Disc 2 (which is a dual-layer (DL) video DVD) shows up as 6.1 GB drive and videos play OK.
However, windows reports Disc 1 (which is also DL), as only 4.0GB in size !! How is this possible?? On the PS2, I've played the game nearly to the end, so there's nothing wrong with Disc 1. I also checked with DVDDecryper. It identifies Disc as dual layer and if i copy to HDD, it creates 8GB ISO, but when i mount this iso, again, it appears as mere 4GB drive!!
I'm starting to think my DVD-drive is defective but why I dont have problem reading 2nd layer on Disc 2?
It could be that the TOC makes the PC think it's 8GB when it's actually only 4GB... or something like that. I know that when rebuilding games, sometimes simply ripping/rebuilding will reduce the filesize dramatically.
smokyrain is partially correct, but the fact is that GOW media uses some kind of non-standard format. This may have to do with the physical data layout on the disc (PTP vs OTP).
Either way, native PC games (or plain data discs) that come on DL media, have both layers visibile in Explorer simultaneously (8.6GB), while for Playstation's GOW, none of the standard progs see 2nd layer (isobuster, ultraiso, etc). Yes, they can rip _both_ layers into an ISO, but as this ISO is not to spec, 2nd layer will not visible when this ISO is mounted by Daemontools. Only a specialized tool like Apache is able to read this weird format and extract ALL files.
Sony, you, your proprietary hardware and formats SUCK!
Hursty and smokyrain are legends in my rule book anytime. Heck, you guys inspired me to buy a ps2 off of craigslist so I can start experimenting with modding.
sony products are extremely overpriced, kinda like apple. you may argue that they are innovators and deserve compensation for investing into research..that's why there are patents. If they're not doing anything with those, its their own fault.
ps2 as revolutionary and advanced as it is claimed to be, still got beat in the audio/video department by a big ugly intel pc (xbox) rooted in the 1980s. The only thing that saved ps2 is that xbox developers were as talented and creative as the chair i am sitting on.
on top of overpricing, add idiotic custom hardware that doesnt let you do anything but what sony permitted... imagine a toaster that only toasts a CERTAIN brand of bread...lol...