Booting ELFs with Swapmagic 3.6 on a SCPH-10000 console

[SP193]

I'm considering whether I should risk everything and get that 10K console that's sitting at the Cash Converters (2nd-hand dealer) near my home here.
It's probably unmodified (They didn't know whether it's modified , and I forgot to look at the warranty sticker at the bottom of it ).

I know that my FMCB installation on my MC that was done with my SCPH-77006 will probably not work on that console, as the 10K is missing some files in it's ROM chip.

I have my Swapmagic 3.6 discs (NTSC-J CD and DVD discs), but I need to know whether I can launch the FMCB 1.8b installer with it (Via USB disk).
I'm worried that Swapmagic 3.6 will just crash if I try, and leaving me with a 88SGD white elephant in my home.

So has anyone here managed to use Swapmagic 3.6, and launch any homebrew software off a USB device with it? It seems like SM 3.6 will allow SCPH-1x000 users to swap their discs, but nobody said whether it can launch ELFs off a USB device properly on such a console.

I don't think that I can use the independence exploit, because I don't have a legit PS1 disc (I don't think that any of my friends have one either).

I don't fancy opening that console up either (To swap discs).... for personal reasons.
I'm getting this console for programming purposes, and because I simply like collecting "rare" stuff, especially stuff made in Japan .

Another thing: Since the slide card trick exists, and works for most SCPH-3x00x consoles, does it work on the 10K too (Does it have that "white arm")?

EDIT: I took the plunge, and got that 10K.

Swapmagic 3.6 does load up.... but somehow I can't seem to launch any of my homebrew ELFs off my USB stick (Nothing happens.... the screen doesn't even flicker).

[TnA]

Hey, Spartan/SP193.

You have FMCB installed on MC?
You have a SYS-CONF-Folder?
You have the X-Modules on a USB-Device?
Then copy them to the SYS-CONF-Folder and all should be fine.

No need to re-install FMCB, thought (and you should be able to use your normal "environment" to start your ELFs...).

[SP193]

Hey, Spartan/SP193.

Hi.

You have FMCB installed on MC?

Yup. It's FMCB 1.8b, and was installed with my SCPH-77006 slimline. It's a Singapore/HK model.

You have a SYS-CONF-Folder?

On the Memory Card where FMCB's installed on? Yes.

You have the X-Modules on a USB-Device?

No, but I've got them on my HDD from a dump of my SCPH-77006's BIOS.

Then copy them to the SYS-CONF-Folder and all should be fine.

It's that simple?!
I didn't expect that it was possible to convert a FMCB installation that was done with a SCPH-xxxxx6 console to an installation that would work on a SCPH-1x000 console that easily!

So let me get this straight: All I have to do to get my existing FMCB installation to work with this 10K is to just add the X-modules into the SYS-CONF folder?

No need to re-install FMCB, thought (and you should be able to use your normal "environment" to start your ELFs...).

I'll try that then.
Thanks!

EDIT: I tried that - and like before... the 10K doesn't even seem to load the FMCB files (It just boots directly into the OSD - as if I didn't insert my MC with FMCB on it).

[TnA]

Hi.

Yup. It's FMCB 1.8b, and was installed with my SCPH-77006 slimline. It's a Singapore/HK model.

Ah, I guess I missed that.
Then there might be a MG-Region-Conflict, or your PS2 stores the MC-Update in another folder.

On the Memory Card where FMCB's installed on? Yes.

No, but I've got them on my HDD from a dump of my SCPH-77006's BIOS.

Then that would be all you need to do, if your current FMCB-Install (the osdmain.elf/MC-KELF) would be compatible to SCPH-xxx00-Models (correct folder on MC and correct MC-KELF encrption+MCID-Signing).

It's that simple?!
I didn't expect that it was possible to convert a FMCB installation that was done with a SCPH-xxxxx6 console to an installation that would work on a SCPH-1x000 console that easily!

Well a cross-region-install will not be that easy, thought...
There is a chance, if the KELF is encrypted in the same way as a JAP-PS2 but I think it was different in this case.

So let me get this straight: All I have to do to get my existing FMCB installation to work with this 10K is to just add the X-modules into the SYS-CONF folder?

If the FMCB-Updatefiles a.k.a. the "FMCB-Loader" can be decrypted, that would suffice yes, but in your case it is not enough.

