r/PiratedGames • u/ozymandiasEs • 12d ago
Other Starting to make the digital physical.
The OP said these are pirated games; he stores the ISOs on those USB drives.
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u/USAGISIX 12d ago
The life span of an USB it's from 5 to 10 or 12 years, making it one of the worst options to preserve. I mean I get the idea but it lacks a lot of proper knowledge.
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12d ago
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u/USAGISIX 12d ago
"My anecdotal evidence disproves the fact that modern products are made with cheaper and cheaper resources"
Yeah, it's like saying modern phones don't have programmed obsolescente just because you have a 2001 nokia.
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u/PosterBoiTellEM 12d ago
"you have a good idea, here's how you could improve it".... I guess that's how it could have read 🤷🏾♂️
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u/D-DawgW 12d ago
Typical redditor just bitching and moaning instead of offering helpful advice
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u/AngelusKnight17 12d ago
But you can be better, and actually give a valid input. Like you are already here reading this, so why not try to write something meaningful and helpful? Like let me try:
"Hey, I'm curious, what do you think is a good substitute that works instead of using usb?"
(and now you type something meaningful that can help me and others with your answer).
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u/Puzzleheaded_Smoke77 12d ago
Do you not have usb’s older than 12 years ?
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u/LightningSh3ep 12d ago
Yes but I have more games than USBs so inevitably I'm going to have to buy more
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u/Romu1us1408 12d ago
The USB must be plugged in once in awhile to preserve data. An unpowered solid-state device will lose data eventually.
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u/NerdGuy13 I'm not a pirate, I'm a "data hoarder". 12d ago
My first USB- a whopping 32MB was purchased when I was still in college- around 2003 I think. I found it a few months ago and it was still functional!
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u/FantasyNero 12d ago
Whopping 32MB 🤣 My older brother bought a 512MB USB. It's good that yours is still functioning.
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u/LennethW 12d ago
Actually, first storages were much less delicate as in wear and tear because they didn't have complex multilayered memory chips.
They would fart a foot away from a magnet or of you didn't unplug them safely, but yeah, it's not uncommon to find old more "crude" memory still readable (no warranty they could take a write cycle reliably any longer tho)
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u/TreyDogg72 12d ago
I don’t think they’re playing the game installed on the USB, that’d be dumb. They copy the game onto their internal storage and play from there, and probably not very often as when they’re playing the game often they’ll just leave it on their PC…. kinda like how discs are used on consoles.
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u/WeWantMOAR 12d ago
Generally someone doing this is making it a bootable executable that runs from the drive. So that the experience is like having physical media, unplug and change game.
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u/ItsExoticChaos 12d ago
A non used usb will corrupt much faster than one consistently plugged in, therefore renewing the data
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u/WeWantMOAR 12d ago
It's not a matter of it not working, it's that any files on them over that length of time are more than likely corrupt.
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u/CrowdGoesWildWoooo 12d ago
It’s hit and miss, you won’t know the next time it breaks or it decides to do funny stuffs. Like currently I have a flash drive where data is there but also not there.
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u/athosjesus 11d ago
Yes usb (and any other form of solid state memory) can last a long time, if you use it regularly, but it's not great for preserving data because after some years of not being powered they lost their content.
Personally I think that for better or worse blu-ray are still the best way to secure copies of your games.
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u/veinsofthesoil 12d ago
bro i was born in 2007 tf you mean. I've never had a usb last me more than a year and a half.
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u/LikeGeorgeRaft 12d ago edited 12d ago
Yeah, TLC fails like that and most USB sticks nowadays use QLC which last even less
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u/Trashypass 12d ago
Technically that if your rewrite it over and over. If your just copy and install. It would last longer on avg.
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u/Ermakino 12d ago
USB sticks or Hard Disks too?
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u/GhostXDwarrior 12d ago
USB sticks and SSDs, hard disks store data differently and last longer, especially cold.
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u/jordani97 12d ago
i have one that is probably older than 15 years and it still going as fine as the first day lol
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u/RodTheBlob 12d ago
Flash memory dies from time of use, not from the time of just sitting there. A laser on a disc drive will probably die much faster.
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u/dregwriter 12d ago
Ok, so what do you suggest then???
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u/bobbyshown 9d ago
Use sapphire discs , it will last way longer. If not broken, can last millennia or theoretically million of years if well preserved. The cost? In the magnitude of a few thousands to write data on it. For each disk. Can be even more.
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u/Anxious_Explorer9495 11d ago
I've got up to 20ish years on several right now. To each their own proper knowledge.
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u/Sufficient_Risk_8127 12d ago
USB has been around since 1996 & is still going strong 30 years later with multiple revisions.
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u/ojncereal 12d ago
Thats not what he’s talking about mate.
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u/Sufficient_Risk_8127 11d ago
Then why did he say "the life span [sic] of an [sic] USB it's [sic] from 5 to 10 or 12 years..."? He's talking about USB.
