Playstation file system (PFS) creation

[wisi]

1. As FreeMCBOOT does specific things during the installation I don't think it will be possible to install it in PS2Linux.

2. If the goal is to get a program on the MC then it is possible, but you will need the 2.4.17 linux kernel patched by MegaMan to be able to browse the whole MC. - Download Kernelloader from SourceForge.net

3. As far as I know there are ways to start FreeMCBOOT installer (for example) by using a game with multiple ELF-s. - PS2 Game Swap Trick

[GillBert]

@Ozmold:

If you want try, that is a Matrix DEV2-Install (See attached file).

It contains OPL 0.8 instead HD Loader. All you have to do is to launch "DEV2I.ELF" file from an USB device by using uLe. It do work pretty well in genuine Matrix modchips, I don't know if it does work in clones.


[ ]'s.

[TnA]

I came up with a thought... You see, I've a original copy of PS2 linux and the VGA-adapter ofcourse. IIRC, the memory cards are mountable from within the linux installation. I could borrow an unmodded PS2 from a firend who barely uses it, install PS2Linux to a spare drive and write that way the MC. Just a thought...

Yes, that could work.

You'll probably notice at some point that I like challenges :P

Yes, I see.

1. As FreeMCBOOT does specific things during the installation I don't think it will be possible to install it in PS2Linux.

Yes, directly through Linux an FMCB-Install is not possible (atleast with the tools we have).
But he only needs the BOOT.ELF on MC (DEV.1), or boot.elf on '__boot'-partition (DEV.2), since he has a modchip (PS2 without a working laser).

2. If the goal is to get a program on the MC then it is possible, but you will need the 2.4.17 linux kernel patched by MegaMan to be able to browse the whole MC. - Download Kernelloader from SourceForge.net

I also have a PS2-Linux-Application, which kickstarts a Homebrew-ELF.
I got it from PS2 Reality Mediaplayer, but I'm not sure from which version.

3. As far as I know there are ways to start FreeMCBOOT installer (for example) by using a game with multiple ELF-s. - PS2 Game Swap Trick

If he finds this PS2-Linux-App which starts a Homebrew-ELF, that would be a lot better and also it would 'exclude' the disc-swapping.

@Ozmold:

If you want try, that is a Matrix DEV2-Install (See attached file).

It contains OPL 0.8 instead HD Loader. All you have to do is to launch "DEV2I.ELF" file from an USB device by using uLe. It do work pretty well in genuine Matrix modchips, I don't know if it does work in clones.


[ ]'s.

THX GillBert:

@Ozmold: This is the DEV.2-Installer, which 'activates' DEV.2-Support for MI&MI-Clones.

[kevstah2004]

I always do things the hard way too
When you added that boot.elf to the boot partition with pfsshell did check to see if the file was visable in the boot partition with PS2 PFS Explorer? if you extract the boot.elf back to your pc with pfsshell does it contain the same md5 as the original uLE file you used? have you also tried with older versions of uLE? maybe a simple hello world ELF would determine if it can actually load anyhing at all. Are sure the naming of the file and partition is correct for that paticular modchip as some vary.

EDIT: Just had thought isn't the mobo a dms4 clone if so then he'll only be able to run
DMS HDD Explorer in HDD Dev.olution mode aka Dev2.

[TnA]

I always do things the hard way too
When you added that boot.elf to the boot partition with pfsshell did check to see if the file was visable in the boot partition with PS2 PFS Explorer? if you extract the boot.elf back to your pc with pfsshell does it contain the same md5 as the original uLE file you used? have you also tried with older versions of uLE? maybe a simple hello world ELF would determine if it can actually load anyhing at all. Are sure the naming of the file and partition is correct for that paticular modchip as some vary.

EDIT: Just had thought isn't the mobo a dms4 clone if so then he'll only be able to run
DMS HDD Explorer in HDD Dev.olution mode aka Dev2.

That is not true,... All DMS-Chips (be-ing it 3 or 4; Lite or PRO) support loading ANY ELF from DEV.1 and DEV.2 directly (for DEV.2 and DMS3, it depends on the FW-Version).
Other then that, they were the first chips to support any DEV.-Mode at all [thus the name: 'DEV.olution Memory System', a.k.a. 'DMS'] and the first (for a long time), which had DEV.2-Support.

Btw.: The 'DMS HDD Explorer'-ELF in it's newer Version (1.31, or something) is even compatible to all chips, just because nothing was written to the chip anymore (to 'activate' DEV.2, which is still the case for MI and all clones...).

[Ozmold]

Ok.

I got DEV1 installed through PS2Linux. I used it to write uLaunchelf to the memory card and eventually use the PS2Linux loader to fire the ulaunchelf up. And after that from within the ulaunchelf install to it's correct location in mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF.

