Backing up all other consoles

**Calpis** · 12-25-2007

FC/NES:
FC/NES copiers *don't* backup games so CopyNES is your best option. CopyNES has been recently discontinued however so you're on your own to build one! Other than CopyNES all that's left are DIY projects.

FDS disks:

There is currently no accurate way to backup FDS disks! If someone says there is, they're lying.
FDS Loader and PasoDisk are the best options but still not satisfactory for archival. If you're interested in talking about accurately archiving disks, come over to NESDev.

PCE/TG16 Hucards:

There isn't an affordable copier which can backup games. This is unfortunate because PCE is perhaps the easiest console to backup ever. The best known units for PCE backup are the Magic Super Griffin and MGD2 (with the rare backup board). If you can find Hucard connectors, I can sell a backup device 10-30x cheaper than the copiers mentioned above with better accuracy too!

MD/GEN:

Mask of Destiny's Transfer tool is your best bet, it's the cheapest and most reliable way to backup games and more. Super Magic Drive or Double Pro Fighter are really the only suitable copiers for dumping and even then they're iffy, all other copiers are pretty horrible at backing up games.

Neo Geo/Arcade:

The ROMs must be desoldered or removed from their sockets and read with a device programmer such as the Willem.

SFC/SNES:

The most common copiers such as Game Doctor SFVI/SF7, most Pro Fighters and Wild Cards are the most suitable for backing up standard games. Magicom, Supercoms, Multi Game Doctors, Multi Game Hunter, Super Disk Interceptors etc are not.

Dumping games with special chips requires a SNES expertise (custom dumping algorithm).

GB/GBC:

Any GB "Linker" made by Bung or UFO or Gamars or EMS or CCL or practically anyone else will backup most GB/GBC games. In the case of old test carts with EPROM, you could always use a device programmer instead.

The few games using memory mappers not supported by linkers need to be dumped by people with GB expertise (custom dumping algorithm).

SMS/GG/MK3:

SMSReader is pretty much the only solution. In the case of GG/MK3, you'll need to salvage a connector from a dead GG/MK3 and build a SMSreader with the GG/MK3 connector using the proper GG/MK3 pinout.

GBA/DS:

Almost any GBA "linker" is suitable for backing up games, with a PassMe like device, DS games too.

Super Acan/Jaguar/Game.com/Colecovision/Intellivision/Lynx/VCS/other shit:

There are currently no backup devices available but I'd consider making one :)

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CDROM consoles like PCE/TG16 CD, Mega/Sega CD, 3DO, Jag CD, CD32, PSX, Sat etc etc:

Use this tutorial:
http://redump.org/guide/cddumping/

If you don't know what you're doing, there's no way in hell you can make a perfect image of a disc with CD audio. Most people that even think they're experts don't have a clue about accurately archiving CD audio games.

DVD games (PS2):

Just use CDRWin or ISObuster Trial and make sure you don't use any error correction! Don't use Nero, it will erroneously give you good dumps.

GC:

You need:
-Broadband adapter
-Modchip or other way to load .DOL executables
-Load GCOS with backup feature
-Connect BBA to PC via crossover cable or a switch
-Follow GCOS' instructions...

GC NR discs:
Do the same thing as GC but use a NR cube. If you have a modchip installed in a retail cube and you want to backup a bunch of NR discs, just move the NR disc assembly over to the retail cube.

Xbox/360/Wii:

-Buy a specific DVDROM drive
-Flash new hacked firmware
-Get disc imaging software
-Backup disc

More details elsewhere.

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If there's interest in a multi console cartridge backup device (most of the above mentioned consoles) I'd be happy to work with some members to come up with something feasible and make it happen. I know how to interface with all the consoles mentioned in this post and could probably add support for just about any other console, where I'd need help is in finding the necessary connectors.

**kammedo** · 12-25-2007

There you go! Awesome Calpis!

**drx** · 12-25-2007

I was interested in building a cheap USB dumper for Megadrive, so yours would be nice if you could do it.

**jonwil** · 12-26-2007

I think a backup device for cart based consoles that is fully programmable (for example, being able to program it with the correct memory writes to set up mappers for dumping NES) would be great.

Use a cheap microcontroler and/or an FPGA. Have a generic socket on the PCB with a whole pile of pins and then have little "adapter" PCBs which contain the cart sockets (e.g. a NES adapter, SNES adapter, GBA adapter etc) and you could allow both reprogrammability for the dumping part (i.e. the right instructions to send to the cart) and the flexability to be able to dump anything someone builds an adapter PCB for. (including any kind of ROM chip someone is able to remove from the PCB and attach to an adapter board somehow)

Of course, IANAEE (I am not an electronics engineer) so I dont know exactly how fesable this idea is. But if it IS fesable, it could be the best dumping device ever made IMO.

**andoba** · 12-27-2007

Originally Posted by jonwil

I think a backup device for cart based consoles that is fully programmable (for example, being able to program it with the correct memory writes to set up mappers for dumping NES) would be great.

Use a cheap microcontroler and/or an FPGA. Have a generic socket on the PCB with a whole pile of pins and then have little "adapter" PCBs which contain the cart sockets (e.g. a NES adapter, SNES adapter, GBA adapter etc) and you could allow both reprogrammability for the dumping part (i.e. the right instructions to send to the cart) and the flexability to be able to dump anything someone builds an adapter PCB for. (including any kind of ROM chip someone is able to remove from the PCB and attach to an adapter board somehow)

Of course, IANAEE (I am not an electronics engineer) so I dont know exactly how fesable this idea is. But if it IS fesable, it could be the best dumping device ever made IMO.