I'll try that then.
Thanks!

EDIT: I tried that - and like before... the 10K doesn't even seem to load the FMCB files (It just boots directly into the OSD - as if I didn't insert my MC with FMCB on it).

This indicates that it can't even find the MC-Update-Files, else it would loop in a black-screen if the decryption fails.
In which folder are your osdxxx-files installed to?
If it isn't the same like on JAP-Models, try to create a corresponding folder (I guess BIEXEC-SYSTEM, or was it BJEXEC-SYSTEM??) I'm not entirely sure yet and a bit stoned.

[SP193]

Ah, I guess I missed that.
Then there might be a MG-Region-Conflict, or your PS2 stores the MC-Update in another folder.

From what I understand about how FMCB is installed.... I guess that it might be both in this case.

Then that would be all you need to do, if your current FMCB-Install (the osdmain.elf/MC-KELF) would be compatible to SCPH-xxx00-Models (correct folder on MC and correct MC-KELF encrption+MCID-Signing).

Doesn't this mean that I'll have to find a way to install FMCB for this 10K console in order to have those files signed correctly for use on that SCPH-10000 console? Oh well....

Well a cross-region-install will not be that easy, thought...
There is a chance, if the KELF is encrypted in the same way as a JAP-PS2 but I think it was different in this case.

If the FMCB-Updatefiles a.k.a. the "FMCB-Loader" can be decrypted, that would suffice yes, but in your case it is not enough.

It's a pity that Sony really likes to make life tough for all of us by encrypting their all their update files....

This indicates that it can't even find the MC-Update-Files, else it would loop in a black-screen if the decryption fails.
In which folder are your osdxxx-files installed to?
If it isn't the same like on JAP-Models, try to create a corresponding folder (I guess BIEXEC-SYSTEM, or was it BJEXEC-SYSTEM??) I'm not entirely sure yet and a bit stoned.

You're right.
I had totally forgot that my Singapore consoles were "abominations" of an American and Japanese console.

They have a NTSC-J region lock, the only selectable languages for the UI were traditional Chinese and English, and the copyright text on the Playstation emulation bootup screen said "(C)SCEA" instead of "(C)SCEI".

My SCPH-77006 and SCPH-39006 store their update files in a folder named "BAEXEC-SYSTEM".... so that 10K would never find any updates for it (I remember that Japanese consoles would look for updates in "BIEXEC-SYSTEM" instead).

Looks like I've got to find a NTSC-J Playstation disc to trigger the independence exploit... so that I can re-install FMCB for this console .

Luckly... I've found one guy who owns some Playstation discs.... but I remembered that he said that they were silver Playstation discs (So they may be actually bootleg discs, and may never boot on my console).

[TnA]

From what I understand about how FMCB is installed.... I guess that it might be both in this case.

Yes, probably.
Neverless, it won't hurt if you try to create a BIEXEC-SYSTEM-Folder 'per hand' and copy the osdxxx-files (or atleast the few the 10K searches for) to it.

If they use the JAP-MG00-Encryption, it should work...
You also can find that out by looking at installed the MC-KELF itself and which letter it uses in it's letter.

l.olivera posted some info about it.

Doesn't this mean that I'll have to find a way to install FMCB for this 10K console in order to have those files signed correctly for use on that SCPH-10000 console? Oh well....

Well, the 'mc-signing' is dependent on the used DVDELF and the MC/MC-Hardware-ID.

If someone would make some experiments with the 'same-sized' DVDELFs (byte-wise) on different MG-Regions, but with the same MC he/she might find another key within the process to finally be more flexible in MC-KELF-size [*hint* ] (so it could vary) and we won't need to care about different loader-compressions, loading-times, feature-request that much...


To answer your question shortly:
Maybe you must find a way to install it from this 10K directly, but it might work if the encryption of the osdmain.elf/MC-KELF is the same for your 06-Model, like for the 00-Models.

It's a pity that Sony really likes to make life tough for all of us by encrypting their all their update files....

Yai! Sony = Evil

You're right.
I had totally forgot that my Singapore consoles were "abominations" of an American and Japanese console.

They have a NTSC-J region lock, the only selectable languages for the UI were traditional Chinese and English, and the copyright text on the Playstation emulation bootup screen said "(C)SCEA" instead of "(C)SCEI".

