Building a custom exploit

[zabolyx]

Here... I've seen several people looking for help with this and have decided to tackle this myself in easy to use images and words.....

First off a list of files that you will need...

for the PC side of things....

MCIconSysGen
FlashFXP
SaveBuilder
BMP2Icon
FAPLink

All software on this thread is shareware, or freeware... I will not have any warez on this thread... we may talk about using such items but they will not have links of where to get them... that between you, GOD, and Google...

First off lets list all of the software that can be used from the Exploit.

Adding links for programs that I can as I can hunt the latest versions down.

EXEcFTP .69 (doesn't lock up)
Launh Elf
PS2Menu
FAPLink server
MC Manager
HD Loader / HD Advanced
*** HDD Format Tools
*** HDD Dump
Key Launcher

and several emulators can be placed on the MC... but these are better from the HDD.

Mostly we want to make a setup that will be very beneficial to our basic needs... any extra software can be loaded off of the HDD... But I'm leaving this up to you guys to decide what you want on you system.


48-bit Software

It is very a desired thing to have 48-bit patched software so that you can access the larger HDDs. 48-bit addressing allows for your PS2 to read HDDs up to 4 terabytes in size. Much beyond what we have available today and well after the life of your PS2 before we even get drives of that size... but any HDD over 127GB can now be read.

If a program can not read over the 127GB mark and you try to use it.. it could result in more than just simple errors from the program. To help with this problem (only if your drive is over 127GB) make a partition for use with *** HDD Format of what ever size you want/ need for future use. If you plan on having all of your Emu ROMs on the HDD set aside atleast 2GB in a partition for later use.... I have 900MB of Genisis ROMs on my HDD at the moment....

So for those that want to have just about everything on your drive of 300GB it would be a good idea to partition 5- 20GB for these files.... you can always remove this partition in the future....

To make the most use of this partition don't store anything in it... but every time you need to make a new partition for a program (PGEN uses it's own) delete the partition and setup the partition needed... then remake the "saved space" partition with the needed subtraction of space...

For example:

You have a 250GB HDD and setup a 10GB partition named "reserved". Now you want to install a 2GB partition for MP3s... delete the "reserved" partition and make the "MP3" partition of 2GB and then rebuild the "reserved" partition.

You will need to keep this information in mind when working with the HDD... we will get to making partitions later...

[zabolyx]

Lets become aquainted with some of the software we will use in this wonderful exploit making process.....

Save Builder

It looks like this....


NOTE: the root/id.... this is the directory name for the file...we will make severl saves for different items like configuration files this is important to note that you will need to get this right or the file will not work.

[bearcreek]

Thanks, I really appreciate this. I have the pc side downloaded and extracted. I am now on the ps2 side.

[zabolyx]

BMP2Icon

This little app will allow you to make a custom 128x128 pixel icon image to use with the save you will build... feel free to make your own... It has a straight forward usage to it... mke the BMP that you want to convert in your favorite image editor program and save as a uncompressed bmp.... then open it with BMP2Icon and set the save file name and decide what type of icon you want.

Just letting you know that only the cube will show all 128 pixel height of the icon. Flat and 3D rectangle cuts part of the top and bottom off of the icon.

this is what BMP2Icon looks like....

[zabolyx]

MCIconSysGen

I can never seems to get the info in SaveBuilder to save exactly like I want so I use this to add the comments to the file... so in the PS2 Browser it will show the file name in the top right corner of the browser and not show up as corrupted data.

this program is simple as well... we will not worry about the extras... only the save, and game name as well as the 3 icon files listed... more ion this when we make the Exploit....

this is MCIconSysGen


NOTE: The author of this program says that you need to put spaces into the first line of the title info... to max out the line till it stops.. then contintue to the next line if you need to... so Exploit Save on too lines would be

Exploit_________
Save

Where the "_" is a space (do not use that character in the save).

[zabolyx]

FlashFXP

This is a straight forward FTP client that works wonders with EXEcFTP... we will setup some commands for mounting partitions for our extra apps in the near future so we will come back to this one.

quick view of it.. (compressed to fit page)

Image comming... waiting for my host to come back up...

[bearcreek]

I should mention I use flashfxp to get into my xbox.

[zabolyx]

Let's get this under way

Ok... have you got all the files tht you want to use in your exploit....

no big deal.. you can pick them up on the way...

First open up SaveBuilder....

1. Click on File>New to start a new save file
2. Delete the my.icn and icon.sys we will be replacing these
3. Set the ROOT/ID to BADATA-SYSTEM for USA, BIDATA-SYSTEM for JAP, and BEDATA-SYSTEM for Europian systems.

Next we will need to find a sutable TITLE.DB to trigger the game... I have ripped these from someone else's files... they list abot 197 games in each file... After finding a file that will work make sure you rename the file to just TITLE.DB and then drag it into the save you are making....

Next we need to get the system file history into this project... also available to you... just drag and drop this into the save...

NOTE: the order of the file doesn't matter like a PS2 game disc... just place the files however and it will work....

What programs do you want... might I suggest using KeyLauncher or Launch Elf as your boot program...

You spend some time decideing... Not like you can't change it later and I'll start the next segment...

[zabolyx]

The Links to several of the available homebrew files can be found here.

I have a few of the very needed tools on my MC incase I need to use it on someelse's machine..

KeyLauncher..... though I also have an MC with Launch Elf on it
*** HDD Format Tools
EXEcFTP
HD Loader
MC Manager

these are what I suggest.. but you do what you want... If you want a simple interface go with KeyLauncher... If you want more power and access to a USB Drive then use Launch Elf...

Now copy all of these elfs and any support files over.... with the Network apps make sure that the CONFIG.DAT/IPCONFIG.DAT is right.

EXEcFTP can have its config file in the following locations...
these are the usable directories for the file on the MC
mc0:/BOOT/EXECFTPS/CONFIG.DAT
mc0:/EXECFTPS/CONFIG.DAT
mc0:/SYS-CONF/CONFIG.DAT
mc0:/SYS-CONF/IPCONFIG.DAT

Might I suggest using the mc0:/SYS-CONF/IPCONFIG.DAT file because PS2Menu uses this file as well and several programs will save data in the SYS-CONF directory.

I'm including my SYS-CONF file we will use this later... it includes and icon and other data as well... we will edit this as needed when the time comes.

FAPLink Server has it's own directory to store it's config file...mc0:/FAPLINK/IPCONFIG.DAT....... and my file is included. We also will edit this when the time comes.

[bearcreek]

Got a few things to work. You solved my biggest problem by telling me to name the file badata-system. I got execftp to work on the ps2 but cant connect. I will have to check into it tomorrow, I have to get up for work. Thanks for the help and excellent tutorial. I think this will help alot of people. Also, how do I change the bin and cue files into usable files. I used iso buster to open the bin and cue files but I dont know what I need.