Guide: Extracting And Recompiling CDI Images

[AgentMomo]

See this tool shows you all the tracks and lets you extract all files, shows all the LBA's.
Really useful, I also use BootDreams to make CDI's but I'm sure there is a better way nowadays.

OK YES , So I can basically figure a way out using all sorts of Mis match programs eh ?

[TheXboxArcade]

Hey there! So I'm currently in the process of creating a selfbooting CDI version of Sonic Adventure 2: The Trial using this guide. I get to the part where it says to use mkisofs, but I keep getting the error "mkisofs: incorrect sort file format". Could anyone help me with this? I've linked some files I think will be useful below. Thanks!!

BTW, I'm using a Windows XP (x64) VM.

[OlivusPrime]

In case anyone is reading this in 2023...

After hours of trial and error with this tutorial, I ended up successfully extracting and recompiling a CDI by following the first few steps of this tutorial, and instead using Sizious' Bootmake to recompile:

• Did the first few steps of the tutorial in the original post, up to opening Isobuster.
• I used Anyburn instead of Isobuster to extract the ISO files. Isobuster was extracting them with special characters removed, which meant that things didn't work properly once I had a bootable CDI.
• Instead of putting the IP.BIN into the disc root, I put it somewhere else - having it in the disc root and using it in Bootmake would cause an infinitely booting disc.
• Once I had made my changes to the disc files in the root folder, I used the Bootmake GUI with the root folder and the separate IP.BIN to generate a new CDI. Using the mkisofs and cdi4dc supplied with Bootmake in command line caused issues.

This might not work for everyone (depending upon how you're modifying your CDI), but I figured I'd share to potentially save someone hours of struggling like I had.

[MoeFoh]

In case anyone is reading this in 2023...

After hours of trial and error with this tutorial, I ended up successfully extracting and recompiling a CDI by following the first few steps of this tutorial, and instead using Sizious' Bootmake to recompile:

• Did the first few steps of the tutorial in the original post, up to opening Isobuster.
• I used Anyburn instead of Isobuster to extract the ISO files. Isobuster was extracting them with special characters removed, which meant that things didn't work properly once I had a bootable CDI.
• Instead of putting the IP.BIN into the disc root, I put it somewhere else - having it in the disc root and using it in Bootmake would cause an infinitely booting disc.
• Once I had made my changes to the disc files in the root folder, I used the Bootmake GUI with the root folder and the separate IP.BIN to generate a new CDI. Using the mkisofs and cdi4dc supplied with Bootmake in command line caused issues.

This might not work for everyone (depending upon how you're modifying your CDI), but I figured I'd share to potentially save someone hours of struggling like I had.

Just to let you know, GD-ROM Explorer (japanese_cake) can open up and extract a CDI.

[OlivusPrime]

Just to let you know, GD-ROM Explorer (japanese_cake) can open up and extract a CDI.

I did try GD-ROM Explorer, but it seemed to have the same issues with parsing file names that Isobuster had. It can also only be used to extract CDIs, not recompile them.

[MoeFoh]

Just to let you know, GD-ROM Explorer (japanese_cake) can open up and extract a CDI.

I did try GD-ROM Explorer, but it seemed to have the same issues with parsing file names that Isobuster had. It can also only be used to extract CDIs, not recompile them.

Curious, what was the CDI?

[Roz]

CDI to "Ghost Blade" for exemple, in GDI Explorer, occurs errors and dont open

[OlivusPrime]

Curious, what was the CDI?

It was Gens4Dreams - the ROM files had several special characters ( (, ), ! etc.) which would be parsed as underscores. Looking into it further, it sounds like the software was parsing the files in ISO 9660 format, which doesn't support special characters.

[MoeFoh]

CDI to "Ghost Blade" for example, in GDI Explorer, occurs errors and dont open

Oh, Ghost Blade is copy protected and has a hacked up Table of Contents. So, not a great surprise it crashes gd-rom explorer.

p.s. The cd-clone version over at cdromance works with gdemu and demul, the cdi did not. https://cdromance.com/dc-iso/ghost-blade/

[Roz]

CDI to "Ghost Blade" for example, in GDI Explorer, occurs errors and dont open

Oh, Ghost Blade is copy protected and has a hacked up Table of Contents. So not a great surprise it crashes gd-rom explorer.

p.s. The cd-clone version over at cdromance works with gdemu, the cdi did not.

Dreamshell dont works in cd-clone version.