Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

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Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by WarGames »

hey guys,

First off this is for development purposes only, not for copying, but in some cases for personal backup, anyway

I bought a few Yamaha CDR400t CD Burners (SCSI-2, 6x/4x)
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product ... 400t_e.pdf

a little while ago because I had heard from several places:
In French, mentions apparent CDR400t capability
http://erci.no-ip.com/origine/print.php ... &metalang=
Also in French from here
http://depuydt.erich.free.fr/cheats/spe ... ctions.htm
http://www.metagames-eu.com/forums/les- ... 77213.html
In Japanese
http://pcgc.sakura.ne.jp/Diary/Dia0006.htm

basically that with the proper firmware (1.0n) the CDR400t (and at least CDR200t) could read GD-Rom Discs. The problem is I have no idea where to get 1.0n,

The drives came with 1.0d and the only other driver I could find was 1.0q. Does anyone know where there's a 1.0n version firmware for the CDR400t? Thanks hope someone can help
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by Morphv2 »

If it can, it's news to me. Sorry bub, but I know nothing, but bump for an interesting subject.
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

Hi WarGames, I'm the guy you quoted on the metagames-eu link, if you wanna discuss in french, pm me.

I also got a cdr400t (just bought it recently) and I'll try to do some swap tricks on it before trying to flash its firmware, as far as I know, the word "cdr400c" (the caddy equivalent of the 400t, uses same firmware) is mentionned in the original gd-rom firmware and inthe ka***tos release that is meant for the cdr400t.

I also read in some dev docs (in a change history log) that the earlier gd-rom burner were cdr400 with sega firmwares.

I also read ona ssemblergames.com, that reading gd-roms with the gd-writer(with an hidden switch turned on that killed 9out-of10 drives) was only possible through Win98.

As far as I know it may be the most gd-compatible drive ever, but we would need to figure out how to use it, my guess is with swap, but you could still look for a ltd-165h from lite-on and use the tutorial I made on metagames-eu to rip a game.


This post was meant to tell you all I know about cdr400t related to gd-rom, I wish it had been useful.


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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by mankrip »

I don't know if you can easily find it. Anyway, its NFO doesn't mention which version of the Yamaha 400 to use (maybe any?) and which version this BIOS is.

Code: Select all

 ._______ /\______        _______.     ________/_________________________/\
 |      |/      /______/\ |      | eNf  \___  /  ______/\____   ____/      \
 |      /      //        \|      |__________\/_______      |     |/         \
 |           _//          \      |     /     \ .    |      |.   _//    |     \_
 |:           \            \     |    /       \     |      |:   \      |      /
:|:     \      \    /\     \\    |   //        \           ||    \           /
:::_____|\______\  /_________\______/___________\__________|_____|\  _______/
 <::-------------\/----------------/-------------------------------\/-------->
   :.  Proudly Presents :                                                   |
   |                                                                        |
   |      Game : Yamaha 400/GD-R firmware     checksum : A252B838           |
   |    Origin : katana devkit r9             Filename : ********.zip       |
   |  Released : August 6, 2000                    zip : 1                  |
   |  Platform : Sega Dreamcast (DC)            Format : BIN/firmware       |
   |                                                                        |
   +--|- -                                                            - -|--+
      | Release Notes -------------------------------------------------  |
   +--|- -                                                            - -|--+
   |                                                                        |
   |  Information seems to be leaking out about this one so we decided to   |
   |  make a public release to avoid "fixed" firmware that may not be so    |
   |  friendly to the precious yamaha 400.                                  |
   |                                                                        |
   |  Well, the rumors are true. This does work, we now have 8 of these     |
   |  units, and all of them can now read GD's                              |
   |                                                                        |
   |  This is not the original way that we began ripping GD's. we have an   |
   |  actual serial link setup that our hardware engineers figured out.     |
   |  This method of ripping is much more efficient as you may imagine      |
   |  we have known about this method for 3 weeks now but have chosen to    |
   |  keep it secret to protect Sega and the various developers that        |
   |  are licsenced by sega.                                                |
   |                                                                        |
   |  To date, Dreamcast Iso's are only available mostly to those with      |
   |  high speed internet access, or other connections.                     |
   |                                                                        |
   |  This will soon all change and only patches will need to be released   |
   |  to make self ripped games playable.                                   |
   |                                                                        |
   |  We hope that Sega and it's developers are up the the challenge that   |
   |  sony has been facing with the PSX. Sony has realized that the scene   |
   |  could help them and they used it to their advantage                   |
   |                                                                        |
   |                 "Adversity Brings Greatness"                           |
   |                                                                        |
   |   Directions                                                           |
   |  --------------                                                        |
   |                                                                        |
   |      The utility's filename is dld_dos.exe.  The utility               |
   |      takes four command-line parameters:                               |
   |                                                                        |
   |                                                                        |
   |   1) The flash file.  For this parameter, use                          |
   |      the scsicom.bin file path.                                        |
   |   2) The SCSI ID of the GD Writer to be reflashed.                     |
   |   3) The ASPI ID of the SCSI card on which the GD                      |
   |      Writer resides.  This is a zero-based index                       |
   |      to the card.                                                      |
   |   4) The value 11000.					            |
   |      For example:						            |
   |      dld_dos.exe scsicom.bin 5 0 11000                                 |
   |      will reflash the GD Writer on ASPI ID #0, on		            |
   |      SCSI ID #5.                                                      |
   |                                                                        |
   +--|- -                                                            - -|--+
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh mankrip Hell's end wgah'nagl fhtagn.
==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