The idea is feasible, but it would need some big developing, specially for the NES / AES part.

**ConsoleFun** · 12-27-2007

Originally Posted by jonwil

I think a backup device for cart based consoles that is fully programmable (for example, being able to program it with the correct memory writes to set up mappers for dumping NES) would be great.

Use a cheap microcontroler and/or an FPGA. Have a generic socket on the PCB with a whole pile of pins and then have little "adapter" PCBs which contain the cart sockets (e.g. a NES adapter, SNES adapter, GBA adapter etc) and you could allow both reprogrammability for the dumping part (i.e. the right instructions to send to the cart) and the flexability to be able to dump anything someone builds an adapter PCB for. (including any kind of ROM chip someone is able to remove from the PCB and attach to an adapter board somehow)

Of course, IANAEE (I am not an electronics engineer) so I dont know exactly how fesable this idea is. But if it IS fesable, it could be the best dumping device ever made IMO.

Have you checked out Chameleon USB (カメレオンＵＳＢ)?

http://optimize.ath.cx/cusb/index.html
http://www.geocities.jp/pasofami77/usbdaiko.htm
http://www.geocities.jp/pasofami77/pasodisk.htm

**Calpis** · 12-27-2007

A reconfigurable FPGA is totally not needed, it would just add immense complexity and cost. A MCU isn't really needed either, even for USB support, which IMO is just a luxury. All that's needed for any of the consoles mentioned is something that can read and write a 24-bit (address) by 16-bit (data) bus. Every console will need a few provisions to decode some signals such as the ROM's /CE, NES's PRG and CHR bus and N64's multiplexed AD bus, but this is always simple enough to be in static logic.

**jonwil** · 12-28-2007

Yeah, good point. All you need for this "universal" connector is power at all the voltages that the various consoles you want to dump need (or power at enough of them that you can up/downconvert on the "adapter" boards), enough address lines for the things you want to dump, enough data lines for the things you want to dump (you need at least 32 for dumping things like Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS and various 32-bit EEPROMS/mask roms) plus simple configurable control logic (i.e. a bunch of extra wires for "control signals" that you can feed with various values via the software controling the dumper)

Then the rest can be done in software or via fixed logic on the "adapter board"

In any case, the more logic you put into the software and into the "universal dumper" (for 90% of consoles and ROMs you should be able to make it such that the adapter board is just connecting one pin on the universal connector to one pin on the relavent cart connector)

NES will be harder because of its seperate chr and prg address/data lines but you could either have 2 sets of address/data lines on the dumper or you could have a switcher on the adapter board (i.e. send the dumper a signal to switch between reading/writing PRG and CHR)

Heck, with this dumper hardware and the right adapter it could even become a programmer for flashcarts, PICs and such.

**Calpis** · 12-28-2007

Some points:

-You don't really need a 3V supply for recent consoles, just some diodes to drop 5V to ~3.6V.
-I don't think GBA has a 32-bit wide bus, I'm almost certain it's 16-bit and not even multiplexed, I think the address bus however is multiplexed 32-bit like N64.
-DS has a serial interface.
-There are no 32-bit Flash/Mask/P ROMs.
-Adapters should be an afterthought because adapters are expensive, especially if they contain logic. It's much better to cover everything in the beginning!
-NES is not really hard, the PRG/CHR control signals just have to be specially gated. There's absolutely no reason why the CPU and PPU can't share the same address bus since there's no sense in trying to access both ROMs simultaneously.
-Right, this could be a general reader/programmer for ROMs, but anything other than ROMs I don't want to be involved with/support. I really wouldn't even want to support the general device since it should be for competent users.

**ASSEMbler** · 12-28-2007

I am really wondering how much it would cost to have tg-16 edge connectors made.

**hl718** · 12-28-2007

Hell, TG-16 units are pretty cheap.

Tear a few of those apart. ;)

-hl718

**Micjohvan** · 12-28-2007

The easiest way I have found to dump PS2 games is to use DVD Decrypter. You shouldnt have to change any settings at all and its not a trial.

**Barc0de** · 12-28-2007

someone should find the time to detail dumping Wii/GC games and NR disks ;)

**ElBarto** · 12-29-2007

To add in the MD/GEN section the transfert suite program from Mark Of The Wolves (http://www.retrodev.com/transfer.html)

**babu** · 12-29-2007

Originally Posted by Barc0de

someone should find the time to detail dumping Wii/GC games and NR disks ;)

second on the NR discs.

Would also be nice with a 64DD (+dev) dumping guide ;P

Mark30001 · 12-29-2007

It would also be nice for split-up, more detailed guides/threads (for those too lazy for Google) ;)

**Calpis** · 12-29-2007

I don't think it's necessary to have a page of content in 15 threads, unless each console had it's own graphical walkthrough which is not really practical.

Someone may want a graphical step by step walkthrough, but in all honesty these devices are pretty self explanatory, and if someone needs help to select "Backup Card" from a GUI menu, I really doubt they can make the correct decision whether their dump is accurate. And if they can't make accurate backups I would seriously suggest for them to outsource their dumping because bad dumps suck.