problem booting PSX backups on PS2

[senzer]

Hi I cannot get any PSX backups to load

I have FMCB on a phat psx it's scph-50003 model so should work

have PSXLoader elf (or whatever its called) installed can make it start with the old R1 trigger but all games just blackscreen

Method Power on with a retail PSX game inside Hold R1 reach PSXLauncher screen Disc stops spinning by itself I put in backup press X The disc spins, but all I get is a blackscreen I have tried two different backups, I even converted one to PAL to see if that was the issue, but no luck

Any help please Thanks

[senzer]

Sorry for lack of punctuation, but it kept saying I was posting links - zzzz !

[DemonicStrife]

You need to use a retail game that contains a large amount of data. PSXLauncher reads the header info from the PS1 game and launches the backup using it.

[senzer]

ugh really? I'm using F1 98 lol, found it in a charity shop nearby. got scalped for it though, £2!

So err... are you sure it's that? :-(

[SP193]

ugh really? I'm using F1 98 lol, found it in a charity shop nearby. got scalped for it though, £2!

So err... are you sure it's that? :-(

You need a genuine Playstation game, and it must be meant for your PS2's region code.
E.g. If your console is a PAL console, it will only boot PAL Playstation games. If it's a NTSC-J console, it will only boot Japanese NTSC-J discs. USA consoles (NTSC-U) will only boot NTSC-U games.

PSXLauncher does something like what Swapmagic does:
1. Trick the Playstation 2's drive MECHAnics CONtroller (MECHACON) into thinking that a Playstation disc is inserted (And was never exchanged for an 'illegal' disc).
2. Stops the CD/DVD drive for you to swap the discs.

You need to swap the discs without just pressing the eject button to eject the drive tray (Or for slimlines - without triggering the drive door's sensors). Hitting the eject button will let the MECHACON know that the disc was swapped and it will re-check the disc's type and region.

So yes, you need more than just PSXlauncher and any old Playstation game.

EDIT: And oh - please do not use cheap discs if you value your console's laser! If I remember correctly, Sony CD-Rs are the best. If your console can't seem to get a good grip on the disc and makes a horrible scrapping sound, add some tape to the centre of the disc to make the disc thicker.

If you can't get it to work, try using Sony CD-Rs. It's the same as using ESR: If you use cheap discs or your game isn't burned properly, it might not boot properly.

[senzer]

Thanks for the reply - Sorry, I wasn't very clear about my set up
I have softmodded my PS2 with FMCB, and I also have the cover off allowing easy swapping

The PSX game (F1 98) that I'm using is indeed a PAL game, just like my console

Weirdly enough, I am burning my PSX backups onto sony cd-rs - I am burning these at 4x, with still no difference, still no booting

I'm unsure where my method is coming unstuck - guess I will have to keep trying everything till I can narrow it down!


thanks for the help SP193 and DemonicStrife

[SP193]

Thanks for the reply - Sorry, I wasn't very clear about my set up
I have softmodded my PS2 with FMCB, and I also have the cover off allowing easy swapping

The PSX game (F1 98) that I'm using is indeed a PAL game, just like my console

Weirdly enough, I am burning my PSX backups onto sony cd-rs - I am burning these at 4x, with still no difference, still no booting

I'm unsure where my method is coming unstuck - guess I will have to keep trying everything till I can narrow it down!


thanks for the help SP193 and DemonicStrife

Burning at a lower speed is only useful for those drives that cannot burn discs properly at higher speeds. Try something closer to the full speed, and update your drive's firmware.

You might also want to try using a different computer, just in case your computer has a problem with burning discs properly.

Oh yea - when you backup your Playstation games, always use BIN/CUE and never just ISO! Playstation CD-ROMs might not have a sector size (data area) of 2048 bytes, so the standard ISO9660 MODE1/2048 will break your game.

[senzer]

well, I got it working. but with a different method

i booted psxloader with a ps1 game, pressed X, got to the ps1 logo, swapped discs, and it worked

all the discs I burnt work with this method

so why doesn't psxloader itself work?

[SP193]

well, I got it working. but with a different method

i booted psxloader with a ps1 game, pressed X, got to the ps1 logo, swapped discs, and it worked

all the discs I burnt work with this method

so why doesn't psxloader itself work?

It is probably because of something you did while swapping the discs.... either because the console was unable to read the disc or became aware that the disc was not a pressed Sony Playstation disc.

What do you mean by you "had the cover off"? Did you really mean that you removed the cover of the PS2 and opened up the CD/DVD drive? D:

If yes, then maybe that is the problem. The top of the drive is required to press the disc flat onto the rotor, so that the disc will spin properly when the rotor spins. If that comes loose, the drive won't work properly.