Newbie HD Advance Questions

[Armoredraven]

Hello. I'm brand new to this site and PS2 modding in general. I finally got an 80gb ps2 hd and network adapter as well as HD Advance 3.0. I've loaded a backup game and one of my old games and was able to play them no problem.
Now One thing I can't seem to figure out is MDMA0.

I heard that for HD Advance, people boot and at the splash screen, they hold down UP on the Dpad, until an M appears in the top right hand corner.
Well when I do this no M appears and I'm pretty sure I'm not in MDMA because I'm still able to enable modes 1,2,3, etc. I heard you shouldn't be able to select these with MDMA enabled.

Now my question is how to enable MDMA0 on my PS2 with HD Advance 3.0. If I need to put a patch on somehow, I can connect the HDD to my PC.

I've researched this before but have only seen people using previous versions of HD Advance. I'm unsure if HD Advance 3.0 is already MDMA patched. I know that it is nothing except a skinned version of HDLoader 7C...

Thanks for any help you can offer.

BTW I tried to search through the site, but the search function doesn't seem to be working, maybe it's only for new users?

EDIT: I actually found this on google. It is a page on sksapps (I really wish it were up right now) showing downloads for the different versions of HD Loader. One says "HDLoader 8B - HD Image
This version can be installed on hdd and launched with your current HDL/HDA version. Set mode 3 or you'll get BSOD." Hopefully this can install on my HDD through Winhiip then run mdma0...

[dlanor]

I heard that for HD Advance, people boot and at the splash screen, they hold down UP on the Dpad, until an M appears in the top right hand corner.

Not in HDAdvance, no. That is a function implemented only by HDL_patch v0.8 or later.

Well when I do this no M appears and I'm pretty sure I'm not in MDMA because I'm still able to enable modes 1,2,3, etc. I heard you shouldn't be able to select these with MDMA enabled.

The game modes 1-3 have nothing to do with the MDMA/UDMA selector. And in a properly HDL_patched HDLoader the number of game modes is 8, not 3 anyway.

Now my question is how to enable MDMA0 on my PS2 with HD Advance 3.0.

Forget it. That program doesn't have that feature.
Start over with a properly patched HDLoader instead.

If I need to put a patch on somehow, I can connect the HDD to my PC.

This is not an relevant. That is useful for installing games, but will not modify how the HDAdvance elf accesses the HDD.

I've researched this before but have only seen people using previous versions of HD Advance. I'm unsure if HD Advance 3.0 is already MDMA patched. I know that it is nothing except a skinned version of HDLoader 7C...

Exactly. Which really means the original HDLoader program as patched by the homebrew program HDL_patch.exe v0.7c, which did not as yet have any patch for the MDMA/UDMA selection. That came first in v0.8, and was further refined in v0.8b (remains unchanged from that in v0.8c).

BTW I tried to search through the site, but the search function doesn't seem to be working, maybe it's only for new users?

It works but you may need some practice to make it work right for you.
There is a difference between searching the forums and searching a separate thread, for example.

Btw: Is there a particular reason why you think you need that MDMA0 mode ?

Best regards: dlanor

[Armoredraven]

Wow. Thanks for all the info. I think I see why not many of the experienced users are that fond of HD Advance. I personally got it because I could get it with free shipping for less than 30 dollars and that it's on a pressed disc.

Anyways, I think I'll try installing the 0.8B HDD Image version (meant to be installed on Hard drives and run through HDLoader pressed discs) to try to get MDMA0 working.

By the way, I'm trying to get MDMA0 for Tales of the Abyss. I played Tales of Vesperia and really enjoyed that game. I hear Tales of the Abyss is fairly similar

EDIT: So if it's possible to run another version of HDLoader on my hard drive, can I download an elf for Swap magic and use it through HDLoader/ HDAdvance? I saw the guide on sksapps on how to install elf files through Winhiiip...

[amp2006]

Anyways, I think I'll try installing the 0.8B HDD Image version (meant to be installed on Hard drives and run through HDLoader pressed discs)

and do NOT forget to set Mode 3

EDIT: So if it's possible to run another version of HDLoader on my hard drive, can I download an elf for Swap magic and use it through HDLoader/ HDAdvance? I saw the guide on sksapps on how to install elf files through Winhiiip...

you have Retail HDL you dont need Swap Magic .


but you can use uLaunchELF to run many any elf's that you want from HDD or USB Drive or MC .

[TnA]

Wow. Thanks for all the info. I think I see why not many of the experienced users are that fond of HD Advance. I personally got it because I could get it with free shipping for less than 30 dollars and that it's on a pressed disc.

