Two Archive Hacks

[Iconoclast]

I have meddled with the nature of archives (zip, in this example) by experimenting with two rules:

Zip archives can't have mutiple files with the same name, unless they are in separate folders.
Like in a standard Windows folder, zip archives can't have files using inappropriate characters, and the characters are: "\ / : * ? " < > |".The first rule I was able to get around, but the second worked differently.

For what I did with the first rule, take a look at this zip archive:

http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=48e95029ee849922847ab7653900ea08

Yes, there are two files both named "BYTE". BTW, that's just a file that I created using Notepad, typed a single space character, and saved it. It was a byte in file size. But enough about that.

The second rule, I was not able to bypass successfully. What I did was I put an uncompressed ROM file, Virtual Chess 64, in this zip archive. I used the MS-DOS editor to rename the file from VC.n64 (I keep my ROM file names two characters long, using the characters of their actual cartridge ID.) to VC.:64, the file having a colon in the file name, an invalid character.

See, this is a Nintendo 64 ROM, Virtual Chess 64.zip. When you open the zip archive, the file is invisible because it has an inappropriate character in the file name (a colon, : ). It is impossible to extract. However, you can still open the zip archive itself with Project64, and be able to play the game. Download it here:

http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=fd5a8d6e6d119caa3d68564f7704dfb8

I know, I know: Who needs this stuff, you ask? God, it's not like I'm advertising or anything.

[chaos master]

Uhhh, splendid work, Iconoclast!

[Iconoclast]

Uhhh, splendid work, Iconoclast!I take it you don't know what the heck I just said?

[chaos master]

I take it you don't know what the heck I just said?
No, it's easy to understand. What's not to know? Now you are not ignored, hooray!

[Iconoclast]

Suspicious. What are you smoking?

Basically, I started this thread because I felt like I wanted to share my discovery with anyone who so happened to, for some reason, care. Or if they wanted to learn how to do what I did, which I assume not. But this is not a hack website.

[chaos master]

Suspicious. What are you smoking?

Basically, I started this thread because I felt like I wanted to share my discovery with anyone who so happened to, for some reason, care. Or if they wanted to learn how to do what I did, which I assume not. But this is not a hack website.
Sooooo.....tell me what you did, please? I'm desperate! Please teach me, for I am a Gemini, and crave mental stimulus. I'm smoking ham right now. Mmm. But enough about that.

[Iconoclast]

Sooooo.....tell me what you did, please? I'm desperate! Please teach me, for I am a Gemini, and crave mental stimulus. I'm smoking ham right now. Mmm. But enough about that.I'm a Gemini, too; I was born in June.

...Well, here it goes.

Create a new zip archive, and put any ROM file in it.
Use the Start/Run command.
Type 'edit'.
In the DOS window that comes up, File/Open.
Browse for the zip archive with the ROM in it. Check the "Open Binary" option, set to 77 characters wide. Click OK.
Look carefully through this code for the filename of the ROM file in the zip archive you made. For example, Virtual Chess 64.n64. Rename any part of the filename with one of the invalid characters that Windows does not allow in a filename. For example, a colon. The filename of the file in your zip archive should appear twice in this code, which means if you are going to edit the filename shown in the beginning, edit the copy at the end as well. They must both show the same value. Rename it to something like Virtual C:ess 64.n64 for all I care. Just make sure there is a colon or something in it. And do not change the AMOUNT of characters in the filename.
Save changes to the file, and open the zip archive. Do you see a file in it? If not, you did this right.I can imagine you got stuck on step 6.

I used a method similar to this to make multiple files have the same file name. I just renamed them in the code, and I didn't get any errors.

[pizzaman]

Interesting, but why would you want to name two files the same thing? The other one is useful, but the first one doesn't sound very useful, but maybe I just read wrong.

[Iconoclast]

Interesting, but why would you want to name two files the same thing? The other one is useful, but the first one doesn't sound very useful, but maybe I just read wrong.Yes, I know, it's not very useful. Though there are a few thinkable uses, I only included that one because it was simply one of the archive hacks I found out.

