diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso.c b/xorriso/xorriso.c
index c32ecfaa..14e39ff8 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso.c
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso.c
@@ -4892,6 +4892,7 @@ int Xorriso_new(struct XorrisO ** xorriso,char *progname, int flag)
 
  m->system_area_disk_path[0]= 0;
  m->system_area_options= 0;
+ m->patch_system_area= 0;
  m->vol_creation_time= 0;
  m->vol_modification_time= 0;
  m->vol_expiration_time= 0;
@@ -6735,6 +6736,7 @@ int Xorriso_status(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *filter, FILE *fp, int flag)
 {
  int is_default, no_defaults, i, ret, adr_mode, bin_path_in_use= 0, do_single;
  int show_indev= 1, show_outdev= 1, show_dev= 0, patch_is_implicit= 0;
+ int part_table_implicit= 0;
  char *line, sfe[5 * SfileadrL + 80], mode[80], *form, *treatment;
  char *in_pt, *out_pt, *nl_charset, *local_charset, *mode_pt;
  char *dev_filter= NULL;
@@ -6956,24 +6958,24 @@ bin_path:;
      treatment= sfe;
      bin_path_in_use= 1;
    }
+ } else if(xorriso->patch_isolinux_image) {
+   treatment= "patch";
+   if(xorriso->patch_system_area & 1)
+     form= "grub";
+   else if(xorriso->patch_system_area & 2)
+     form= "isolinux";
+   if(xorriso->patch_system_area)
+     part_table_implicit= 1;
+ } else if(xorriso->keep_boot_image) {
+   treatment= "keep";
  }
  sprintf(line,"-boot_image %s %s\n", form, treatment);
  if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
    Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
- if(!patch_is_implicit) {
-   form= "any";
-   if(xorriso->patch_isolinux_image) {
-     if(xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0]) {
-       form= xorriso->boot_image_bin_form;
-       treatment= "boot_info_table=on";
-     } else
-       treatment= "patch";
-   } else if(xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0] == 0 && xorriso->keep_boot_image){
-     treatment= "keep";
-   } else
-     treatment= "";
-   sprintf(line,"-boot_image %s %s\n", form, treatment);
-   if(treatment[0] && !(is_default && no_defaults))
+ if(xorriso->patch_isolinux_image && xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0] &&
+    !patch_is_implicit) {
+   sprintf(line,"-boot_image any boot_info_table=on\n");
+   if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
      Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
  }
  if(xorriso->boot_image_cat_path[0] && bin_path_in_use) {
@@ -6993,16 +6995,20 @@ bin_path:;
      Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
  }
  is_default= (xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0] == 0);
- sprintf(line,"-boot_image any system_area=%s\n",
-         Text_shellsafe(xorriso->system_area_disk_path, sfe, 0));
- if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
-   Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
- is_default= ((xorriso->system_area_options & 3) == 0);
- sprintf(line,"-boot_image %s partition_table=%s\n",
-         xorriso->system_area_options & 2 ? "isolinux" : "grub",
-         xorriso->system_area_options & 3 ? "on" : "off");
+ sprintf(line,"-boot_image %s system_area=%s\n",
+        xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0] && (xorriso->system_area_options & 2)
+        ? "isolinux" : "any",
+        Text_shellsafe(xorriso->system_area_disk_path, sfe, 0));
  if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
    Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
+ if(xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0] || !part_table_implicit) {
+   is_default= ((xorriso->system_area_options & 3) == 0);
+   sprintf(line,"-boot_image %s partition_table=%s\n",
+           xorriso->system_area_options & 2 ? "isolinux" : "grub",
+           xorriso->system_area_options & 3 ? "on" : "off");
+   if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
+     Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
+ }
 
 #ifdef Xorriso_with_isohybriD
  if(strcmp(form, "isolinux") == 0) {
@@ -8181,7 +8187,7 @@ int Xorriso_compare_2_files(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *disk_adr,
             !((*result) & (8 | 128 | 256 | 512 | 1024))) {
            sprintf(respt,
             "%s content  :  node timestamp younger than image timestamp\n", a);
-           if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+           if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
              Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
            stamp= s2.st_mtime;
            if((flag & 1) && s2.st_atime >= stamp)
@@ -8192,19 +8198,19 @@ int Xorriso_compare_2_files(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *disk_adr,
                    a, Ftimetxt(stamp, ttx1, 3 << 1),
                    Ftimetxt(xorriso->isofs_st_in, ttx2, 3 << 1),
                    ((double) stamp) - (double) xorriso->isofs_st_in);
-           if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+           if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
              Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
          }
          sprintf(respt,
           "%s content  :  assuming inequality due to size or timestamps\n", a);
-         if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+         if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
            Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
        }
      }
    } else if(ret == 1) { /* mismatch */
      (*result)|= (1 << 21);
      sprintf(respt, "%s dev_ino  :  differing\n", a);
-     if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+     if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
        Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
 
