Cannot restore saves in ulaunch.

[therock003]

I don't have any universal tool for doing such things, but one obvious way to do it would be to use existing files of that type, for the game in question, and using a hex editor to patch in the contents of your real x*8192 byte PS1 gamesaves (transferred to the PC by uLE host: interface or via USB stick).

Well manually i have already done that, but i was wondering if something was offered for automating this task. BTW does this raw format saves contain information about productid? BASLUS-xxx inside the file? Cause that's what you need to patch in the beginning of the raw format, and if this information doesnt already exist somewhere inside that file you need to search for the DISC Cover or an online database.

Yes. I simply mentioned it as one more complication we don't need to worry about for PS1 saves, since that console didn't have any real-time clock and therefore never could use timestamps.

BTW on a PS2 console, does the system retain the clock value only on the case it remains on power supply? Cause i remember i once unplugged it for a long time, and then used a memory card that didnt contain any system settings and the new save files had (and still have) timestamps indicating a 2000 date (the ps2 was purchased on 2007 so that's completely incorrect).

Not from a PS1 game. But they can be copied there using the Sony browser.

The Sony browser can be used to backup PS1 games from a PS1 MC to a PS2 MC, and will then create a new folder on the PS2 MC for each PS1 gamesave backed up, using that folder to contain the raw x*8192 byte gamesave file. These saves differ from the normal PS2 saves in that they have no "icon.sys" file nor the icon file(s) this normally specifies, as the icon to be used is incorporated inside each PS1 gamesave file.

Yes, that is true. In-game you can only save to a PS1 MC.
Such saves can only come to a PS2 MC through copying.

Where "x" is the number of blocks used right? So basically using the ps2 browser you can backup psx files on a ps2 mcard.Didnt know this, that's usefull information.

Let me assume that the browser handles the conversion from this raw format to the format stored to a ps2 card and then converting it back to raw when transfering back to the psx card.

I don't think it is a problem with the MC. More likely then a problem with the USB device and/or its drivers. Do you use the internal drivers of uLE, or have you selected some external drivers ? And which uLE version are we then talking about ?

Best regards: dlanor

I'm using ulaunchelf 4.12 cd version, i have not added any additional drivers, and it concerns a kingston 8GB data traveller stick. Sometimes i also use a Sandisk Card reader.

[dlanor]

Well manually i have already done that, but i was wondering if something was offered for automating this task.

Not that I can recall, no. (It might still exist though...)

BTW does this raw format saves contain information about productid? BASLUS-xxx inside the file? Cause that's what you need to patch in the beginning of the raw format, and if this information doesnt already exist somewhere inside that file you need to search for the DISC Cover or an online database.

No need, as that is in the filename.

Eg:
"BASCUS-94236TOMBA-00" is the filename of a first slot gamesave for "Tomba"
"BASCUSP94454T2-00" is the filename of a first slot gamesave for "Tomba 2"
"BASLUSP01041USCHRO00" is the filename of a first slot gamesave for "Chrono Cross"
"BASLUSP01041USCHRO01" is the filename of a second slot gamesave for "Chrono Cross"

I'm not sure why the separator before the product ID digits varies between "-" and "P", but it doesn't really matter, as it is still dead easy to pick out the product ID from the string, so that we find the product ID of "Chrono Cross" to be "SLUS_010.41" as encoded in the launch elf filename, or "SLUS-01041" as printed on the disc cover. I'm not sure which form the softwares you wanted to use need, but it can only be minor variations on this theme...

BTW on a PS2 console, does the system retain the clock value only on the case it remains on power supply?

No. It is supposed to be battery powered.

Cause i remember i once unplugged it for a long time, and then used a memory card that didnt contain any system settings and the new save files had (and still have) timestamps indicating a 2000 date (the ps2 was purchased on 2007 so that's completely incorrect).

Possibly something caused the clock to reset. I've never had my consoles turned off for any long period of time, so I don't really know how they behave then.

----- re: x*8192 byte PS1 gamesave files

Where "x" is the number of blocks used right?

Correct.

So basically using the ps2 browser you can backup psx files on a ps2 mcard.Didnt know this, that's usefull information.

Its usefulness is limited, since it is so much easier to use uLE instead. But still good to know if you ever need some saves from a friend who may not have any homebrew stuff. (But it's just as easy then to bring him an FMCB MC to boot with.)

