Alcohol 120% Mini Illustrated Guide

My first attempt to make a clean guide.
Here I will try to make the burning of a PSX game look like it was simple. :)
I will show how to burn various images files, cd to cd and how to make an image in this guide.

Later in the month, I will also try to make guides to other burning softwares.
These guides are intended to be used by new commers to the whole scene, not for professionals.

And last, Please do not post comments here, PM if you see my guide is missing something important. Thank you.

Polobunny.

P.S Oh yes, this guide is also meant to detail and illustrate a bit Theoimpaler guides. Give him credit for the guide i'm currently making. As some people like visual feedback more than words, this will probably help. Well I hope so.

Guide 1: Alcohol 120% Settings
Guide 2: Burning an image file with Alcohol 120%

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From TheotheImpaler

I think this Guide is much better and you deserve the credit. I'm just throwing a link in if thats ok? That way people won't be posting here

For Comments or Suggestions post them at the Comments on Guides thread, also note what Guide you are commenting on.
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My Alcohol 120% prefered settings

Here i will describe shortly each option in Alcohol 120%.

+General

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...id=11638&stc=1

"Allow only 1 copy of Alcohol 120% Manager at the time"
If this option is checked, you will be able to only run 1 Alcohol 120% at the time.
I recommend checking this option, you shouldn't need more than 1 program running anyway.

"Auto check current version status via internet at start"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will verify if you got the newest stable version available on the official website.
I recommend unchecking this one, because if a software works fine, why update it?

"Enable system Screen Saver function"
If this option is checked, your screensaver will behave as normally.
If it is unchecked, Alcohol 120% will not let your screensaver execute.
I recommend unchecking this option, I like to see where is my burning status without having to move the mouse.

"Delete image file directly! Do NOT move it to the recycle bin"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will delete permanently the image file after burning it if the "Delete image file after recording" option is checked.
I recommend unchecking this one, an error always come so fast.

"Enable system AutoPlay function"
If this option is checked, when you insert a compatible cd-rom in your cd-rom drive, your exploitation system will automaticallly open the cd-rom
I recommend checking this option, as it's a useful feature.

"Show "Read/Burn Disc" when a CD Audio disc is inserted"
If this option is checked, your exploitation system will prompt you to read/burn the disc.
I recommend checking this option. Each time you will insert a cd-rom, you can choose to read it or do nothing.

"Device control interface"
I suggest choosing "Default Device Control Interface". This one usually give the best results, and is compatible with alot of exploitation systems. Only choose the other one if you have enough privileges (you need to be an administrator) and if you experience some problems witht he first one.



+Display

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...chmentid=11639

"Autostart Alcohol 120% when Windows starts"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will start itself every time you log in your Windows account.
I recommend unchecking this option, it only slow downs Windows opening process. You can always start Alcohol 120% from the shortcut anyway.

"Execute Alcohol 120% in FULLSCREEN mode"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will run itself fullscreen.
Choose whatever you like on this one.

"List Physical Devices BEFORE Virtual Devices"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will list your drives before listing the virtual cd-rom.
I suggest checking this option, even though it will not affect performance.

"Clear current image file list before importing new list"
If this option is checked, each time you import a new image file list, Alcohol 120% will delete the old list (overwrite).
I recommend checking this option to stop confusion between already burned image files and image files to burn.

"Notify discrepancies between image files"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will notify you if you got 2 image files in your list, that have the same name but not the same attributes.
I recommend checking this option top stop confusion between multiple image files that have been modified.

"Show Alcohol 120% in"
Choose what you want, as you can see I like to see Alcohol 120% in my taskbar and my system tray.

"System tray icon selection"
Choose what you want. This option is only enabled when you choose "Both Taskbar AND System tray" or "System tray Only".

"When clicking the Windows Close [X] button of Alcohol 120% Window"
I suggest checking "Minimize Alcohol 120% Window". You cna always quit Alcohol 120% by right clicking the Sytem tray icon or the Taskbar button and select "Close" to close Alcohol 120%.



+Sound effects

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...chmentid=11640

"Play Sounds"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will play sounds when an event occur.
I suggest checking this option, it's useful if you want to let your computer alone while burning but you want to know when the process is finished.
The sounds displayed here are included with Windows XP by default.



+Log files

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...chmentid=11641

"Saving dumping log with image file process automatically"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will make a text file describing the image making process after doing so.
I recommend unchecking this option, it's not really useful unless you get errors while trying to make an image file.

"Saving recording process information to log file"
If this option is checked, Alcohol 120% will make a text file describing the image burning process after doing so.
I recommend unchecking this optionm it's not really useful unless you get errors while trying to burn an image file.


To be continued...
The next section: Burning an image file.

How to burn an image file using Alcohol 120%
What you need:
- Alcohol 120%
- Blank cd-roms
- An image file of any type

Procedure:

Start by opening Alcohol 120% main program.
http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...id=11634&stc=1

1) Click "Image Burning Wizard". This will bring up a new window.

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...id=11635&stc=1

2) Click the browse button, then select your image file.

Here you can check or not the "Delete image file after recording" option. I do not recommend checking this option, as you can always delete your image later.

Click "Next". On to another screen

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...id=11636&stc=1

3) In the "CD/DVD Recorder" list, choose your burner. Normally it should be auto-selected.
In the "Write Speed" list, choose whatever you want. I suggest using the lowest speed possible, as it reduces error possibilities.
In the "Write Method" list, choose DAO/SAO as it's the best one. The other one (TAO) writes 2 second of blank between each audio track. This can give bad results and misplace some audio files in your games.
Be sure "Write" is checked, you probably want to burn the image to a cd, do you?

4) In the dropdown "Data type" list, choose "Play Station".
All settings should be fine now, carry on to the next screen by pressing "Start".

http://www.emuparadise.org/vbulletin...id=11637&stc=1

5) You are currently burning your first PSX games with Alcohol 120%. If you followed the guide correctly, you shouldn't experience any problem. Congratulations! :D
Once the bar reaches 100%, click "OK" in the window that appears then click "Finish". It will bring you back to the Alcohol 120% main menu. You can now quit the program, peacefully. :P