InfoNES Tutorial

[slicer74]

@Admin of this site : can u sticky this ?

This tutorial explain ow to create ur own CD Image.

Files/Programms to have :
CDGenPS2
Download the rev.4
Downlaod the rev.2
Roms (I cannot share those cause it's illegal)

Extract the iso include from Rev.2 into a sub-folder.
Delete all the files in the ROMS_PD, place all the roms u have in this folder.
Replace the INFONES.ELF here by the one in rev. 4 (rename it case sensitive as it was).
Create a dummy file around 128 megs. (only for CD Boot)

Now open CDGenPS2.
Drag in order from the folder of rev. 2 (extracted from the iso)
- SYSTEM.CNF
- INFONES.ELF (the one from rev. 4 if u remember correctly)
- DUMMY file (if u want a boot CD)
- ROMS_PD folder (with your games in it)

Clic volume on the left side, type INFONES
Clic image, choose the ISO type
Name it what u want and save. => THE BOAT ARRIVE AT PORT

Now, u can place this image in your HD as a CD Game or burn it.

Load it, press start once.
Now u have to browse CD, select it and press start after, it will browse
the image u created and u suppose to see the ROMS_PD with ur roms here.

Once ur happy that it works, one more easy step.
Now from the rev.4. Look in the PS2NES folder.
I suggest to take a look at INFONES.CNF.
Open note pad, change the type to all files, open the INFONES.CNF.
Now change the X value to 75 and the y value to 10.
Also u can change the boot_ELF to the correct path.
Like myself, it's mc0:/BADATA-SYSTEM/BOOT.ELF because it's really where my boot.elf is.
Do the same for yours, this will allow u to boot your boot.elf without shutting down your PS2.
Transfert all the files in PS2NES folder from the rev. 4 to the PS2NES folder
that it has been created in the MC0. (FTP or USB Stick with uLaunch)

I'll stay tuned for furthur update.

edit april, 11
*the roms can be in zipped format*
*do not put more than 110 roms per folder, u can place many ROMS folders*

edit april, 24
*be sure to have a MC inserted in slot 1 before u start the iso*

edit sept, 17
*another way to create the iso if u have long files names*
there is a way to get good names in a way acceptable to the PS2 as well, and that is to use the compilation type "CD-ROM (UDF/ISO)" (as presented in Nero). If you try that, you should have better results.

dlanor just remembered one more thing that you need to be aware of. When saving files to the MC, there is an absolute limit on all file/folder names of 32 characters (incl extensions). This is not a limitation of the emulator, but of the MC filesystem. So if you use very long names and some of them are similar, then there may be confusion about their save files, as the parts of the ROM names that differ may have been truncated for the save names.

ENJOY

Thank to Dlanor to making this possible.

CDGenPS2 (http://rapidshare.de/files/21871951/DVD9-2-ISO_Sony_CDVDGEN.zip.html) + bonus
InfoNES rev.2 (http://rapidshare.de/files/21872221/InfoNES_rev2.rar.html)
InfoNES rev.4 (http://rapidshare.de/files/21872288/InfoNES_rev4.rar.html)
If the links doesn't work, try this one instead (http://www.4shared.com/dir/839414/b1a57bf4/Playstation_Tools.html)

[dlanor]

Thanks to dlanor... here it comes.... Can u sticky this....
Sorry, but I can't. I'm only moderator in the uLaunchELF forum, not here.
You'd better ask one of the site admin's instead.

Best regards: dlanor

[slicer74]

I want to become one !!!
I am very popular on PS2HD.com

[Snakehands]

Hey thanks, I have the roms running from the HDD now. For some reason while adding a folder of 700 roms of about 143mb to CDGenPS2 gives me an error and only about 50mb of the roms end up on the HD. The dummy file I used to make this ISO was 128mb as the tutorial said.

[slicer74]

If u already have 128 megs or more of ROM, u dont need u dummy then.
Be sure not to exceed the max charactar for files allowed by CDGenPS2.

[globalwar]

Please correct me if im wrong (but i dont think i am).

