How to apply the Patches and Cracks

This is how I have applied the patches and cracks. The info was obtained from
Paradox, Megagames, GameCopyWorld.

The first thing to make sure of is that you have the correct patch for your game. Most of the patches were made using the full versions of the games that you buy from the stores and these patches will work on your games also. But if you have a copy of the game from a video rental store (as in buying the x-rental game) then the Patch may not work. This is because some of the rental copy games are 'Beta' (First edition) versions and do not have the same files as on the full store bought Versions. So please bare this in mind when using the patches to make your backups. News of what patches are available can be found from Paradox. Take time to visit this site as it's these good people who assemble the patches for your games. Note that you cannot download any patches or cracks from the Paradox site as it's only for info. The patches are downloaded from the PSX Crack Files page, or other sites on the Internet. Look at the Megagames web site for the latest game patches.

CDRWin is used to make an 'image' of the PSX game that is to be copied to the Hard Drive. CDRWin is the program that Paradox use to make the patches with and you must also use CDRWin to apply the Patches. A free demo of CDRWin can be downloaded from Goldenhawk the makers of CDRWin. If you like and use the program then why not buy it, you can do so online at the Goldenhawk site. Make sure that you have Windows Setup and CDRWin Setup for use on your computer. Make a New Directory on your HDD to download the patch files to (I'll call mine PSX_Patch) and another for the CDRWin 'image' file (I'll call mine PSX_Image).

As we will be using DOS commands for these patches keep all directory names to NO MORE than 11 letters and or numbers and file names to NO MORE than 8 letters and or numbers.

1... Download the patch file and save it to your new directory (PSX_Patch). The patch file will be 'zipped up' to save space and time when downloading. This file will need to be 'unzipped' in able to see the patch files. Use the windows shareware program 'WinZip' to unzip all the patch file downloads. Here is a guide on How to use WinZip. With WinZip installed you will only have to 'Right Click' on the 'patch.zip' file in explorer to extract the files. Click on the 'Extract to' button and extract the files to 'The Same Directory' (PSX_Image) that the image file of your PSX game will be saved in. The directory (PSX_Image) will now have the 'unziped' patch files in it. There are usually 3 files in the downloaded 'patch.zip' file, 'patch.exe' (the patch file itself), an 'id' file and an 'info' file. The info file has the extension .nfo and may be opened using notepad or in explorer renaming the .nfo extension to .txt and then clicking on the file to open it up in notepad. The '.nfo' file (infomation file) should have instructions on how to apply the patch to the image file contained within it. Some .nfo files do contain that information but others do not, so read on and learn to how to apply the patch file to your image file.

2... Using CDRWin, make sure you have the correct setup, make an image of the PSX game to your HDD with the Extract Disc/Track/Sectors' page. Save that image to your new image directory (PSX_Image). Give that image file a name (PSX_Name). When CDRWin has finished making the image the PSX_Image directory will have 2 more files in it, 'PSX_Name.bin' and 'PSX_Name.cue'. 'PSX_Name.bin' is a file of the complete PSX game, all the data and audio in one file. 'PSX_Name.cue' is a text file that lets CDRWin know what the '.bin' file contains. It is possible to edit the '.cue' file to alter the way CDRWin works on the '.bin' file, but I will not go into that here. Close the Extract Disc/Track/Sectors' page.

Look at the directory PSX_Image to make sure that the 'Unziped' Patch files along with the CDRWin 'Image' files, .bin and .cue, are all in the PSX_Image directory.

3... Look at the patch file extension. If it has the extension .pdx then continue to the next step. If it has the extension .ppf then use the PPF-O-MATIC program below.

PDX

4... Open a 'DOS BOX IN WINDOWS' by clicking on the start button, go up to programs, go across and down to and click on MS-DOS PROMPT.

Desk Top

And a DOS BOX opens

Windows DOS Box

i... Type cd\ press enter (or return) this will get you to the 'root' directory of C.
ii... Type cd psx_image press enter, space between cd and psx_image, (PSX_IMAGE=THE NAME OF YOUR OWN DIRECTORY) this will bring you to the psx_image directory.
iii... Type patchname psx_imagename.sin psx_imagename.bin press enter.
Thats the name of the patch, space, the name of your psx image with .sin added to the end, space, the name of your psx image with .bin added to the end, press enter. (PSX_IMAGENAME=THE NAME YOU GAVE THE GAME IMAGE) Here's an example for Vrally2, vr2crack vrally2.sin vrally2.bin
iv... Look at the dos box as you press the enter key, a text message will confirm that the patch worked, OR did not.
v... Type exit press enter, to exit the dos box program.

Shown here is the Vrally2 Patch in a Dos Box

DOS Box with Patch text

5... Now with CDRWin, open the Record Disc page and burn your image to a new, unopened and clean CD-R disc.
It's always simple if you know how to do it! HAVE FUN

PFF-O-Matic v2.0
From PARADOX

PPF-O-MATIC v2.0 from PARADOX

Download PPF-O-Matic v2.0 [size 218kb]

Use the instructions above, steps 1 and 2, to download the patch files and with CRDRWin make an image file to your hard drive.
1... Click on the icon of a floppy disc to the right of the PPF-File text box.
2... Go to the directory PSX_Image and then double click on the patch file with the extension .ppf. This will load the patch.ppf file into the text box.
3... Click on the icon of a floppy disc to the right of the BIN-File text box.
4... Go to the directory PSX_Image and then double click on the PSX_name file with the .bin extension. This will load the PSX_Name.bin file into the text box.
5... Click on the Apply icon. The patch will now be applied to the PSX_Name.bin image file. As you press the enter key, a text message will confirm that the patch worked, OR did not.
6... Close PFF-O-Matic
7... Now with CDRWin, open the Record Disc page and burn your image to a new, unopened and clean CD-R disc.
It's always simple if you know how to do it! HAVE FUN