FMCB Installs fine, bugs on boot! [SCPH-70004 Modded]

[Jeffijoe]

Okay, I installed FMCB fine via a burned CD, no errors at all, it took about 1-2 minutes to install.

My problem is: Whenever I start my PS2, the Free McBoot logo pops up for about 4 secs, disappears for a few secs, and boots whatever disc in the drive. Now, if there is nothing in the drive, the FMCB logo appears (4 secs), disappears(few secs), appears(4 secs), disappears(few secs), appears, disappears, ........

... appears, disappears, appears, disappears, I get pissed, and turns it off.

What am I doing wrong?


Info:

Slim PAL PS2 Modded (I dont know which chip it has, dad got it modded for me, he knows nothing either, works like a charm though)
SCPH-70004
FMCB 1.8 installed on the Sony 8MB MC that ships with the PS2 (I formated it)


Also, not really FMCB related, but..

I included a CODEBREAKER_V10.ELF in the INSTALL folder when I installed FMCB. I got into uLE thru the FMCB configurator from the install menu, and tried to boot Codebreaker's ELF from there. It appears like its going to boot, but then my screen says "No sync" like it would if I had my PS2 turned off, although its still on? I also tried to burn a Codebreaker 10 ISO to a DVD, booted it, and the same happend: No Sync. Whats wrong there? :O

Also, just to test, I booted SMS from uLE, and it worked fine..

Thanks people!

[TehJawknee]

Try doing just a simple Noobie Package install. You might be trying to overload it with stuff that's incompatible. Also, there are instances that if there is a usb drive plugged in, it will do that.

Make sure there is no CD in the drive when you test. If it still does this, use a music CD and let it boot to disc, then back out using O. I've had this problem when I tried using programs that weren't completely compatible with my console. I tried a different version of said program and it would work fine.

But for testing purposes, format the drive with the FMCB installer tool, install using the multi-version option and just leave the Noobie Package as is (uLE, ESR, SMS, FMCBConfig) since you can add the other ELF files on your own later.

Edit: If all else fails... disable your modchip. There should be instructions online for different chips. I'm sure if you disable it, it will boot up as normal FMCB and you can troubleshoot from there.

[Jeffijoe]

Try doing just a simple Noobie Package install. You might be trying to overload it with stuff that's incompatible. Also, there are instances that if there is a usb drive plugged in, it will do that.

Make sure there is no CD in the drive when you test. If it still does this, use a music CD and let it boot to disc, then back out using O. I've had this problem when I tried using programs that weren't completely compatible with my console. I tried a different version of said program and it would work fine.

But for testing purposes, format the drive with the FMCB installer tool, install using the multi-version option and just leave the Noobie Package as is (uLE, ESR, SMS, FMCBConfig) since you can add the other ELF files on your own later.

Edit: If all else fails... disable your modchip. There should be instructions online for different chips. I'm sure if you disable it, it will boot up as normal FMCB and you can troubleshoot from there.

Cheers mate.

Hmm, I didnt have any USB stuff connected. Would it help if I remove the CB from the mc0:\ dir, or would I have to do a complete reinstall?

But yeah, it appears CB is incompatible. But I dunno how to disable my chip. And I dunno which one it is.

[dlanor]

Cheers mate.

Hmm, I didnt have any USB stuff connected. Would it help if I remove the CB from the mc0:\ dir, or would I have to do a complete reinstall?

But yeah, it appears CB is incompatible. But I dunno how to disable my chip. And I dunno which one it is.

Even so, I believe it is the modchip that messes things up for you. Possibly it changes the disc detection (all modchips do something like that) and does it in such a way as to make FMCB believe there is a disc in tray even when it is empty. And that explains its eternal cycle of disc boot retries that forced you to turn the console off to stop it.

But there are ways of configuring FMCB to ignore any disc in tray, and you can also make it boot directly into a homebrew program such as uLE. This will then also allow you to start PS2 games from the disc tray, by using the uLE command "MISC/PS2Disc" (easily bound to a uLE shortcut button).

To do this, you first need to regain homebrew control of the console after booting it through FMCB, and this is easiest done by using a boot disc for uLE, such as you can download ISOs for from the main uLE thread. Possibly you already have such a disc, depending on what method you used for installing FMCB.

Even in its current state, your FMCB setup should be able to boot such a disc, and then you can use uLE to launch the FMCB configurator stored as "mc0:/SYS-CONF/FMCB_CFG.ELF" on your memory card.

There the main configuration you need to do is to turn "FastBoot: OFF" on the first page, and also use the command "Configure E1 launch keys..." to reach a submenu where you should use the topmost "Auto" setting to select "mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF", but you should start that command by pressing the 'Square' button with the "Auto" entry selected, so that the elf path is saved in a form allowing search on either MC (so it will work with that MC in either slot).