Now I'm facing another problem. I can't install DEV2. I've tried the installers linked at this thread. I fire up the installer. It asks if I'd like to format the drive. After the format it starts to install boot.elf, but eventually just fails with the error message:



The disk I use is a 120GB Hitachi Deskstar, which according to the unofficial supported disks list ough to be supported. Any ideas on this?

But so far thanks to everyone who's helped me out here.

[dlanor]

Ok.

I got DEV1 installed through PS2Linux. I used it to write uLaunchelf to the memory card and eventually use the PS2Linux loader to fire the ulaunchelf up. And after that from within the ulaunchelf install to it's correct location in mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF.

Now I'm facing another problem. I can't install DEV2. I've tried the installers linked at this thread. I fire up the installer. It asks if I'd like to format the drive. After the format it starts to install boot.elf, but eventually just fails with the error message:



The disk I use is a 120GB Hitachi Deskstar, which according to the unofficial supported disks list ough to be supported. Any ideas on this?

You can always try using the built-in subprogram MISC/HddManager of uLaunchELF (aka: uLE).

This uLE HddManager is capable of formatting an HDD all on its own (only when given the 'Format' command of course), and then you can use the normal uLE FileBrowser to Copy+Rename your "mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF" file so as to create an "hdd0:/__boot/boot.elf" file.

However, I am not sure if this will also make the modchip use the DEV2 file so created, but I think most modchips that support such booting also support its enforced use by pressing some gamepad button combos at boot (varies depending on modchip type).

One advantage of using uLE for this kind of work is that you can use the HddManager and FileBrowser to inspect the HDD content resulting from the format operation. So if there is something wrong with the HDD or its connections affecting its low-level formatting, you can then inspect the details of it better, than just getting that error message from a dev2 installer.

In all honesty though, I consider DEV1 booting from MC to be superior than DEV2 booting from HDD, for several reasons.
One such reason is that if a boot setup gets bugged I can just unplug that MC and insert another, with a backup setup.
Trying to do that with DEV2 setups is not very practical...

Best regards: dlanor

[Ozmold]

You can always try using the built-in subprogram MISC/HddManager of uLaunchELF (aka: uLE).

This uLE HddManager is capable of formatting an HDD all on its own (only when given the 'Format' command of course), and then you can use the normal uLE FileBrowser to Copy+Rename your "mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF" file so as to create an "hdd0:/__boot/boot.elf" file.

However, I am not sure if this will also make the modchip use the DEV2 file so created, but I think most modchips that support such booting also support its enforced use by pressing some gamepad button combos at boot (varies depending on modchip type).

One advantage of using uLE for this kind of work is that you can use the HddManager and FileBrowser to inspect the HDD content resulting from the format operation. So if there is something wrong with the HDD or its connections affecting its low-level formatting, you can then inspect the details of it better, than just getting that error message from a dev2 installer.

In all honesty though, I consider DEV1 booting from MC to be superior than DEV2 booting from HDD, for several reasons.
One such reason is that if a boot setup gets bugged I can just unplug that MC and insert another, with a backup setup.
Trying to do that with DEV2 setups is not very practical...

Best regards: dlanor

Thanks for your reply. It seems that I get the disk readings wrong. My 120GB deskstar is seen by HDLoader and the uLaunchELF HDDManager as something around 370GB. The same drive with 32GB clip on, shows up as 290GB. A second 40GB deskstar isn't recognized at all. I'm quite sure the disks are okay. They work fine when connected to a PC's ata bus.

Jumper settings ought to be correct. Master/Single drive, 16heads.

Anyone seen similar behaviour? Or any idea what's the cause?

[dlanor]

Thanks for your reply. It seems that I get the disk readings wrong. My 120GB deskstar is seen by HDLoader and the uLaunchELF HDDManager as something around 370GB.

At this point in time, is the HDD formatted or not ?
And if it is formatted, which program is it that did this formatting ?

When an HDD is incorrectly formatted it is indeed possible to get completely insane size indication. So that is what I think is happening here.

Did you try using the 'Format' command in the R1 menu of the uLE HddManager ?

Best regards: dlanor

[Ozmold]

At this point in time, is the HDD formatted or not ?
And if it is formatted, which program is it that did this formatting ?

The disk has been formatted many times and in many ways. With WinHIIP, uLE's HDDManager, HDLoader, etc. I even nuked the previous partition table with dd and did a fresh format with HDDManager. All resulted in the same way.

When an HDD is incorrectly formatted it is indeed possible to get completely insane size indication. So that is what I think is happening here.

This wouldn't explain that the 40GB drive isn't being seen at all.

Did you try using the 'Format' command in the R1 menu of the uLE HddManager ?

Yes. It also results with wrong sizes...