PS1/2 Does this work to install Launch Elf?

[U-said-it]

Hi there, I found this post, and I as wondering if anyone here had success i loading this? Does this technique really work? I don't have any Dvd-Rs, so I can't try it out. Could I use say a cd-r with a PS2 demo disc small enough to fit on a cd-r?

Tutorial on how to use a ps2 game disc and a modified backup of that disk as a swap disk.

Why I Did this:
I wanted to install the free mc boot exploit but did have a swap magic disc or a mod chip.
I didn't what to buy a swap magic disc because I didn't really what to spend 25 $ on some thing I would only ever use once. After the free mc boot exploit is installed you never need a swap disc again it's sort of like the independence exploit with out the need for a ps1 trigger disk.

How I did this:
Step 1:
First you need to be able to swap discs on you ps2. For the fat you need to make a swap tool out of an old credit card to change discs with out pushing the eject button just Google ps2 swap tool. If you have a slim like me just follow this Tutorial
http://www.instructables.com/id/Mod-a-Play...-NO-CHIPS!/

Step 2:
Making your swap disc:
What you will need:
Original PS2 game disc I used 007 agent under fire.
Apache v 1.1 newer version will not work
Dvd Decrypter or other dvd burning soft capable or raw write
Launch.elf v 4.21 other home brew launch might work don't know

The game you use needs to have multiple elf binaries on it (irx might work don't know) preferably with self explanatory names so you know when it's launched.
007 agent under fire has 3 elf binaries in the root of the dvd movie.elf, action.elf and driving.elf
driving.elf is launch when a driving level is loaded. With action I think that's loaded when any other level is loaded, but I'm not sure I modded the driving file.

Burn a iso of the game you are going to use for this hack.
If you are using dvd decrypter select insert you ps2 game in the dvd drive select mode from the dvd decrypter menu and then iso then you chose where you want the file saved and you click decrypt.

Hack the game:
In this step you are going to replace one of the elf binaries with the uncompressed version of launch.elf (the compressed version might work I don't know)

To do this you need to use apache v 1.1 if you use magic iso or ultra iso it will change the TOC values and the LBA and the hack will not work.

Load the iso using apache v 1.1 select the file you are going to swap for the hack in my case driving.elf
click iso tools then click change TOC for selected file do not change the LBA, change the size of the file to the size of launch.elf the size is in bytes so for launch elf 4.21 you would change it to 877420 ( I don't think you can change this value to a larger size and have it work but I might be wrong) now rename launch elf to the file you are replacing in my case driving.elf then in apache select iso tools again and click update, selected file then browse to the location of your renamed launch.elf and select it. Now close apache and burn the modded iso to disk. In DVD decrypter insert a blank dvd, select mode, iso, write, select your modded iso and then click burn.

Step 3: swap it
Insert the original game in the PS2 power it on let it load past the intro and all the various splash screens and into the game menu now swap the original game with your hacked copy.

The next step differs depending on the game you use and the file you replaced, if you used 007 agent under fire like me and replaced the driving.elf then load up your saved game slot then go to select level and select the level where you are driving. Then you will get a loading screen and instead of loading the level it will load launch.elf which you can use it to load any exploit you want. I used launch.elf to load the free mc boot installer from a thumb drive.

If you deleted your bond saved games then you might want to try replacing the action.elf with launch elf instead I think this will load launch elf on the first mission but I'm not sure I didn't try it. If you used a different game it's up to you to figure out how to trigger the exploit. A couple of the games I looked at had a credits elf I would assume to trigger that if that's the file you replaced you would have to beat the game.

Sweet you are done if you don't believe this is possible I've included a video of the exploit in action. If you think this is way to much work you can always just buy a swap magic disc.

PS don't try and put the launch.elf cnf on the disc it will mess up the toc and launch.elf run fine with out it.

Video of hack in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i0MoJp8uwA

Sorry for the horrendously large post, but one last query...

What does the Launch Elf program allow you to install? MC boot exploit? Play homebrew/emus? Play imports?