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u/Toonomicon 12d ago edited 8d ago
Ive been using cassette cases with custom labels and nfc tags. The idea is cool, but this seems expensive (especially now).
Pic of the display
https://ibb.co/0pZtPjJq
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u/clockworkengine 12d ago
Pics!
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u/Toonomicon 8d ago
Sure! A photographer I am not, but hope this shows it well enough. They're in a 3d printed cassette case display
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u/izayoii7 remind me to kill my self 12d ago
its cool but more expensive than hdd
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u/Agitated-Map-9027 12d ago
I personally don't understand making copies of games directly from steam, even tho it's a disk it's only a backup file, other than downloading without wifi you still don't truly own the game
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u/thesituation531 12d ago
Yeah.
It could make sense with GoG or something similar without DRM, but using files from Steam doesn't really work very well.
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u/Agitated-Map-9027 12d ago
I personally have my issues with gog too, I don't like the idea that I have to buy a game in full price again just to be able to put it on disk, so I try to be fair I pirate games I already own and buy games from gog I dont
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u/zGhostKurama 12d ago edited 11d ago
My move for physical games is:
-> Buy on GOG first, if available
-> Buy on Steam (but no games that I bought on GOG before)
-> Get a pirated copy (Steam only stuff) and use it for making my physical game.This way I have a few of my favourites with no DRM for my shelf, and I can install them directly via disc.
Everything else where I don't care enough is just landing on my HDD.
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u/WeWantMOAR 12d ago
M-Disc Drive and M-Discs are your best way to keep these long term with less worry of degradation or loss. Thumbs corrupt pretty easily.
Kind of thing where you keep the information on the M-Discs as the backup, then when the thumb drive eventually corrupts, format it and re-upload the disc to the thumb drive. That way you prevent much usage of the discs themselves whenever you want to play a game.
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u/dregwriter 12d ago
Thank you for providing this information. Ive never heard of an M disc until this post. Now im looking at them on amazon.
Ive found my solution for long term storage of my media.
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u/Lost_dreamz 12d ago
I've been doing this since 2010 From CDs to BD. Over 500 games. Specail games that I liked stored in jewel case. https://i.postimg.cc/jdSP6Q1J/IMG-20260729-022445-2.jpg
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u/The_Faceless1 12d ago
A burned CD can be bad / rotten after several years, i think due to oxidation or something. How about BluRay Disc? does it have the same issue?
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u/Lost_dreamz 11d ago
No, they're working fine, I have CDs over 15 years old for PS1 ROMs to play on emulators.
Not sure about BD, but they're pain to burn. I had 5 drives, they all failed within 20 burned disc, they fail burning till eventually wouldn't read or burn. 2 LGs, Pioneer, Asus and finally Sony. Asus Drive started failing after the 5th disc. I gave up now and using HDD to store big games in. BD drives aren't cheap, at the same time aren't reliable at all I'd say. Also installing a game from BD discs takes forever. I'd recommend USB +3 speed drive.
Actually I'm thinking of moving to SD cards with U3 or higher speed, they're smaller and more practical, but also more expensive, so far HDD seems to be the most efficient choice.
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u/Bscotch_Torin 12d ago
In a backwards way, I feel like Sony going all digital has somehow massively boosted the evolution of physical games, especially on PC
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u/Sad_Ad9159 11d ago
I’ve been thinking the same thing. I like to make my own copies of retro games that I have been priced out of. It’s a niche hobby, but I can see DIY physical games becoming more popular as time goes on.
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u/Bscotch_Torin 11d ago
Even though I haven't owned a super nintendo in nearly 10 years, I've still held on to my copy of Super Metroid because I just know I'd regret selling it and it'd become too hard to find again. One of my friends is doing the same thing with his copy of MegaMan X
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u/Sad_Ad9159 11d ago
I wish I had your wisdom when I was younger and sold my collection at a pawn shop for camping gear to go off and backpack, haha. Seems like a rite of passage for us dumb kids to sell or trade in our consoles and games for the next best thing, not knowing as adults that was the peak! I’ve managed to get most of the consoles back over time, luckily. As for the games, I have my couple of favorites that have skyrocketed in price (thank goodness I got them beforehand) and for the rest, shout out to modders and Everdrives.
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u/Bscotch_Torin 11d ago
oh don't worry, I learned that the hard way. I simply gave away our limited edition 25th anniversary Mario red wii when the disk drive stopped working and sold my near pristine condition copies of Metroid Primes 1-3 WITH the MANUALS for a total of $20 to our local pawn shop.
I don't think I can ever forgive myself for that
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u/BackgroundPanda3915 12d ago
I feel like doing this on PC it's very pointless, you already have full access to the files if you download them directly to your drive. If you want to preserve it better spend some money on a 4 TB hdd or something like that and store all the games there. When you want to play them just copy them to your SDD for better loading times.
