[MOD] HDD without destroying your DREAMCAST → Step by Step Guide...

Excellent tutorial !

 

Hello!

It's great!! Thank you for your job!

I have question - will it work with PAL version on Sega Dreamcast? I Dream about buy new console and connect HDD and still have original DC.

Regards!

 

It's work on all Dreamcast's

 

You have to keep your gd-rom reader, you must use the dreamshell by cd rom and it read the HDD.

 

Thank your for the very nice tutorial!
Is there any list of the compatible/incompatible games? How many of the games using CDDA actually work?

 

http://www.dc-swat.ru/forum/thread-2145.html

As for CDDA option, there is no such list AFAIK, it may or may not work, you have to try.

 

Thank you!

 

Man I saw a lot of tuts on the web, but this one is very well written , thanks

Guys sorry if this was wasked before ...
( I know we can't link to roms)

But I have my favourite ROMs already , I saw somewhere, that there's some kind of patch's needs to be applied on the roms, for the ROMs to work on HDD mod?

Feedback would be appreciated

Thanks

 

I have done some .cdi roms from .gdi patched by japanese_cake or truemaster. You can take the .cdi in the isozone and use the isomaker kit or the amazing toolkit by familyguy. with them, you can create your patched iso for dreamshell from the .gdi file (If i understand well, the dreamshell can't read the .gdi files).
I can't create a .cdi for skies of arcadia pal vga patched but for some other games it's good.
There is a game in particular you want ?
For now, I just beginning in dreamshell, i don't know how I can build the isos.

 

DreamShell work with .gdi files, for use DMA need optimize gdi
Download iso_make

 

So it should be better to use the iso_maker to patch "stock" ROMs?
(To have DMA enabled ?)

Thanks

 

I have the original skies of arcadia (jap) if there's anything I can do,let me know

 

Ok i've made the mod
Evrything seems fine on hardware part
i burn the dreamshell boot loader (i dont have a custom bios installed)

formated my IDE HDD on fat32, and copy into his root the "DS" folder
on booting up, dreamshell is loaded and i can see /navigate on the folders i made on hdd
however all the 5 games i tried (all .CDI ) AFTER pressing on "A" it says "loading" and just a black screen ...
I downloaded from IsoZone "GDI isos", but they are all .CDI
am i missing something?

Roms i tested, and dont work :
Capcom.vs.SNK.Millennium.Collection-RDC.CDI
2011_edog_crzytxi.CDI ( this is a Crazy Taxi mod rom)
Guilty_Gear_X_USA_DC-DCiSOZONE.CDI
Marvel.vs.Capcom.Clash.of.Super.Heroes.(U)-NBS.CDI




i saw theres a "DreamCast SD ISOS" on isozone ...
Do this work alright on HDD?

Kinda confused, been years i played with Dreamcast roms ...

Sorry for the noob questions ...

bb

 

Hi Guys,
Two questions regarding the Bios, I would like to know if the bios for the VA0, Va1 and Va2, have the same bios file inside or not.
My second question: I have the GQ-4X programmer with the adapter for the MX29lv160, I can program the new bios chip whit the link83 file?

Thanks.
Federico

 

1) no
2) yes

 

I had no idea this existed. I think it's pretty cool. Too bad it seems not all games are compatible.

 

Does anyone have ide pinout for the va2.1 Katana board, it is very different than the one modded in this thread. I can make a pcb for it if all the signals exist on this board

 

Try this: http://www.dc-swat.ru/forum/thread-2346.html

I still haven't tried myself but I know some people who successfully done the IDE mod on a VA2.1 mobo.

 

Hi Guys,
I installed the Link83 bios inside my DC Jap VA0 and after, I soldered a IDE cable. I prepared a IDE HD formatted FAT32 with the Dreamshell folder inside.

At this point all works perfectly.

I tryed to insert the Startech Sata Adapter, with a Sata HardDisk, but the dreamshell is freeze.

I saw that the Sata HD must be FAT32 and the adapter is Slave mode, but nothing...



Please help me...

 

I have seen your ground pin must be have 8cm long max for sata hard disk maybe your problem come from here.