Aargh...black screen, don't know what's wrong.

[Breg]

Ok here's my problem:

I've got an UnPacked HDLoader file.
First I start HDL02.Frontend.1.0.1-DK (by Dark Killer), input the UnPacked HDLoader file (it's the right elf file according to aio_beta_2_5) and execute the program. The option 48-bit LBA is turned on because I have a 200 gig hdd. Now I have a hdloader file with Toxic os 2 and 48-bit LBA support.
I've also patched the hdloader file with Byte Changer God of War (To change the ToxicOS 0.2 cored version offset 698612 Seek: 01 00 Replace: 25 02).
The last thing I've done is load the hdloader file with aio_beta_2_5 and apply some patches (option 2 - apply patches, cause I've patched the hdloader with toxic os 2). I use the /N, /C, /S, /F patches. Video position is NTSC default. After this I've patched the file and packed it with ps2-packer 0.4.1.
I ftp this file to my memory card and it boots. But when I want to play a game all I get is a black screen. The reason why I've posted this question is because I'm out of ideas.... please help .

Breg

[dlanor]

With the info given, NO ONE can be certain of your problem, as you leave out important info, such as:

What model is your PS2 ?
what mod-chip or discswap method do you use ?
Do you boot from MC or CD, or what ?

However, from the switches used for your patching I assume that you want to allow discless booting (due to /N + /C), and also that you want discs to be stopped when HDL starts (due to /S). Unfortunately discless booting will not work on some PS2 models (definitely v9 and v10) when the /S switch is used. You can test if that is the problem, simply by having a disc in the tray when booting this way. If it works that way, with a disc in tray, but doesn't work without such a disc, then you have such a PS2 model.

If that is your problem, then you need two different HDL ELFs. One to use when there is a disc in tray (with /S to save laser) and one for use without any disc (without /S).

Best regards: dlanor

[Breg]

Thanks for the reply,

First answers to your questions:
- I quess I've got a V10, V11 model (Singstar pack PS2).
- I have a Matrix Infinity modchip (firmware 1.38)
- I boot from memory card (holding the r1 button at startup)

It hasn't anything to do with the boot screen hanging. It's just when I update my clean hdloader to toxic os 2, 48 bit lba and god of war patch I get a black screen when starting a game.
I've already got an elf file from somewhere with toxic os 2 and god of war patch. This file works but I want a boot elf with 48 bit lba.

On exploitstation forums I get this reply:

I couldn't tell you were your running into trouble. Although I didn't use as many graphics utilities to make the ELFs on ES.

For the version of ToxicLoader here, I did the following:

-Start with unpatched, unpacked HDL ELF

-Open in AIO and apply a misc patch, then saved in unpacked to ensure core is decrypted.

-Use Zer0-X's command line patcher to replace core with TOS 0.2 core (with or without 48-bit support)

-Reload into AIO

-Inject new background and spalsh images.

-Apply any desired patches, excluding 48-bit support

-Save as unpacked ELF

-Load ELF into WinHex and manually change offsets for crazyc GoW patch

-Use packer utility to pack resulting ELF

The only think that you may have messed up on was applying the standard HDL 48-bit patch, which is incompatible with the TOS core. You must use teh TOS code patcher to genereate the 48-bit support and cannot enable teh standard patch for it afterward.

------

I did everything he mentions but still a black screen....
Maybe AIO is the problem? Is their a difference between patching a ToxicOS loader and a clean hdloader?
Is it important which misc patch you use?
AIO says mine uncompressed hdloader file is ok. So i suppose that's not the problem.

Thanks in advance,

Breg

[dlanor]

Thanks for the reply,

First answers to your questions:
- I quess I've got a V10, V11 model (Singstar pack PS2).
- I have a Matrix Infinity modchip (firmware 1.38)
- I boot from memory card (holding the r1 button at startup)

It hasn't anything to do with the boot screen hanging.

You are correct. But then, I never said that it would hang at boot screen now, did I ?!? All I said was "discless booting will not work", without specifying details of how it fails. Those details are as follows:

When you patch HDL with "/N /C /S" and boot this on a v9+ PS2, then the "/N /C" patches will succeed in making HDL itself boot up, and "/S" will apparently succeed in stopping the disc. But the latter will somehow cause a conflict with the launching of the game, probably due to the initialization of HDL virtual CD drivers. Regardless of those low level details, the effect is that the game blackscreens even though HDL *seemed* to work (In fact it didn't).

Try it with a disc in the tray, please, and if that works my point is proven.
You will have to patch another ELF (without "/S") for discless booting.

Best regards: dlanor

[Breg]

You are right, I didn't read your post good enough .
With the disc in the tray the games boot. Your point is proven.
I will now make an elf without /S.
I'll let you know when it works...

Update: IT WORKS!!!!
Thanks dlanor!! After so much trouble it finally works! Such a tiny detail could make the difference .