[aru]

GTAIV Version 1.0.2

GTAIV Version 1.0.2 no longer needs a magic patch to function. All that is required is a patched version of filelist.pak which is available here archive.

Step to upgrade to 1.0.2:
1. Undo any existing magic patches (Use the Recover tool if you used the Easy Way)
2. Install GTAIV Patch 1.0.2.
3. Backup the existing pc\data\filelist.pak
4. Replace pc\data\filelist.pak with the file in the archive.
5. Run the game and have fun!

Read no further! The rest of this post is for older versions of GTAIV.

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The Easy Way (Version 1.0/1.0.1):

Here's a little tool to do most of the magic... The tool will allow you to verify that you have the original files, apply the patch and even verify the patch using the game's verification method. There's also a Recover feature to undo any magic patch changes when you decide you don't want this anymore.

-download removed- (Updated to version 1.0.1 on Dec 14, 2008 to support GTAIV version 1.0.1)

If this is good enough for you, and don't want to confuse yourself... don't read the rest of this post.

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The Fun Way:

The checking for modification of the files works by opening up files.txt, and SHA1 hashing the contents of each file listed in there cumulatively. If the hash doesn't match the hash stored in the exe, it exits. But theres one problem with this technique... they rely on files.txt to check files.txt too?!!!! Oh dear R*... what happened to your chain of trust?!

To bypass it, all you have to really do is:

1. Make a copy of files.txt.... for example: copy files.txt to files.txt.original
2. Edit files.txt... replace "files.txt" with "files.txt.original"
3. Make a copy of the file you want to mod... say you want to mod weaponinfo.xml, so you would make a copy of it as weaponinfo.xml.original
4. Edit files.txt... replace "weaponinfo.xml" with "weaponinfo.xml.original"

And viola.... no more exiting on startup... but to make your patches really apply you have to use a patched filelist.pak without any files in it. (And using a modified filelist.pak means you will have to create a .original file for filelist.pak as well!)

--

So here is a batch file that will do the above things to all the "protected" files and make backups of them as .magic. Included is a patched filelist.pak as well. After installing this, you can just edit your files normally as before (just don't edit the .magic files!).

NOTE: The batch file does the steps above for ALL the protected files. Do NOT follow the instructions above (i.e. making copies, replacing files, etc) if you use this batch file. Files.txt is automatically patched with this batch script.

download removed

To install:

1. Restore backups of ALL your modified files (or if you don't have them, you have to reinstall). It is VERY IMPORTANT that you have the original "protected" files or this won't work!
2. Copy magic.bat to your GTAIV game folder
3. Run magic.bat (Run as Administrator if you're on Vista)
4. Make a backup of pc\data\filelist.pak
5. Overwrite pc\data\filelist.pak with the included filelist.pak.

More detailed STEP-BY-STEP instructions are provided here: http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtop...st&p=1058731018 (These instructions are for the 'fun way'... not the 'easy way')

This post has been edited by aru on Friday, Jul 10 2009, 02:50

[rappzula]

Good going man, it works perfectly

[opium_addict]

edit: i was able to turn this into patcher code for my release,
as i didnt like your .bat setup.

but it does work perfectly, good job.

here is the code (pastebin, its also coded in C++ .NET....)
http://pastebin.com/m2bbf0372

This post has been edited by opium_addict on Saturday, Dec 6 2008, 09:53

[Jost_Vice]

Will try this as soon as the game finish installing

EDIT: working correctly, aru. Nice work

This post has been edited by Jost_Vice on Saturday, Dec 6 2008, 18:26

[DexX]

Awesome, works like a charm and doesn't require any exe mods (so it should still work after a patch is released). Excellent work. Only downside so far, is that the folders get cluttered with 2 versions of every file.

[aru]

QUOTE (DexX @ Dec 6 2008, 11:21)

Awesome, works like a charm and doesn't require any exe mods (so it should still work after a patch is released). Excellent work. Only downside so far, is that the folders get cluttered with 2 versions of every file.

