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[tercero]

How do you match the elf loader (whatever you want to call it) to your mod chip?

[dlanor]

I have an SCPH39001 that I installed a mod chip in back in '01. We've had a lot of fun playing this system, but, in the last few years the dvd drive stopped working correctly. So, I cleaned the laser, realigned it, adjusted the height. And it never helped. It got to the point we couldn't use/boot the games, and we have lots of backups so I decided about a month ago to find a network/hdd adapter for it. I had a spare Maxtor Diamond Plus 9 60GB ATA/133 HDD that fit into the molex perfectly. So.... now I'm confused. After doing quite a bit googling, I still haven't found how to really get going with this. I have hdl_dumx 0.8.6 which I was going to use to format the drive and install the games after I converted them to ISO's (can I do that from the computer and load them onto the hdd via a usb drive enclosure).

Yes, WinHIIP is the best program for handling installation of HDL games on an HDD connected to a PC, either by IDE interface or by USB adaptor/enclosure. This is the best way to install many games in one sitting, but for single games I prefer to leave the HDD in the PS2 and do the installation over network instead (so still not using the CDVD drive of the PS2 for it).

But I'm not sure how to actually boot them.

The best way is to boot the console into some generic homebrew which allows you to choose what to do next, with one of those choices being to launch the HDLoader elf file so you can launch one of your installed games. But there are also many other things you can do with various homebrew programs (including the SMS media player and some other-console emulators).

I need and ELF boot loader of some sorts, and since I can't use the dvd drive anymore (but it will read cd's flawlessly) I was hoping to find some sort of util that booted the system from the memory card. Am I doing this right? Is there a "this is how you do this and this and this" steps available? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

What you need is called FMCB == "Free MC Boot", and if you search for that acronym you will find tons of information, both on this site and elsewhere on Internet.

FMCB has its own subforum here, inside the Homebrew/Dev forum, and there you can find links to lots of information and even a group of volunteers who will do the installation for you, free of charge except that you pay the postage and packaging both ways.

FMCB must be installed using the MC on which it is to run, as the boot system relies on an ID code unique to each MC, so FMCB files installed on one MC will not work if copied to another. But once you have FMCB running you can use the FMCB intaller to install it on as many new MCs as you please, without needing anyone else's help.

Best regards: dlanor

[dlanor]

How do you match the elf loader (whatever you want to call it) to your mod chip?

I had already replied to your original post, when I found that you had changed it to the text I quote immediately above. A text which I have no clue as to what it means...

What elf loader ?
What mod chip ? (You just mentioned that it existed, but never what it really was.)
What are you talking about ?

You seem to assume that we were all with you when you were doing something that you never described here. Be specific and include all relevant details on what you are talking about, if you want any meaningful answers.

Your 'edit' comment says that you found your own answer, but we have no idea what that was...

I'm letting my earlier reply remain unchanged as I still think it provides the best solution to your originally stated problem.

Best regards: dlanor

[tercero]

Sorry 'bout that (editing my original post). Ok, I downloaded WinHIIP and and the bootloader Hdloader 8.c. Works flawlessly. I formatted the drive and copied some of my discs onto it. I used the bin/cue of HDloader 8.c and burned that onto CD. System boots perfectly and I'm able to play games from the hdd. I was wondering if there was loader that I could boot from memory card instead of using a disc, but you know it doesn't really matter since this works so well.

Thanks for the concise answers, it's easier than I thought it would be.

T.