If your running this from a HD you dont need a dummy file at all. The dummy file is so the PS2 laser wont go crazy while reading a small sized "CD/DVD". Running it from HD the PS2 laser is unused, = No dummy file needed.

I have a small 6mb ISO on my HD of infones, works perfect.

[slicer74]

Yeah, just in case someone would make a CD with it.

[Snakehands]

If u already have 128 megs or more of ROM, u dont need u dummy then.
Be sure not to exceed the max charactar for files allowed by CDGenPS2.

I have about 700 ROMs, around 143mb, and I made another cd with them but without a dummy this time and dumped it on the HDD and just like last time (with a dummy) only a few games show up on the explorer when browsing ROMS_PD through the installed CD Image. The only games I can browse are the ones that begin with letters' A thru F, the rest don't appear. However, when adding the ROMS_PD folder in CDGenPS2 I get an error with around 10 ROMs which it says are dupes. And, what is this character for files allowed by CDGenPS2? TY

[slicer74]

I dont know why CDGen doesn't allow the roms present in the ROMS_PD folder include in the rev.2. That's why i suggested to erase them and place only the roms u want. For the quantity of rom allowed, i'll make to test and give a responce back. Prensently i'm using a 20 roms CD image with dummy without a problem.

Dont give it up.

[Snakehands]

I dont know why CDGen doesn't allow the roms present in the ROMS_PD folder include in the rev.2. That's why i suggested to erase them and place only the roms u want. For the quantity of rom allowed, i'll make to test and give a responce back. Prensently i'm using a 20 roms CD image with dummy without a problem.

Dont give it up.

I did erase everything from the ROMS_PD folder obtained after extracting the ISO on rev.2 beofre making my own cd. Its the number of ROMS that show up on screen while browsing from the HDD. When I look at my custom made InfoNES cd image it does have almost all the files in the ROMS_PD folder maybe a dozen or so got taken out by CDGenPS2 but they are all there.

[dlanor]

I did erase everything from the ROMS_PD folder obtained after extracting the ISO on rev.2 beofre making my own cd.
You seem to believe that only one ROM folder can be used, as you apparently thought that you had to 'reuse' the folder I had made. That belief is incorrect. You can use any number of ROM folders, as long as you don't exceed the max number of directory entries supported by the ROM browser, which is currently 220 entries per directory level.

Its the number of ROMS that show up on screen while browsing from the HDD.
No, the real problem is not the number of ROMs on screen, as the screen can be scrolled. The real problem is the number of directory entries, as stated above.

When I look at my custom made InfoNES cd image it does have almost all the files in the ROMS_PD folder maybe a dozen or so got taken out by CDGenPS2 but they are all there.
The ones 'taken out', so to speak, are probably those whose names would have been 'dupes' when reduced to what CDGenPS2 can accept. To include those ROMs as well, you will need to rename them, before adding them to a ROM folder in CDGenPS2.

Most of your problems will disappear if you split your ROM collection into several ROM folders, each holding less than 220 files. But don't try to make multi-level folders, as the current ROM browser still doesn't support that. Just use as many single-level folders as you need (but less than 220) in the root directory. Using this method correctly you can easily access thousands of ROMs.

Best regards: dlanor

[Snakehands]

Most of your problems will disappear if you split your ROM collection into several ROM folders, each holding less than 220 files. But don't try to make multi-level folders, as the current ROM browser still doesn't support that. Just use as many single-level folders as you need (but less than 220) in the root directory. Using this method correctly you can easily access thousands of ROMs.

Best regards: dlanor

I love you Dlanor. You're the best and you come through for everyone including non-technical people like me.

[slicer74]

Origanaly posted by dlanor
Most of your problems will disappear if you split your ROM collection into several ROM folders, each holding less than 220 files. But don't try to make multi-level folders, as the current ROM browser still doesn't support that. Just use as many single-level folders as you need (but less than 220) in the root directory. Using this method correctly you can easily access thousands of ROMs.

Thanks dude, i didn't know about this technical "problem" wich is not when u know it.

[mann75]

i am have a problem i followed your directions and everything work. i have the nes on my hd, but my problem is when i try to play my emus, i scroll down the list untill i see the nes and then i push start and it tells me no roms. what am i doing wrong?