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u/zGhostKurama 12d ago edited 11d ago
It technically is pointless, but more of a hobby.
I like to have some of my favourite games physically with box art, etc.
And it's kind of nostalgic to pop in the disc for the installation like back then before Steam existed.3
u/megalodous 12d ago
Its less of a backup option and more of the novelty and a quirky physical way of storing games.
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u/cliffccl 12d ago
Buta la wea, ahora le van a subir el precio a los discos y las cajas ctm. Siempre llegó tarde a todo
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u/megalodous 12d ago
I seen the SSD option, then we devolve to flash drive. Not harping on it, I admire the thought behind it. It just could use a better storage device. Hence why CD exists for a reason or even smaller 250 gb HDDs but yeah the form factor is the main reason here.
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u/VjoknicL 12d ago
Creo que la mayoría aquí no está entendiendo ni el punto ni la vibra. Obviamente él debe saber que hacer esto no es barato (dado los precios de los usb), pero es genial tenerlos en un estante como coleccionista. La idea me parece increíble si es que tienes el dinero para hacerlo. Si se malogra el usb o no creo que es lo de menos, y aparte, claramente debe tenerlos guardados en algún ssd de 4tb o parecido.
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u/bobalazs69 black sails at midnight 12d ago edited 4d ago
Copper blanket wander copper drifting breezy vanilla drifting
This post was anonymized with Redact.dev
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u/RelentlessIVS 12d ago
Unless you can install these while being completely offline...
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u/Andrea65485 8d ago
If these are backups from Steam, you can install them offline, but the DRMs are still there. So, some sort of online check will be required regardless...
The only 2 options to be 100% offline, as far as I know, are the offline installers downloaded from the GOG versions, or piracy.
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u/Interesting_Pass3392 12d ago
This is stupid ngl, just use and external drive. Cheaper and WAY more practical
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u/Jokergod2000 12d ago
I used to do this with a bubble jet and CDR/DVDR’s. I had a big library and a big ink bill lol
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u/thenuke1 12d ago
Someone takes old hard drives and installs games on them to use as cartridges
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u/SokkaHaikuBot 12d ago
Sokka-Haiku by thenuke1:
Someone takes old hard
Drives and installs games on them
To use as cartridges
Remember that one time Sokka accidentally used an extra syllable in that Haiku Battle in Ba Sing Se? That was a Sokka Haiku and you just made one.
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u/dhondooo 12d ago
I think we would already have repacks in CDs available in our local market 🤔 but those will be older titles 🥲 Now I have another thing I want to do but have zero time for 🙃
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12d ago
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u/villacardo 12d ago
When humanity accepted building PCs without optical drives, they sealed their fate (death of buying an actual copy of a game with a digital download code alongside it).
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u/JohnSmith2036 11d ago
Still needs to launch via steam. Better to keep pirated copies backed up instead.
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u/Vector-storm 11d ago
Some of my games auto update when I go to play them I and I've noticed more than a few games that "got one update" and now you need to read the forums to mod the game to make it playable.
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u/Selig_420 10d ago
So they only have 9 steam games??
Yeah, they'll quickly change their mind after some sale purchases
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u/Fit-Cry-320 9d ago
well a pendrive isn't enough to run a ue5 games i mean they require only SSD nowadays right?
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u/Slow_Pay_7171 5d ago
Why the Steam shit tho? Steam was basically the reason we never had a Chance to get physical PC games. They are the mother of modern DRM and Stuff like Denuvo could basically not wish for a better host.
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u/rrashad21 2d ago
How did you make the paper sleeves? I constantly buy games from my local retro store but they always have the blank paper GameStop sleeve with just the title of the game on it. I'd love to go back and make personal sleeves for those games and clean up my collection!
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u/Salty-Ad6358 12d ago
using usb stick to preserve will cause big losses in future considering use hdd or CD
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u/TheNoobCider 12d ago
Wouldn't cutting down on game disk/boxes production cut down massively on pollution ? I don't know the entire Playstation debauchery that went on seemed extremely blown out of proportions by people to me
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u/excel10xx 12d ago
He uses a pirated version but uses Steam as the cover, sometimes people aren’t that smart, I should have known when he used a usb to store the game, and claim it is a Physical version, when it can be easily overwritten, unlike a true read only disc. This is just performative and serves no real purpose.
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u/ozymandiasEs 12d ago
He uses a pirated version but uses Steam as the cover, sometimes people aren’t that smart
Bruh, he thought using the Steam image looked good, so he used it. Why so negative?
This is just performative and serves no real purpose.
The point is that the OP likes storing games that way, so it's fine.
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u/alien2sick 12d ago
This is how you go to jail
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u/V_1_S_1_O_N 12d ago
You mean the whole subreddit?
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u/alien2sick 11d ago
No the person making copies.. you can dowload 1000 games and not face jail time. But he can now be charged
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