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Installation

mkpsxiso can be installed either by downloading pre-built binaries or by compiling from source. Both methods are straightforward and well-supported across Windows, Linux, and macOS.

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Pre-Built Binaries

The easiest way to get started is to download pre-built binaries from the GitHub releases page.
1

Download Latest Release

Visit the mkpsxiso releases page and download the appropriate binary for your platform:
  • Windows: mkpsxiso-windows.zip
  • Linux: mkpsxiso-linux.tar.gz
  • macOS: mkpsxiso-macos.tar.gz
All binaries are built automatically by GitHub CI and include both mkpsxiso and dumpsxiso tools.
2

Extract the Archive

Extract the downloaded archive to a directory of your choice.Linux/macOS:
tar -xzf mkpsxiso-linux.tar.gz
cd mkpsxiso
Windows:Right-click the zip file and select “Extract All” or use your preferred extraction tool.
3

Add to PATH (Optional)

For easier access, add the mkpsxiso directory to your system PATH.Linux/macOS:
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export PATH="$PATH:/path/to/mkpsxiso"
Windows:Add the directory to your system PATH through System Properties → Environment Variables.
4

Verify Installation

Test that mkpsxiso is working:
mkpsxiso --help
dumpsxiso --help
You should see the help text for both tools.
Ancient releases from the gh-pages branch are NOT RECOMMENDED. Always use the latest release from the releases page.

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Compiling from Source

Compiling from source gives you access to the latest features and allows you to customize the build.

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Prerequisites

Install the required packages using your distribution’s package manager:Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt install git cmake build-essential
Fedora/RHEL:
sudo dnf install git cmake gcc-c++
Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S git cmake base-devel

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Build Steps

1

Clone the Repository

Clone the repository with all submodules:
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/Lameguy64/mkpsxiso.git
cd mkpsxiso
The --recurse-submodules flag is critical. If you download the repository as a .zip file instead of cloning, the submodule folders will be empty and the build will fail.
2

Configure the Project

Run CMake to configure the project for release build:
cmake --preset release
Optional: To build without libFLAC support (libFLAC is required for encoding CDDA/DA audio as FLAC), add -DMKPSXISO_NO_LIBFLAC=1 to the command:
cmake --preset release -DMKPSXISO_NO_LIBFLAC=1
3

Build the Project

Build mkpsxiso and dumpsxiso:
cmake --build --preset release
The compiled binaries will be placed in the ./build directory.
4

Install (Optional)

Install the tools to your system:
cmake --install ./build
Installation to default paths requires administrative privileges (sudo on Linux/macOS).
Default installation paths:
  • Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\mkpsxiso
  • Linux/macOS: /usr/local/bin
Custom installation path:To install to a custom directory, use --prefix with the configure command:
cmake --preset release --install-prefix /custom/path
cmake --build --preset release
cmake --install ./build
5

Verify the Build

Test the compiled binaries:
./build/mkpsxiso --help
./build/dumpsxiso --help

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Build Configuration Options

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libFLAC Support

By default, mkpsxiso builds with libFLAC support for encoding and decoding FLAC audio. This is required if you want to:
  • Extract CDDA/DA audio tracks as FLAC files with dumpsxiso
  • Use FLAC files as CDDA track sources with mkpsxiso
To disable libFLAC support: 
cmake --preset release -DMKPSXISO_NO_LIBFLAC=1
If you only plan to work with WAV files, you can disable libFLAC to reduce build dependencies.

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Troubleshooting

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Submodules Not Found

If you get errors about missing files during compilation: 
# Initialize submodules if you forgot --recurse-submodules
git submodule update --init --recursive

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CMake Version

mkpsxiso requires a recent version of CMake. If you encounter CMake errors, ensure you have CMake 3.15 or later: 
cmake --version

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Filesystem Timestamp Issues (Linux)

On ext4 and xfs filesystems, the minimum timestamp you can set is 1901/12/13. This makes some games with older timestamps impossible to rebuild 1:1.
Workaround: Work on a filesystem with better date support, such as f2fs, ntfs, or btrfs.

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Next Steps

Now that you have mkpsxiso installed, proceed to the Quick Start Guide to build your first PlayStation ISO image.

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