PS2 HDD emulator installation help

[Tachikoma]

Absolutely fed up of wasting CDR's now, so thought I would just ask.

Got me a PS2 network adaptor, stuck a hard drive in it, can format it, can (apparently) install stuff to it, but I'm buggered if I can figure out wtf is going on.

PS2 chipped with DMS3, latest BIOS, got all the DMS3 HDD loaders, explorers, formatting tools, etc, but nothing seems to want to work. I can't get anything to list the HDD files installed and subsequently run them. I can use DMS3 HDD formatter fine, I can use PS2 HDD Loader (well get it to boot and say nothings on the HDD)

I just want to stick a few emulators and the media player on it.

[Johnny]

Forget the DMS tools. They are very old and haven't been updated.

Put the HDD on the PC and format it with WINHIIP (or put it on the PS2 and format it with HD Loader).

Then burn a CD with UlaunchELF. Put the ulaunchELF.ELF file also on a pendrive. Run the CD, select FILEBROWSER, mass:// and copy the ulaunchELF from the pendrive to the __boot partition and rename it as BOOT.ELF.

First part is ready. HDD formatted and ulaunchELF on the hdd. You can run it now without the cd, just using the DEV.2 option ( don't remember which button is on the DMS3 modchip).

Running uLaunchELF, you can now put SMS (Media Player) and emulators like PGen on the HDD. This is the easiest way to updated HD Loader too. Just put their ELF files on the pendrive and copy them to the HDD. Just make sure you don't put them on the root of the __boot partition. The only file that must be there is the BOOT.ELF (uLaunchElf file renamed). So, for SMS, create a directory called SMS, for Pgen, PGEN (after PGen is first run it also creates a 256mb Partition for saves and Roms, and so on.

If you like, i also recommend getting Flashback (PC port), Beats of Rage, ...

If you have anymore difficulties, post them here, and i'll help you.

PS: uLaunchElf is a very complete tool. It even has a JPG Viewer, a Text editor, a HDD Status tool,... It's very simple designed GUI, but you can add wallpapers, and personalize the way you want it.

[Tachikoma]

Sounds good thanks, will give it a bash tonight.

[Johnny]

Go for this link for the latest HD Loader, Winhiip and HDD Utility Disc (If you want to have the HDD show up on the PS2 Browser. It can also format the HDD)
http://www.sksapps.com/index.php?page=hd.html

Go here for the latest PGen (1.51)
http://189.23.10.62:1080/portal/?q=node/20

Go here for the latest SMS (2.3 Rev.2) , DivX / Xvid / MP3 Media Player:
http://home.casema.nl/eugene_plotnikov/

For uLaunchElf, go here:
http://www.sksapps.com/index.php?page=launchers.html
or
the PSX-scene forums

Flashback Port
http://www.megidish.net/flashback/

Geotron (simple Geometry Wars clone)
http://www.geocities.com/james7780/

My "article" here at assembler wiki is a nice read as well:
http://assemblergames.com/wiki/dogat...YouCanDoWithIt

[Tachikoma]

Lovely stuff, thanks!

Got everything working to boot ELF's off the hard drive now, just can't get the emulators of media players working off the hard drive, will have to look at it again tomorrow.

[Johnny]

Did you create a directory for each one in the ___/boot partition?

Make a SMS directory using the uLaunchElf for the SMS Media Player and put the ELF file there.

Then make the same thing for PGEN and put the PGEN ELF file inside the directory.

Go back for the main uLaunchElf screen and make shortcuts for the ELF files. After this just select the shortcuts you want and select it. It should work fine.

Anyway, i'm happy you got some stuff working. Let me know if you need any help.

uLaunchELF may look simple, but it's a very powerful tool. There's lot of guides and cool stuff at the PSX-Scene forums. Everybody working on it is there.

[Tachikoma]

Ah right, I put the folders elswhere, I read you had to keep the __/BOOT partition empty other than for the boot.elf file.

I got the media centre working off my pendrive eventually, will make a partition and copy those working files over now.

I tell you, I see why people say "just buy another XBOX" but wanted to get some use out of it upstairs on the spare TV.

[Johnny]

It might be difficult setting up it, but after the HDD is formatted and uLaunchELF is installed as Dev.2 boot file, it's very easy to use it.

Plus uLaunchELF lets you acess files from everywhere (including PS2 <-> PC connection). The same thing for SMS, as it loads files from everyway possible.

SMS and uLaunchELF configuration files are saved on mc0: (Memory Card 1). If i'm not mistaken they don't have the icon files, so they show up on the PS2 Browser as "Corrupted Data". Just go to PSX-Scene forums and download the icons. Then with uLaunchELF copy the correspondent icon files to each directory on the mc0:/

[Tachikoma]

I couldn't get SMS working, I got PS2media player Pro working on it though.

SMS just hangs at a blue screen.

[Johnny]

I couldn't get SMS working, I got PS2media player Pro working on it though.

SMS just hangs at a blue screen.

That's just weird. Try contacting EEUG at the PSX-Scene forums. He might find a solution for you. I never had any problems with it (and i installed it for some friends).

Edited:
Here is the wallpaper i made and use in uLaunchElf. To use it, just save it on any directory you created and go for Settings to make it work. Also, you'll have to change the colors of some texts, since the light blue color will make them hard to see. Just make the choice of colors you want and save it (a file called uLaunchELF.CNF should be created on mc0:/ . That's your configuration file, with settings, shortcuts and so on.