Author Topic: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use  (Read 1462 times)

SignOfZeta

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #30 on: December 30, 2011, 04:05:20 PM »
That sort of thing just happens once in a while on PCE systems.

Pro Top: Open the door and shut it again. This will cause the system to "wake up" and reload the scene.

Chuplayer

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #31 on: December 31, 2011, 02:48:52 AM »
That sort of thing just happens once in a while on PCE systems.

Pro Top: Open the door and shut it again. This will cause the system to "wake up" and reload the scene.
Thank you, SignOfZeta. I'll try to remember that for next time.

RegalSin

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #32 on: December 31, 2011, 06:16:08 AM »
If a game does not load that is because your lens or game disc might be dirty ( most likely the disc ). The game is most likley searching for data, and will not give up until it finds that data. The data could be anything. It loads the game data first then goes for the CD audio, because it is unable to load data while CD audio is playing.

If this occurs alot, two things could be wrong. Something is not clean, the system has been on ( meaning power wise ) and needs to be turned off breifly. Or you have been using the CD too much, and if it was a Playstation would have caught fire already.

SignOfZeta

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #33 on: December 31, 2011, 06:46:59 AM »
Yeah, all that is true...but sometimes PCEs just get...stuck. You can manually piss off the CDROM to make it "try again" and it will continue working for days without having this problem.

Of course you could reboot the system and rebeat the game, but that's a bit time consuming, no? And if it fixed the problem it would basically be the same fix as opening the door. Tiny little systems like PCE don't have problems like memory leaks and whatnot that big OSs do. Whatever causes these hangups (which, take it from me, can occasionally happen on the cleanest of disks in tip top systems) its something at the hardware interface level and it just needs the tinyest bit of help.

Chuplayer

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #34 on: December 31, 2011, 01:58:41 PM »
If a game does not load that is because your lens or game disc might be dirty ( most likely the disc ). The game is most likley searching for data, and will not give up until it finds that data. The data could be anything. It loads the game data first then goes for the CD audio, because it is unable to load data while CD audio is playing.

If this occurs alot, two things could be wrong. Something is not clean, the system has been on ( meaning power wise ) and needs to be turned off breifly. Or you have been using the CD too much, and if it was a Playstation would have caught fire already.

For whatever it's worth, my Ys III disc is pristine, and my system is no more dirty than any of my other CD consoles. My current refurbished and whatnot console is also only a few months old.

Not saying you're wrong, but I've got one of the cleanest setups if for no other reason than it's so new and I keep my working parts covered and clean.

RegalSin

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #35 on: December 31, 2011, 06:06:36 PM »
Their are many things that you describe that could give problems.
The laser is not as powerful, so dust, or whatever will affect it, dust enters the PCE at any moment it is open. I don't know about a DUO system. My Saturn, and PSX, seems to take in dust no matter what. I don't know about the SEGA-CD because I haven't run anything on it for long periods of time. Also a brand new disc, like new, new game might not work directly out of the box. I know that sounds insane but it happens to me.

SignOfZeta

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #36 on: December 31, 2011, 09:28:03 PM »
I had this issue when my Duo was six months old. It just happens, whatever the reason. I only hammer on this point because I don't want people to endlessly scrub their lenses or buy multiple copies of a game just because happens once in a while. It just...happens. The PCE isn't as capable of recovering from a bad read as newer machines are. I once had my US copy of CF2 attempt to load a scene for a solid ten minutes or so, until the normal drive time out is reached. I opened the door, closed it again, and it recovered perfectly.

Bernie

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #37 on: January 01, 2012, 12:24:13 AM »
While I have never had my units freeze on me, this is good info.  I would've never thought to just open and close the lid.  My dumbass would've reset the system.  Thanks for the info, I may need it one day. 

Keith Courage

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #38 on: January 01, 2012, 04:46:07 PM »
I have had a few systems that won't read backup discs no matter what adjustments are made to the lens or even after having new lens replaced. Then again, never tried Silver bottom discs. 

Tatsujin

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #39 on: January 02, 2012, 12:38:31 AM »
I love that term "back up disc".
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RegalSin

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #40 on: January 02, 2012, 02:13:57 AM »
Okay when you say freeze, I am going think loading. You can even take the game disc out while a game is playing because all the game data ( not including cd audio ) has been loaded into the memory.

Quote
I don't want people to endlessly scrub their lenses
I

thought about that, I would assume using something for a came from a photograph museum to clean the lens. Just a little swip. That is one of things I know that would fook up my system even more.
The person who decided Scrubbing [-X a CD lens. What is that horrid
thing steel wool?

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buy multiple copies of a game
Well that is your own choice.

Quote
The PCE isn't as capable of recovering from a bad read as newer machines are.

Depends on the programmer. Newer machines have more powerful lasers, built inside them, and some games are programmed predicting the delayed load time. Some PCP games like ( the worlds most dissapointing sequel, ( to a game that could have lasted longer then Final Fantasy, Mario ( but instead they turned into a commercial nightmare  )  ) on the face of most planets ) that game will restart the entire song once the game, is paused or will even warn the player to reload the disc. Other games like Choki Anki or Popful will just keep reading, ignoring errors, and whatever plays will play, hey look it is blockies. Steam hearts for example will just zoom pass dialouge and gives you an error screen instead.

Other games you will just have to guess

SignOfZeta

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #41 on: January 02, 2012, 04:40:21 AM »
Yes, I'm talking about it hanging up while loading, not crashing midway through a level.

Keith Courage

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #42 on: January 12, 2012, 05:48:02 AM »
I have a friend who wants to play the new english patched Castlevania and no matter what we try we cannot seem to get his Turbo Duo to read Burned games. Anyone have any suggestions on what kind of CDs to use? Also, the game wasn't burned poorly since I can put the same disc in my DUO-R and it works just fine. We have already tried a new lens, cap replacement, and lens adjustment of all kinds. I was thinking about trying these next http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Prodisc-48x-CD-R-Diamond-Silver-Shiny-CDR-Free-Ship-/270724020814?pt=BI_Blank_Media&hash=item3f0868ba4e#ht_1257wt_648
« Last Edit: January 12, 2012, 06:46:32 AM by Keith Courage »

Bernie

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #43 on: January 12, 2012, 09:10:52 AM »
Dude, hate to say it.  But most likely if it has not read one at this point, its not going to without some sort of adjustment.  I have bought those very same discs that you linked to, and it made no difference.  I have a couple systems that will read CDr games just fine, and a couple that wont.  Although, sometimes I get lucky with a burn, and it will read.  My advice, either adjust the laser so that it will read them, which I have no clue how to do..lol.  Or, keep burning coasters, till you get one that works.  Try different speeds, different programs, ect..  I have had the MOST luck with ImgBurn, and with a tutorial on Nectasy.  http://www.necstasy.net/  I have used the one where you mount the image with daemon tools, and burn with Clone CD. 

I have a friend who wants to play the new english patched Castlevania and no matter what we try we cannot seem to get his Turbo Duo to read Burned games. Anyone have any suggestions on what kind of CDs to use? Also, the game wasn't burned poorly since I can put the same disc in my DUO-R and it works just fine. We have already tried a new lens, cap replacement, and lens adjustment of all kinds. I was thinking about trying these next http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Prodisc-48x-CD-R-Diamond-Silver-Shiny-CDR-Free-Ship-/270724020814?pt=BI_Blank_Media&hash=item3f0868ba4e#ht_1257wt_648

SignOfZeta

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Re: Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use
« Reply #44 on: January 12, 2012, 09:24:36 AM »
Yeah, it's rather a black art. Keep in mind that CD-Rs didn't even exist when the PCE was new.