unecm

[fobsternd]

I have a similar problem. I am trying to get my Final Fantasy 7 disc 1 image file to work by using PakkISO. I extracted the FF7 disc1's folder to my desktop. Then I right-clicked and chose "UnpakkISO". Normally, this worked for me in the past and I would get readied image within the folder which I could then just insert CD image into my pSX v1.13. When I open the folder, these are the 2 files:

Final Fantasy VII [NTSC-U] [Disc1of3] [SCUS-94163].bin.ecm

and

Final Fantasy VII [NTSC-U] [Disc1of3] [SCUS-94163].cue

However, when I open the window for Insert CD Image, and select the folder, the only file I see is the CUE file but nothing else.

Any help?

What I'm getting are

[Sheik]

I have a similar problem. I am trying to get my Final Fantasy 7 disc 1 image file to work by using PakkISO. I extracted the FF7 disc1's folder to my desktop. Then I right-clicked and chose "UnpakkISO". Normally, this worked for me in the past and I would get readied image within the folder which I could then just insert CD image into my pSX v1.13. When I open the folder, these are the 2 files:

Final Fantasy VII [NTSC-U] [Disc1of3] [SCUS-94163].bin.ecm

and

Final Fantasy VII [NTSC-U] [Disc1of3] [SCUS-94163].cue

However, when I open the window for Insert CD Image, and select the folder, the only file I see is the CUE file but nothing else.

Any help?

What I'm getting are

That bin.ecm. file is the file that needs unpacking.
Otherwise, even if you clicked on the .cue file, the game wouldn't read.

[fobsternd]

how do I unpack that .bin.ecm file? I already tried paKKISO but this time it didn't automate everything like unpacking the contents in the folder.

[Sheik]

how do I unpack that .bin.ecm file? I already tried paKKISO but this time it didn't automate everything like unpacking the contents in the folder.

Try ECM tools.
It's not automated, but it works fine and is simple to use.
It's actually on the main site, but I can't link it directly.
Look for Download ECM Tools under a PS1 rom on the main site.

Download ECM Tools - Required if your file is of .ECM type and you need to convert to ISO/BIN/CUE. ECM is a special compression technique which allows better compression on CD images and thus saves on space as well as bandwidth! Learn more here.

[fobsternd]

I'll try ECM Tools, but do you have any idea as to why paKKISO isn't working though?

[Sheik]

I'll try ECM Tools, but do you have any idea as to why paKKISO isn't working though?

I honestly have no clue.
It does that sometimes, so I refrain from using it, unless I'm really lazy.
Oh Yeah, I think I can link it so try this out.

www.emuparadise.org/PSX/ecm%20tools.rar

[fobsternd]

I'm not exactly sure how to run ecm tools...can you teach me?

In the folder I see 2 applications: ecm and unecm. I double-clicked on them and this window pops up and vanishes in a split second.

[Sheik]

I'll try to make this as simple as possible.
When you extract ecm tools there will be 3 different programs and a folder.

ECM - This converts an ISO/BIN/CUE file (but since you aren't trying to convert it to .ecm, you can skip this file)
UNECM - This converts the file with a .ecm on it back to a file that can be read ( ISO/BIN/CUE)

F - This is mainly useless unless you want to see the files you already converted.

and a folder that says docs.
Click that folder, there should be a readme file inside.

Read it, and come back if you still have questions.

[fobsternd]

Setup / Usage
-------------

Compile ecm.c and unecm.c if necessary, or use the included Win32 EXE files.

Run ECM with no parameters to see a simple usage reference:

usage: ecm cdimagefile [ecmfile]

Where "cdimagefile" is the name of the CD image file, and "ecmfile"
(optional) is the name of the ECM file. If you don't specify ecmfile, it
defaults to cdimagefile plus a .ecm suffix.

UNECM works the same way, but in reverse:

usage: unecm ecmfile [outputfile]

"ecmfile" must end in .ecm. If outputfile is not specified, it defaults
to ecmfile minus the .ecm suffix.

I have read this but I'm still not sure how to actually run unecm. With pakkISO, the steps were right in the description paragraph detailing to simply right-click on folder and select "unpakkISO". But this readme doesn't tell me any steps.

[Sheik]

I see.

Well the file you want to extract, that .bin.ecm file; drag that file under unecm.
It's automatic after that, the game shall be extracted and just a .bin file will remain.

Try it.

[fobsternd]

Worked great, thanks very much Sheik! Now I just need to figure out how to get my ps2 controller to work with my usb adapter...I made a thread months ago but didn't really get anything fixed.