Boot GD-R Without System Disc 2?

I got a GD-R here but no system disc, Is there a way to boot it without it?

 

Awhile ago, I made a gdrom bootloader, available here: http://www.mediafire.com/?nr48wi18z7uv3z3 (Please don't binhack it since the bin file embed some other binaries which shouldn't be hacked). To launch it, use a serial cable or the bba as I do.
This game loader can boot a retail gdrom in 3 different ways: on the boot screen, just insert the disc and then press X to change the boot method.

I don't think that it works with gdr but since I don't have one, it's worth a try

 

I don't have a BBA/Serial Cable either but thanks for the help.

 

I can manually binhack it for a given LBA so that you can make an iso... you want?

 

If you can, That'd be awesome. I'd be amazed if this GD-R Boots without system disc.

 

At what LBA does the second track starts? 11700 or 11702?

What I know is that it can boot any retail gdrom, whatever its region is. On the boot screen, it tries to load the 0GDTEX.PVR on the screen, load the main binary then passes it the control...

 

How do I find out?

 

Have you ever make an autoboot copy of a game? usually, you start making it burning a fake audio track on the cd. Depending of the software you use to burn that track, the track ends at a different address on the disc (called LBA).

Well, if you want, this weekend, I try to make you an iso of my loader. You would just have to try it out

 

I haven't dumped this GD-R at all so not autoboot copy. But I will try out your ISO, Thanks!

 

Please keep in mind that a gd-r is not detected by the Dreamcast as an a gd-rom, but only as a small cd-r. The HD area is hidden (because it's only checked if there's a ring, and there's no ring on a gd-r), so I think your trick won't work unless your program specifies the disc TOC itself; and I don't think it's possible to do that...

One trick you can do is to put a data-only gd-rom (SonicAdventure, ResidentEvil, a lot of games are data-only) in the DC and boot into the bios menu. Then wait until it stops spinning. Then Swap the gd-rom for the gd-r, without opening the lid. You'll need to open the DC to tape the lid switch, or put a manual switch to make it so that the DC thinks its lid is closed the whole time. Then select "Play" in the bios menu.

The console will think the disc in its optical drive is the gd-rom, and so will use its TOC with the gd-r! (which has its TOC unaccessible usually)

What makes it works is that every gd-rom and gd-r got their HD data TOC at the same LBA (45000). One downside is that cdda music won't play.

Sorry it I'm not so clear, I've written this in a hurry. Feel free to ask any question.

Good luck,

FG

 

I've done this before. It works, though I should try japanese_cake's method as well since I have a few spare BBA's. A rubberband works best for holding the lid switch down.

 

I have an issue with this, when I put a gd-rom (or tape the lid) at the bios menu, the game starts automatically.
In the settings menu, it doesn't stop spinning, maybe I don't wait long enough, how long is it supposed to take before spinning down?
I have a PAL unit with a "1" date code.

 

you should set auto start to OFF

 

Right! That's done.
The disc doesn't spin down, how much time is supposed to take?

 

It's longer than a regular CD drive, but shouldn't be over a minute. If you feel impatient and adventurous you can change the disc while it spins, might not be good for the motor though, don't do it too often if you don't have replacement parts.

Keep us updated!

FG

 

It didn't stop after 10 minutes...
So I stopped it myself, put a gd-r in place of the gd-rom and pressed start, it worked for three of my gd-rs but not with the other two.
Any idea why?

 

No, but electronic is a bitch sometimes, especially the DC gd-rom unit, and the swap trick is a "rude" trick...

You're using a known 3tracks gd-rom right? (i.e. Sonic Adventure)

FG

 

Yes, it's a 3 tracks data gd-rom (MSR), I also successfully used it to rip the gd-rs using your gd-r ripping guide.

I say successfully but some of the gd-rs had reading errors during the rip, one of those works with the swap method though.
Another gd-r was ripped without errors but doesn't start, it throws me back to the menu, it's a Windows CE title, in case it changes anything.

 

WinCE games are hard to work with. Maybe only a 3track WinCE game can be used as a swap to boot a WinCE game idk. For the ripping, any 3track game should do the trick though. The swap trick to rip games produces errors sometimes for unknown (to me) reason, but if you try hard (read: often) enough you should end up with a working copy, if it's not a scratch/systematic problem.

Cheers,

FG

 

I have another Windows CE gd-r, the ripping worked and the gd-r plays fine with the swap method, so it's just annoying as the gd-rs I wanted to try the most won't start.
Thanks for the help.