Well, you could put the files into one "backup" folder... its just a pain modifying the batch script to do that . I just used a regex search and replace on the original files.txt to generate that batch script.

Oh, and don't be too sure about it still working after a patch... if R* fixes their checking, it won't work.

[elanman]

QUOTE (Jost_Vice @ Dec 6 2008, 12:29)

Will try this as soon as the game finish installing  EDIT: working correctly, aru. Nice work

Same here mate.

I'll try this now *crosses fingers*...

This post has been edited by elanman on Saturday, Dec 6 2008, 23:14

[Voodooman]

Aru)) U saved my day again, like few years ago with your command line version of Spark)) thx!

[Dup]

This also circumvents idiots not backing up files and needing to re-install. Good show.

[elanman]

GTA IV won't f*cking start now...

YES! IT'S WORKING! RELIABLE AND EASY TO INSTALL! Caps were necessary, great mot, thanks.



This post has been edited by elanman on Sunday, Dec 7 2008, 00:10

[Zach]

QUOTE (elanman @ Dec 6 2008, 18:19)

GTA IV won't f*cking start now... YES! IT'S WORKING! RELIABLE AND EASY TO INSTALL! Caps were necessary, great mot, thanks.

I'm confused. Don't those two statements contradict each other?

[DexX]

QUOTE (aru @ Dec 6 2008, 10:55)

Oh, and don't be too sure about it still working after a patch... if R* fixes their checking, it won't work.

Yea, but thats a risk no matter what method is used. After 3 years of telling people to mod SA with a 1.0 exe, i'm not keen on starting the same conversations with iv. Provided R* doesn't fix it, a method that is exe-independent is ideal.

QUOTE

I'm confused. Don't those two statements contradict each other?

He edited his post.

[gorgeprofondegta4]

that is great ! Thank you for this stuff.

I edited the "ped.dat" and "relationships.dat" to try to make a "riot mode" (everybody hates everybody), but it didn't not works very well. When you start a fight with someone, some other random people starts to fight with you against your oponant, like 4 or 5 people fighting each others But not big big riot like in San Andreas.

For the weapons, wich file do I need to edit ? A lot of files in "common / data" folder seems to come from San Andreas !

[Tweeqit2]

nvm. Got it to work by only adding the file I modded to the list instead of all. Good work.

This post has been edited by Tweeqit2 on Sunday, Dec 7 2008, 10:58

[mr.Dageron]

aru, really great work!

And any news about your SparkIV?

[bobster uk]

this is very nice aru,

alltho wont work for me tho sadly.

Good job tho.

edit: nvm got it to work

This post has been edited by bobster uk on Sunday, Dec 7 2008, 11:29

[voodoo48]

Soundz great, I'll try it out as soon as I get my PC version of GTA IV.

QUOTE (ARU)

Oh, and don't be too sure about it still working after a patch... if R* fixes their checking, it won't work.

They are full of work right now, I don't think they have time to f*ck with the modders, who'll find the way to do the modding after a week.

[elanman]

QUOTE (Zach @ Dec 7 2008, 00:22)

QUOTE (elanman @ Dec 6 2008, 18:19) GTA IV won't f*cking start now... YES! IT'S WORKING! RELIABLE AND EASY TO INSTALL! Caps were necessary, great mot, thanks. I'm confused. Don't those two statements contradict each other?

I edited my post, first it wasn't working, now it is.

[Dup]

I keep getting asked for my DVD. I've got the UK DVD release running on Vista 64.

EDIT: DON'T FORGET to copy the generated "files.txt" from arus' "gtaiv-magic" folder in to the GTA IV folder once you have run his .bat file

This post has been edited by Dup on Sunday, Dec 7 2008, 13:54

[n1k]

OMFG Thank you so much, I now have motion blur at any speed in a car. No longer need I be speeding through the city to have it on, I can be checking out the details cruising through slowly with motion blur on. Awesome.