8F2000B08F

Going to be really glad when someone finishes this project.

EDIT:
Attachments now provided.

EDIT2:
FF9 starts writing to CDROM regs @ 8001f978-8001f984 (m:s:f). In that order. Which suggests that 99:59:74 is the upper limit. Unless there's another way to access higher LBA data.

Not sure what happened with Lunar 2 (rememberizer) - worked on my mini-build but not with a full image. Same problem maybe. Going to take that down.

Still trying to finish Lunar 1. So I'll leave it up for now..

EDIT3:
Maybe I need a good break.

Lunar 1 conversion should work. Tested on several movies past 100 minute mark.

PS1 takes m:s:f.
(PS1) a1:50:1 --> (LBA) 101:50:1 (6FD75)
$AFBE8 is about the limit ff:59:74.

Last edited by shalma; February 23rd, 2009 at 01:55.. Reason: oh no!

momochi · February 23rd, 2009, 09:50

Awesome! I was thinking that it might've been impossible without modding the emulator itself, but that's great news. So that means a maximum of 2.2GB for an ISO? Seems FFIX will be impossible without a merged FF9.IMG then.

Last edited by momochi; February 23rd, 2009 at 09:56..

**shalma** · February 23rd, 2009, 21:14

Restored the old Lunar1 kit to main post - there's a bug that writes root table to sectors 16,17. Which is what the game wants anyways.

Using that, did some more testing. ~1.53GB is your upper limit (~160 minutes).

If you rewrite the BCD code, you might be able to reach from 159:59:74 min --> 165:59:74 min.

Explanation:
Dreamcast and PS1 apparently use the same CDROM scheme: m-s-f. We look at the BCD minutes.

$73 --> $7 * 10 + $3 --> 7*10 + 3 --> 73 minutes
$f0 --> $f * 10 + $0 --> 15*10 + 0 --> 150 minutes
$f9 --> $f * 10 + $9 --> 15*10 + 9 --> 159 minutes
$ff --> $f * 10 + $f --> 15*10 + 15 --> 165 minutes

Which means we got thunked.

ex. Lunar 2 flirts with this upper limit. And does some other things regarding ISO tables.

2 CD games can work.
- Parasite Eve 1, Lunar 1, (..?)
3 CD games are questionable.
4 CD games are likely not doable.

Unless someone knows something I don't, time to rest. Hopefully this will stay 'documented' so others don't repeat my folly.

Last edited by shalma; March 2nd, 2009 at 18:16..

**shalma** · March 2nd, 2009, 18:24

Code:

Final Fantasy 9 [SLUS-01251 / 01295 / 01296 / 01297]

This will combine your 4 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with epsxe 1.7.0 (DVD5)

WARNING:
You'll need ~8GB to finish the operation

Thank you:
Momochi - Hacking
Tonberry - FF9 IMG extractor

Tested versions:
- 2000-09-27  Original
- 2000-09-27  Greatest Hits (Square)
- 2000-09-28  Greatest Hits (Square Enix)

Current: version 2

Upgrade: For those who used the v1 kits, you can download the update patch v1->v2 here.

v2 news:
- extractor rewritten: file names now match readme
- All else remains unchanged

v1 fixes:
- Improves CD swapping
- Fixes ending movie

NEWS:
You may now use this improved version of ePSXe_dvd5 with this DVD5 release:
ePSXe_dvd5

Attached Files

	ff9_multi_v1.7z (796.9 KB, 27 views)
	ff9_multi_v1_upgrade.7z (42.1 KB, 15 views)
	ff9_multi_v2.7z (841.1 KB, 117 views)

Last edited by shalma; April 26th, 2010 at 17:17.. Reason: Updated main list

**shalma** · March 9th, 2009, 21:04

Code:

Final Fantasy VII [SCUS-94163 / 94164 / 94165]

This will combine your 3 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with ePSXe 1.7.0

WARNING:
You'll need ~6GB to finish the operation


Tested versions:
- 1997-08-05  Original
- 1997-08-05  Greatest Hits

Current: v1

Preview fixes (for v1):
- Faster disc extraction / building
- Repaired CD2/3 movies
- Disc swap: movies now load
- Field: Always play battle swirl
- Correct (CD2) Tunnel_6.MIM file

Attached Files

	ff7_multi_preview.7z (232.8 KB, 32 views)
	ff7_multi_v1.7z (238.6 KB, 74 views)

Last edited by shalma; November 4th, 2009 at 17:45..

**shalma** · March 13th, 2009, 01:14

Code:

Final Fantasy VIII [SLUS-00892 / 00908 / 00909 / 00910]

This will combine your 4 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with epsxe 1.7.0 (DVD5)

WARNING:
You'll need ~8GB to finish the operation


Tested versions:
- 1999-07-17  Original
- 1999-07-17  Greatest Hits (Square)

Current: version 2

WARNING:
I've heard this doesn't work with the 2003 Square-Enix release. Cannot confirm this statement.

v1 fixes:
- Disc swapping code
- Faster disc extraction

NEWS:
You may now use this improved version of ePSXe_dvd5 with this DVD5 release:
ePSXe_dvd5

Attached Files

	ff8_multi_v1.7z (760.1 KB, 32 views)
	ff8_multi_v1_upgrade.7z (41.5 KB, 14 views)
	ff8_multi_v2.7z (653.0 KB, 75 views)

Last edited by shalma; October 31st, 2009 at 14:14..