[pizzaman]

Yes, I know, it's not very useful. Though there are a few thinkable uses, I only included that one because it was simply one of the archive hacks I found out.
I actually really liked that desktop idea in the folders. I would PAY someone to find out, but I can't really pay you....

[Iconoclast]

I actually really liked that desktop idea in the folders. I would PAY someone to find out, but I can't really pay you....What do you mean "desktop idea in the folders"? Find out what?

[pizzaman]

What do you mean "desktop idea in the folders"? Find out what?
How you make your folders have desktops. Remember, you made a thread? I could go find it if you want....

[pizzaman]

http://www.coolrom.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1899

Here it is! :D

[Iconoclast]

How you make your folders have desktops. Remember, you made a thread? I could go find it if you want....Oh, yeah, that! I remember. I REALLY don't know what the hell your problem was. I just don't know why it didn't work for you. Listen. Try the exact same thing on someone else's computer, and see if it works THEN. If it does, then it's your computer.

[pizzaman]

I REALLY don't know what the hell your problem was.
:nono: Lol, that quote just sounded funny. :D

Well anyways! I thought that Brady( DarthBrady ) said that it would make my system unstable?

[Iconoclast]

:nono: Lol, that quote just sounded funny. :D

Well anyways! I thought that Brady( DarthBrady ) said that it would make my system unstable?He said that it was severely intensive on CPU. But nothing bad ever happened to me. I can't really say the probability of something bad happening to you, though.

[Fierce Deity]

Unstable systems are always good. The only use I can see for this zip thing is if you wanted to hide some sort of exe virus dealie and have an also invisble autoexec open it, or something. I am assuming they are just set to hidden or something, as you can't see them, but they are there. Try turning view hidden files and folders on in the folder options.

[Iconoclast]

Unstable systems are always good. The only use I can see for this zip thing is if you wanted to hide some sort of exe virus dealie and have an also invisble autoexec open it, or something. I am assuming they are just set to hidden or something, as you can't see them, but they are there. Try turning view hidden files and folders on in the folder options.No, it's not that. Try it yourself, man! I uploaded an example of a hacked zip archive in the first post of this thread. Virtual Chess 64.zip? Did you try it?

The file is invisible, no matter what you do. Actually, I just tried opening the archive with the 7-Zip archiver, and the file displayed correctly, so I guess it depends on the archiver you use. I used the WinXP-integrated archiver. Anyway, the file is invisible because it has a colon in the file name, which is an invalid WindowsXP filename character. You can't extract the file; it's impossible.

[pizzaman]

He said that it was severely intensive on CPU. But nothing bad ever happened to me. I can't really say the probability of something bad happening to you, though.
Well I run a lot of programs, and I don't want another thermal crash. I might try it on my other computer though.

[chaos master]

Oho, I got there, but I don;t feel like sifting through that crap right now...
WTF is with the happy faces...?
ANYhow, Vchess64 was the only N64 game small enough to work with that.

[Iconoclast]

Oho, I got there, but I don;t feel like sifting through that crap right now...
WTF is with the happy faces...?
ANYhow, Vchess64 was the only N64 game small enough to work with that.I know zip archives even smaller than Virtual Chess 64, but whatever. You can only edit the binary of files under 5.1 MB of file size.

[chaos master]

Right, but are those zip archives for N64 games? I suppose I could try it with other systems........ and stuff. Might be fun.

[Iconoclast]

Right, but are those zip archives for N64?Yes. Penny Racers is even smaller, when zipped, than Virtual Chess 64. There's an N64 GameShark ROM that's 128 KB, which is DEFINETLY smaller than Virtual Chess 64. I'm sure there are others I have forgotten as well.

In any case, you can do this trick with N64 ROMs that are no larger than 5.10 MB of file size when zipped.

[chaos master]

Could you use such a trick to change text in games like Genesis games?:skep:

[Iconoclast]

Could you use such a trick to change text in games like Genesis games?:skep:I've never tried it, but I probably could. If I can edit binary, I can edit anything. Even ROMs. So long as they are under 5.10 MB when not in a zip archive. I can't understand the simplified binary-expressions of these N64 ROM files, but I can understand enough to edit the text in the ROMs.