      if((xorriso->do_aaip & 64) && S_ISREG(s1.st_mode) && S_ISREG(s2.st_mode)){
@@ -8213,12 +8219,12 @@ int Xorriso_compare_2_files(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *disk_adr,
        (*result)|= (1 << 15); /* content bytes differ */
        sprintf(respt,
              "%s content  :  assuming inequality after dev_ino mismatch\n", a);
-       if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+       if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
          Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
      }
    } else {
      sprintf(respt, "%s dev_ino  :  no dev_ino stored with image node\n", a);
-     if(!(flag&(1<<31)))
+     if((xorriso->do_aaip & 32) && !(flag&(1<<31)))
        Xorriso_result(xorriso,0);
      (*result)|= (1 << 22);
    }
@@ -11189,7 +11195,7 @@ int Xorriso_genisofs_help(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 "  -G FILE, -generic-boot FILE Set generic boot image name",
 "  --protective-msdos-label    Patch System Area by partition table",
 "  --modification-date=YYYYMMDDhhmmsscc",
-"                              Override modification date",
+"                              Override date of creation and modification",
 "  -isohybrid-mbr FILE         Set SYSLINUX mbr/isohdp[fp]x*.bin for isohybrid",
 #ifdef Xorriso_with_isohybriD
 "  isolinux_mbr=on|auto|off    Control eventual isohybrid MBR generation",
@@ -11300,7 +11306,7 @@ int Xorriso_genisofs(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *whom,
    } else if(strcmp(argv[i], "-no-emul-boot")==0) {
      no_emul_boot= 1;
    } else if(strcmp(argv[i], "-boot-info-table")==0) {
-     ;
+     xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= 1;
    } else if(strcmp(argv[i], "-b") == 0 ||
              strcmp(argv[i], "-eltorito-boot") == 0) {
      if(i+1>=argc)
@@ -11315,7 +11321,6 @@ int Xorriso_genisofs(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *whom,
        goto ex;
      option_b= 1;
      xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
-     xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= 1;
    } else if(strcmp(argv[i], "-c") == 0 ||
              strcmp(argv[i], "-eltorito-catalog") == 0) {
      if(i+1>=argc)
@@ -12355,6 +12360,7 @@ int Xorriso_afile_fopen(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
                         char *filename, char *mode, FILE **ret_fp, int flag)
 /*
  bit0= do not print error message on failure
+ bit1= do not open stdin
 */
 {
  FILE *fp= NULL;
@@ -12365,7 +12371,11 @@ int Xorriso_afile_fopen(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
       (mode[0]=='r' && mode[1]=='+') ||
       (mode[0]=='r' && mode[1]=='b' && mode[2]=='+')) 
      fp= stdout;
-   else {
+   else if(flag & 2) {
+     Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, "Not allowed as input path: '-'", 0,
+                       "FAILURE", 0);
+     return(0);
+   } else {
      Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, "Ready for data at standard input", 0,
                          "NOTE", 0);
      fp= stdin;
@@ -13750,16 +13760,24 @@ int Xorriso_option_boot_image(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *form,
    xorriso->keep_boot_image= 1;
    xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= !!isolinux_grub;
    xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0]= 0;
+   xorriso->patch_system_area= 0;
 
  } else if(strcmp(treatpt, "patch")==0) {
    xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
    xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= 1;
    xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0]= 0;
+   if(strcmp(formpt, "grub")==0)
+     xorriso->patch_system_area= 1;
+   else if(strcmp(formpt, "isolinux")==0)
+     xorriso->patch_system_area= 2;
+   else
+     xorriso->patch_system_area= 0;
 
  } else if(strcmp(treatpt, "discard")==0) {
    xorriso->keep_boot_image= 0;
    xorriso->patch_isolinux_image= 0;
    xorriso->boot_image_bin_path[0]= 0;
+   xorriso->patch_system_area= 0;
 