Squall-Leonhart · March 13th, 2009, 01:21

You should modify the SAPU plugin to support DVD5, its better then petes in every way.

**shalma** · March 13th, 2009, 02:29

Code:

Parasite Eve
- SLUS-00662 / 00668 (usa)
- SLPS-01230 / 01231 (japan)


This will combine your 2 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with epsxe 1.7.0

WARNING:
You'll need ~4GB to finish the operation


Tested versions:
- 1998-05-07  Greatest Hits (usa)

- 1998-03-04  Original (japan)
- 1998-05-07  Original (usa)

Current: v1

Attached Files

parasite_eve1_multi.7z (108.4 KB, 34 views)

Last edited by shalma; February 24th, 2011 at 21:33..

**shalma** · March 27th, 2009, 19:56

Code:

Metal Gear Solid [SLUS-00594 / 00776]

This will combine your 2 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with epsxe 1.7.0

WARNING:
You'll need ~4GB to finish the operation


Tested versions:
- 1998-09-09  Original
- 1998-09-16  Greatest Hits
- 1998-09-16  Essential Collection

Current: version 2
- Now covers MGS builds 1.0 and 1.1

Upgrade: For those who used the v1 (MGS 1.1) kits, you can download the update patch v1->v2 here.

Fixes:
- Glitchy (graphics) load memcard save
- Demo theatre swap string removed

Attached Files

	mgs1_multi_v1.7z (157.7 KB, 26 views)
	mgs1_multi_v1_upgrade.7z (41.8 KB, 15 views)
	mgs1_multi_v2.7z (218.3 KB, 72 views)

Last edited by shalma; July 22nd, 2009 at 13:10..

shinobi904 · March 30th, 2009, 04:07

Hello, I was just wondering how this would work with the .sub files? Are they still necessary after merging the discs?

**shalma** · March 30th, 2009, 13:27

You can remove the CloneCD sub files after merging - they won't work with the new builds. Only the bin / cue are valid.

**shalma** · April 2nd, 2009, 19:17

Code:

Grandia [SCUS-94457 / 94465]

This will combine your 2 game CDs into 1 disc
Tested only with epsxe 1.7.0

WARNING:
You'll need ~4GB to finish the operation


Tested versions:
- 1999-09-06  Original

Current: version 1

Preview fixes:
- Builder: Faster extraction of discs
- Battles: gain multiple levels when your Moves EXP >= 200
- Swap: Disc 2 saves appear normal
- Swap: Disc 2 music loads correctly
- Items: Disc 2 'Thfk Armor' no longer menu glitches
- Swap: Disc 2 -> Disc 1 'New Game' loads correct music/voices

NOTE:
The original v1 kit was broken. It has been deprecated to a preview build for archival sources.

Attached Files

	grandia1_multi_preview.7z (188.4 KB, 7 views)
	grandia1_multi_v1.7z (188.9 KB, 40 views)

Last edited by shalma; September 18th, 2009 at 13:24..

**shalma** · June 17th, 2009, 17:10

FF9 v2 patch is now available.

Fixes several somewhat important bugs.
Game fully tested on dvd5 1.7.0

Notes about testing your images (100% dumped correctly?) with CDMage in main post

Last edited by shalma; June 17th, 2009 at 17:17..

serge-linx · June 17th, 2009, 17:40

can any one tell me hoe to do that with chrono cross it's only 2 cds

**shalma** · June 17th, 2009, 17:47

This should work for PS1 also (skip the EBOOT parts):
Chrono Cross workaround

There's no kit to make a DVD yet - they aren't easy to properly make. xx(

From what I've heard, Cross uses lots of fixed LBAs. It probably requires some amount of ASM work.

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February 21st, 2009, 00:44	#22
eternalwinter Unregistered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA, WA Posts: 31	That's awesome! Would be really helpful for other FF games or other long-winded RPG games lol.

February 21st, 2009, 01:14	#23
momochi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Banana Posts: 26	Awesome work. I'm still going to try making a combined FF9.IMG for space-saving reasons mostly. If the moving the address the sectors are dumped from the disc doesn't work, I've got another idea that's similar to what I did to Rogue Galaxy to make a DVD5 version, making the merged bigfile with four FATs.

February 21st, 2009, 03:05	#24
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	Unexpectedly, Squaresoft turns my FMVD001.STR B21F9-B3EE0 [FMVD001.STR] [162:9.68 - 163:48.42] --> cdrom $801F1520 <- 02:09:68($2579), 2048 bytes Starts @ 8001eb20. Guess this needs fixing. :sigh:

February 22nd, 2009, 05:00	#25
momochi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Banana Posts: 26	Hmm, I managed to get your merged FAT to load (with a couple of tweaks), and the game loads to the menu but freezes when trying to start or load a game and I'm not exactly sure why, I'm not sure if it's the fact that the game can't read a part of the table for some reason or if it's because of the size of some of the merged directories. Looking through tracedumps is not fun.

