Simple Virtual CDROM for macOS

Introduction

• Use kext (kernel extensions) to simulate a CD-ROM drive
• Tested on macOS Big Sur
• Code is extremely simple
• Only supports loading Audio CD
• Supports loading CUE sheets
• Supports loading a series of audio files as tracks

Build

Requirements

1. Install Xcode, make sure clang & python3 accessible from command-line.
2. Disable SIP in order to load self-compiled kexts.
3. Download ffmpeg for macOS.

Build and load kernel driver

1. Open virtualcdrom.xcodeproj with Xcode.
2. Press Command-B to build project.
3. From Product menu, click Show Build Folder in Finder.
4. virtualcdrom.kext should appear in Products/Debug in build folder.
5. Load kext with following commands:

   sudo cp -R [DRAG virtualcdrom.kext TO HERE] /Library/Extensions
   sudo kextutil /Library/Extensions/virtualcdrom.kext
   

6. Approve the kext in System Preferences and reboot.
7. Verify kext is loaded:

   kextstat | grep virtualcdrom
   

Build and prepare user-space client

1. Build client

   clang -o client client.c -framework IOKit
   

2. Copy ffmpeg, let it along with client

   cp /your/path/to/ffmpeg ffmpeg
   

3. Run ./loadcd.py to verify everything is ok, it should output:

   sending 0 bytes to kernel
     successfully loaded 0 bytes to kernel
   

Let's load CD!

Load a CUE sheet (with one big audio file)

• Command:

  ./loadcd.py [DRAG CUE FILE HERE]
  

• Example output of loadcd.py:

  trying utf_8
  loading disk image
    decoding '明日への扉.wav'
  ==================================================
  track 00 start  0:00.00 sector      0 crc ????????
  track 01 start  4:46.59 sector  21509 crc ????????
  track 02 start  9:34.44 sector  43094 crc ????????
  --------------------------------------------------
  total          17:23.02 sector  78227 crc 75ea388c
  ==================================================
  sending 184342704 bytes to kernel
    successfully loaded 184342704 bytes to kernel
  

Or, Load a series of audio files as tracks

• Command:

  ./loadcd.py [DRAG AUDIO FILES HERE]
  

• Example output of loadcd.py:

  loading track 00
    decoding '01 明日への扉.wav'
  loading track 01
    decoding '02 明日への扉 (instrumental).wav'
  loading track 02
    decoding '03 エピローグミニドラマ「明日と加瀬さん。」.wav'
  ==================================================
  track 00 start  0:00.00 sector      0 crc a209b77f
  track 01 start  4:46.59 sector  21509 crc a5683510
  track 02 start  9:34.44 sector  43094 crc 0120bcf0
  --------------------------------------------------
  total          17:23.02 sector  78227 crc 75ea388c
  ==================================================
  sending 184342704 bytes to kernel
    successfully loaded 184342704 bytes to kernel