Let me assume that the browser handles the conversion from this raw format to the format stored to a ps2 card and then converting it back to raw when transfering back to the psx card.

The file itself is not converted, but merely copied. The only difference is that the PS2 stores it inside a folder, like all valid objects on a PS2 MC should be, whereas the concept of folders does not exist on the PS1 MC.

So in copying from PS1 MC to PS2 MC the Sony browser just adds the storage folder needed to make the save valid for this MC type, and in copying that save in the reverse direction it simply discards the folder and copies only the file inside it to the PS1 MC. So the whole process is very simple, without any real conversion of anything.

I'm using ulaunchelf 4.12 cd version,

Why ? This is almost 'neolithic' by this time. Released on the 16th of February 2007, a month less than two years ago. The current version is v4.34, and there have been huge changes since then.

Also, why run it from CD...?
Haven't you got FMCB yet...?

i have not added any additional drivers, and it concerns a kingston 8GB data traveller stick.

Kingston is a tricky brand, as their compatibility has varied a lot, not only for different versions of our drivers, but also for different sizes of their flashdrive sticks.

Sometimes i also use a Sandisk Card reader.

SanDisk have great compatibility results in my experience, though I never used any Card reader from them, as I don't have any. (I do however have a card reader of a much cheaper brand which works fine with uLE .)

Given the great age of your uLE version I suggest that you try a newer one, since these offer a ton of other advantages, apart from the enhanced USB support. I currently use three flashdrives simultaneously on one of my PS2 consoles, using a small USB hub to connect two of them. This gives that console a total of 40 GB of flash storage, even though my largest flash drives only have 16 GB (I use two such plus one of 8GB).

Best regards: dlanor

[therock003]

Not that I can recall, no. (It might still exist though...)

Well actually i did find one, but haven't used it yet. It's called PSX Raw converter, here's link if anyone's interested

http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/memo...ol-ready.html?

No. It is supposed to be battery powered.

Possibly something caused the clock to reset. I've never had my consoles turned off for any long period of time, so I don't really know how they behave then.

Is it possible that this battery charges once ps2 is plugged in the supply, and by unplugging it, it dischargers till the point it gets drained completely thus losing whatever information the system stores and reserves in stand-by mode?

Why ? This is almost 'neolithic' by this time. Released on the 16th of February 2007, a month less than two years ago. The current version is v4.34, and there have been huge changes since then.

Also, why run it from CD...?
Haven't you got FMCB yet...?

Well i didnt want to reserve memory card space, so i thought i'd just burn it onto a CD, but this method needs for the CD to be inserted each time + i cant keep this up to date so i guess i will have to switch into booting this one from a memory card.

BTW is there a tutorial on the forums that explains how to boot elfs from memory card, cause i forgot how to do it. On my phat ps2 i used the independece exploit but it came to my knowledge that you can boot from the ps2 browser.

Kingston is a tricky brand, as their compatibility has varied a lot, not only for different versions of our drivers, but also for different sizes of their flashdrive sticks.

That's unsettling. They have earned a name on the market plus their flash drives are well priced so i already got a couple of flash drives i use (2GB + 8GB). I also have a 2GB sandisk cruzer and the 16MB stick that comes with AR MAX ecolution. Maybe i could use one of these for backing up my saves if they communicate better with the USB interface.

The compatibility concerns you mention, are they only a matter for uLaunchelf, or for every elf that implements USB usage? I mean could it be that Kingston have poor USB flexibility on uLaunchelf but Run great on SMS or is it poor all the way?

SanDisk have great compatibility results in my experience, though I never used any Card reader from them, as I don't have any. (I do however have a card reader of a much cheaper brand which works fine with uLE .)

Compatibility refers to handling of the reader. Individual cards used are not concerned right? So if the card reader is not supported, will it not matter what types of cards (SD/MMC) and what brands are used?

Given the great age of your uLE version I suggest that you try a newer one, since these offer a ton of other advantages, apart from the enhanced USB support. I currently use three flashdrives simultaneously on one of my PS2 consoles, using a small USB hub to connect two of them. This gives that console a total of 40 GB of flash storage, even though my largest flash drives only have 16 GB (I use two such plus one of 8GB).

