Using Flash Drive with ELF Files

[Wiggumon]

I think I had this posted in the wrong forum. This forum seems to be more appropriate. I just deleted the old post and moved it here. I hope that is ok.

Is it possible to boot an ELF (uLaunchELF or MYPS2.ELF) from a USB flash drive? I am using a Memorex 256MB flash drive. My v14 PS2 is modded with the Matrix Infinity (firmware v1.75/ Infinity Manager v.136). Now, I have created a boot disk using the Dev2 install tool version v1.1 and that works fine. My PS2 boots off of that, but I get a message that I don?t have a hard drive installed. I am currently booting uLaunchELF and MYPS2.ELF from MC0 using R1 and R2 respectively, but I have an extra flash drive and I would rather boot off of that. I have been downloading all software from here: http://www.infinitymod.com/cgi-bin/m...inity_software. I am going to get an external hard drive pretty soon and use the other available USB port for that.

Like I stated before, I can run both uLaunchELF or MYPS2.ELF from MC0 and that works just fine. I would rather run them from my USB flash drive though. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[dlanor]

Is it possible to boot an ELF (uLaunchELF or MYPS2.ELF) from a USB flash drive?

No, not directly. No mod chip that I know of allows direct booting of an ELF from a USB device.

I am using a Memorex 256MB flash drive. My v14 PS2 is modded with the Matrix Infinity (firmware v1.75/ Infinity Manager v.136). Now, I have created a boot disk using the Dev2 install tool version v1.1 and that works fine.

The Dev2 installer is intended only for use with an IDE connected HDD. Since you don't mention having such a drive (requires an adaption kit for your v14 PS2), I think you should get some other boot CD. But what I really recommend is to use Dev1 booting (from MC).

I am currently booting uLaunchELF and MYPS2.ELF from MC0 using R1 and R2 respectively, but I have an extra flash drive and I would rather boot off of that.

I don't see why, but the point is moot. There is no such boot mode.

If you absolutely insist you can purchase a SwapMagic boot disc, which will allow you to launch an ELF from a USB device. But its main boot will be from CD, proceeding to load from USB only after loading the SwapMagic program.

I am going to get an external hard drive pretty soon and use the other available USB port for that.

Sorry, but I don't think so...
Current mass drivers only support a single USB storage device. I myself have both a flash memory and a USB HDD, and both work fine with the softwares, but only one at a time. Using both simultaneously doesn't work.

So I use the second USB connector for a USB keyboard instead, as that doesn't cause any such driver conflict (because it's not a storage device).

Like I stated before, I can run both uLaunchELF or MYPS2.ELF from MC0 and that works just fine. I would rather run them from my USB flash drive though. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I strongly recommend that you boot uLaunchELF from MC, since it is rather compact in size. With CNFs and a normal MC icon setup added, it still weighs in at a scant 254 KB (packed version of v3.41s), which is a far lower cost than for any other comparable program. I keep it installed on all my MCs.

IMHO, MyPS2 is still in too early a stage of development to warrant using it as your main system tool. Maybe later, but not just yet... It is also a lot more 'bloated' than uLaunchELF, so if you need more MC space, MyPS2 is the one to remove.

Best regards: dlanor

[Wiggumon]

Thanks for the response dlanor. It was very complete and it cleared up a lot of questions I had. I'll just stick with running uLaunchELF from MC0. It's not really that big of a deal and I still have plenty of space on that card. Looks like I'll be removing myPS2 until it gets a new release in the future.

I also didn't realize that I couldn't use a flash drive and an external USB HDD at the same time. Do you store your games and play them of the USB HDD? If so, do you use USBExtreme or some other software? Anyhow, thanks again for clearing up my questions.

-Wiggumon

[dlanor]

I also didn't realize that I couldn't use a flash drive and an external USB HDD at the same time. Do you store your games and play them of the USB HDD?

I have done so, but USB is too slow for that to work well. With my old PS2 I didn't have much choice though, as it refused to read DVD discs (half-dead laser), and some games just don't work with HDLoader. But some of those games do work from USB, so I installed them on the USB HDD.

If so, do you use USBExtreme or some other software?

Both in one, sort of. I use USBAdvance which is the 'rip-off' version of USBExtreme.

Anyhow, thanks again for clearing up my questions.

You're welcome.

Best regards: dlanor