You can challenge me to do such a thing later. Right now, I am busy learning a language called SQL. For hacking purposes.

[chaos master]

I've never tried it, but I probably could. If I can edit binary, I can edit anything. Even ROMs. So long as they are under 5.10 MB when not in a zip archive. I can't understand the simplified binary-expressions of these N64 ROM files, but I can understand enough to edit the text in the ROMs.

You can challenge me to do such a thing later. Right now, I am busy learning a language called SQL. For hacking purposes.
I meant I would try it.

WHAT IS SQL? Where are you learning it from?

[Iconoclast]

I meant I would try it.

WHAT IS SQL? Where are you learning it from?Alright! FD, I got 18 out of 20 on that SQL quiz. I made a mistake on questions 14 and 15.

You can learn it from here, but it will do you no good. It's a language used to crack usernames and passwords from SQL databases, but this website doesn't teach directly how to do that. I'm having trouble myself understanding how it's involved.

If you REALLY want to learn it, you can learn it from here:

http://www.w3schools.com/sql/default.asp

I know the following scripting languages so far:

ActionScript 6.0
FEN
DOS
SQL

[chaos master]

Bah, I like learning things I have no apparent use for. I'll see what I can do....

[Iconoclast]

Good luck with that; you're going to need it. That stuff's long. I've finally learned it, though I admit I skipped a few that were too confusing for me to understand:

JOIN
UNION
CREATE
DROP
ALTER
FUNCTIONS
GROUP BY
SELECT INTO
CREATE VIEW
SERVERBut none of those even appeared in the quiz! Probably because they were too complex to be necessary for hacking.

So, FD, you can skip all of those. They aren't the least bit necessary for this. They're in the Advanced section, anyway; you don't have to know them to know the basics.

[chaos master]

How long did it take you to learn it?

[pizzaman]

How long did it take you to learn it?
I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast. I'm not saying anything offensive, but learning a any type of language is very, VERY difficult.

I have several books on learning how to use Maya, C++, Pascal, Visual Basic, and so on, but they're almost impossible to read through. They're those type of three inch thick books that takes you 5 minutes to read one page. You can learn most things about a language from books like these, but even then you'll need to read more to actually know the language yourself.

It would take, I'd say, 3-4 months to learn something like this with a teacher at a college. And you'll go through many books for that.

[chaos master]

I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast. I'm not saying anything offensive, but learning a any type of language is very, VERY difficult.

I have several books on learning how to use Maya, C++, Pascal, Visual Basic, and so on, but they're almost impossible to read through. They're those type of three inch thick books that takes you 5 minutes to read one page. You can learn most things about a language from books like these, but even then you'll need to read more to actually know the language yourself.

It would take, I'd say, 3-4 months to learn something like this with a teacher at a college. And you'll go through many books for that.
How do you know this? Languages can be easy to learn. What about those tapes or something. You could learn fast with those, I think. Also, you don't have to learn all of the language, just what you need to know. And the site says SQL is easy to learn.

[pizzaman]

How do you know this? Languages can be easy to learn. What about those tapes or something. You could learn fast with those, I think. Also, you don't have to learn all of the language, just what you need to know. And the site says SQL is easy to learn.
It might be easy, but you can't do it overnight! Plus, tapes have nothing to do with this sort of language.

[chaos master]

It might be easy, but you can't do it overnight! Plus, tapes have nothing to do with this sort of language.
Right. Who said he did it overnight? Iconoclast is bright. He found a way. Don't tell me you're doubting him, now!

[Kurt]

Right. Who said he did it overnight? Iconoclast is bright. He found a way. Don't tell me you're doubting him, now!Maybe you should scroll up...

I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast.

[chaos master]

Well when he comes back on, I'll ask him how long it took him. AFAIK, he only knew DOS a week ago.
Do you pay attention at all...? He knew DOS hella longer than that. HELLA.