[slicer74]

i am have a problem i followed your directions and everything work. i have the nes on my hd, but my problem is when i try to play my emus, i scroll down the list untill i see the nes and then i push start and it tells me no roms. what am i doing wrong?
We gonna take it from the start.
1) U have make the image and put through your HD like a game, right ?
2) U start it and the programm load, u can see InfoNES by dlanor at the screen and u can press start here, right ?
3) Now u have many choice, like the first one, browse CD, press X here, now when it tell put CD and press start, u pressed start and it's here u didn't see a thing, right ?
4) If it's all the case, then u forgot to put a ROM folder in your image.
If u answear no at 1 point, u didn't follow correctly my tuto.

One last thing, press start when the programm tell to press start, press X to select the option u want on the list.

[mann75]

slicer i am so dumb it wasnt untill i read your reply that i figured out that the browse cd wasnt just the menu for the complete listing on that screen it was actually a directory. thanks for the reply:D

[slicer74]

No problem dude.

[dlanor]

@Snakehands + slicer74 + anyone else with large ROM lists:
I have made some experiments with a rather large ROM collection (over 2300 ROMs), and have found a couple of bugs in how the program deals with folders that have too many entries.

1: The check for ROM files using either .nes or .NES extension is done in such a manner that each such ROM will appear twice in the listings, and the same goes for .zip and .ZIP searches. This bug lowers the max amount of ROMs per folder to 110.

2: When the max limit is exceeded (at >= 110 ROMs due to the first bug) there is an indexing error, which causes the end of the listing to be corrupted. This makes it impossible to reach the 'Return' entry at the end of a directory, so there is then no way of backing out of that ROM folder.

I will fix these bugs in the next revision, and will then also try to 'clean up' the ROM browser a bit, and make it more convenient to use. (eg: I plan to allow 'Triangle' to back out of a folder anywhere, instead of using that 'Return' entry.)

Until the bugs are fixed you can still use the emulator safely, by using folders limited to a lower amount of ROMs, so that the limit is never exceeded. I haven't explored all possibilities of the indexing fault yet, but I am sure it will never be triggered for a folder of 108 ROMs or less. If you stick to that limit you will never have a problem navigating those folders, as the second bug will never be triggered.

Best regards: dlanor

[slicer74]

Thanks a lot dlanor.

[neiljames]

slicer74,

I followed your tutorial to a T but encountered a problem. Well everything went well with creating and transferring the INFONES.ISO. It even loads to the screen where it says to push start. But right after I push start... an all White screen appears and it won't change. I left it like that for a while figuring since it was the first time I tied it that maybe that's how it loads but after 5 mins. I realized that something is wrong. Again I followed your instructions to a T. I didn't mess with trying to make it my boot.ELF or anything like that. I just created the ISO like you said. I wonder what could be wrong? Well any help will be appreciated. Thanx in advance.

[slicer74]

Hmmm, hapenning to someone that want to take the iso from rev.2 without a change. Have u delete the file in the roms_pd folder before putting yours. U do not need a dummy file for loading with hdloader.

I suggest also to transfert the othter files in the new folder PS2NES now created. U dont have to create ur own folder.

[neiljames]

Okay this is what I did step for step:

1. I downloaded the Rev. 2 and Rev.4
2. Then I extracted the Rev2. ISO to a new subfloder.
3. I deleted all the files in the ROMS folder.
4. I added all my Roms into the Roms_Pd folder... All my roms are nes files
5. I deleted the INFONES.ELF from my extraction subfolder and replaced it with the RV. 4 InfoNES.ELF and renamed it to INFONES.ELF
6. I then opened up cdpgenPS2 and dragged and dropped the files from my extraction subfolder in the order of the System file, the INFONES.ELF and then the roms_pd folder... I did not use any Dummy file.
7. Upon dropping the roms_pd folder it went directly to the top of the System file.
8. I then click volume and rename to INFONES
9. I then click IMG, for save as type I chose ISO, and saved it as INFONES
10. The boat ariived at port message appeares.

