USBAdvance wide open

[Zer0-X]

A command line tool (USBAStrip) in the attachment to decrypt/unpack & skin the cracked version of USBAdvance.

Unpack USBADVN.ELF with ps2-unpacker first (if you haven't done so already) and then use this tool.

Current features:

- Remove splash image for quicker startup.
- Extract images.
- Change font, button, frame, splash, main, etc. images (BMP/TGA/RAW, depending of the purpose).

No readme. The force is strong with the Command Prompt.

Just another useless tool for the almost useless tool but maybe someone wants to skin that too.

- - - ------------------------- - - -

Another command line tool (UI_Install) works like the original UL_Install but installs from ISO & BIN/CUE images (either .ISO or .BIN file). Splits DVD-imagefiles and adds the correct info to the config file.

Example: UI_Install imagefile.bin g "KillKenny" DVD

A note for these utils: Should be working now. Report unnatural behaviour.

[thereal_zap]

Just another useless tool for the almost useless tool...

hehe, you got that about right

but still, nice work

rofl:

Phase 1... Collect underpants.
Phase 2... ???
Phase 3... Profits, err, elf.elf converted into USBAdvance.ELF.

also, regarding skins.
as i posted in another post these are not as simple to insert as with hdl.
the images are split into 2 pieces

the splash screen part one (512 x 512) is from at 0008A5B0-0018A5AF
the second part (128 x 512) is at offset 0018A5D0-001CAFCF

the main screen (or menu screen) part one (256 x 256) is at offset 001CA5F0-0020A5EF
the second part (64 x 256) us at offset 0020A610-0021A60F

you can always simply create a standard (640 x 512) and (320 x 256) image in photoshop as a cmyk raw image and then slice up the necessary pieces. (this probably won't work cuz it's rgba as zero-x states below. anyone know how to open up a raw image as rgba in photoshop or any other image handling tool?)

or

you can create the images, save them as a bmp, convert to IIF with a bmp2iif tool, remove the IIF header and split it up using a hex editor and copying the necessary bytes into the locations i listed above.

happy skin making

[Zer0-X]

There are the fonts, some buttonlike image, frame corners, some arrow image, scrollbar etc. image, splash and main which all seem to be RAW RGBA.

Haven't even tested to load anything with it yet (lazy me).

[thereal_zap]

yeah i saw those too. but i never really got into the button font hacking into the hdl, so i figure why start now

also! good to know that it's RGBA and not CMYK. ps just has a habit of defaulting to CMYK if it's a 4 channel raw.

[InfinaRacer]

Quick Q, I haven't seen any discussion about this yet but, does an external hdd work with older ps2s? Just curious.

does an external hdd work with older ps2s? Just curious.

yes.

[Ruddicz]

external HDD should work with any PS2 that has a working USB port

[thc013]

HI all

when i used this tool on usbadvan an put ps2unpacker in the same folder did the bat file got the same text as thereal_zap but when i tried this it wasn't working anymore and the original usbadvan works so i ran them in pcsx2 emu and there the original started and the unpacked one did also not work and in the debug message its says cdvdreadkey and missing system.cnf at the point usbadvance hangs

tried it unpacked en packed on my ps2 but usbadvance isn't working anymore when i unpack it with your tool

[Zer0-X]

The messages you get in PCSX2 are normal.

The resulting file works just fine on my V4. Recognises USB-media ok.

[thc013]

got a v11

did it al over again

working now

my mistake but it is odd that that message come biy the unpacked version

[dlanor]

I wonder if it just me, seeing the success reports by others...
For me it does NOT work correctly.

I have no problem unpacking and 'stripping the ELF, which results in a USBAdvance.ELF of exactly 3076 KB. I then repack that file with ps2-packer (default settings) resulting in a size of appx 411 KB. Next I transfer this file by FTP to the same MC folder where I have the original USBADVN.ELF (which works fine). And when I launch the new ELF it starts up normally recognizing my USB memory and showing the titles it contains.

However, regardless of which title I select, this repacked ELF locks up forever, with the text box on screen saying "Please wait... ...Loading title".

All of this was tested on my V9 PAL PS2 with Matrix Infinity chip having macrovision fix OFF, and the USB device is a 64 MB HPDisgo containing 4 small homebrew ISOs, all of which work fine with the original ELF.

Best regards: dlanor

PS Edit: I just noted this comment in your post Zero-X:

Haven't even tested to load anything with it yet (lazy me).

I think you do need to test it all the way...
DS.

[accadeecee]

V7 Unmodded console, Launched resulting unpacked file (3,149,824 bytes) from launchelf via exploit. Succesfully Booted to SPLASH screen then hangs at black screen untill CD tray is opened (I could hear it spinning up the trigger disc) Once the CD tray is opened it then boots into menu and recognises USB Device. I then tried launching the game from menu (game works fine on Original packed version) and then hangs at loading screen. Re-Patched USBAdvance twice to make sure it wasn't an error on my part, tried repacking the file, and Hexing out the Splash screen, all to no avail. No big drama to me, as i don't use it anyway, but was just interested if anyone else was having this problem

[Zer0-X]

Originally Posted by dlanor

I think you do need to test it all the way...

Most propably. I just need get one drive cleaned up for that first.

[hackchip]

Le format de l'image est du RGB ALPHA.
Pour convertir un fichier BMP en RGB ALPHA, il vous faudra gfxconv.exe.

Il est disponible dans le code source de nPort beta v0.1, disponible ici -->Download nPort01_src.zip.

Aller dans le dossier nPort->gfx, et ouvrer gfxconv.exe.
Dedans entrer la moitié de l'image pour qui puisse le convertir en RGBA

Sinon j?avait déjà donner tout sa a ZERO-X en M-P il y a même pas 3 jours, mais il la pas du comprendre mon message.

[Zer0-X]

Just wiped one drive and installed few images and yeah, it seems to crash just nicely when launching a game. Atleast I can now start digging on what's causing it.

[Apprentice]

Dooohhh dumb me. I hadn't read the statment about it crashing
Does the original version works on MC? (gotta try that lol)

[Zer0-X]

New install tool at the thread start. Now working out the bugs in USBAStrip and adding skinning feats.

[thereal_zap]

nice work Zer0-X !

this should help out all those who are slave to this new app
i'm also glad to hear that you're working on a skinning function.

<G>: you really can get rid of that post, cuz i already made another frontend gui for the bmpintoelf program (posted in this forum). i simply modified the bmpintoelf app so that the IIF header would not be written (since USBA gfx do not contain this header). plus, not only was it vertically flipping the image, it was also casting the image with a purplish hue. i did use 00 as an alpha channel setting like the original, however i believe it is because of my simple approach that the images were not handled correctly. since i made the frontend and/or until i get some proper bmp2rgba source i won't be working on that project any more. so by all means, let it be deleted.

[<G>]

fair enough. deleted.

[kardon]

May i know where can i get step by step information on how to use this usb advanced? The file i've got has .bin,.cue,ul format and ul install files.
should i burn that bin file onto a cd and load it up with my hdd?
sounds like a waste of CD with that small size file. Or can i just plug my hdd in with the files copied over. will my other files in my hdd be formatted?

[dlanor]

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