  } else if(strcmp(treatpt, "show_status")==0) {
    sprintf(xorriso->result_line, "------------------------------------\n");
@@ -13869,14 +13887,16 @@ int Xorriso_option_boot_image(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *form,
      xorriso->system_area_options= (xorriso->system_area_options & ~3) | 2;
 
  } else if(strncmp(treatpt, "partition_table=", 16)==0) {
-   if(strcmp(treatpt + 16, "off") == 0)
+   if(strcmp(treatpt + 16, "off") == 0) {
      xorriso->system_area_options&= ~3;
-   else if(strcmp(treatpt + 16, "on") == 0) {
+     xorriso->patch_system_area= xorriso->system_area_options;
+   } else if(strcmp(treatpt + 16, "on") == 0) {
      xorriso->system_area_options&= ~3;
      if(strcmp(formpt, "isolinux")==0)
        xorriso->system_area_options|= 2;
      else
        xorriso->system_area_options|= 1;
+     xorriso->patch_system_area= xorriso->system_area_options;
    } else
      was_ok= 0;
 
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso_private.h b/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
index 894a7b6b..25176f49 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
@@ -272,8 +272,14 @@ struct XorrisO { /* the global context of xorriso */
  char system_area_disk_path[SfileadrL];
  int system_area_options;             /* bit0= "GRUB protective msdos label"
                                                (a simple partition table)
+                                         bit1= isohybrid boot image pointer
+                                               and partition table
+                                       */
+ int patch_system_area;               /* Bits as of system_area_options.
+                                         to be applied to the loaded system
+                                         area of the image, if no 
+                                         system_area_disk_path is set.
                                        */
-
  /* User settable PVD time stamps */
  time_t vol_creation_time;
  time_t vol_modification_time;
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
index c507d200..cd4bb0ea 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
@@ -1 +1 @@
-#define Xorriso_timestamP "2010.04.16.195349"
+#define Xorriso_timestamP "2010.04.16.195835"
diff --git a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
index 54bf7a96..c04bf2ad 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
+++ b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@ int Xorriso_set_isolinux_options(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
    Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FATAL", 0);
    return(-1);
  }
- patch_table = (xorriso->patch_isolinux_image == 1);
+ patch_table = !!xorriso->patch_isolinux_image;
  if(xorriso->boot_image_isohybrid == 0) {
    ret= el_torito_set_isolinux_options(bootimg, patch_table, 0);
    return(ret == 1);
@@ -1691,21 +1691,87 @@ int Xorriso_auto_format(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 }
 
 
-int Xorriso_set_system_area(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
-                            struct isoburn_imgen_opts *sopts, int flag)
+int Xorriso_set_system_area(struct XorrisO *xorriso, struct burn_drive *drive,
+                            IsoImage *img, struct isoburn_imgen_opts *sopts,
+                            int flag)
 {
- int ret;
+ int ret, options, system_area_options, iso_lba= 0;
  FILE *fp= NULL;
  char buf[32768], *bufpt= NULL;
+ off_t hd_lba;
+ unsigned char *ub;
+ ElToritoBootImage *bootimg;
+ IsoFile *bootimg_node;
+ struct isoburn_toc_disc *isoburn_disc= NULL;
 