Anyways, I think I'll try installing the 0.8B HDD Image version (meant to be installed on Hard drives and run through HDLoader pressed discs) to try to get MDMA0 working.

By the way, I'm trying to get MDMA0 for Tales of the Abyss. I played Tales of Vesperia and really enjoyed that game. I hear Tales of the Abyss is fairly similar

EDIT: So if it's possible to run another version of HDLoader on my hard drive, can I download an elf for Swap magic and use it through HDLoader/ HDAdvance? I saw the guide on sksapps on how to install elf files through Winhiiip...

First of,... As far as I know you can´t use the DMA-Mode-Switch, if you start an HDL-Image from HDL.
Hell, the HD is initialized in its Standard-DMA-Mode (UDMA3?), when your HD-Advance shows the list.
How would you make it switching to another mode, if the HD is still initialized in UDMA?
It won´t happen to work that way, afaik (at least not with the current patching, even thought it would/might be possible with another patching... So,... I don´t feel, it is going to happen.).

Another thing,... Why [are you] still bothering with "old Software" (HDA3.0/HDL 0.7c, or Swap-Magic...) and wanna use non-working methods, to start out anyway? ^^
For what, do you even want to have Swap-Magic?

Do you know about FMCB (+ESR for Backups, instead of the swapmagic/cogswap/swapping-stuff)?
I believe it offers all you want + more and don´t need at least one 128MB-Part on HD, like the HDL-Image would do.
Download the Nooby-Pakage and install it with uLE, if you want to.

No need to worry about your original discs anymore (especially the HDA 3.0 in your case), since all needed programms can be started from MC, or USB directly (or with uLE, even from other devices).
Another thing,... This is a working solution for ya, to get the MDMA-Modes (and the Mode-Selection in itself).

[Armoredraven]

Wow. Well I guess I am brand new to PS2 modding then.
I looked up FMCB and it looks good.

I was trying to find a way to install it through HD Advance, because I don't want to go buy another disc... But I couldn't find anything yet. I found this though:
http://forums.sksapps.com/free-mcboo...oot-hdd-2.html
There is no solution posted there yet.

I am still unsure about FMCB though. Is it solely a memory card exploit? When I install it, where do I load HDL to to get it to boot? Oh, and I also don't have an official sony memory card, just a 64mb chinese one. I heard these may not work...
EDIT: About the memory cards... will any official sony 8mb memory card work? Any colored one? Or does it have to be a specific model?
EDIT2: Guess it's a no-go on installing through HDD. But can't I use Swap Magic through HDD and then do the same thing as the Swap Magic boot installer?

[TnA]

Wow. Well I guess I am brand new to PS2 modding then.
I looked up FMCB and it looks good.

I was trying to find a way to install it through HD Advance, because I don't want to go buy another disc... But I couldn't find anything yet. I found this though:
http://forums.sksapps.com/free-mcboo...oot-hdd-2.html
There is no solution posted there yet.

Hm,... Try a uLE-Image from HD.
I´m sure, uLE (not sure which Version), can be started from HD through HDL/HDA.
If it doesn´t work directly, it should work if the Image is build with Multi-Loader, or PS2Load as Start-ELF.

I am still unsure about FMCB though. Is it solely a memory card exploit?

Well,... You can call it that, even thought it isn´t technically an "Exploit" but more kind of "Softmod", since it uses an official PS2-Upgrade-Feature.

When I install it, where do I load HDL to to get it to boot?

The Nooby-Pakage installs it to "mc?:BOOT/" (without quotes).
You can start it directly with FMCB (Automatically; on Buttonpress; in hacked OSD) from MC or MASS (USB-Mass-Storage-Device, "Stick/HD"), or indirectly by starting unofficial LaunchELF first and then the app from all locations, which you want to.

Oh, and I also don't have an official sony memory card, just a 64mb chinese one. I heard these may not work...

It should work.
FMCB works with ~95% of all MC-Types (which don´t need a Boot-Disc).

Be sure to use FMCB 1.8 and not an earlier version, because this version has an important fix regarding this problem.

EDIT: About the memory cards... will any official sony 8mb memory card work? Any colored one? Or does it have to be a specific model?

All officials should work, even the licenced ones since those all should work with the official Update-Feature.

EDIT2: Guess it's a no-go on installing through HDD. But can't I use Swap Magic through HDD and then do the same thing as the Swap Magic boot installer?