So these were the steps I took to create the ISO. I transferred the ISO to my HD using Winhiip. slicer74, could you be a little more specific, I don't quite understand what you are saying about transferring the files from the PS2NES folder? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanx in advance.

[slicer74]

Ok, then u try to load the iso with HDL and u had the white screen, right ?
Now the iso should have created the PS2NES folder in your MC. (Oh yes, u need the MC in slot one in order to run the iso correctly). In the rev.4, un have a folder name PS2NES.

Open notepad, then chose all file in type, go found the INFONES.CNF in the PS2NES folder in rev.4. change the y value to 10 and u can name correctly the boot.elf u want to use (look in my tuto what could be a good command).
Save this. Tranfer now all the files in the PS2NES folder in the rev4 in the PS2NES folder created in the MC. (u can use a pendrive or ftp them).

Hope this help.

[neiljames]

slicer74,

I got it work. I think all I needed to do was connect the memory card. Thanx alot slicer74. Now I got one more question... Is it possible load the boot.elf from my USB PenDrive. I don't have an MC Exploit. I use Swap Magice 3.6 and it's ability to load ELF's from the PenDrive. Could I just make the command: mass:/SMBOOT0.ELF? Thanx again for helping me out. And I hoe you can answer my new question. Thanx in advance. Peace

[slicer74]

Humm, go question... try it like that, I know that MC0/MC1 work great.
Good luck.

[neiljames]

Yeah I tried it but to no avail. So I just copied my SMBOOT.ELF to BADATA-SYTEM like you did and it worked flawlessy. Thanx alot for everything. You wrote a very Good and easy to follow Tutorial. Maybe you should edit it tho' and add that in order for the ISO to work that there must be a Memory Card inserted. Thanks again for everything. Cheers.

[@DaNnE@]

I have done som testing, and it seems that the max number of files that can be read in a folder is 97 and not 110. Also, it can only read 72 folders + the PS2NES folder in the root directory. I'm gonna test some more and see if I can get it to read all my folders...

Edit: I found a elf file in the source for rev.4, can anyone tell me what it is for? I've used it and it says rev.2 when i boot though it seems to have all functions that was updated in rev.4. Whats funny is that this elf can read 220 files, I think this is a little weird?

Edit2: After more testing I've found that it can read 218 files/folder. I have no idea how I counted to 97 my first burn. This time I used the compressed elf from the rev.4 download but it also said rev.2 upon boot, though it is rev.4.
Now I think I should be able to get all my 10k+ roms on a disc:)

[remax]

Hi

Anyone call tell me what is the length limitation of the name of the files for the NES browser in dlanor's latest ver. ?

Thanks in advance :)

[slicer74]

Long

[remax]

Long


thanks lol

So you think a standard "GoodNes-isation" of the roms would work?

(ie no need to use the shorter output like Xbox or DC).

[slicer74]

I have over 1500+ NES Roms working without having to change 1 name.
Use with dlanor version (HDLoader) or Kaylakaze version (HDD)

[remax]

thank's. That's what i'm gonna do. But i remembered that if i use Hdloader, i have to make an iso and it has also a limitation... But i can avoid this problem with Nero :)

[slicer74]

Follow my tut to make the good iso.

[remax]

wel it worked with your tutorial, but CDGEn allow only to have 26 chars+3 for the extension... Moreover, no space but underscore and everything in caps...

I tryed to build an iso in joliet (63 chars) but it didn't worked...

I hame going to have a lot of work to change names that are the same when truncated :(

[dlanor]

wel it worked with your tutorial, but CDGEn allow only to have 26 chars+3 for the extension... Moreover, no space but underscore and everything in caps...

I tryed to build an iso in joliet (63 chars) but it didn't worked...

I hame going to have a lot of work to change names that are the same when truncated :(
It's true that cdgenPS2 can't handle lower case or special characters in names, and standard ISO + Joliet is not acceptable to the PS2. But there is a way to get good names in a way acceptable to the PS2 as well, and that is to use the compilation type "CD-ROM (UDF/ISO)" (as presented in Nero). If you try that, you should have better results.

