Copying A Disk with DAO / CDRWIN
Copying a disc with Dao/CDRWIN http://www.goldenhawk.com
Dao(dos) and CDR WIN (WINDOWS) are also excellent programs for copying psx discs, the only drawback is they currently only work on SCSI based CDROMS. If you haven't bought a Cdr yet, a SCSI version is the choice with this software. Otherwise if an IDE drive is a must have, get GEAR 4.2 and GEAR REPLICATOR 1.2.
Results: Nearly any disc is fully copyable. Very few problems.
Recommendation: Great program other then Gear 4.2 for copying manually all discs. Benefits over others include methods people have used to copy special discs with 4 second or less audio tracks, multiple data tracks etc, virtually ensuring all discs will copy.
Problems: Usually just learning how to do it correctly (below). Works only with SCSI drives currently (until 1998)
Command Line Arguments:
The command lines are:
The command line you should use to make a backup for version 2.3 is:
SNAPSHOT CD.RAW CD.WAV CD.CUE /ID=0:2:0 /SUBCODE=AUTO
The command line for version 2.4a and 2.4b is:
SNAPSHOT CD.RAW CD.CUE /ID=0:2:0 /SUBCODE=AUTO
The command line for version 2.4c is:
SNAPSHOT CD.CUE CD.RAW /ID=0:2:0 /SUBCODE=AUTO
The main difference is that the 2.4 series merges that data and audio in to a single file, while 2.3 has two separate files. This was done, from what I understand, for preparation of a Windows 95 graphic version of this DOS only program. The program works with Windows 95 now, just from a DOS window.
Files with the extension RAW is raw data in version 2.3, WAV is Audio and CUE is the cuesheet that arranges the tracks in the order they will be written. In 2.4, the RAW files contain both data and audio.
You may need to change the /ID=0:2:0 to fit your drive.
The SUBCODE option is required on some CDs, also please Note: that not all CD-Recorders support subcodes!, and those that don't require it will still work with the option set. It basically puts a 2-second "gap" of silence between the audio tracks. Those CDs that do require will lock up if its not used. Now this is mentioned in the text file that comes with the program, but many people and myself overlooked it and wasted a few blanks.
Now that the image file is created, we need to write it to a blank CD.
The command line for this is as follows:
DAO CD.CUE /ID=0:2:0
Example of batch file to automate the process:
Here is a little batch file to automate the entire process for version 2.3. You may have to change it for different versions and you may want to add /SPEED=1 if you are having problems. Select the text below and save it as a BAT file (i.e. CDCOPY.BAT) in the same directory that the program is in:
echo off
cls
echo Put the original disc in the CD writer now.
pause
SNAPSHOT CD.CUE CD.RAW /ID=0:2:0 /SUBCODE=AUTO /NOCONFIRM
cls
echo Take out the original and put in a blank CD now.
pause
DAO CD.CUE /ID=0:2:0 /NOCONFIRM /BEEP
cls
echo Press Control and C to abort file erase
pause
erase cd.cue
erase cd.raw
cls
echo Copy completed.
echo Image files have been erased.
The NOCONFIRM option makes the program turn off any user input. This way all you have to do is type in the name of the batch file, follow the onscreen prompts and nothing else but two strokes of a key after inserting the discs in to the drive and your backup is made and the image files are erased!
CD Have 2 Data Tracks?:
Many people claim to have troubles with a CD that has two (or more) data tracks. There is an easy way around this little problem and its very similar to the 4-second problem. The first thing you have to do is manually convert each track in to its own file. How do we do this? First we must look at the number and type of tracks. Jeff gives us a program called Table Of Contents or TOC, run it with Playstation disc in the drive and it will list each track and will tell you if its a data or audio track. Example:
TOC /ID=0:2:0
Once you know how many tracks there are and what they are use the program CDCLIP to make an image file of each track. Let's say we have a disc with 5 tracks, the first two are data and the last three are audio. For this disc we would do the following:
CDCLIP track1.raw /DATA /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=1
CDCLIP track2.raw /DATA /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=2
CDCLIP track3.WAV /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=3
CDCLIP track4.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=4
CDCLIP track5.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=5
Well have to make a CUE file by hand now! This is one for the above example:
FILE TRACK1.RAW MODE2 2352
TRACK 01
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE TRACK2.RAW MODE2 2352
TRACK 02
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE TRACK3.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 03
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE TRACK4.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 04
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE TRACK5.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 05
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
You'll want to use a text editor to make your cue file. Then you can run DAO like normal and make your backup! The above example of a cue file does put the SUBCODE 2 second gap for each audio file. For those that do have this problem, this solution is all you'll ever need. If the disc has more than two data tracks, just make any adjustments as needed.
4 Seconds
4 seconds is the minimal length of a track per CDR standards that is standard your CD Writer uses to make CDs. Now that's not the standard for CD manufacturers! You'll get and error when trying to convert the image file to a blank CD when this situation arises. So how do you backup a CD with an audio track that is less than 4 seconds in length?
The first thing you have to do is manually convert each track in to its own file. How do we do this? First we must look at the number and type of tracks. Jeff gives us a program called Table Of Contents or TOC, run it with PlayStation disc in the drive and it will list each track and will tell you if its a data or audio track. example:
TOC /ID=0:2:0
Once you know how many tracks there are and what they are use the program CDCLIP to make an image file of each track. Lets say we have a disc with 5 tracks, the first a data and the last four are audio. For this disc we would do the following:
CDCLIP track1.raw /DATA /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=1
CDCLIP track2.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=2
CDCLIP track3.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=3
CDCLIP track4.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=4
CDCLIP track5.wav /ID=0:2:0 /TRACK=5
You can see from TOC which files are less than 4 seconds with a little match or you could make a note when getting the errors. For our purpose, lets say that track 5 is problem maker. Well need to load it in to a WAV editor.
I use the Sound Recorder that comes with WINDOWS 95. It may say the length of the file is 5.5 seconds while DAO says it less than 4 seconds, I could never figure this out. What I've done is the following:
With the Sound Recorder loaded, press the record button with no mike plugged in to the sound card. Make a recording of about a second. Save this file as BLANK.WAV
Now load TRACK5.WAV (our example of a file less than 4 seconds) and play it. You'll be at the end of the file now. Select EDIT from the menu and then INSERT FILE. Insert the BLANK.WAV and repeat it until the length is at least 7 seconds. The reason for 7 seconds? Nothing in particular, its just large enough that well won't have to do this again. Now save the file!
Well have to make a CUE file by hand now! This is one for the above example:
FILE TRACK1.RAW MODE2 2352
TRACK 01
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE TRACK2.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 02
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE TRACK3.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 03
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE TRACK4.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 04
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
FILE TRACK5.WAV AUDIO 2352
TRACK 05
INDEX 00 00:00:00
INDEX 01 00:02:00
You'll want to use a text editor to make your cue file. Then you can run DAO like normal and make your backup! DAO will make any corrections necessary to the file size to make it fit perfectly in the allotted sectors. The above example of a cue file does put the SUBCODE 2-second gap for each audio file. This can be a pain.
Last modified 18-01-98