Best regards: dlanor

Yes of course, i will do that as soon as i find the guide to boot from MC since i grew tired of placing the CD each time.

BTW is it practical to use a HUB for more than one storage? I mean it's already USB 1.1, imagine having to transfer files between the devices connected to the HUB, this will never happen if files ale large.

Also can one USB port power 2 connected devices while still functioning correctly?

[dlanor]

----- re: PS1 save conversion

Well actually i did find one, but haven't used it yet. It's called PSX Raw converter, here's link if anyone's interested

http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/memo...ol-ready.html?

Ah yes, I had momentarily forgotten about that one (sorry).

Is it possible that this battery charges once ps2 is plugged in the supply, and by unplugging it, it dischargers till the point it gets drained completely thus losing whatever information the system stores and reserves in stand-by mode?

I'm not even sure if it is rechargeable or not, as I never fiddled with that hardware. But if it is, then what you say is definitely possible.

Well i didnt want to reserve memory card space, so i thought i'd just burn it onto a CD, but this method needs for the CD to be inserted each time + i cant keep this up to date so i guess i will have to switch into booting this one from a memory card.

It is the most practical method, for many reasons.

BTW is there a tutorial on the forums that explains how to boot elfs from memory card, cause i forgot how to do it. On my phat ps2 i used the independece exploit

That method is largely abandoned now for two very good reasons.

1: The exploit demands that you use a PS1 disc at each boot, so when the CD laser eventually dies you completely lose the ability to boot at all, rendering that console useless.

2: The exploit only works on fat PS2 models, not on the slim PStwo models.

So it has recently been replaced by FMCB (Free McBoot) which uses only files on the memory card, so a console remains useful even if the laser is dead, and which works on nearly all PS2/PStwo consoles, excluding only the very latest models SCPH-90000+ with bios v2.30 (Sony changed it to block the Memento firmware, and thus also blocked FMCB)

but it came to my knowledge that you can boot from the ps2 browser.

That would be how some people describe FMCB, since it includes adding new commands for homebrew launching to a modified form of the original Sony browser.

----- re: problems with compatibility of Kingston USB drives

That's unsettling. They have earned a name on the market plus their flash drives are well priced so i already got a couple of flash drives i use (2GB + 8GB). I also have a 2GB sandisk cruzer and the 16MB stick that comes with AR MAX ecolution. Maybe i could use one of these for backing up my saves if they communicate better with the USB interface.

The compatibility concerns you mention, are they only a matter for uLaunchelf, or for every elf that implements USB usage?

The problem varies with different homebrew USB drivers, so it can vary between different applications because they use different generations of the drivers.

I mean could it be that Kingston have poor USB flexibility on uLaunchelf but Run great on SMS or is it poor all the way?

It is not that simple. It is not that any drives have 'poor' compatibility, but rather that some of them don't work at all (no access) and that this differs between different generations of the drivers. So with some versions only the drives smaller than 4GB worked, then we had one where all smaller than 8GB worked, then there was one where all except 4GB worked, and some variations that I probably missed (and I may have got some of these wrong too, as I never tried these combinations myself).

However, given this inconsistency, I would be reluctant to really trust one of their drives with something important to me, even if the drive does seem to work with the latest and best drivers. But if it does work for you at present it might continue to work and be more reliable with the newer and much improved drivers in the current uLE version.

Compatibility refers to handling of the reader. Individual cards used are not concerned right? So if the card reader is not supported, will it not matter what types of cards (SD/MMC) and what brands are used?

I believe so, but the filesystems are of course stored on the cards, so problems with a specific card could still affect access attempts. We can't rule that out.

----- re: updating to newer uLE version

Yes of course, i will do that as soon as i find the guide to boot from MC since i grew tired of placing the CD each time.

Browse into the main forum for "PS2 Homebrew/Dev & Emu Scene", and thence into its subforum for FreeVAST (name of a project that preceded FMCB), and there you will find all the information you need, including several tutorials. Check out all the 'sticky' threads at the top of that forum pagel, and prepare yourself for wading through huge masses of text to get a good handle on this revolutionary new 'softmod'.

BTW is it practical to use a HUB for more than one storage? I mean it's already USB 1.1, imagine having to transfer files between the devices connected to the HUB, this will never happen if files ale large.