I just flashed my own cdr400t with the kalisto firmware, it's now recognized as a SEGA GDR1999 and doesn't apear in win98 (but apear in cdrwin) the command "cdrecord -scanbus" tell it is a "Removable Worm" (usually it's "Removable CD-ROM"). When I try to eject the tray while it's empty, it don't eject allt eh way and I got to pull it. The color-based led don't work as in the cdr400, and one is red.

When I put a blank or pressed cd-rom : the unit try to read it and then fail and try to eject, I then have to force the tray to open.

When I put a retail gd-rom disc: The unit try to read it and then fail and eject it with difficulties, but it ejects.

When I put a blank gd-r: The unit loads it and wait, everything seems to be ok.



My guess is that this firmware transform the cdr400t into a gd-writer, to burn gd-r disc with KATANA SOFTWARE, I'll try this later.

My second guess, is that maybe the drive need to be ajusted to read gd-rom rather than cd-rom and gd-r (like the gd-rom drive of the retail dc sometime needs to be ajusted to read cd-rw), I'll try looking for a potentiometre in the cdr400t drive.




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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by Cid Highwind »

Familyguy, please keep us updated here, I'm very interested in this for emulation purposes and helping out some fellow Dreamcast emulator authors in case I could finally read my own GD Roms. My biggest complaint about Dreamcast emulators is that they can't play original games, and all the crap offending every legit emulation forums' rules as a consequence.

Looking forward to hearing more good news on the subject :D
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

Updates: you can't burn a gd-r with it, even if it tries.

I just found a rotating switch in the bottom of the drive, it looks like a potentiomenter...
[EDIT] I can make it not load a gd-r by playing with the potentiometer, but I can't make it load a gd-r or cd.

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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

News:
I managed to make it test-burn(to save my only 1 precious gd-r), but it seems to crash after ~4500 sectors, maybe because my disc seems scratchy, but maybe not ...

To bgurn disc using it if not really useful though, but still fun to experiment with ...

if anybody want to donate a clean blank gd-r, I'd gladly take it try and send back if it don't works(and even if it does works).


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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by |darc| »

Throughout the entire history of that Kalisto firmware, I have never known anyone to get it to do anything useful.

FamilyGuy: You are using the Katana devkit software to burn the GD-R?
It's thinking...
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

The katana disc CRI writer, both codeline and gui version.
I could still flash my cdr400 back into a cdr400 if I can't do anything interesting with it.

I heard that some folks at assemblergames (LeGIT I think) Had been able to read a gd-r disc with the gd-writer by putting a switch in the gd-writer to READ and doing some procedure, I now wonder what are thoses procedure, if you can tell me what you know about this darc, I'd be cool.

I would take and try almost any sugestions that could help me making this drive do what it's told to do. (even if it might only be an old gd-writer wich we don,t get the proper software to use.)

