ps2 Free McBoot/HD Loader questions

[Ziggy]

edit: If you Google, there's multiple sources saying that PS2 DVDs are encrypted. I'm too lazy to pop in a few of my PS2 games and see if they actually are or not.

If they are encrypted then it's pretty crappy encryption. I've been backing up my PS2 games for a couple of years now and it's been just as hassle free as PS1 games.

Typical internet crap. One person makes the assumption, then site after site just copies the information as fact. When I first got HD Advanced, I used my PS2 to rip some games to the hard drive. After that, I used DVD Decryptor to read a few discs to images (I don't have many games on my PS2 hard drive). I guess I never actually checked for myself until now. I popped in a PS2 game (MGS3) and ImgBurn was able to read it fine, so it's definitely not encrypted.

[gtmtnbiker]

That's good to know that you can use the PC to rip the PS2 DVDs. I've just always used the PS2 to do it in the past which is a slow process.

[benderx]

The only games that I came across with some type of protection was resident evil games on ps2 because they wouldn't and would only work on ps1 console instead. if you backup metal gear sold 2 substance the skateboard mini game is frozen.

[gtmtnbiker]

So in terms of being unable to read discs with your PC, the only ones that come to mind are:

Wii/Gamecube (need special model of dvd reader)
Dreamcast (need GDROM reader)

Is that it?

[Ziggy]

Yeah, I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

GCN/Wii is actually pretty easy if you have the right model optical drive. I forget what make and models are able to read those discs, but they're actually not hard to obtain. As far as I know, they're not sold new at retail anymore, but you can get the new on eBay. I got one last year or the year before for like $20 I think. I've been meaning to put it in an external enclosure so it can be loaned out to any one that wants to backup some games, but since you can back up Wii games easily using a Wii, it hasn't been high on my to-do list.

Dreamcast games just aren't worth the trouble, so much easier to just download the image. Even if you have the setup to dump a DC game, you still need to mess with the image a bit to get it ready to burn to a CD-R. Making it bootable, trimming the size if it's larger than 700MB, etc. We now have some dedicated people putting out "optimized" Dreamcast releases. So it's just much easier to download, especially for the average person that doesn't have the technical skill to optimize the image on their own.

But for the record, if the format is CD or DVD (there will be the CD or DVD logo right on the disc) then you can make an image out of it. The trick is picking the best choice image format to use.

Saturn and Sega CD, make a BIN/CUE image of those discs. There are equals like a Nero or Alcohol image, but since BIN/CUE is more widely supported it's the better choice. ISO+mp3 is complete shit, don't use it.

PS1, while you can make a BIN/CUE, it isn't the best choice. From what I've read, there's the possibility that some games wont work if you rip them to BIN/CUE. You want to use Clone CD and make a CCD image of PS1 games.

DVDs like PS2, you'll make an ISO image of them. This is not to be confused with ISO+mp3 for CDs. IIRC, some PS2 games are small enough that they come on a CD instead of a DVD. In that case, I would assume rip them to BIN/CUE.

[gtmtnbiker]

Dreamcast games just aren't worth the trouble, so much easier to just download the image. Even if you have the setup to dump a DC game, you still need to mess with the image a bit to get it ready to burn to a CD-R.

It would be of use again if someone ever made a WODE for the Dreamcast. Then you would want full-sized images. I know I would want it so I didn't have to listen to the loud drive.

[Ziggy]

Yeah, that's a good point. Hopefully we eventually have something like the WODE for all disc based consoles.