- if(xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0] == 0)
-   {ret= 0; goto do_set;}
+ system_area_options= xorriso->system_area_options;
+ memset(buf, 0, 32768);
+ if(xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0] == 0) {
+   if(xorriso->patch_system_area) {
+     ret= iso_image_get_system_area(img, buf, &options, 0);
+     if(ret == 0) 
+       goto do_set;
+     else if(ret < 0) {
+       Xorriso_process_msg_queues(xorriso,0);
+       Xorriso_report_iso_error(xorriso, "", ret,
+                     "Error when inquiring System Area data of ISO 9660 image",
+                     0, "FAILURE", 1);
+       {ret= 0; goto ex;}
+     } else {
+       system_area_options= xorriso->patch_system_area;
+       /* Check whether partition 1 ends at image end */;
+       ub= (unsigned char *) buf;
+       hd_lba= (ub[454] | (ub[455] << 8) | (ub[456] << 16) | (ub[457] << 24)) +
+               (ub[458] | (ub[459] << 8) | (ub[460] << 16) | (ub[461] << 24));
+       isoburn_disc= isoburn_toc_drive_get_disc(drive);
+       if(isoburn_disc == NULL)
+         iso_lba= -1;
+       else {
+
+         /* >>> wrong: with CD-R this is the track end, not the ISO size */
+         iso_lba= isoburn_toc_disc_get_sectors(isoburn_disc);
+
+       }
+
+       if(((off_t) iso_lba) * (off_t) 4 > hd_lba) {
+          system_area_options= 0;
+       } else if((xorriso->patch_system_area & 1) &&
+                 ((off_t) iso_lba) * (off_t) 4 != hd_lba) {
+          system_area_options= 0;
+       } else if((xorriso->patch_system_area & 2) &&
+                 ((off_t) iso_lba) * (off_t) 4 + (off_t) (63 * 256) < hd_lba) {
+          system_area_options= 0;
+       } else if(xorriso->patch_system_area & 2) { /* isohybrid patching */
+         /* Check whether bytes 432-345 point to ElTorito LBA */
+         hd_lba= ub[432] | (ub[433] << 8) | (ub[434] << 16) | (ub[435] << 24);
+         ret= iso_image_get_boot_image(img, &bootimg, &bootimg_node, NULL);
+         if(ret != 1)
+           system_area_options= 0;
+         else if(bootimg_node != NULL) {
+           Xorriso__file_start_lba((IsoNode *) bootimg_node, &(iso_lba), 0);
+           if(((off_t) iso_lba) * (off_t) 4 != hd_lba)
+             system_area_options= 0;
+         }
+       }
+       if(system_area_options == 0) {
+         Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0,
+                  "Loaded System Area data are not suitable for MBR patching.",
+                  0, "DEBUG", 0);
+       }
+     }
+     bufpt= buf;
+     ret= 1;
+   } else
+     ret= 0;
+   goto do_set;
+ }
+ if(strcmp(xorriso->system_area_disk_path, "/dev/zero") == 0)
+   {ret= 1; goto do_set;}
 
  ret= Xorriso_afile_fopen(xorriso, xorriso->system_area_disk_path,
-                          "rb", &fp, 0);
+                          "rb", &fp, 2);
  if(ret <= 0)
    {ret= 0; goto ex;}
- memset(buf, 0, 32768);
  ret= fread(buf, 1, 32768, fp);
  if(ret < 32768) {
    if(ferror(fp)) {
@@ -1719,14 +1785,13 @@ int Xorriso_set_system_area(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
  bufpt= buf;
 
 do_set:;
- if(ret > 0) {
+ if(ret > 0 && xorriso->system_area_disk_path[0]) {
    sprintf(xorriso->info_text, "Copying to System Area: %d bytes from file ",
            ret);
    Text_shellsafe(xorriso->system_area_disk_path, xorriso->info_text, 1);
    Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "NOTE", 0);
  }
- ret= isoburn_igopt_set_system_area(sopts, bufpt,
-                                    xorriso->system_area_options);
+ ret= isoburn_igopt_set_system_area(sopts, bufpt, system_area_options);
  if(ret != ISO_SUCCESS) {
    Xorriso_process_msg_queues(xorriso,0);
    Xorriso_report_iso_error(xorriso, "", ret,
@@ -1736,8 +1801,10 @@ do_set:;
  }
  ret= 1;
 ex:;
-  if(fp != NULL && fp != stdin)
+ if(fp != NULL && fp != stdin)
    fclose(fp);
+ if(isoburn_disc != NULL)
+   isoburn_toc_disc_free(isoburn_disc);
  return(ret);
 } 
 
@@ -1841,6 +1908,10 @@ int Xorriso_write_session(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
      goto ex;
  }
  
+ ret= Xorriso_set_system_area(xorriso, source_drive, image, sopts, 0);
+ if(ret <= 0)
+   goto ex;
+
  /* Activate, adjust or discard boot image */
  /* >>> ??? move down to libisoburn ? */
  if(image!=NULL && !(flag&1)) {
@@ -1958,9 +2029,6 @@ int Xorriso_write_session(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
      Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "NOTE", 0);
    }
  }
- ret= Xorriso_set_system_area(xorriso, sopts, 0);
- if(ret <= 0)
-   goto ex;
  
  if((xorriso->do_aaip & 16) || !(xorriso->ino_behavior & 2)) {
    /* Overwrite isofs.st of root node by xorriso->isofs_st_out */