My SCPH-77006 and SCPH-39006 store their update files in a folder named "BAEXEC-SYSTEM".... so that 10K would never find any updates for it (I remember that Japanese consoles would look for updates in "BIEXEC-SYSTEM" instead).

Looks like I've got to find a NTSC-J Playstation disc to trigger the independence exploit... so that I can re-install FMCB for this console .

Luckly... I've found one guy who owns some Playstation discs.... but I remembered that he said that they were silver Playstation discs (So they may be actually bootleg discs, and may never boot on my console).

The fastest thing, you could try is copying all osdxxx-files from your BAEXEC-SYSTEM-Folder also to a BIEXEC-SYSTEM-Folder, with uLE and putting that MC back on the 10K.

[SP193]

Yes, probably.
Neverless, it won't hurt if you try to create a BIEXEC-SYSTEM-Folder 'per hand' and copy the osdxxx-files (or atleast the few the 10K searches for) to it.

If they use the JAP-MG00-Encryption, it should work...
You also can find that out by looking at installed the MC-KELF itself and which letter it uses in it's letter.

l.olivera posted some info about it.

I tried renaming my BA*-SYSTEM folders to BI*-SYSTEM.... but the 10K still doesn't even seem to attempt to boot FMCB.

Maybe I really don't have a choice, but to borrow/buy a Playstation disc to invoke the Independence exploit.

To answer your question shortly:
Maybe you must find a way to install it from this 10K directly, but it might work if the encryption of the osdmain.elf/MC-KELF is the same for your 06-Model, like for the 00-Models.

I tried that (As stated above), but the 10K doesn't even seem to try to load FMCB (It just immediately boots to the OSD on power-on, as if I didn't plug in my Memory Card).

So either my SCPH-xx006 consoles really use a different Magicgate region code.... and/or the filename of the OSD update for the 10K isn't the same as the one used by my other consoles (Meaning either it'll never work, or more work needs to be done).

On the up side.... I managed to re-claim about 2MB by reinstalling FMCB with my SCPH-77006 console (Slimlines would create smaller FMCB installations compared to their bigger counterparts).

[TnA]

I tried renaming my BA*-SYSTEM folders to BI*-SYSTEM.... but the 10K still doesn't even seem to attempt to boot FMCB.

Indeed, that is .
Is your FMCB-MC a 'Multi-Install'ed one?
If it would find the mc-update but couldn't decrypt it, it normally should restart the PS2 (if the 1?Ks do not act differently there then newer models...) and then loop on BSOD, because it continiously would fail on decrypting the MC-KELF.

Maybe I really don't have a choice, but to borrow/buy a Playstation disc to invoke the Independence exploit.

Maybe yes,... It's sad, but you might get a hold of a JAP-Import-Game which helps you in doing this task.

There are also some problems documented in various thread about the PS1-Exploit and problems on the 10k-Models, so you might need to search for those threads, after getting a JAP-PS1-Game.

I tried that (As stated above), but the 10K doesn't even seem to try to load FMCB (It just immediately boots to the OSD on power-on, as if I didn't plug in my Memory Card).

Again I have to ask, if it is a Multi-Install-FMCB.
It just seems, that it couldn't find the files.
(You also can get the path from a BIOS-Dump.)

I guess, simply renaming the folder doesn't have the wanted effect.
Maybe a custom created folder with all osd-files copied by uLE would have been a better choice,...

So either my SCPH-xx006 consoles really use a different Magicgate region code.... and/or the filename of the OSD update for the 10K isn't the same as the one used by my other consoles (Meaning either it'll never work, or more work needs to be done).

I think, it is the second which is the problem to resolve yet and then problem 1 might occur, after Problem 2 is cured...
This is, when your PS2 stucks/loops on BSOD when your MC is inserted.

On the up side.... I managed to re-claim about 2MB by reinstalling FMCB with my SCPH-77006 console (Slimlines would create smaller FMCB installations compared to their bigger counterparts).

Yepp,...
You also could have used the small 75KB-DVDELFs 'DVDPLX' (where X is the letter of the region), which are dumps from a slim and are useful if you install it on a FAT-PS2 and you want to keep the 'space-waste' low...