February 22nd, 2009, 17:51	#26
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	Wow! That's really surprising. I agree - trace logs are a pain. You could try PCSX Agemo (CPU Interpreter with emulog.txt has every CDROM LBA read in - that's what tipped me off about things going wrong). 8002037c-80023d0 is when the game converts the LBA # --> BCD m:s:f format. Expanded the minutes to 16-bits but still can't kludge it yet. SLUS_012.51: FF9.IMG;1 --> F91.IMG;1 Used these patches for FF9.IMG: Writes F91/F92/F94/F98 --> F91.IMG;1 0F0084300F00A23024104400261044000800E0032B100200 300082240180043C03048434000082A00800E0032B100000 Force CD swap path 03004010FF00022498A0020C21204002 00000000FF00022498A0020C21204002 Force CD1 swap screen 07004014211060000100632404006228 07000010211060000100632404006228 Skip CD swap splash screen D471000C212800002400BF8F2000B08F 00000000212800002400BF8F2000B08F Going to be really glad when someone finishes this project. EDIT: Attachments now provided. EDIT2: FF9 starts writing to CDROM regs @ 8001f978-8001f984 (m:s:f). In that order. Which suggests that 99:59:74 is the upper limit. Unless there's another way to access higher LBA data. Not sure what happened with Lunar 2 (rememberizer) - worked on my mini-build but not with a full image. Same problem maybe. Going to take that down. Still trying to finish Lunar 1. So I'll leave it up for now.. EDIT3: Maybe I need a good break. Lunar 1 conversion should work. Tested on several movies past 100 minute mark. PS1 takes m:s:f. (PS1) a1:50:1 --> (LBA) 101:50:1 (6FD75) $AFBE8 is about the limit ff:59:74. Last edited by shalma; February 23rd, 2009 at 01:55.. Reason: oh no!

February 23rd, 2009, 09:50	#27
momochi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Banana Posts: 26	Awesome! I was thinking that it might've been impossible without modding the emulator itself, but that's great news. So that means a maximum of 2.2GB for an ISO? Seems FFIX will be impossible without a merged FF9.IMG then. Last edited by momochi; February 23rd, 2009 at 09:56..

February 23rd, 2009, 21:14	#28
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	Restored the old Lunar1 kit to main post - there's a bug that writes root table to sectors 16,17. Which is what the game wants anyways. Using that, did some more testing. ~1.53GB is your upper limit (~160 minutes). If you rewrite the BCD code, you might be able to reach from 159:59:74 min --> 165:59:74 min. Explanation: Dreamcast and PS1 apparently use the same CDROM scheme: m-s-f. We look at the BCD minutes. $73 --> $7 * 10 + $3 --> 710 + 3 --> 73 minutes $f0 --> $f 10 + $0 --> 1510 + 0 --> 150 minutes $f9 --> $f 10 + $9 --> 1510 + 9 --> 159 minutes $ff --> $f 10 + $f --> 1510 + 15 --> 165 minutes Which means we got thunked. ex. Lunar 2 flirts with this upper limit. And does some other things regarding ISO tables. 2 CD games can work. - Parasite Eve 1, Lunar 1, (..?) 3 CD games are questionable. 4 CD games are likely not doable. Unless someone knows something I don't, time to rest. Hopefully this will stay 'documented' so others don't repeat my folly. Last edited by shalma; March 2nd, 2009 at 18:16..*

March 13th, 2009, 01:21	#32
Squall-Leonhart Banned Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 23,270	You should modify the SAPU plugin to support DVD5, its better then petes in every way.

March 30th, 2009, 04:07	#35
shinobi904 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1	Hello, I was just wondering how this would work with the .sub files? Are they still necessary after merging the discs?

March 30th, 2009, 13:27	#36
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	You can remove the CloneCD sub files after merging - they won't work with the new builds. Only the bin / cue are valid.

June 17th, 2009, 17:10	#38
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	FF9 v2 patch is now available. Fixes several somewhat important bugs. Game fully tested on dvd5 1.7.0 Notes about testing your images (100% dumped correctly?) with CDMage in main post Last edited by shalma; June 17th, 2009 at 17:17..

June 17th, 2009, 17:40	#39
serge-linx Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mexico/Distrito Federal Posts: 8	can any one tell me hoe to do that with chrono cross it's only 2 cds

June 17th, 2009, 17:47	#40
shalma Discontinued Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Inactive Posts: 1,192	This should work for PS1 also (skip the EBOOT parts): Chrono Cross workaround There's no kit to make a DVD yet - they aren't easy to properly make. xx( From what I've heard, Cross uses lots of fixed LBAs. It probably requires some amount of ASM work.