Edit:
I just remembered one more thing you need to be aware of. When saving files to the MC, there is an absolute limit on all file/folder names of 32 characters (incl extensions). This is not a limitation of the emulator, but of the MC filesystem. So if you use very long names and some of them are similar, then there may be confusion about their save files, as the parts of the ROM names that differ may have been truncated for the save names...

Best regards: dlanor

[remax]

thank you, i'll try that and report the result here as it can be interresting for other users ;)

[slicer74]

Thanks for the infos.

[remax]

My first try of an UDF/ISO CD didn't work (BSOD with HDL)...

Well, I'm gonna try again tommorow maybe.

Thanks for the info about the saves on MC... ;)

[remax]

Okay... i've done it... I succeeded in making an UDF/ISO CD with long filenames... At least with only one folder with PD roms inside but with long names.

First report : The names are truncated at 20 chars in the browser...

i have 2 different roms with same truncated name on this screen and it seems to cause a trouble : BSOD when trying to launch one of this two roms...
It's impossible to come back on the menu screen...

If I really pointed out a problem, i understand why my first UDF/ISO CD didn't worked : it has folders with same "20 chars"-truncated names...

EDIT : In fact, it's not the problem has i have others working roms in this case.
So must be emulation related...

Well, i'm gonna try a bigger CD!

[remax]

okay worked like a charm...

I think this can be added to the tutorial ;)

[Coolsaber57]

Hey, can someone reup the INFONES files, they were deleted due to inactivitiy on rapidshare, thanks

[dlanor]

Hey, can someone reup the INFONES files, they were deleted due to inactivitiy on rapidshare, thanks
I'm not sure what files you're talking about, because the InfoNES releases I've made are available right here, in this forum. If you're talking about ROMs though, that's another matter, as keeping them here would be illegal (except for PD freeware stuff, which is rare).

Possibly you just miss seeing the old threads containing release attachments here, because the default display options filter out threads that haven't been updated recently. But you can easily access all threads simply by going to the bottom of a thread list and changing the display option from showing "From the 'Last month'" to showing "From the 'Beginning'", and then click the "Show Threads" button. That will display every single thread in storage for this subforum.

And that includes all the InfoNES releases made here.

Btw: It would be better if some moderator could make the release threads into 'sticky' threads, so they would no longer be subject to that 'update time' limit. If this was the uLE subforum I'd do it myself, but I have no moderator access rights in this one.

Best regards: dlanor

[slicer74]

InfoNES Complete Kit (http://www.4shared.com/file/3657674/d5cf5f02/infones_complete.html)

[snipersnake]

can we play the games off the hdd? i was thinikt to create a folder in my hdd using ps2fpsexplorer..

[slicer74]

There's a version of infones that support the HD.
It was made by kalakazee.

u may found it here (http://www.4shared.com/dir/839414/b1a57bf4/Playstation_Tools.html)

BTW, do not use pfsexplorer.

[Coolsaber57]

Thanks for the hd version, is there any chance that it will be updated anytime soon? I noticed that it's pretty old now.

[slicer74]

Maybe an update later....
Kaylakaze is the creator of the HD version and he's not working on it right now.
dlanor is the creator of the HDLoader version and he's pretty busy with uLaunchELF.

[Z-Saber]

He? I figured kaylakaze was a girl. Guess I was wrong.

[dlanor]

He? I figured kaylakaze was a girl. Guess I was wrong.
No, she is a girl.
It's slicer74 that got it wrong.

Best regards: dlanor

[Z-Saber]

No, she is a girl.
It's slicer74 that got it wrong.

Best regards: dlanorGotcha. It weirded me out thinking there was a guy on here who chose to be known as kayla and had pink stuff everywhere.

[Clutz450]

Is there anyway to customize the gamepad?

[dlanor]

Is there anyway to customize the gamepad?
Not in my revisions, but you can do it in the HDD version by Kaylakaze.

Best regards: dlanor

[lipanz]

are there any usb version of infones?

[slicer74]

No

[lipanz]

oic, then it is impossible to run the roms from my usb hdd?

[Bootlegninja]

oic, then it is impossible to run the roms from my usb hdd?

That is still not possible because a usb hdd would still require usb support from the program, in which there is none.

dlanor's revisions of InfoNES will only run roms from either memory card or cd/dvd.

