How to FIX My Collection after a download problem

You will need a HEX editor for this tutorial.

I used the Free HDD Hex Editor NEO

http://www.hhdsoftware.com/Download/free-hex-editor-neo.exe

Download and install it. It adds a Right Click Menu that makes it easy to use.

Here is an example of problems with the My Collection view.

Some cards are blacked out, one card is No Longer Owned.

Make a note of the cards that need to be fixed.

A0005 – not bought

A0001 – blacked out – download bar stopped - can’t download again

A0002 – same

A0003 - same

A0004 - same

You could – delete these cards and then re-download them…

But I will show you how to fix them in the Models.lst file using a hex editor.

Caution: use of the hex editor can cause the models.lst file to become completely corrupt.

Make sure you save a copy of the Models.lst file before you attempt to repair it.

The Hex editor will make any change you want, even if it’s an accidental mistake.

Ok I had to get that out of the way…

But if you are careful and follow these instructions, you should have no problems.

Read through the instructions first so you have an Idea of what you are going to do.

First, Shut down VG.

Close the Collections Window, then Quit VG

Right click on the ‘V’ icon then select Quit

Now Browse to the DATA folder, I sort by Date, so the Models.lst file is near the top of

the list.

Right Click on the Models.lst file

In the Right Click Menu, Select

Edit with HDD Hex Editor Neo

The first time you use it you will see a message about it being the free version just click

okay.

Then Click on the 00 near the TAB to the top left of the window.

I placed a red box around it so you know where to click

Now click on the Find Spy Glass

In the pop up find window, type in the card number to search for.

Make sure you use the full card name such as “a0001” but with out the quote marks.

The hex editor will find the first match.

It will be near the bottom of the screen so you will have to use the scroll bar to bring it up

to the top.

Here the Editor Found a0001

Each card begins with the card number, followed by the model name, and then the

outfit name, then the DATE.. Immediately following the DATE are Two sets of codes

that control the card.

So IT is VERY IMPORTANT to find the DATE, and then the two codes immediately

after the date.

Here I show a red box on where you should click with the mouse.

On this card, immediately after the DATE is an H.

When you click on it, It turns to a highlight color and in the Left side of the View with

all the Numbers, the CODES are Highlight too.

Now that you can see where the CODES are to the left, click on the Codes. In this

example they are 48

Now there will be a BOX around the Codes you clicked on.

Type in the corrected codes to fix the card.

Here I typed in 98 40

See how they show up in RED, to let you know that you changed them.

( DON’T use the DELETE KEY, it will actually ERASE a set of CODES and that is a

BAD thing to do… )

If you type in the wrong thing, just click on it again and type over it…

Here are the codes to always use:

98 40 = card active, Full Shows are Downloaded, Trailers are downloaded, Its Bought.

88 40 = card active, trailers downloaded, Full Show NOT downloaded, It’s Bought

90 40 = card active, Full Show Downloaded, Trailers NOT downloaded, It’s Bought

00 40 = card not active, Full Show NOT downloaded, Trailer Not Downloaded, Bought

18 40 = card NOT active, Full Shows are Downloaded, Trailers are downloaded, Bought

Change the 40 to 44 and the card is one of your Favorites.

Here is the recap of what the codes are:

98 40 = you got the whole card and it’s Active ( checked )

88 40 = you need the full shows

90 40 = you need the Trailers

00 40 = you need both the full shows and the trailers ( always get the trailers first… )

18 40 = you got the whole card and it’s NOT Active ( Not checked )

Use 44 instead of 40 to add the card to your Favorites ( the Heart )

The use of the wrong codes here can cause VG to crash

A corrupt Models.lst file will cause VG to crash and not open..

If that happens, just delete the Models.lst File, and let VG rebuild it.

It might still have bad values in the My collection screen, and then you just go in and fix

them.

Now that you made a FIX, you have to Save them…

Click on the SAVE icon. Shown here with a red box around it.

Click YES in the pop up window.

To Find another card, make sure you start back at the top of the file.

Press Ctrl- Home to get back to the very top..

Then click Find

And type in the next Card you want to fix…

Here is card a0002 and I highlighted the wrong code after the DATE.

Here I fixed the codes for this card..

Using 88 40 - need the full shows…

Save the fix, Ctrl Home to get to the top

Find the Next Card… a0005

This was the Card that showed I need to buy it…

Fixed the Card and Save the Changes…

Code 18 40 – got it all, not checked…

Now that all the fixes have been made, Close the Hex Editor.

Open VG again, and check the Collections Screen

Here you can see the results of the fixes..

I tried to demonstrate use of the different CODEs

Card a0001 – codes 98 40 got it all, it’s checked

Card a0002 – codes 88 40 need full shows, it’s checked

Card a0003 – codes 10 40 need trailers, it’s Not checked

Card a0004 – codes 00 40 need full shows, trailers and it’s not checked

Card a0005 – codes 18 40 got it all, its Not checked.

A0002 – need full shows…

A0003 need trailers ( don’t know why the word demo doesn’t show up )

A0004 need both full shows and trailers

A0005 – card not checked…

So there you have the Basic instructions on how to use a Hex Editor to repair the

models.lst file after a corrupt download.

If you are not comfortable with using the Hex editor, then don’t.

For you, as a last resort, you can delete three files from the data folder, and let VG

rebuild them.

If all else fails,

CTRl-ALT-DELETE to start task manager

End the Process of the VirtuaGirl_Downloader

Delete these three files.

Models.lst

Models.vghd

DLscript.cds

Then restart VG

One Last Note / Disclaimer.

Using the hex Editor will not let you set Cards you don’t Own to Owned.

They Might Display in your Collection as Being owned, but you Can’t Force VG to Give

you a card you haven’t paid for..

So even if you set the codes so the card displays as being Bought, If you haven’t paid for

it, VG won’t let you play it…

I don’t want anyone to think that this is a way to get free cards…

If you seem to loose your collection.. delete those three files…

Always Make a BACK up before you try any type of Fix or repair…