[pizzaman]

Do you pay attention at all...? He knew DOS hella longer than that. HELLA.
Do you pay attention?
AFAIK, he only knew DOS a week ago.
That means that he only knew DOS a week ago. IDK how to put it for you to understand. How about this:

He knew no other language but DOS a week ago.

[Kurt]

Do you pay attention?

That means that he only knew DOS a week ago. IDK how to put it for you to understand. How about this:

He knew no other language but DOS a week ago.So how do you know he hasn't been trying to learn that language for a long time? Maybe you should ask him.

[pizzaman]

So how do you know he hasn't been trying to learn that language for a long time? Maybe you should ask him.
That's exactally what I said! Now everybody stop freaking posting! Does it take that long to understand?!

[chaos master]

Do you pay attention?

That means that he only knew DOS a week ago. IDK how to put it for you to understand. How about this:

He knew no other language but DOS a week ago.
Yes I do pay attention. That sentence could have gone either way. It can have two meanings. We should all just stop and ask mr icono; and do nothing else, is that clear?

[Kurt]

That's exactally what I said! Now everybody stop freaking posting! Does it take that long to understand?!I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast. I'm not saying anything offensive, but learning a any type of language is very, VERY difficult.

I have several books on learning how to use Maya, C++, Pascal, Visual Basic, and so on, but they're almost impossible to read through. They're those type of three inch thick books that takes you 5 minutes to read one page. You can learn most things about a language from books like these, but even then you'll need to read more to actually know the language yourself.

It would take, I'd say, 3-4 months to learn something like this with a teacher at a college. And you'll go through many books for that. So what exactly are you saying there? You have several different wandering "points", as far as I can see.

[pizzaman]

So what exactly are you saying there? You have several different wandering "points", as far as I can see.
This is the exact weakness of this forum. Most people make big deals out of nothing. IDK what freaking wandering points I have, but why do you care anyways? I was talking to Iconoclast, so I suggest that you don't butt-in, it's rude( You must know all about that, though. ). ;)

[Kurt]

This is the exact weakness of this forum. Most people make big deals out of nothing. IDK what freaking wandering points I have, but why do you care anyways? I was talking to Iconoclast, so I suggest that you don't butt-in, it's rude( You must know all about that, though. ). ;)There is absolutely nothing I can say to that that will even do justice to how stupid it was. I have no idea how your mind works, and you seem to just randomly switch from one topic to another, first talking about a subject, and then telling people to stop talking about it.

I'll leave you to clean up this mess that you started.

[pizzaman]

There is absolutely nothing I can say to that that will even do justice to how stupid it is.

I'll leave you to clean up this mess that you started.
Then why are you still posting here? ;)

Now enough of this off-topicness. CM, could you delete pretty much the last page that we disscused in? Don't delete that big post I made with the language stuff though, I want to see if Iconoclast did learn it, or if he learned some of it.

[chaos master]

That thing about doubting Iconoclast learning the language made you sound like a know-it-all. Who are you to say that it is difficult? It might be easy to some. But let's halt progress and wait for Iconoclast to answer questions and stuff.

[Kurt]

Then why are you still posting here? ;)

Now enough of this off-topicness. CM, could you delete pretty much the last page that we disscused in? Don't delete that big post I made with the language stuff though, I want to see if Iconoclast did learn it, or if he learned some of it.Oh, I still have the right to post here. There are just some things you can't answer. May I remind you that you're not the mod here, nor did you create this thread?

Anyway, let's not delete anything. Leave everything the way it was, and wait for IC to get on tomorrow.

[chaos master]

That shouldn't be there! :nono:


Plus you said yourself that you weren't going to say anything, because "nothing I can say to that that will even do justice to how stupid it is."
Stop this now. We'll wait for Iconoclast. He is the one who can tell us what he is all about.

[pizzaman]

That thing about doubting Iconoclast learning the language made you sound like a know-it-all. Who are you to say that it is difficult? It might be easy to some. But let's halt progress and wait for Iconoclast to answer questions and stuff.
A know-it-all? That's what you're sounding like right now. Have you ever tried learning any computer language? It's not easy, so don't pretend you know about it. Did you even read what I posted?

