Ar Max Sucks!

[andybrice]

I bought an AR MAX and spent the last two evenings trying to get it to load an update...

1) It refuses to connect via my ADSL router WHATEVER I do, despite the fact that I have tried every conceivable option. I know what my IP addresses etc should be as I have used the Sony Network disc and this works. I've also connected via my PC using uLaunchELF so my LAN is fine.

2) The update via CD method doesn't work either as the program freezes or ignores the CD when its loaded. Got a bin full of coasters to show for this! The website instructions are not very clear and even when followed to the letter it still fails.

3) Update via USB gets ignored too and the Max Memory Manager simply says my drive is empty despite the codelist.bin file being there.

3) The MaxDrivePS2 software doesn't recognise either of my burners, Sony CRX300 or NEC ND2510A, despite both being common and not the latest models out. Best I could do was export a disc image and write with Nero.

4) Codejunkies tech support... 'sorry sir we don't know what is wrong' Duh, its your product... HOW ABOUT ACTUALLY DEVELOPING IT BEFORE SELLING TO THE PUBLIC!!!

I am seriously unimpressed with this purchase and even more so when I think of all the free stuff I've downloaded from this forum, which works great. I can feel an eBay auction coming on... if it doesn't end up in the bin first.

[Dis]

yea i bought it too and i hate the loading time just so it can play it's cheesy lounge music and pointless interface.it crashes when i try to delete files on my mc and is otherwise useless to me except for the fact that i can transfer saves for games i don't care to beat and i can boot backups ^_^

[andybrice]

Oh well, at least I'm not alone!

Its annoying when companies get away with selling products that are poorly developed, especially in a market like PS2 where many of the customers will be young kids.

I like to think I'm pretty handy at sorting tech stuff out but this plainly is full of bugs - don't get me started on the cheesy music... if I hear that just one more time

[SubZero06]

lol. sucks for u guys...my ar max works perfectly for me.

[andybrice]

Mine works too... until I try and update it from the web, CDR or USB.

The technical support guy is fast responding to email but seems to be reading the instructions from his own website, which I've already done anyway.

Any CD I create using their software, files and instructions just causes the console to freeze up, requiring a power down at the main switch.

Perhaps you can enlighten us to just how you got it working then?

[andybrice]

I have solved my update problem with AR MAX but not by the 'approved' method!

First I copied the contents of the AR MAX CD to my PC hard drive and located the EU_CODELIST.BIN, then deleted it. I renamed the downloaded file to the same name and copied it to the same folder.

Then I created a disc image with the full set of ARMAX files using CDGENPS2 and burned it back to a new CD with Nero. This won't work for un-chipped consoles but Matrix Infinity allows it to boot. Now my new version starts with the updated codelist.

This also alleviates any swapping of discs or using the useless MaxMedia software.

Doesn't get rid of the cheesy music though!

[Lesoot]

My disc workd fine for me too, havent had one problem with it since I bought it, updates fine and the pc software works good too

[andybrice]

Perhaps there is a difference between the UK (PAL) and US (NTSC) version of the disc? Mine is UK, which one is yours?

I spent a lot of time trying to get the online updates working without success. I know the hardware is ok because it works with the Sony network access disc.

I also had a long email dialogue with their tech support during which they admitted their were 'problems' with the software.

My method was a better solution in the long run because you create a new CD with the updates on and it loads the new codelist as soon as it boots - no messing about with USB keys or memory cards.

It only works with a chipped console though and needs Isobuster to retrieve the files from the original CD as it is protected against copying.

[rainrix]

This ARMAX crashed my MC data 3 times and i use MC exploit so i had to reinstall all these damn files and i don't speak about my game saves.
I won't use it again.

[TheDA]

ever tried max code manager from mirality systems cuz dats wat i use to dload updates..jus copy the file to the mem card n before the game starts remove the mem card or it will over write the file.