(BBA) httpd-ack Method for dumping GD-R discs

This is a quick, crude tutorial on how to rip your own Dreamcast GDs with httpd-ack.

@Dreamcast

Published in 

Dreamcast

 · 4 Feb 2018

- First -

You obviously need a Broadband Adapter and over 1gb of hard drive space available to do this. You can find a broadband adapter on eBay for $100-$150.

Download httpd-ack, clrmamepro, and CDmage.

Extract httpd-ack and burn the CDI file with DiscJuggler or Alcohol 120%.

Use a Dreamcast web browser that supports the BBA to set up the BBA connection options. Your best bet is to use XDP. You must set up the BBA to use static IP settings, not DHCP.

Extract CDmage to a convenient folder.

- Second -

Having connected your Dreamcast's ethernet cable to the same network that your PC is on, insert the httpd-ack disc in your Dreamcast and boot it up.

You will be presented with a purple screen welcoming you to httpd-ack. Remove the httpd-ack disc and replace it with the GD-ROM you want to dump.

Start a web browser on your PC. Type in http://ip/ where "ip" is the IP address you assigned to your BBA.

You will be presented with a layout of your GD-ROM. Copy everything under CDROM Info and save it in a text file.

Click on the first track to dump it. Once it is finished saving (it should only take a second or two), open the track01.bin file with CDmage (as file type mode1/2352) and click Action > Scan for Corruption. If it has no errors, you may proceed with dumping.

Click on every track and dump every track.

Right click > download the "disc.gdi" file as well.

Once you have all the track files and the gdi file, you have dumped the disc, hopefully without any reading errors. I will post later on how to use CDmage to check your disc for errors.

- Third -

If you want to submit your checksum to the database, continue the steps below. Install clrmamepro. Click "Dir2Dat," check "Add SHA1" and "Add MD5." Leave everything else as default.

For source folder, select the folder with your track files. For Dat-File, choose any filename that you see fit. Click "Create."

Once it's done creating, open the .dat file with notepad. Copy the lines that have the track checksums into a text file.

Write down the GD-ROM's ring code. The ring code is the letters and numbers on the bottom of the GD-ROM written in the center of the disc on the silver part. This is NOT an individual number unique to your disc. It identifies a disc's production run. Discs with similar ring codes should have the same data, whereas discs with different ring codes usually have different audio track checksums (and in the case of a version number change, different data tracks as well).

Next, make a post in the forums. Use this post as an example.

Note that just because you share your dumps in the forums doesn't mean your dump will be included in the TOSEC full set datfiles. TOSEC has strict standards and it isn't going to flat-out trust any old person on the internet claiming they have a dump. However, the information you post is still useful: you help us verifying dump images, and we will help ensure your dumps are correct. You can share your dumps on trackers, or help seed existing dumps when your data is correct and matches known dumps. It also lets you complete your Dreamcast collection without engaging in piracy.