I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast. I'm not saying anything offensive, but learning a any type of language is very, VERY difficult.

I have several books on learning how to use Maya, C++, Pascal, Visual Basic, and so on, but they're almost impossible to read through. They're those type of three inch thick books that takes you 5 minutes to read one page. You can learn most things about a language from books like these, but even then you'll need to read more to actually know the language yourself.

It would take, I'd say, 3-4 months to learn something like this with a teacher at a college. And you'll go through many books for that.
Now, tell me how I sould like a know-it-all, when I just said what was on my mind. Did I brag? No. Did I say that I know more things then him? No. What did I do? State what I was thinking. Now if we could all stop posting, it would be better.

[chaos master]

A know-it-all? That's what you're sounding like right now. Have you ever tried learning any computer language? It's not easy, so don't pretend you know about it. Did you even read what I posted?


Now, tell me how I sould like a know-it-all, when I just said what was on my mind. Did I brag? No. Did I say that I know more things then him? No. What did I do? State what I was thinking. Now if we could all stop posting, it would be better.
My gosh. You took that way too seriously. I said that because you seemed to know exactlly the situation and that it would take so longwithout variation.... look, follow your own advice and quit posting until Icono shows.

[Iconoclast]

I doubt you actually learned the language Iconoclast. I'm not saying anything offensive, but learning a any type of language is very, VERY difficult.

I have several books on learning how to use Maya, C++, Pascal, Visual Basic, and so on, but they're almost impossible to read through. They're those type of three inch thick books that takes you 5 minutes to read one page. You can learn most things about a language from books like these, but even then you'll need to read more to actually know the language yourself.

It would take, I'd say, 3-4 months to learn something like this with a teacher at a college. And you'll go through many books for that.Actually, I did learn the language except for the command I just mentioned. But I definitely know the basics of SQL. You don't know how easy SQL is. SQL is a database language, not a programming language like C++, you understand. It is simple and relatively easy to learn, and it is on my list of languages I've learned.

But I understand your anger. You think that I am bragging about thinking that I've mastered SQL when you suspect that I really know nothing about it compared to how much I might have missed? No, I have learned the basics and a little advanced areas of SQL, so generally speaking, I have learned it, the basics, anyway. I was not trying to brag, and I would hope that your second paragraph in this post I've quoted you saying was not derived from bragging, either.

[Iconoclast]

Do you pay attention?

That means that he only knew DOS a week ago. IDK how to put it for you to understand. How about this:

He knew no other language but DOS a week ago.That's a lie. Are you making stuff up to make me seem like a fraud, now? No, DOS was not the only language I knew a week ago. I also know ActionScript up to the complexity of AS 6 2.0, and FEN. So now I know ActionScript, DOS, FEN, and SQL. I could also throw in some basic HTML, as that is a language, and that does count.

[DarthBrady]

That's a lie. Are you making stuff up to make me seem like a fraud, now? No, DOS was not the only language I knew a week ago. I also know ActionScript up to the complexity of AS 6 2.0, and FEN. So now I know ActionScript, DOS, FEN, and SQL. I could also throw in some basic HTML, as that is a language, and that does count.

Man I wish I knew some of those languages. I am primarily a DOS man,(yes, I admit it) but for the past month or so, I have been playing around with Linux, so I'm sure its a matter of time before I move to some different stuff. Oh yeah, back in the days of the Apple IIe, I was pretty fluent with Apple and Apple ProDos, but that was a Long time ago.

[Iconoclast]

This is the exact weakness of this forum. Most people make big deals out of nothing. IDK what freaking wandering points I have, but why do you care anyways? I was talking to Iconoclast, so I suggest that you don't butt-in, it's rude( You must know all about that, though. ). ;)He has the right to get involved, pizzaman. It was you who was acting rude to Kurt. Had you a lesson in manners at such times, you should have noticed by now that 90 percent of the conflict that goes on between you and Kurt...is started by you.

