IBM PC compatible Guide: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:37, 19 August 2026

Patriot Hot Wheels PC, an example IBM PC compatible computer
Attribution: VC&G, Public domain, via vintagecomputing.com

Definition

IBM PC compatible refers to any computer derivative of the original IBM PC released in 1981. IBM PC compatible computers use an x86-based architecture and are in modern day ubiquitous with the definition of "PC." IBM PC compatible software has been released on a wide range of media, however Redump.info is only concerned about game-related software released on optical media. Floppy disks, flash drives, and other non-optical media can find a home with other preservation projects such as TOSEC and No-Intro.

General Notes

Most of the IBM PC Legacy Guide still applies.
DAT includes both MS-DOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and OS/2 games. Hybrid discs with Mac, Amiga, FM-Towns or content from other computers on top of PC also goes here unless it's primary.
When a DVD-ROM version of a multi CD-ROM game is added, add "DVD-ROM" to both edition and datname. Example
If two titles from different developers share the same name, add the developer name to the less common title's datname. Example

Notes on eligibility

Multimedia discs are eligible if they contain some kind of videogame related content (Trailers, screenshots, etc). Does not have to be primary content.
Print studios are not eligible unless they also contain games/demos, fall under rules such as PC-Game bundle or tie into a specific videogame property such as Rayman.
Discs containing operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc) are not eligible even if they contain demos or minor videogame related content. Exceptions are when they fall under rules such as PC-Game bundle and Mandrake Linux is a special exception.
Coverdiscs from series where majority of discs are eligible but where a few happens to not be, can be added despite this. By contrast, if a few discs are from a series where the majority of discs are not eligible, Redump.info will only take the eligible ones and not the rest.
Dual sided discs (both DVDs and DualDiscs) are always eligible if one side is.

Notes on specific editions

OEM Bundle

When a disc was bundled with a computer at retail, it gets labeled as the edition "Bundle Version OEM"
If the distributor is known, add their name to the edition: e.g. "Bundle Version Gateway OEM"
Add (OEM) to the datfile name of the disc, if there is more than one OEM for that disc, you may add the distributor too (e.g. Gateway OEM). If distributor is not known, (OEM) (Alt) or (OEM) (PVD Date) can be used instead.

Regions can be tricky to determine for OEM discs. If none can be tied to a specific disc, then use the same as where the dumper found it.

Sold Out Software

Dumpers will occasionally mistakenly add e.g. "SOV. 2.5.4" to either the serial or version fields. This should be removed, as this is an internal publisher reference and is not a serial nor does it relate to the true version number of the software.

Ubisoft Exclusive

Ubisoft Exclusive releases with the large "X" logo gets added as "Ubisoft eXclusive". As to differentiate them with those without.

Shareware

Discs containing games distributed as shareware are considered Demos by Redump. This also applies to shareware compilations unless they fall under another category such as Coverdiscs.

Notes on specific copy protections

Moved to: Copy Protection and Other DRM

As a general guideline, for multi disc releases please add the protection only to the disc that actually contains the protected executable file, usually it's just the first or the last disc. For example, on a 3 disc release, if the main executable is on the first disc, only the first disc should have the protection field filled.

Specific Regions rules

OEM Discs

These are often distributed all over the world and without any specific identifying marks tying them to a region. If none indeed can be determined, then use the region of where the dumper is located or where he bought the disc from.

Mail Order Discs

Discs sold through Mail order gets the region of where they were sold from, often the same country as that of the publisher. This also applies to Crowdfunded releases such as through Kickstarter. Which get the region of where the disc was sent from.

System Guides
Computers	ARCH • MAC • ATARIST • ACD • FMT • PC • PC-88 • PC-98 • INDIGO • X68K • ULTRA
Consoles	3DO • PIPPIN • AJCD • QIS • CD32 • CDTV • PSXGS • ION • HS • VIS • XBOX • XBOX360 • XBOXONE • XBOXSX • NAVI • PCE • PC-FX • GC • WII • WIIU • M2 • CDI • POLYMEGA • DC • MCD • SP21 • SS • NGCD • SEB • PSX • PS2 • PS3 • PS4 • PS5 • PSP • NUON • VFLASH • GAMEWAVE
Handhelds	NEWTON • CYBIKO • HP48 • IXL • PPC • PALM • PSION • ZAURUS • SYMBIAN • TI
Arcade	3DOARCADE • CPS3 • FPP • FPURI • ITE • KEA • KFB • KM2 • KP2 • KS573 • KSGV • KT • MION • NPURI • NS12 • NS22 • NS246 • NS256 • TRF • NEWJATRE • PCARCADE • ALLS • CHIHIRO • CHIHIROPC • LINDBERGH • LINDPC • NAOMI • NAOMI2 • NAOMIPC • NU • NU11 • NU2 • NUSX • SRE • SRE2 • SRW • STV • CATS • QUIZARD
Multimedia	AUDIO-CD • BD-VIDEO • DVD-VIDEO • ENHANCED-CD • HVN • HVNC • HVNJR • HVNXP • HDDVD-VIDEO • MP3 • PHOTO-CD • KSITE • VCD
Pending	APPLEII • PIECE • CUBO • C64 • GP32 • HRUSH • L600 • ITOUCH • KWIZOKE • MSX • MINIDISC • NS10 • NICHI • SUPERDISC • J2ME • LASERACTIVE • HALCYON • SS24 • SZN • SACD • WOWOW • GAMEVCD • UHDBD-VIDEO • IQ • ZXS