Also need help and idea there: http://forums.segakatana.com/viewtopic. ... bc7c1#1311

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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by WarGames »

Nice job with your tests on your CDR400 FamilyGuy, very interesting results.

I'd like to tinker around with my SCSI model (CDR400t) but I cannot find the firmware release anywhere. Does anyone know where I might find it?

It's strange that kalisto released this firmware and confirmed its validity but nobody seems to be able to get it to work.
Hopefully this isn't a lost cause.
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by |darc| »

WarGames wrote:Nice job with your tests on your CDR400 FamilyGuy, very interesting results.

I'd like to tinker around with my SCSI model (CDR400t) but I cannot find the firmware release anywhere. Does anyone know where I might find it?

It's strange that kalisto released this firmware and confirmed its validity but nobody seems to be able to get it to work.
Hopefully this isn't a lost cause.
It's a hoax, that's why. Kalisto was simply fucking around and feeding all the bullshit that was going on in the DC scene at the time.

Anyway, if you want to waste your time, I've uploaded the firmware here.
It's thinking...
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

I don't think it's 100% a hoax.

The firmware is legit, and the drive works with it, the thing is that we would need to do some unknown mod to it to make it works as a GD-WRITER and it might really nevar reads gd-roms.

But the statement that it'd make ppla ble to read gd-rom it most likely a HOAX.

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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by nevets934 »

I am very interested in this and hope someone comes up with a breakthrough.
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

Don't get over-excited, it's most likely only a joke based of a reality, gd-writer are based on cdr400 and got the same firmware base (444ko etc.). But in order to transform a cdr400 into a gd-reader we would have to 1st transform it into a working gd-writer via complex hardwares mod (builduing a gd-writer from it) then unlocking th read mode of the gd-writer (LEGit did this on a real gd-writer and it worked but then it fried). Most likely it's impossible...

I also tested the 303S firmware and it flashed well, and does nothing, the drive read DVD outstandingly well but gd-rom ... NO ...


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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by Mark30001 »

Sorry for the bump (first time viewing the thread), but I just want to put this out there in case someone else stumbles across here and thinks that they may turn out lucky.
-=FamilyGuy=- wrote:I heard that some folks at assemblergames (LeGIT I think) Had been able to read a gd-r disc with the gd-writer by putting a switch in the gd-writer to READ and doing some procedure, I now wonder what are thoses procedure, if you can tell me what you know about this darc, I'd be cool.
The hidden switch kills 100% of GD-Writers. Don't bother opening it up if you ever receive one. Once reassembling the unit back into place, it will only "spit" discs out, even after the switch is set back to its normal position. I used to have a tutorial online but quickly deleted it after it claimed the life of my GD-Writer (despite LeGIT's warnings on MSN).

I forgot who else had a GD-Writer & tried some crazy stuff on it, but according to them, this Yamaha 400/GD-R firmware will also kill it.
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by FamilyGuy »

Mark30001 wrote:The hidden switch kills 100% of GD-Writers. Don't bother opening it up if you ever receive one. Once reassembling the unit back into place, it will only "spit" discs out, even after the switch is set back to its normal position. I used to have a tutorial online but quickly deleted it after it claimed the life of my GD-Writer (despite LeGIT's warnings on MSN).

I forgot who else had a GD-Writer & tried some crazy stuff on it, but according to them, this Yamaha 400/GD-R firmware will also kill it.
Ha, I though that LeGIT successfully did it at least one time ... Well, anybody with a gd-writer might be better not trying it :P

@Mark: The Yamaha gd-r from (supposedly) Kalisto actually is identical to the R9 SDK gd-r firmware (scsicom.bin), and you can even use the sdk utility to flash the drive once it's recognized as a gd-r 1999.

I actually think it's a fact-based HOAX.

FG
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Re: Reading GD-Rom Discs with a YAMAHA CDR400t

Post by petterk »

I know this is an old thread and everything, but I have talked to Seth *********from the old Kalisto-team, and asked him about this particular firmware. He said this actually worked.

Here is what he said when I asked about the firmware:

"If you are referring to the ability to natively read GD-ROM with custom firmware, yes that worked. Take care man, and stay out of trouble, it's a dangerous world out there."
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