There is a version that KaylaKaze modified that will run roms from the internal hdd but is limited to drives 127GB or less, located here (http://www.ps2-scene.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35903)

[lipanz]

ooh.
ok then the game can be runs from memory card?
so i just use ulauchELF, and transfer roms from my usb hdd to memory card.
do it require special folder or something? or i can just copy and paste there.

[dlanor]

ooh.
ok then the game can be runs from memory card?
Yes. The InfoNES revisions I've made can load NES ROM files from either MC or CD, though CD requires a modchip (or some swap method).

so i just use ulauchELF, and transfer roms from my usb hdd to memory card.
Yes.

do it require special folder or something? or i can just copy and paste there.
You can place the ROM files anywhere on the MC, and browse to them in the file browser of InfoNES. But since the program will create a folder named "PS2NES", for saving the NES 'battery file', you may as well put your ROM files there too. That is also the folder that will be used for all saves made by InfoNES, both for the main saves of the ROM games, and for the CNF files (useful when you've changed settings).

Also remember that to ensure that the saves made inside the NES game are really saved properly to the MC, you must use the emulator menu (opened by pressing the 'Start' button while playing a ROM), and there use the command "Back to the main menu" before turning off the emulator. It is only when you give that command that the saves are stored on the MC. Such saves will use the same name prefix as the ROM file, but with a suffix of ".srm" instead of ".nes". So if you run a game like "FF3.NES", its save file will be named "FF3.srm".

One more thing to remember about ROM gamesaves is that they only contain what a real NES would have in the save for that game. It's NOT an instant state save. The emulator menu commands for state saves are still NOT implemented. If you forget to save game while playing the ROM, it won't help that you exit properly so that a new ".srm" file is saved, because in such a case it still won't contain your game progress.

If you save a CNF file in the emulator menu, you can later edit that "INFONES.CNF" in the text editor of uLE, to set up some parameters not available in the InfoNES menu.
This includes choosing an ELF path to be used for exiting the program, as well as a default ROM path for auto-loading when starting the emulator. (A nice way to launch your favorite ROM.)

Finally you may want to use uLE to create a valid icon for that PS2NES folder, so that it won't show up as 'corrupted' in the Sony browser. This is done just by browsing to the folder (so you see its contents I mean), and then pressing R1 and using the "New Icon" command. Then you'll be prompted to enter the 'Game title' string you want for this folder, followed by the string you want to be displayed on the icon picture. (Max 8 char width, but with a USB keyboard you can use up to 4 lines, separated by Ctrl-M.)

Best regards: dlanor

[lipanz]

thank you dlanor.. u did done a very good job. thanks for explain to me very detail. i'll enjoy the emulator. this make me remind of my childhood. (^_^)
thank you again.

[lipanz]

dlanor.. sorry for double posting..
i got a problem.ok..
first try
- i copied Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3.nes to MC
- then i run the emulator, when i click on the ROM file, it says "No Roms"
second try
- i renamed it to TMNT3.nes and copied to MC root folder
- then i run the emulator, i cant find TMNT3.nes in the list.. many times tried also got no luck
third try
- i put zip file of TMNT3.zip inside the MC root folder
- then i run the emulator, i also cant find TMNT3.zip in the list. also many times tried.

to make sure the file exist, i did checked with uLE, and the file exist.also with PS2 browser, and the file exist.
why?

[Dazboot]

I made a working ISO no problem and put it on my HDD. InfoNES rev4 loads up fine.

However, I have no idea on the compatibility of InfoNES. All the ROMS I tried had distorted sounds and some froze requiring a reset.

Is this normal? My roms were zipped.

[slicer74]

This infoNES found roms in CD or MC
In order to found the roms in the MC, u have to press start and select the source (if i remember correctly)

Sounds of InfoNES still crap and yes some games are bugging.

No more developpement right now.

[lipanz]

i figured it out..
now can play already..
but it would be great if it has usb support.
now i have to free up some spaces on MC.hehe.. btw, thank you.

[slicer74]

That's why it's easy with HDLoader cause it's support the rom inside the ISO.