Backing up CD-ROM games for personal use

[Samurai Ghost]

Hey guys, I have a question for you that might sound stupid but I just want to double-check.
I have a few CD-ROM units which have been refurbished to play CD-Rs perfectly. Now while I've never downloaded a PC Engine CD-ROM ISO (I have a big enough collection of CD games, trust me!), there are a few games I own that I don't really like taking out and using all the time, exposing to every day wear and tear (looking at you, practically brand-new copy of Dracula X). I'm anal about these kinds of things, and I tend to be clumsy with expensive stuff. So to avoid everyday abuse of a few collectable games, I was thinking about making some CDR backups to play instead.

Would this just involve popping the CD into my computer, making a straight copy with Nero Burning ROM, and burning on a low speed onto a high quality CDR? Any other settings or anything that I should mess with?

Again, sorry if this is a stupid question, I just want to be sure!

[bartre]

honestly you could probably just find a download of the iso if you looked online.
especially with the more popular games like drac x, i remember having no problems finding that one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

That will work fine, Samulai Ghost.

get some diamond silverback or taiyo yuden discs, for maximum quality.

[BigusSchmuck]

These are what I use:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130023
Haven't had any problems yet, at least on my Duo-R...

[Arkhan Asylum]

holy christ you are overpaying for that.

[A_Locomotive]

holy christ you are overpaying for that.

If you want discs that will last though gold archival discs are what you want seeing as they don't oxidize so no risk of disc rot ever which is fantastic if you are storing something you absolutely don't want to loose like photos or documents. As for how they are for games, beats me I have yet to try a burned game in my Duo-R.

[Arkhan Asylum]

The silverdiscs are legit too.

[Opethian]

greenbacks are the worst

[Arkhan Asylum]

Yeah, damn turtles.

[jperryss]

I have a few CD-ROM units which have been refurbished to play CD-Rs perfectly...

Can you explain that part? Many of us have units that play CD-Rs with no issue.

And please don't say "Your Duo is gonna die because CD-Rs ruin the lenses of mere mortal Duos."

[SignOfZeta]

Rather than buying NASA-grade CD-Rs, I think it makes a lot more sense to just download ISOs of every game and burn them on the shitter discs as needed.

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

[jperryss]

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

That's pretty much it. Take a look at any CD that you bought new, played once, and never touched. See how nice and scratch-free it is? There's no reason your commonly-played discs can't be like that, seeing that you can remove and insert by touching only the outer edge, and only the inner edge gets touched by the drive. Just gotta treat them with baby-hands.

[BigusSchmuck]

holy christ you are overpaying for that.

Not when I use my newegg business account ^^ I think the only problem I have had so far on my Duo-R is that sometimes things don't load (like the ending in Ys 3), but a reset usually fixes that. Might be time to send this one off to the shop to get the caps replaced as well.

[spenoza]

You should note that there is no standard currently for archival digital media. Anyone can call their media archival as there is no standards body to certify or enforce this as there is with paper, microfilm, traditional film, etc...

Also, any CD, even pressed CDs, can have a far shorter lifespan than advertised. Whatever you do, plan on replacing discs.

[RegalSin]

thoughts about inserting disc into computer.

1. Don't do it, because you will damage the CD in the process, and thus ruin the cd for future generations. Your probably thinking about physical break down, but this occurs naturally to all things exposed to light and oxygen, and being exposed to various chemicals.

Their is no true alternative for backup. All computer data is temporary and must be backed up and stored
ever generation or so. newer computers also suck at this.

3. Also the entire PCE library is up and about online.
Because some r-tard inserted their disc in a computer.
Even if you make a direct copy, and burn it back to disc. There is a chance their will be a lock up,
or freeze in the gameplay, never ever be like the original disc. A complete waste of money, like a blow-up doll.

4. Backup data is not considered archival data because you are dealing with a physical product. If you just need a copy of the game, their are plenty of places to download from.

[OldRover]

What the fuck are you on about now?

[esteban]

What the fuck are you on about now?

ahhahahahahahha.

You know you love this place, Rover

[Nazi NecroPhile]

What the fuck are you on about now?

Heh, ain't this guy a treat?

[OldRover]

He just trolls forums on purpose without offering anything interesting except stupidity. He's like all the stupid internet memes rolled up into one big ball of retard. It was funny at first but the joke got old a long time ago.

[Bernie]

He just trolls forums on purpose without offering anything interesting except stupidity. He's like all the stupid internet memes rolled up into one big ball of retard. It was funny at first but the joke got old a long time ago.

I have to say I agree.

[Samurai Ghost]

Rather than buying NASA-grade CD-Rs, I think it makes a lot more sense to just download ISOs of every game and burn them on the shitter discs as needed.

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

Well, I can use CDs without scratching them, it was really just the case/packaging of a copy of Dracula X that I have. It has literally been opened and played ONCE, so it is as minty as you can get without buying a new sealed copy. I was just paranoid about messing up any aspect of the package because I worry about that kind of stuff. But I rectified the problem by buying another copy of Drac X with a perfect disc but beat up case/manual that I can toss around and play without having to put my white cotton gloves on. Problem solved!

[SignOfZeta]

Rather than buying NASA-grade CD-Rs, I think it makes a lot more sense to just download ISOs of every game and burn them on the shitter discs as needed.

