Iso Guide

[Stark]

This Guide is to help anyone with Isos in general
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Index:

Mini guide to isos Post 2

Pointers on Image Software Post 3

Changing Iso Format Post 4

Identifying Bad Isos Post 5

Iso + Mp3's Post 6

Patching Post 7
- Psx Patching
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For Comments or Suggestions post them at the Comments on Guides thread, also note what Guide you are commenting on.

[Stark]

Mini Guide to Isos
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For anyone who doesn't know too much about Emulation, Isos are the same as roms only they are in cd format. Some emulators will allow you to Play games right from your cd drive. If you have a loud cd drive and don't fancy all that noise you could make an Iso.

How do I make an Iso?

To make an iso, you have to find an "Image" making program

Alcohol 120%
Isobuster
Nero
DiscJuggler
CDRWin
Clonecd
??? Still might be more.

With these different programs you can make different types of "Images" with a different File Extension such as iso, bin, etc. depending on what you make you may get a few extra files

List of Iso file Extensions and extra Files.

iso.
bin, cue
mdf, mds
img, ccd, sub, cue
cdi
nrg

These may seem unimportant but they are there for doing other things. The cue and mds files are very small but they are handy if you downloaded an iso and want to burn it. By using the cue/mds etc file you can use a program to read the iso and burn it to cd.

Testing Isos.

Of course you don't want to waste cds. Many people have discovered what the word coaster means. So one simple way to "test" your iso is to Use a handy program called Daemon Tools. Daemon tools creates a virtual drive on your computer. Most of the time it will make an E drive depending if you have one cd/dvd drive, if you have two it will call it F drive and so on. when downloaded this can be accessed by the icon tray in the bottom right corner. Basically if you want to check your iso to see if it would work in a psx you mount an image with this "virtual drive" because it simulates a psx disc being put into a cd drive. And if it works in theory it should work in a psx, (modded of course) to mount an image, left click on the daemon tools icon in the icon tray. It will ask you to "mount an image" or "unmount all drives". select mount an image and choose the iso you want. You will need to mount the cue file, or in the case of mdf files mount the mds file. Isos can be mounted on they're own (have to double check that). Then with a psx emulator( I use ePSXe) select config and then go to cdrom, there should be an option to select the cdrom drive, select the drive with the same letter as the daemon tools virtual drive then go to file and select run cd-rom. If it runs its all well and good, if it doesn't, it might be a bad iso, but sometimes there can be issues with the plug-ins as different plug-ins will produce different results.

Repairing Isos

CD Image Repair guide

This is Zorlon's Cdmage repair Guide which explains how to repair bad Isos. It explains to make two copies just in case something goes wrong, the reason you may want to consider doing this is maybe you're unsure whether or not its properly working. A second iso would also be handy if you wish to compare there should only be a few instances where you can clearly identify a bad iso. Please note how this is only really to give the highest safety measures, if you feel confident in your abililties then this might not be nesscercary

Burning Isos

Most programs come with a wizard to help with the burning process. But generally, burning tips would include burning at the lowest possible speed. Some people say that you should burn at 1x 2x and 4x,, if you cd writer is not capable of this the next best thing should do.

Step by step process.
This is a few step to ensure a good burn, all the steps are described in detail in this post albeit Zorlons Guide.

1. Testing the Iso
2. Repairing the Iso (If you feel the Iso was bad)
3. Testing the Iso again (If you feel the previous Iso was bad)
4. Burning the Iso

If you are confident in your abilities you could probably do all this with little trouble

Additional NOTE: I know that to some people this might seem like childsplay but to anyone thats new or unsure, this might help.

[Stark]

Pointers on Image Software
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Image software usually comes with a image making and image burning function. Some work better than others when burning in some people's opinion, Generally I think it depends on the type of iso you begin with. Features usually allow you to make isos in different format

[Stark]

Changing Iso Format
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Why would you want to for a start? For some its merely preference as some people hate mdf files although in theory they work just as well as an iso. another reason would be some psx emulators (adripsx) only accepts some formats and not others.

Methods

Daemon Tools

For this you will require your image and the Daemon Tools Virtual Drive. Mount your image onto the Virtual Drive. Then, using an Image Making program of your choice, make an image choosing your virtual drive letter (most probably E: )

[Stark]

Identifying Bad Isos
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I'll put this in bullets for better reference

What are bad iso, scratched disk and or disks that are not read correctly by the cd drive when made in an iso, making the game poor quality and sometimes making the game useless

1. A game will stop dead at a certain point

some Isos will just stop dead at the same point, this is usually due to a scratched disc when made. There is usually no way around this.

Note that there are some programs that could repair the iso

[Stark]

Isos + Mp3's
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These tend to make the format a lot smaller, as the Wav files have been "compressed" to mp3. should you get this format and wish to put it to cd you will need to convert the mp3's. This will however lower the quality of the sound.

While Some emulators allow play with iso and mp3 (gens) some emulators you will need to convert to wav. and you need to do this when burning to a cd as cue files will not recognise mp3's.

[Stark]

Patching
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Patching is something that adds to an image to give change the image in someway

Some types of patches

1. Translation Patch

Translates the Game

2. NTSC/PAL patch

Converts the region on the patch

3. One off Patches

Patches that have a Specific purpose in a game, perhaps to unlock stuff or to change code etc. etc. will Provide examples ASAP

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PSX Patching
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http://www.megagames.com/psx/psx_patches.shtml

This site gives patches for games and detailed instructions how to incorperate these fixes in a game. The program that they suggest specifically is CDRWin.

NOTE: I will test these methods and give a finding.

[Stark]

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PSX Patching
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http://www.megagames.com/psx/psx_patches.shtml

This site gives patches for games and detailed instructions how to incorperate these fixes in a game. The program that they suggest specifically is CDRWin.

NOTE: I will test these methods and give a finding.

[Stark]

replacing asap