Dummy file

[paleskin]

Hi, guys, I recently got a HDA21 elf and system files, and I want to put a dummy file to prevent my lens from breaking apart, so here what I did :
1. I opened cdgenps2
2. drag 'n' drop the "system" file, then the hda21.elf
3. I clicked "create alias" button on the left bottom, I changed the file's name to "dummy.bin", I fixed the size to 400 MB
4. I right clicked the system files, and fix the lba to 12231
5. Save the image into an iso file
6. So normally there should be 3 files with total size around 404 MB right ?
7. I burned it into CDR using Alcohol 120 %, then boot it up on my modded ps2, everything went fine
8. But when I looked at the CDR's surface, the physical sign of data that can be seen by mere eyes was way to small,it doesn't look like the CDR has around 400 MB files in it
Were my way of creating the dummy file was wrong ?
Can someone tell me the right way of creating the dummy file ?

[Alcahest]

check that tool.
Later,

Alcahest

[paleskin]

I used DummyCreator to create a 600 MB

dummy file, and I put the files in cdgenps2

in this order:
1.System.cnf
2.Dummy.bin
3.Hda21.elf
And I fix the system.cnf lba to 12231,it

automatically make the Dummy.bin's lba to

12232, while the elf's lba is unchanged
Is this right ? many on ps2hd chann on

EFNET told me to put the dummy first, then

the system.cnf and lastly the elf, but

everytime I put them into that order, when

I fix the system.cnf's lba, it gives me an

error msg
So what is the correct order ? can someone

help me ?

[dlanor]

I took the liberty of restructuring my quote of your query a bit, to avoid filling an entire page (again). The content is still identical though...

I used DummyCreator to create a 600 MB dummy file, and I put the files in cdgenps2 in this order:
1.System.cnf
2.Dummy.bin
3.Hda21.elf
And I fix the system.cnf lba to 12231,it automatically make the Dummy.bin's lba to 12232, while the elf's lba is unchanged

Is this right ? many on ***** chann on EFNET told me to put the dummy first, then the system.cnf and lastly the elf, but everytime I put them into that order, when I fix the system.cnf's lba, it gives me an error msg

The problem is caused by the size of your dummy file. The LBA is simply a measure of byte offset within the ISO, scaled by dividing the pure offset by 2048 (2KB).

This means that if you drop the dummy first, then it will automatically include the LBA position 12231 within its 600MB size, and then it is not legal to assign that LBA to a later file (in your case SYSTEM.CNF). Two different files can not safely share the same LBA in a normal ISO. (Some software allows this anyway, as it can be used in 'shrinking' tricks, but normally it's unsafe.)

The same phenomenon can be used to eliminate the need of editing the LBA of any file at all. If you use a dummy file of 25001984 Bytes (24416KB), and drop this first, then it will use up exactly 12208 LBA positions, causing the next file (normally SYSTEM.CNF) to start at LBA 12231. Then you just drop the ELF as well and all's done.
(NB: This assumes that the first file starts at LBA 23, as is normally the case.)

Best regards: dlanor

[paleskin]

Thank's a lot dlanor, u enlighten me up
One thing that remains unclear to me is :
What's the correct order for to put the files so that my lens won't tear apart ?, is my current order :
1.System.cnf
2.Dummy.bin
3.Hda21.elf
is safe ? or must I put the dummy file in the earliest lba ( let's say the size around 200 mb), so the order is :
1.Dummy.bin
2.System.cnf
3.Hda21.elf

[dlanor]

As long as you make sure that the LBAs of the files actually used are not in the lowest range, the head movements should be acceptable. Many people do drop the SYSTEM.CNF file first, which works fine provided that you then edit the LBA value.

Best regards: dlanor

[paleskin]

Someone told me to make a dummy size 20 mb and named dummy.000 and a dummy size 600 mb and name it dummy.bin . and burn it like that :
dummy.000
system.cnf
.elf
dummy.bin
what do u think dlanor ?

[dlanor]

Well, as should be clear from all the previous posts, such a method will work. But in my opinion the second dummy file isn't necessary. It's presence will not affect the position of the files that will actually be used, and it is mainly those that affect the laser head movements.

Best regards: dlanor

[paleskin]

Thank's Dlanor, it's crystal clear to me now