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[File:IBMPCcompatible.jpg|256px|thumb|right|Patriot Hot Wheels PC, an example IBM PC compatible computer<hr />Attribution: VC&G, Public domain, via vintagecomputing.com]]
+==Definition==
+[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible IBM PC compatible] refers to any computer derivative of the original [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer IBM PC] released in 1981. IBM PC compatible computers use an x86-based architecture and are in modern day ubiquitous with the definition of "PC." IBM PC compatible software has been released on a wide range of media, however Redump.info is only concerned about [https://wiki.redump.info/Redump#Contributing_Questions game-related] software released on optical media. Floppy disks, flash drives, and other non-optical media can find a home with other preservation projects such as [https://www.tosecdev.org/ TOSEC] and [https://no-intro.org/ No-Intro.]
 == General Notes ==
 *Most of the [[Moderating guidelines for IBM PC and other systems|IBM PC Legacy Guide]] still applies.
+*DAT includes both MS-DOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and OS/2 games. Hybrid discs with Mac, Amiga, FM-Towns or content from other computers on top of PC also goes here unless it's primary.
 *When a DVD-ROM version of a multi CD-ROM game is added, add "DVD-ROM" to both edition and datname. [https://redump.info/disc/103583/ Example]
 *If two titles from different developers share the same name, add the developer name to the less common title's datname. [https://redump.info/disc/97188/ Example]
+== Notes on eligibility ==
+*Multimedia discs are <b>eligible</b> if they contain some kind of videogame related content (Trailers, screenshots, etc). Does not have to be primary content.
+*Print studios are <b>not eligible</b> unless they also contain [https://redump.info/disc/134314 games]/[https://redump.info/disc/125911 demos], fall under rules such as [https://redump.info/disc/126436 PC-Game bundle] or tie into a specific videogame property such as [https://redump.info/disc/44902 Rayman].
+*Discs containing operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc) are <b>not eligible</b> even if they contain demos or minor videogame related content. Exceptions are when they fall under rules such as [https://redump.info/disc/129136 PC-Game bundle] and [https://redump.info/discs?q=Mandrake+Linux Mandrake Linux] is a special exception.
+*Coverdiscs from series where majority of discs are <b>eligible</b> but where a few happens to not be, can be added despite this. By contrast, if a few discs are from a series where the majority of discs are <b>not eligible</b>, Redump.info will only take the eligible ones and not the rest.
+* Dual sided discs (both DVDs and DualDiscs) are always <b>eligible</b> if one side is.
 == Notes on specific editions ==
@@ Line 9: / Line 22: @@
 If the distributor is known, add their name to the edition: e.g. "Bundle Version '''Gateway''' OEM"<br>
 Add (OEM) to the datfile name of the disc, if there is more than one OEM for that disc, you may add the distributor too (e.g. Gateway OEM). If distributor is not known, (OEM) (Alt) or (OEM) (PVD Date) can be used instead.
+Regions can be tricky to determine for OEM discs. If none can be tied to a specific disc, then use the same as where the dumper found it.
 === Sold Out Software ===
 Dumpers will occasionally mistakenly add e.g. "SOV. 2.5.4" to either the serial or version fields. This should be removed, as this is an internal publisher reference and is not a serial nor does it relate to the true version number of the software.
+=== Ubisoft Exclusive===
+Ubisoft Exclusive releases with the [https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ExjHfO0vL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg large "X"] logo gets added as "Ubisoft eXclusive". As to differentiate them with [https://img.tradera.net/large-fit/474/638375474_6b630ff6-45a4-4d8c-9635-03b99fde9e76.jpg those without].
+=== Shareware ===
+Discs containing games distributed as shareware are considered Demos by Redump. This also applies to shareware compilations unless they fall under another category such as Coverdiscs.
 == Notes on specific copy protections ==
+Moved to: [[Copy Protection and Other DRM]]
 As a general guideline, for multi disc releases please add the protection only to the disc that actually contains the protected executable file, usually it's just the first or the last disc.