Yepp, the Swap-Way should work.
But still,... I´m SURE, uLE can be started from HD through HDL!

[dlanor]

Wow. Thanks for all the info. I think I see why not many of the experienced users are that fond of HD Advance. I personally got it because I could get it with free shipping for less than 30 dollars and that it's on a pressed disc.

That last is a valid point for many users, as a pressed HDL/HDA disc bootable on an unmodded console is a useful tool for installing other stuff too.

Anyways, I think I'll try installing the 0.8B HDD Image version (meant to be installed on Hard drives and run through HDLoader pressed discs) to try to get MDMA0 working.

That is one way of course, but I think you would be far better of by installing the FMCB homebrew boot system ("Free MC Boot"), which will allow you to do many things otherwise possible only with a hard modchip. This includes booting burned backup and homebrew discs (without disc swapping), as well as direct booting of homebrew programs (including HDL 0.8c) directly from memory card or USB devices, without even having any CDVD disc at all in the tray. (This is like Dev1 and Dev3 booting for hard modchips).

By the way, I'm trying to get MDMA0 for Tales of the Abyss. I played Tales of Vesperia and really enjoyed that game. I hear Tales of the Abyss is fairly similar

I wouldn't know as I haven't played either of those yet. But I'm going to check them out, as I'm something of an RPG fanatic...

EDIT: So if it's possible to run another version of HDLoader on my hard drive,

Yes, definitely.

can I download an elf for Swap magic and use it through HDLoader/ HDAdvance?

That would be a very inconvenient way of doing it. What you really need is a modchip-like method for booting homebrews, so you can launch the real HDLoader program easily without having to first use the old version (thus avoiding doubled HDL/HDA init delays).

I saw the guide on sksapps on how to install elf files through Winhiiip...

SKSApps is a good site for tutorials, even though that particular tutorial is not the most important one.

What you really need is FMCB, so I suggest you go into the "Homebrew/Dev" forum here at psx-scene, to find the FMCB subforum which contains all that you need. It will probably take some time for you to take it all in, but trust me, that will be time well spent.

You can also find lots of tutorials on this subject at SKSApps as well.

Edit:
Like TnA hinted at in the end of his last post, you can use HDA to help you install FMCB as follows:

1: Prepare the noobie FMCB package on a FAT32 formatted USB drive (needed for most install methods). Links and instructions are available in the FMCB subforum inside the Homebrew/Dev forum.
2: Download one of the bootable ISO files for uLaunchELF (aka: uLE) from its own subforum inside the Homebrew/Dev forum.
3: Install the uLE ISO file to your HDD using WinHiip
4: Boot uLE through your old HDAdvance
5: Use uLE FileBrowser to start the FMCB installer on the USB drive ("mass:" in FileBrowser)

Best regards: dlanor

[Armoredraven]

Wow. I can't believe this forum is full of such helpful users. The last couple ps2 places I've been to weren't nearly as welcoming as this one.
Thanks for all the information on FMBC and I believe I'll try to install it using that method. I do have a spare thumb drive that I can use, so I hope everything works well.

I still am curious however. I want to try using the hd image of 0.8b HDL and see if it is possible to enable MDMA0. Although at this point, I'm pretty sure TnA is right :P

EDIT: I just installed everything onto my hdd.
I ran the hd image of 0.8b and it appears I am able to boot itno MDMA0. It says M0 on the HDL screen.
Second, I installed FMCB through the way you posted. I ran it and it looks awesome. Thing is, I don't really know how it works. I know you can launch HDL from there, but I don't know what version it is... I also need to learn if I can install other elf files into FMCB after installation :P

[TnA]

I still am curious however. I want to try using the hd image of 0.8b HDL and see if it is possible to enable MDMA0. Although at this point, I'm pretty sure TnA is right :P

EDIT: I just installed everything onto my hdd.
I ran the hd image of 0.8b and it appears I am able to boot itno MDMA0. It says M0 on the HDL screen.

That is interesting.
Maybe it only shows that it uses M0, or maybe it really works.

Second, I installed FMCB through the way you posted. I ran it and it looks awesome. Thing is, I don't really know how it works. I know you can launch HDL from there, but I don't know what version it is... I also need to learn if I can install other elf files into FMCB after installation :P

About your sucessful FMCB-Install:

Good, so now you have a better Homebrew-Loading-Method, than before (i think so).
No disc anymore for Homebrew-Booting.


"djflexmaster79" made 2 Videos how to add ELFs to the OSD for example.

The Advanced-User-Guide of FMCB even has further info to customize your FMCB even more.