The practicality depends on how you use the stuff. Since the PS2 is horribly slow at writing to flash drives, this is something you normally try to avoid. But there are many other uses where such writing is kept to a minimum.

One such use is for running USBAdvance games, where the USB drive is mainly used as a surrogate for the DVD drive, running stored game ISOs.

Another similar use is for various emulators and their ROM files. And that eats up a lot of space in the setup I described, as I use a PS1 emulator (an as yet unreleased beta of PS2PSXe by ffgriever) with the entire Final Fantasy series from FF1 through FF9 installed, plus some other multi-disc games such as "Chrono Cross" and Xenogears. These take up large parts of both the first 16GB drive and of the 8GB drive.

A third common use is for media files to be played by SMS (also multi-drive capable), and that is what I use the second 16 GB drive for, currently holding all the episodes ever released of the TV series "My name is Earl". (I could play these over LAN too of course.)

Also can one USB port power 2 connected devices while still functioning correctly?

As long as we're talking about moderate power requirements sure. I've made many tests with up to four flash drives on a single port via hub, without any external supply for the hub. But if you know that some units require considerable power, then it may be a good idea to use a hub with an external power source.

The setup mentioned above (and previously) is for my slim PStwo console, used in my combined bedroom / living room.

For my normal setup of my fat PS2, in my 'work' room, I use a mouse and a keyboard via USB hub, and a USB HDD connected to the remaining port of the PS2 itself, with a couple of hub ports free for flash drives at need.

Best regards: dlanor

[therock003]

----- re: PS1 save conversion
Ah yes, I had momentarily forgotten about that one (sorry).

No it's ok, its not your fault of course.

So it has recently been replaced by FMCB (Free McBoot) which uses only files on the memory card, so a console remains useful even if the laser is dead, and which works on nearly all PS2/PStwo consoles, excluding only the very latest models SCPH-90000+ with bios v2.30 (Sony changed it to block the Memento firmware, and thus also blocked FMCB)

That's v16 with the integrated power supply right?

---- re: problems with compatibility of Kingston USB drives
The problem varies with different homebrew USB drivers, so it can vary between different applications because they use different generations of the drivers.

It is not that simple. It is not that any drives have 'poor' compatibility, but rather that some of them don't work at all (no access) and that this differs between different generations of the drivers.

Well all of my drives seem to be working, so it only becomes a matter of if some perform better than others.

I believe so, but the filesystems are of course stored on the cards, so problems with a specific card could still affect access attempts. We can't rule that out.

BTW what filesystem would you suggest for uLaunchELF?FAT32 or NTFS?Does it really make a difference?

One such use is for running USBAdvance games, where the USB drive is mainly used as a surrogate for the DVD drive, running stored game ISOs.

Do you use this method for booting games? I guess its good for saving the laser, but i hear loading times are harsh. I liked booting games off of the hdd on ps2 phat but the speeds where very good so that was a motive to play games with this method.

Another similar use is for various emulators and their ROM files. And that eats up a lot of space in the setup I described, as I use a PS1 emulator (an as yet unreleased beta of PS2PSXe by ffgriever) with the entire Final Fantasy series from FF1 through FF9 installed, plus some other multi-disc games such as "Chrono Cross" and Xenogears. These take up large parts of both the first 16GB drive and of the 8GB drive.

Wow i'll have to look into this as well since it sounds interesting.

For my normal setup of my fat PS2, in my 'work' room, I use a mouse and a keyboard via USB hub, and a USB HDD connected to the remaining port of the PS2 itself, with a couple of hub ports free for flash drives at need.

Best regards: dlanor

How do you utilize a mouse and a keyboard on the PS2?

One last thing. Is there a way to store configuration files inside USB storage so i wont keep filling up the mc? The FMCB seems to need 3.5mb almost half the card!

[TnA]

One last thing. Is there a way to store configuration files inside USB storage so i wont keep filling up the mc? The FMCB seems to need 3.5mb almost half the card!

Read up on the "INJECT"-Part in the tutorials.
--> DVDELF.bin/DVDPLx

Standard-FMCB-Install took ~2.1MB.
But you only need to have the basic stuff on MC, ~500KB

BOOT.ELF and ESR-ELF + FMCB and his USB-Drivers ever should be installed.
It is recommented, but not needed.

Config-Files are not so big, just a few KB.
You can save your FMCB-Config to USB and the same goes for the ELF-Files.