Then you should back out of the submenu and use the command "Save CNF to MC0" (assuming you now have the MC in the first slot).

On subsequent boots FMCB should launch uLE from MC directly after showing the FMCB splash screen, regardless of whether any disc is in the tray or not. This is how I always boot my own FMCB consoles, both an unmodded v15 slim and a v7 fat PS2 modded with DMS4pro (though I also use Dev1 booting with this one at times).

Best regards: dlanor

[Jeffijoe]

Even so, I believe it is the modchip that messes things up for you. Possibly it changes the disc detection (all modchips do something like that) and does it in such a way as to make FMCB believe there is a disc in tray even when it is empty. And that explains its eternal cycle of disc boot retries that forced you to turn the console off to stop it.

But there are ways of configuring FMCB to ignore any disc in tray, and you can also make it boot directly into a homebrew program such as uLE. This will then also allow you to start PS2 games from the disc tray, by using the uLE command "MISC/PS2Disc" (easily bound to a uLE shortcut button).

To do this, you first need to regain homebrew control of the console after booting it through FMCB, and this is easiest done by using a boot disc for uLE, such as you can download ISOs for from the main uLE thread. Possibly you already have such a disc, depending on what method you used for installing FMCB.

Even in its current state, your FMCB setup should be able to boot such a disc, and then you can use uLE to launch the FMCB configurator stored as "mc0:/SYS-CONF/FMCB_CFG.ELF" on your memory card.

There the main configuration you need to do is to turn "FastBoot: OFF" on the first page, and also use the command "Configure E1 launch keys..." to reach a submenu where you should use the topmost "Auto" setting to select "mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF", but you should start that command by pressing the 'Square' button with the "Auto" entry selected, so that the elf path is saved in a form allowing search on either MC (so it will work with that MC in either slot).

Then you should back out of the submenu and use the command "Save CNF to MC0" (assuming you now have the MC in the first slot).

On subsequent boots FMCB should launch uLE from MC directly after showing the FMCB splash screen, regardless of whether any disc is in the tray or not. This is how I always boot my own FMCB consoles, both an unmodded v15 slim and a v7 fat PS2 modded with DMS4pro (though I also use Dev1 booting with this one at times).

Best regards: dlanor

Well, the way I am booting uLE right now, is thru the FMCB install disc, where I go to 'fmcb configurator', and from there I go to uLE. It appears I have a Crystal Chip, since I have a sticker on my PS2 saying so.

To make a long story short; What I have to do, is get into the Configurator, and do the tweaks you stated above, correct? And it has nothing to do with incompatible codebreaker elf or anything? (since then I would have to make a new disc)

EDIT: Well, by setting the Auto to uLE, then how will that get my FMCB browser to work?

[dlanor]

Well, the way I am booting uLE right now, is thru the FMCB install disc, where I go to 'fmcb configurator', and from there I go to uLE.

Well, that is one way of doing it, as long as you end up in uLE it doesn't really matter which disc you use. Just don't use the wrong menu command in the installer, so you reformat the MC instead of launching uLE.

It appears I have a Crystal Chip, since I have a sticker on my PS2 saying so.

That would be a pretty strong indication of the chip type, yes...
But unfortunately I am not qualified to advise you on CC specifics, as I never had such a chip and yet know that it does various things differently from all other chips in existence.

You need advice from someone who knows CC chips from experience, unlike me.
Possibly it is one of its unique features that is giving you trouble.

To make a long story short; What I have to do, is get into the Configurator, and do the tweaks you stated above, correct? And it has nothing to do with incompatible codebreaker elf or anything? (since then I would have to make a new disc)

I don't see what CodeBreaker has to do with any of this. It is not in any way involved in the normal booting of either FMCB or uLE.

Configured as I say the console should boot uLE, but this is still subject to modchip interference. If the modchip completely inhibits FMCB code from running, then no normal configuration of FMCB can change that. (Such CNF only has effect when FMCB IS running.)

EDIT: Well, by setting the Auto to uLE, then how will that get my FMCB browser to work?

That in itself may not suffice. That is why I also told you to disable the "Fastboot" option, if enabled now. (Because Fastboot of disc when present overrides the auto-launch elf choice. And with the modchip action your console always sees disc as present, apparently.)

The main reason why such a config could help you boot properly is because it causes the disc tray to be ignored, regardless of whether it has a disc in it or not. And you can then choose either to let FMCB boot uLE, or to go to the OSDMENU (if you defined an FMCB shortcut for that).

But as long as you leave it with default configs FMCB will always attempt to boot a disc if present in the tray, which your chip apparently simulates even when that tray is empty. (judging from your earlier report) So the only way to solve the problem is to configure FMCB to ignore the disc tray.

Best regards: dlanor