[Image Splitting] CP Double-layer DVD into two Single-layer DVD

[kenzeitak]

Greetings! Haven't posted any topic here for a loooong time and it seems you've changed forum system since i last logged on. Greetings again all!

--------------

Splitting a copy protected double-layer DVD Image (9GB) into two single-layer DVD Images (4,7GB)

I've been searching a bit and can find very limited content (none at all here) of this issue and available software if its possible at all. Related topic (very old thread) http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/showthread.php?t=3142

Its fairly easy to split any image using Alcohols software and MDF format and defining separate paths for the MDF files inside the small MDS extension.

Defining separate pathways to the split image files can be done using DVD Decrypter. HOWEVER! It is NOT possible to change the path media (as far as I know) to multiple discs since the path must be exact.

Coding this would probably need a new GUI checking file availability and then prompting for disc change path when the contained files are accessed by an application.
Using 2 DVD-ROM readers can easily solve the time saved if they're used at the same time.

--------------

So... what's the point really?

Well many newly released games and corporate applications, if you have noticed requires LOTS of space. And I can't make any easily accessible backups if I don't own a Double-Layer DVD burner.
And as you know... a double layer DVD disc doesn't cost the double of a normal single layer... its at least three times more expensive so even those using double layers could save money splitting their backups instead.

Using the old way I must split the file using archiving applications such as RAR or the like and then extract the huge 5GB+ DVD image every time I wish to access and mount the backup image content.

For me and my computers that takes about 40 minutes, and time (some times and most often) is money.

Having said this I hope this can bring a discussion according to the creation of such software or spread on any rumours of already existing.

Thanks a lot and great work developers of Daemon-Tools! Keep it up.
Pleasant regards, Ken

[kbirger]

How on earth would it work? It wouldn't even work for the installer, let alone for copy-protection.

[AmphetaMarinE]

I would just 7zip/winrar/zip them up with 4.3GB max filesize, to get 2 files...
Then when u wanna install, unzip to HDD and mount in your favourite mounting software...

[ß]

what you may actually want is not really possible at this time. what does come pretty close, is alcohol's feature to split the size of the image into different sizes. that way you can make a dvd9 disc split into two dvd5's. or if you wanted to you could also make any disc into 650mb splits. that way if you were so inclined and needed to backup a dvd to cd's you could split 4+ gb into several 650mb ones. whatever you do, at the end of it, they still add up to make one image. so when you have them all on your hard drive and mount them you will then see the structure of whatever the original disc was. or if you only use fat32 and need to make an image of a dvd9 then splitting the image from the start using alcohol would be the only way since fat32 only supports images no greater then around 4gb.

[NetSoerfer]

Just speaking hypothetically here, but why would it be a problem to have the partial images in different locations?

Assuming it's one .mds and several .part#.mdf (similar to WinRAR), why not simply ask for the location of a .part#.mdf if it's not found?

If it works with all part files in one directory (which is what I understood from what ß said), it should work with the part files in different directories if only those part files can be located, right?

[kenzeitak]

When you use Alcohol to split DVD9 into several DVD4, is it possible to have them located at different places?

Like burning the splitted DVD4 image files onto 2xDVD4 and run them from 2 different DVD-ROM drives?

If this is possible somehow i would be glad.
Thanks all for the quick responses =)