[therock003]

You can save your FMCB-Config to USB and the same goes for the ELF-Files.

Well at least on sms i have a problem doing that. When i select save settings it gives an error, if there's no mcard and it only proceeds with saving them when an mcard is present.

[TnA]

I talked about the ELFs itself (as you can see?!).
SMS do not support saving settings to USB.

[therock003]

I talked about the ELFs itself (as you can see?!).
SMS do not support saving settings to USB.

oops sorry i misunderstood you, i thought you meant that it was possible indeed.

[dlanor]

----- re: SCPH-90000+ with bios v2.30 which does not work with FMCB
[QUOTE=That's v16 with the integrated power supply right?
[/QUOTE]I'm not sure exactly for which version the integrated power supply was introduced. My own newest console is a v15 which does not have it.

In any case, all the models up to v18 are all fully compatible with FMCB.
SCPH-90000+ is v19 or higher (don't known any higher though), and the first of those were made with bios v2.20 (work fine with FMCB) while the later ones have bios v2.30 (makes FMCB use impossible).

BTW what filesystem would you suggest for uLaunchELF?FAT32 or NTFS?Does it really make a difference?

There are no NTFS drivers available for PS2 homebrews. (NTFS is property of microsoft.) FAT32 is the recommended USB drive format for all use with PS2 consoles.

----- re: USBAdvance

Do you use this method for booting games?

On my v15 console I do this for some games, as it is unable to use IDE HDD.

I guess its good for saving the laser, but i hear loading times are harsh.

Very true, but for v14+ consoles it is the 'only game in town' when it comes to playing PS2 games without using the laser...

I liked booting games off of the hdd on ps2 phat but the speeds where very good so that was a motive to play games with this method.

Paradoxically the short load times with an IDE HDD even give some few games problems, as their code was written to expect specific DVD load delays...


----- re: PS2PSXe by ffgriever

Wow i'll have to look into this as well since it sounds interesting.

Unfortunately you will have to wait for a public release of this, as none has been made so far (I am a beta tester for it).

The author has not had much time for this emulator for quite a long period, partly because he is the same man who also developed the CodeBreaker patchers and the ESR backup system, both of which have consumed a lot of his spare time, leaving none for completing the emulator.

How do you utilize a mouse and a keyboard on the PS2?

In the programs that do support them, you simply go ahead and use them as you would on a PC, once the supporting program is running.

Keyboard is supported mainly by uLaunchELF (for all filename entry and for TextEditor), but also by the cheat engine CodeBreaker, for entry of user-defined cheat codes, and some other non-game tools such as the "Central Station" web browser.

Mouse is very rarely supported on the PS2, though some games use it, of which I have only two: "Dirge of Cerberus" the Square-Enix game starring 'Vincent Valentine' from FF7 and "Myst III: Exile". And of course the mouse is also supported by the "Central Station" web browser.

One last thing. Is there a way to store configuration files inside USB storage so i wont keep filling up the mc?

Configuration files are normally very small, so they do not take up much space at all. Having them on the MC is usually the best choice, so you can hotplug USB devices as you please without worrying about lost configs.

The FMCB seems to need 3.5mb almost half the card!

Those files are not the configuration, but the application programs installed with it. Those applications are the ".ELF" files inside the folder "mc0:/BOOT/".

All of those applications may instead be moved to a USB device (read FMCB docs for details), and this may be done on an individual basis. So you can move some of them to USB while keeping some on the MC, for use independent of USB devices.

I recommend keeping uLaunchELF at least on the memory card, so it always remains able to boot a useful homebrew tool, without requiring any USB device to do it. (uLE is normally the file "BOOT.ELF" inside "mc0:/BOOT/")

The real configuration files are normally stored in "mc0:/SYS-CONF/", and that is where I recommend that you keep them. In addition to the ".CNF" files of FMCB and uLE, these also include the USBD.IRX and USBHDFSD.IRX which FMCB needs to be able to access USB. So if you remove those, then FMCB will fail to use USB in any what whatever. This does not affect uLE however, as it has such drivers embedded in its program code, which it is not possible for FMCB to have, due to payload size restrictions of the available KELF files. (This is part of what makes FMCB booting work at all, so we can't fudge it up.)

Best regards: dlanor