 For example, on a 3 disc release, if the main executable is on the first disc, only the first disc should have the protection field filled.
-=== CodeLock / CodeLok / CopyLok ===
+==Specific Regions rules==
+=== OEM Discs===
-Due to a known bug in the Plextor firmware, any dump of these discs made using a Plextor and any tool is likely to be bad. It incorrectly reports the total number of errors, usually multiplying this by 2 or 3 times.
+These are often distributed all over the world and without any specific identifying marks tying them to a region. If none indeed can be determined, then use the region of where the dumper is located or where he bought the disc from.
-For example, when dumping https://redump.info/disc/53929/ with either DIC or redumper and a Plextor drive, the error count is incorrectly reported as 1516, exactly double the correct 758 errors
-An incorrect _c2Error log looks as follows:
-<code><br/>
-LBA[002312, 0x00908] Detected C2 error 380 bit<br/>
-LBA[002313, 0x00909] Detected C2 error 20 bit</code>
-A correct _c2Error log looks as follows:
-<code><br/>
-LBA[002312, 0x00908] Detected C2 error 300 bit<br/>
-LBA[002322, 0x00912] Detected C2 error 300 bit</code>
-These discs can be correctly dumped using a non-Plextor drive and any of the following tools:
-* DIC (using an ASUS or compatible firmware drive)
-* redumper
-* CloneCD (note: may require fixing with CDMage and manual replacement of error sectors with 0x55)
-=== SafeDisc ===
-SafeDisc discs with active protection always have some errors in the first 10000 sectors.
-The number can be really small (under 100 errors, SafeDisc Lite) or up to 800+ errors, in some cases.
-If you see 0 errors in the data track, the protection is not active, and it doesn't need to be added to the protection field.
-=== SecuROM ===
-SecuROM discs with active protection always have one single error in the data track, always in the third from the last sector.
-==Periodic Checks==
-Link to plaintext list of discs in database (minus discs you have marked as "have"): https://redump.info/list/miss/yourusername/<br&gt;
-Check for:<br>
-*Double spaces<br>
-*"! -"<br>
-*"? -"<br>
-*Articles at the start of a title instead of end.
-**English: A, An, The
-**French: Le, La, L', Les
-**German: Der, Die, Das, Des, Dem, Den (Ein/Eine/Ein* ?)
-**Italian: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le, Un, Uno, Una, Un'
-**Spanish: El, La, Lo, Los, Las
-**Dutch: De, Het
-===Invalid barcodes===
-Download the datfile: https://redump.info/barcodes<br&gt;
-Use the text import wizard in Excel, Delimited with Semicolon. The first column are the disc id's, e.g. 51805 = https://redump.info/disc/51805/.
-Use text to columns, delimited with a comma, to split all the barcodes for each row into different columns.
-Move all the barcodes in the different columns to a single row (this takes some excel handiness). Remove any T's, spaces and special characters.
-UPC's should have 11 digits and EAN 12. If a number in the excel sheet has 10 digits or less, then you probably have to add leading zeroes. Format the cells as custom with 00000000000.
-Use a website like www.eancheck.com to enter all the barcodes. if you find erroneous ones, look up the corresponding disc id in the excel sheet or .dat and determine the correct one.
-In some cases, EAN numbers have extra numbers behind them. This is correct for magazine titles. These numbers should be omitted from the check.
-If you find an erroneous barcode, but the barcode field is locked, then ask the admins to fix it.
-It should be possible to make this check scripted/automated, or to build a validation check into the forms.
-===Wrong errors count===
-CDs with functional SecuROM protection should have 1 error, not 0. Use keyword filters to search for these discs:
-https://redump.info/discs/quicksearch/securom/protection/only/media/cd/errors/0/
-https://redump.info/discs/quicksearch/securom/protection/only/media/cd/errors/null/
+===Mail Order Discs===
+Discs sold through Mail order gets the region of where they were sold from, often the same country as that of the publisher. This also applies to Crowdfunded releases such as through Kickstarter. Which get the region of where the disc was sent from.
-[[Category:Moderation Guides]]
+{{GuideNavbox}}[[Category:System Guides]]

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