Thread: problems with downloaded backup games playing on armax with dvdloader

i have dvdloader.elf, i load my own backups perfectly fine through armax pendrive (not silver tin) .... (i have v15b ps2 slim)

i download a game (ff7:doc) and burn it with dvddecrypter (DVD-R)...
disc read error

(dvddecrypter is also the program i use in making my own backups)

i convert file(s) to iso (ive also tried image burn and a # of other methods) and burn using dvddecrypter ...
disc read error

i read on misc. forums on google that i need to patch it before i burn in order to make it readable by armax with a program called sp2 patcher v1.0 (ps2 patcher has a 250mb limit sp2 patcher doesn't)

i try that and in order to run the patcher you need to make a dummy file first. the dummy file, i came to the conclusion, that you need to make large enough to take up the remainder of the space left on the dvd. ex) 4gb game, make 474mb dummy file (4.474gb dvd-r even though it says 4.7). After you convert game folder with dummy file to iso, i run the patcher (yes, it has to be iso format) if the dummy is too small, i get an error that says file too small, and if i make it too big, i get a different error (can't remember what it said)

I have ruled this patcher program out, unless someone can instruct me otherwise.

Note: I have no problems burning/playing my own backups with this armax method (blocked sensors) through the pendrive with dvdloader. this leads me to believe that the games i have been downloading were not ripped properly (sony hidden files left behind) and when i go to burn with dvdencrypter, the reason im having the disc read error, is because the files required to make it recognizable are no longer present. ive downloaded ff7:doc twice now, once in p2p and once off of this site, and both times tried several different methods of burning and/or converting/burning and/or patching/converting/burning both files (which are identical). I have wasted many dvd's. I dont care.

help would be much appreciated ... thanks

After you load ar max, what original game do you put in before swapping to ffvii:doc?

ffXII

Is the FFXII disc size smaller or larger than the ffvii doc ISO? If it's smaller then you'll have to use another game before swapping, which is generally a larger one.

Dirge of Cerberus disk size is 3.75gb, Final Fantasy XII disk size is 3.78gb. (NTSC U/C Anyway)

yeah idk how to solve this problem using this method other than just actually backing up the game, i read on a forum (maybe even here) that i may have to rebuild the game(s). however it is referred to as only being needed by some games. if i make an actual backup copy (rent the game) then it loads fine because with dvd decrypter i get an iso & mds file and i burn the mds. when i download games, who knows what program it was ripped with by the person who uploaded it. therfore i think its just by chance. if i happen to come across a download with an iso and mds file im in luck, otherwise theres a great chance it wont load using my method. i should just not be so cheap and get a real mod, although this if fine and im not complaining. i have a connection with a local pawn shop who lets me rent games from them so i pay small rental fees to make backups... im definitely not complaining although if i could get games i download to work, i could have like any game i ever wanted for ps2.



yeah, today i found out how to make an mds file with dvddecrypter from an iso image, figuring that if i had one to burn with it would help, however it still doesn't work. i burned suikoden 3 and dvdloader cant read the disc. i burned grandia 2 and it starts to load but freezes immediately ....


O.K... after extensive research and trial and error, I figured out what I was doing wrong. So far so good, i got one game i downloaded to work using my method (suikoden IV from beorenz - thanks). What I was doing wrong is that after download i was extracting twice and getting the files, whereas i am supposed to only extract once, then make an mds file (from the iso - has to be ntsc iso format) with dvd decrypter and burn with that. before i extracted twice then tried to burn the files, and when that didnt work, i made that into iso and made an mds file and burned with that. thing is, is that this mess's the whole process up. i have reason to believe that by me doing this, i inadvertently lost some hidden files somewhere, making the disc unrecognizable by my dvdloader (armax method).

so needless to say, i got the games i downloaded to work finally. such a small mistake had me frustrated beyond belief.