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

Well, I can use CDs without scratching them, it was really just the case/packaging of a copy of Dracula X that I have. It has literally been opened and played ONCE, so it is as minty as you can get without buying a new sealed copy. I was just paranoid about messing up any aspect of the package because I worry about that kind of stuff. But I rectified the problem by buying another copy of Drac X with a perfect disc but beat up case/manual that I can toss around and play without having to put my white cotton gloves on. Problem solved!

Well, its cheaper than the deep psychotherapy that you obviously are very badly in need of.

[esteban]

[Samurai Ghost]

Rather than buying NASA-grade CD-Rs, I think it makes a lot more sense to just download ISOs of every game and burn them on the shitter discs as needed.

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

Well, I can use CDs without scratching them, it was really just the case/packaging of a copy of Dracula X that I have. It has literally been opened and played ONCE, so it is as minty as you can get without buying a new sealed copy. I was just paranoid about messing up any aspect of the package because I worry about that kind of stuff. But I rectified the problem by buying another copy of Drac X with a perfect disc but beat up case/manual that I can toss around and play without having to put my white cotton gloves on. Problem solved!

Well, its cheaper than the deep psychotherapy that you obviously are very badly in need of.

Haha, very true. Yes, I'm a game collector so condition is a pretty good deal to me. Don't get me wrong, I play the heck out of my games, even the rare ones, rip open sealed games from 1989, etc., but there are few special games that I have a hard time messing with too much.

[SuperDeadite]

Rather than buying NASA-grade CD-Rs, I think it makes a lot more sense to just download ISOs of every game and burn them on the shitter discs as needed.

Or just learn to not scratch your originals. I've been collecting PCE for 19 years now. All my CDs play perfectly. It's not like CDs wear out or anything.

Well, I can use CDs without scratching them, it was really just the case/packaging of a copy of Dracula X that I have. It has literally been opened and played ONCE, so it is as minty as you can get without buying a new sealed copy. I was just paranoid about messing up any aspect of the package because I worry about that kind of stuff. But I rectified the problem by buying another copy of Drac X with a perfect disc but beat up case/manual that I can toss around and play without having to put my white cotton gloves on. Problem solved!

Well, its cheaper than the deep psychotherapy that you obviously are very badly in need of.

Haha, very true. Yes, I'm a game collector so condition is a pretty good deal to me. Don't get me wrong, I play the heck out of my games, even the rare ones, rip open sealed games from 1989, etc., but there are few special games that I have a hard time messing with too much.

No offense man, but Dracula X is what a $70 game usually?  It's slightly uncommon at best.  Unless you are eating and playing at the same time you're not gonna damage anything anyways.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Love it!  Wish that was a custom smilie.

[esteban]

Love it!  Wish that was a custom smilie.

I am friggin' lovin' Cook, too

[Chuplayer]

I think the only problem I have had so far on my Duo-R is that sometimes things don't load (like the ending in Ys 3), but a reset usually fixes that.

Well, crap. That happened to me just last week on my Duo-R with an original US Ys III CD.

[BigusSchmuck]

I think the only problem I have had so far on my Duo-R is that sometimes things don't load (like the ending in Ys 3), but a reset usually fixes that.

Well, crap. That happened to me just last week on my Duo-R with an original US Ys III CD.

It might be just a buggy game? Kind of sucked for me cause I had to fight the last boss again, but then again, the game is incredibly easy to begin with.

[Chuplayer]

I think the only problem I have had so far on my Duo-R is that sometimes things don't load (like the ending in Ys 3), but a reset usually fixes that.

Well, crap. That happened to me just last week on my Duo-R with an original US Ys III CD.

It might be just a buggy game? Kind of sucked for me cause I had to fight the last boss again, but then again, the game is incredibly easy to begin with.

I hope so. I've had zero other problems with the system, and it is a refurbished system by doujindance on ebay. (I love it!)

[SignOfZeta]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I love that term "back up disc".

[RegalSin]

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.

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 a CD lens. What is that horrid
thing steel wool?

buy multiple copies of a game

Well that is your own choice.

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]

Yes, I'm talking about it hanging up while loading, not crashing midway through a level.

[Keith Courage]

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

[Bernie]

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]

Yeah, it's rather a black art. Keep in mind that CD-Rs didn't even exist when the PCE was new.

[Keith Courage]

I have come across a Turbo DUO that will read CD-Rs perfect but only with the entire top of the DUO off. Put the top back on and it will only read regular games. I am not necessarily posting this to find a fix. I am just wondering why this is.

[Bernie]

I seen a video on YouTube recently that was just like that.  But it wasnt the entire top, just the plastic that covers the laser sled.  With it on, it wouldn't boot a CDr, take it off, and it played it fine.  Strange.

[Tatsujin]

Don't play CD-Rs

[VestCunt]

I seen a video on YouTube recently that was just like that.  But it wasnt the entire top, just the plastic that covers the laser sled.  With it on, it wouldn't boot a CDr, take it off, and it played it fine.  Strange.

That plastic cover is the most finicky part in a Duo. If you so much as look at it wrong it will rub on your discs. If you try to put a disassembled Duo back together, that sled requires four attempts to remount correctly. I'd wager that it exerts enough pressure on the lens mechanism itself to effect the playing disObeying of CD-R's.

[roflmao]

Don't play CD-Rs

Not even the Pyramid Plunder Beta?