Need to create a game backup urgently.

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Doomerzan
noob
Posts: 3

Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#1 » Sun May 10, 2020 9:00 pm

Hello, my name is Doomerzan and this is my first post.
I own a rare game by the name of "D2" in my collection, and while the first disc is playable, it seems to be suffering disc rot. There are 3 tiny seethrough spots on the disc I discovered mid to late April. They look like they could've been a scratch, dent, or lable damage on the disc if they weren't seethrough. No advancements in rotting have seemed to be made since my discovery, and I've been storing the disc in a jewel case enclosed in a plastic bag, grouped with the game's other 3 discs, which I have not checked for rot.
I'm completely okay with either emulating or using an SD card reader, but I want to preserve my copy legally. Maybe that could even have a benefit, I could probably put the rom on a portable emulation device and play it on the go.
I'm aware of three methods; Using an SD Card reader through the serial port, ripping it with certain oldschool IDE and SATA drives, and using a retropi or some sort of internet connection to have the console rip the game and sent over to my computer. I cannot do the one involving the network cable, and it is highly unlikely I will do the SD Card reader method so that leaves oldschool computer drives.
Could you guys show me the specifics of the backup process, and how long would you estimate my copy would last in a playable state in my current storage conditions if I do not touch it? I should be able to easily procure one of the supported drives (which I have a list of) and an SATA/IDE to usb adapter in a short amount of time. This game is my favorite game ever, I would really appreciate to preserve my copy legally and be able to play it forever without having to buy another expensive copy of the game. I'm replaying the game once again today before I let go of my copy, and I've already made my way past the first disc. Thank you for your time.
Edit: I am an idiot lol. I couldn't catch my rot on camera, so I'll describe it instead. There's two things that look like "seethrough scratches" on the little gamecube-looking disc on the inner area, and one in the middle of the outer ring of the disc, and they are all located on the upper area of the disc. In terms of length, they're around or smaller than 1/2 the size of the sharp part on a thumbtack.
Edit 3: The disc is fully playable for now. I decided to drop my replay of the game after the second disc. I'll honestly be willing to haul my ass to get another copy, but even then I'm backing it up ASAP.
Life and humanity are beyond our own understanding at this point.

mrneo240
Rank 9
Posts: 926

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#2 » Mon May 11, 2020 7:13 pm

Easiest way would be grabbing an SD adapter for dc ($15) then dumping your discs using jj1odm sdrip

User avatar
Xiden
Developer
Posts: 2219

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#3 » Mon May 11, 2020 7:27 pm

Doomerzan wrote:Hello, my name is Doomerzan and this is my first post.
I own a rare game by the name of "D2" in my collection, and while the first disc is playable, it seems to be suffering disc rot. There are 3 tiny seethrough spots on the disc I discovered mid to late April. They look like they could've been a scratch, dent, or lable damage on the disc if they weren't seethrough. No advancements in rotting have seemed to be made since my discovery, and I've been storing the disc in a jewel case enclosed in a plastic bag, grouped with the game's other 3 discs, which I have not checked for rot.
I'm completely okay with either emulating or using an SD card reader, but I want to preserve my copy legally. Maybe that could even have a benefit, I could probably put the rom on a portable emulation device and play it on the go.
I'm aware of three methods; Using an SD Card reader through the serial port, ripping it with certain oldschool IDE and SATA drives, and using a retropi or some sort of internet connection to have the console rip the game and sent over to my computer. I cannot do the one involving the network cable, and it is highly unlikely I will do the SD Card reader method so that leaves oldschool computer drives.
Could you guys show me the specifics of the backup process, and how long would you estimate my copy would last in a playable state in my current storage conditions if I do not touch it? I should be able to easily procure one of the supported drives (which I have a list of) and an SATA/IDE to usb adapter in a short amount of time. This game is my favorite game ever, I would really appreciate to preserve my copy legally and be able to play it forever without having to buy another expensive copy of the game. I'm replaying the game once again today before I let go of my copy, and I've already made my way past the first disc. Thank you for your time.
Edit: I am an idiot lol. I couldn't catch my rot on camera, so I'll describe it instead. There's two things that look like "seethrough scratches" on the little gamecube-looking disc on the inner area, and one in the middle of the outer ring of the disc, and they are all located on the upper area of the disc. In terms of length, they're around or smaller than 1/2 the size of the sharp part on a thumbtack.
Edit 3: The disc is fully playable for now. I decided to drop my replay of the game after the second disc. I'll honestly be willing to haul my ass to get another copy, but even then I'm backing it up ASAP.