[SP193]

Indeed, that is .
Is your FMCB-MC a 'Multi-Install'ed one?
If it would find the mc-update but couldn't decrypt it, it normally should restart the PS2 (if the 1?Ks do not act differently there then newer models...) and then loop on BSOD, because it continiously would fail on decrypting the MC-KELF.

No, I don't think that my FMCB installation used at that time when I tested the 10K was a "Multi-installation" version (I can't remember, but it seems like the installation was a normal installation that was done with my SCPH-39006 PS2....).

But the new installation of FMCB certainly isn't the "Multi-installation" type.

Maybe yes,... It's sad, but you might get a hold of a JAP-Import-Game which helps you in doing this task.

There are also some problems documented in various thread about the PS1-Exploit and problems on the 10k-Models, so you might need to search for those threads, after getting a JAP-PS1-Game.

Thankfully... I've found a shop that still had a few NTSC-J Playstation discs left (They're imported from Japan... but not foreign to the local consoles here).

It's odd... but we have NTSC-J consoles in this country that uses English for almost anything (Japanese isn't a understood language here), and they sell NTSC-U/C and PAL games here. Not to mentioned that it's now illegal since ~2008 to modify $ony consoles here!!

Again I have to ask, if it is a Multi-Install-FMCB.
It just seems, that it couldn't find the files.
(You also can get the path from a BIOS-Dump.)

I suppose that I need to find out how the console determines the update searching path first... from Google!

I guess, simply renaming the folder doesn't have the wanted effect.
Maybe a custom created folder with all osd-files copied by uLE would have been a better choice,...

Hmm... with all that trouble required... I think that I should just pick up one of those NTSC-J discs from that store that's about 20 minutes away from my home by train.

I think, it is the second which is the problem to resolve yet and then problem 1 might occur, after Problem 2 is cured...
This is, when your PS2 stucks/loops on BSOD when your MC is inserted.

I think that I've made up my mind. I'll just buy one of those discs.
My friend doesn't seem to be able to meet up with me.... and I don't want to wait much longer.

Yepp,...
You also could have used the small 75KB-DVDELFs 'DVDPLX' (where X is the letter of the region), which are dumps from a slim and are useful if you install it on a FAT-PS2 and you want to keep the 'space-waste' low...

Yea... but when I installed FMCB over the original installation that was done by my SCPH-77006 in 2009.... I had no idea that FAT PS2s would create such large installations!!

[TnA]

No, I don't think that my FMCB installation used at that time when I tested the 10K was a "Multi-installation" version (I can't remember, but it seems like the installation was a normal installation that was done with my SCPH-39006 PS2....).

That atleast would explain, why it doesn't even find the MC-Update.

But the new installation of FMCB certainly isn't the "Multi-installation" type.

Why not?
Are there any pro's of using a 'Normal-Install'? ...beside the fact, that a Multi-Install' doesn't work properly in a few rare occations/with some Clone-MCs.

Thankfully... I've found a shop that still had a few NTSC-J Playstation discs left (They're imported from Japan... but not foreign to the local consoles here).

It's odd... but we have NTSC-J consoles in this country that uses English for almost anything (Japanese isn't a understood language here), and they sell NTSC-U/C and PAL games here. Not to mentioned that it's now illegal since ~2008 to modify $ony consoles here!!

Hence, it is good that there is FMCB available since 2k8, right?

I suppose that I need to find out how the console determines the update searching path first... from Google!

I thought it could be found using a HEX-Edit and an unpacked "OSDSYS" from a 10k.

Hmm... with all that trouble required... I think that I should just pick up one of those NTSC-J discs from that store that's about 20 minutes away from my home by train.

I would do it that way in any case, if you can get a PS1-JAP for cheap.
Even thought, it (previously described method of copying the MC-KELF to another folder) might still work and it would be interesting to know, if the 00-Region and 06-Region are compatible to/with each other.

I think that I've made up my mind. I'll just buy one of those discs.
My friend doesn't seem to be able to meet up with me.... and I don't want to wait much longer.

It still would be interesting to me, if the MC-KELF-Encryption&Signing is the same for those models.

Yea... but when I installed FMCB over the original installation that was done by my SCPH-77006 in 2009.... I had no idea that FAT PS2s would create such large installations!!

Well, but then the FMCB-Setup would already have used the small DVDELF, because if you install it from a slim there are only the small DVDELFs available (for MC-KELF-Creation), then you wouldn't have gained any space now.