Finally, I've finished reading all of yours posts.

chaos master, I understand that you wanted everyone to shut up so I wouldn't have so much to read. But you should understand that some users, like pizzaman, want to try to clear things or misunderstandings about him up first. In the end, BOTH you AND pizzaman kept arguing with each other trying to get the last word with that "now let's let Iconoclast reply" conclusion. In truth, both of you were foolishly persisting. Yet, I am sad to see that pizzaman and Kurt have poisoned your defending me.

My answers to your questions. As I have already said, it took me hours to learn the language because I am LD and I hate reading and learning. I was intensely studying each page of learning SQL. I have certainly learned all of the basics, and some of the advanced areas. I find it easy to say that I've learned the language. You don't have to be able to say that you've learned EVERYTHING about a language in order to say that you 'speak' it. Like English. I know English, but I don't know **** about that beyond vocabulary. Same thing with computer languages. So, if someone DOES know everything about SQL, then instead of saying that person knows SQL, you say that person mastered it. Make sense, pizzaman?

Now, this thread is **** now after what you guys have done to it. Unless there is anything else to talk about archives, I think we should all shut up. Don't post here, anymore. You got something to say? PM me, and possibly other users if you want them to hear it. I'm not asking for this thread to be closed, as other CoolROM users may want to look at this thread, just not these damn posts you guys have posted. They should all be deleted except for the archive-related conversation.

[Iconoclast]

Man I wish I knew some of those languages. I am primarily a DOS man,(yes, I admit it) but for the past month or so, I have been playing around with Linux, so I'm sure its a matter of time before I move to some different stuff. Oh yeah, back in the days of the Apple IIe, I was pretty fluent with Apple and Apple ProDos, but that was a Long time ago.Hm, FEN is just a chess programming language. Hackers don't need it.

And SQL, Structured Query Language, is a database control language that hackers user to bypass weak website security. A process known as "SQL-Injection." You don't need an username or password if the webmaster is careless about security and the hacker knows how to do an SQL injection. I am currently reading about it.

I know the basics of DOS. The most advanced I can ever get with it is batch-scripting, using the "IF EXIST (" conditional statement in batch files.

ActionScript is a Flash programming language, used for complex actions in an SWF file. It is similar in syntax format to JavaScript, which I know little to nothing about.

To learn more computer languages, you might want to check out this website.

http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

Now, back to topic. General chat like what me and DB have just done is OK; don't delete that.

[DarthBrady]

Hm, FEN is just a chess programming language. Hackers don't need it.

And SQL, Structured Query Language, is a database control language that hackers user to bypass weak website security. A process known as "SQL-Injection." You don't need an username or password if the webmaster is careless about security and the hacker knows how to do an SQL injection. I am currently reading about it.

I know the basics of DOS. The most advanced I can ever get with it is batch-scripting, using the "IF EXIST (" conditional statement in batch files.

ActionScript is a Flash programming language, used for complex actions in an SWF file. It is similar in syntax format to JavaScript, which I know little to nothing about.

To learn more computer languages, you might want to check out this website.

http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

Now, back to topic. General chat like what me and DB have just done is OK; don't delete that.

Thanx, there is a LOT of good reading material there!

[pizzaman]

Actually, I did learn the language except for the command I just mentioned. But I definitely know the basics of SQL. You don't know how easy SQL is. SQL is a database language, not a programming language like C++, you understand. It is simple and relatively easy to learn, and it is on my list of languages I've learned.

But I understand your anger. You think that I am bragging about thinking that I've mastered SQL when you suspect that I really know nothing about it compared to how much I might have missed? No, I have learned the basics and a little advanced areas of SQL, so generally speaking, I have learned it, the basics, anyway. I was not trying to brag, and I would hope that your second paragraph in this post I've quoted you saying was not derived from bragging, either.
Oh okay, that's what I wanted to know. You should, however, try to one of those programing languages. If you're interested in that sort of stuff, anyway. You said you don't like reading, so I'll give you a warning: There'll be a lot of reading!