Memory stick hidden data

[agentbob]

I think I have found evidence that there is hidden data stored on the memory stick for saved games.

Using the saved game mananger utility, I noted that the time stamp on one of my saved games was May 11, 4:35PM.

I captured these files using my USB connection and saved them on my PC.

I then went and saved a new game so that the timestamp changed to May 15, 1:00PM.

Using my USB connection, I overwrote the the newest saved game with my May 11, 4:35PM files.

Now, one would expect that the saved game manager would display the May 11, 4:35PM date, but it did not! It still said May 15, 1:00PM. Even after cycling power and inserting and removing the memory card, the date stayed the same. This leads me to believe there is extra data being stored on the memory card that we cannot access via the USB interface, and this data contains at least the timestamp of the data. I also wonder what else might be stored in this hidden metadata.

Does anyone know how to read one of these memory cards at a lower level? Any other ideas on what's happening here other than hidden metadata?

[RATiX]

For me it's H:\MEMSTICK.IND

BTW it's hidden

[agentbob]

For me it's H:\MEMSTICK.IND

BTW it's hidden

Yes, I have a MEMSTICK.IND also, but it is a zero length file.

[PspPet]

> Any other ideas on what's happening here other than hidden metadata?

Hmm, obvious answer: it is using the timestamp of the gamesave folder (\PSP\SAVEDATA\WHATEVER)

> I then went and saved a new game so that the timestamp changed to May 15, 1:00PM.
> Using my USB connection, I overwrote the the newest saved game with my May 11, 4:35PM files.

Try deleting the old folder before restoring the backup, or "touch" the folder to be any date you want.

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There is a hidden (and empty) file MEMSTICK.IND and MSTK_PRO.IND for pro. Not important.

There is some lower level block info, but the main storage format is boring FAT16

[RATiX]

K, maybe the IND is irrelevant, but do you think changing MST_PRO to MEMSTICK on a PRO duo would allow for atrac3 file to be placed on it wia Sonic Stage (which is non-PRO compliant)

[agentbob]

Hmm, obvious answer: it is using the timestamp of the gamesave folder (\PSP\SAVEDATA\WHATEVER)

Negative. Tried that. The date on the folder is the date of the first time I saved a game... about a month ago. Something else of interest I noticed. The save game manager says that the save data is 96KB, but when I look at the actual files including the pictures, its only 44.1KB.

This makes me wonder, where is it coming up with the 96KB value?

[RATiX]

It is using the timestamp.. I think...

I had a Lumines save on the PSP - save time 11:31

Made a folder on my desktop ULJS00005LUMINES
Copied the SFO/BIN/PNG/ICO from the MS to the ULJS00005LUMINES desktop folder.
Cleaned out my MS Savedata folder, copied ULJS00005LUMINES from desktop to there.

Looked at save file time using the PSP - 11:34, the time of creation of ULJS00005LUMINES on my desktop.

[RATiX]

I had the same thing happen with the file sizes being inaccurate.

I have 2 save files

Lumines - On PSP it says 96 KB, on PC it says size: 38.7KB, size on disk: 80.0KB

Tales of Eternia - On PSP it's 320 KB, on PC it says size: 258KB, size on disk: 304KB

Weird...

[Mawdsley]

I had the same thing happen with the file sizes being inaccurate.

I have 2 save files

Lumines - On PSP it says 96 KB, on PC it says size: 38.7KB, size on disk: 80.0KB

Tales of Eternia - On PSP it's 320 KB, on PC it says size: 258KB, size on disk: 304KB

Weird...

Just a thought. Mem stick is running Fat 16 and its likely that you are running either NTFS / Fat 32. Could the inefficency of Fat 16 count for the difference in size?

[Herben]

not directly development related, moving to general.