HD Loader lockup issues

[FatFingerTony]

I'm having issues trying to get HD Loader running correctly. It's the "micro" version, about 600kb or something, I found lying around on the web. Now, I have been all over this and other forums looking for a solution so any help other than "Search the forums" is what I'm looking for.

Background:
I have a v9 chipped with a DMS3 (firmware 2.2), several hard drives and a network modem. Everything about the DMS works perfectly. I have installed DMS Explorer and HDD Explorer with no problems and have used HDD Format sucessfully to format the hard drives. The ATAD patch is ON in the DMS configuration.

Problem:
Almost every time I run HD Loader, I see the splash screen but then it just locks up the PS2, I can't even hit reset. I have to turn the power off then back on. I did notice that the hard drive light flashes behind the grill so I guess HD Loader is seeing the hard drive. With the hard drive removed, HD Loader does complain it can't find the hard drive. I have installed HD Loader to the MC from DMS Explorer and I get the same results from either CD or MC boot.

Troubleshooting:
1. Tried to re-burn HD Loader on different CD-R media. No change.
2. Turned off MM16 in the DMS configuration. No change.
3. I have tried a Seagate 40GB, Maxtor 40GB and a Maxtor 120GB hard drive, all with the jumper set to "Master". No change.
4. I have removed the hard drive, dropped it into a pc, formatted the hard drive to NTFS, then dropped it back into the PS2. When I booted HD Loader it said that the hard drive was unformatted and needed formatting, then it locked up on "Formatting hard drive, please wait". I let it run for about an hour.
5. Blew all "Corrupted data" blocks (these are the DMS Explorer and other DMS configuration files) off of the memory card. No change.
6. Removed the memory card. No change.

I actually saw HD Loader boot up sucessfully once. It was when I went into the DMS Config, changed MM16 to "On" and saved the data. On the next reboot, HD Loader came up ok from CD-R. I installed Baldur's Gate 2 to the hard drive, then I rebooted. I have not been able to boot HD Loader again, even going into the DMS Config and changing just about everything.

What gets me is everything else works like HDD Format, HDD Explorer and even PS2Menu booted fine from a CD-R. For the love of Sony and the cheap lasers they install on newer PS2s, I need help getting HD Loader working. I'd buy it, but that's a little difficult now and I refuse to spend any money on anything associated with PS2Ownz (HD Advance). Plus, I don't even know if a "retail" version would work any better.

[Zero_Z]

just when the free hdloader screen comes up you have to eject the tray and insert an original ps2 game then close the tray and hdloader will be able to recognized the dvd/cd ... or just put it on the MC and boot hdloader from there with the original ps2 game inside. HDloader gives trouble with v9/v10 ps2s' ...especially with dms or matrix.
In dms i think there is an option to turn off auto ATA or something like that ... just try it

[agee]

did ya try booting hdloader thru PS2menu...if you've been using ps2menu, you should get what i'm saying...AS for the MicroVersion...I'm not sure why it didn't work but I think it was meant to be use as a MC-exploit...why don't you try downloading a different version and see if it work....I too have a microVersion but I run it using Ps2menu and it seems to have run fine...I think your problem is that DMS isn't fully compatible with HDloader's formating of the harddrive...Since i don't have DMS, i can't be sure about anything tho....

[FatFingerTony]

Thank you both for your responses. I actually got it working this morning. Running HD Loader from the MC you have to have a game or the network adapter DVD in the drive and it boots up just fine. Thanks for the suggestion Zero_Z.

[Running Jumping]

Okay, this is all well and good but... I have the same exact problem, I've concluded that its because of the fact that we own v9 ps2s with dms3. (weird conflict for some reason) I've been using the mc exploit and it works but the fact that you need a disc in is vrry annoying because the disc will actually spin on start up as well as throughout any game you are playing. AKA: your ps2 cd motor is slowly but surely dying if you leave it in. Thus requiring an annoying swap out each session. I dream of a day when this can be solved for us very low population dms3 v9 owners who wish to go hard drive gaming all the way but are stuck in a world of satan swapping mother mopping.

Shine some light on this my ROBOT friends who have big microbots.