There exists high quality gdi back ups of d2 online already. Search redump dreamcast archive.org . If you plan to invest in a ODE be aware certain ones have issues with D2 disc swap. I know the USB GDRom works with it as well as the Terraonion MODE. I haven't heard if the ide solution or gdemu solution works with d2 disc swap.

Doomerzan
noob
Posts: 3

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#4 » Mon May 11, 2020 8:09 pm

mrneo240 wrote:Easiest way would be grabbing an SD adapter for dc ($15) then dumping your discs using jj1odm sdrip

Oh hey Mr. Neo, we meet again.
I didn't know they were so cheap, should've done more reaserch before jumping the gun. Homebrew may open up some other possibilities and new ways to use my dreamcast too.
Do you have any resources or guides you could show me?
Life and humanity are beyond our own understanding at this point.

User avatar
SEGA RPG FAN
Developer
Posts: 601

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#5 » Mon May 11, 2020 8:42 pm

Like Xiden said, you're probably better off downloading a known good rip of the game. If yours is truly rotted, there are likely unrecoverable bad sectors, which would make your rip less than perfect at best and cause game breaking errors at worst.

I understand the desire to back up your copy. If you're worried about legality, that varies from country to country, but general rule of thumb is that a backup of something you own (unless you specifically have the rights to the content) is still not legal and if it is, you generally have to retain the original.
PSO Dreamcast 100% Legit: Eda FOmarl, Automaton HUcast

Doomerzan
noob
Posts: 3

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#6 » Mon May 11, 2020 9:09 pm

SEGA RPG FAN wrote:Like Xiden said, you're probably better off downloading a known good rip of the game. If yours is truly rotted, there are likely unrecoverable bad sectors, which would make your rip less than perfect at best and cause game breaking errors at worst.

I understand the desire to back up your copy. If you're worried about legality, that varies from country to country, but general rule of thumb is that a backup of something you own (unless you specifically have the rights to the content) is still not legal and if it is, you generally have to retain the original.

I think backups are legal in my area, with that rule of having to retain the original. As with the "bad sectors" thing, I know there's redump, which helps people verify the integrity of the backup. If my copy is truly in death row and can't be resampled for anything, I'm just going to have to try to secure another copy and make a backup as soon as possible. D2 is rare though, and is probably headed off to become the "rule of rose" Dreamcast games. It's currently sitting at the price of $100 dollars.
This game means so much to me, so I'll be willing to put in the effort of making a proper backup of the game. It'll be a little complicated though. This disc rot buisness is horrid. No matter what, I'll need backup solutions for all of my disc based consoles as soon as possible. I already got my gamecube games safe however.
Life and humanity are beyond our own understanding at this point.

mrneo240
Rank 9
Posts: 926

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#7 » Tue May 12, 2020 1:35 am

Doomerzan wrote:
mrneo240 wrote:Easiest way would be grabbing an SD adapter for dc ($15) then dumping your discs using jj1odm sdrip

Oh hey Mr. Neo, we meet again.
I didn't know they were so cheap, should've done more reaserch before jumping the gun. Homebrew may open up some other possibilities and new ways to use my dreamcast too.
Do you have any resources or guides you could show me?


I promise you I'm not talking down to you but like it's dead simple.

Format SD card as fat32, use the oldest most plainest 2gb or more SD card you have.

Burn sdrip to a CD

Plug the SD adapter into the port labeled ext

Plop sdrip cd in, then swap to d2 then start then wait 32 minutes

mrneo240
Rank 9
Posts: 926

Re: Need to create a game backup urgently.

Post#8 » Tue May 12, 2020 1:39 am

Also I'm on my phone so I can't quote your first post but.

If you instead don't want to do the SD adapter way and want to use pc drives, there's that way too. I'm not sure how to put this but, if you buy a drive to dump your games and don't think you'll use it afterwards please please please post here or on discord or somewhere where you're selling it. The drives aren't rare or hard to find but it would be good to pass it on to someone else who might use it.

And with that out of the way: read this and read it again then again then double check then proceed: http://wiki.redump.org/index.php?title= ... ping_Guide

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