 

[Gerinych]

1. If your demo disk has any .elf files, you can do it. I've never heard of this method before, but it sounds plausible.
2. LaunchElf is a browser for your PS2. I mostly use it to copy my saves onto a flash drive. It can browse your memory cards, your CD, only one of your flash drives, your HDD, and your network (not sure how you can do that) It can also run .elf files. I managed to get an Independence Exploit and Free McBoot on my memory card using LaunchElf.

 

[U-said-it]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I have another question then. I'm sure this has been asked before, so I'll ask for a link (maybe?).

Could you give me a link to a tutorial on how to load the Independence Exploit, or the Free MC Boot with the Launch Elf program?

Is it as simple as loading those programs from a cd-r, or usb drive, in the Launch Elf menu?

 

[xist]

If you have Ulaunch and a compatible USB flash drive then it's as simple as just executing the FMCB install elf. Take a look at these guides and worship at the alter of Bootleg Ninja, JNABK, jimmikaelkael & Neme and dlanor amongst others.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

Excuse me for bumping such an old topic, but I'm attempting this method as of now on my modded slim PS2 with Star Wars Battlefront II as well as Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and have gotten absolutely NOWHERE. I've worked on this for nearly half a day with no luck and I'm getting fed up. For specific instructions, I am:

-Ripping my games via USB DVD Drive

-Using a .elf (compressed for MGS3 and uncompressed for SWBF2), and replacing the specific .elf file in both games with Apache v1.1 that confirm to be working with this exploit. (I updated the "TOC" and made it the proper amount of bytes, then updated the file as instructed)

-I burned all the copies at 1x (excluding one Battlefront II which was burned at 10x)

-Starting the disc up for both MGS3 and SWBF2

-Swapping discs at the main menu

-Heading to the respective area where the .elf has been replaced and launching it


...and then I get an "insert a Playstation or Playstation 2 disc" error instead of getting the Launch.elf menu.



-A note, I've also attempted at least three devices with no avail on any of them.

First was a USB SD card reader with a 1 GB Wii Sandisk SD Card (The SD card reader did not light up, so it acted as if it wasn't detected)

Second was a 4 GB Verbatim USB Flash Drive which didn't light up either

Third was a Sony PSP with a 2 GB Sandisk Pro Duo. When the system started up with the PSP connected, it was detected and changed text from "Please Connect a USB Cable" to "Please Wait..."

 

[velocity37]

The whole reason it works with agent under fire is that the game launches a seperate ELF file, which in this case has been replaced with uLaunchELF. You'll want to find a disc that has multiple ELF files that you have some idea of when they are launched.

As mentioned previously demo discs should work. I think Kingdom Hearts II has a seperate ELF for gummi ship missions as well.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

The whole reason it works with agent under fire is that the game launches a seperate ELF file, which in this case has been replaced with uLaunchELF. You'll want to find a disc that has multiple ELF files that you have some idea of when they are launched.

As mentioned previously demo discs should work. I think Kingdom Hearts II has a seperate ELF for gummi ship missions as well.

I must have the absolute worst luck then. I tried a Namco Demo disc. The first burned copy I replaced an .elf of i-Ninja with no luck. The second copy I replaced I think 3 ELF files of a bunch of demoes--still with the screen with the red blocks in the background. And I'm almost sure it isn't the disc failing to be read, I can play everything else just fine on the demo

 

[Gamemaster1379]

Excuse me, does anybody know what's causing the error?

 

[dewback]

the way this works is you launch the game and then select the demo or other elf on the disk. the uLaunchELF needs to be renamed to the elf file that you are replacing. The ps2 does a check if it is a legit disk when you see the playstation logo.

Posts merged

you were missing
Step 3: swap it
Insert the original game in the PS2 power it on let it load past the intro and all the various splash screens and into the game menu now swap the original game with your hacked copy.

 

[wchill]

Watch out about scratching your originals though, that happened to me whilst doing this and now they're not recognizable by the PS2. :/

 

[Gamemaster1379]

the way this works is you launch the game and then select the demo or other elf on the disk. the uLaunchELF needs to be renamed to the elf file that you are replacing. The ps2 does a check if it is a legit disk when you see the playstation logo.

Posts merged

you were missing
Step 3: swap it
Insert the original game in the PS2 power it on let it load past the intro and all the various splash screens and into the game menu now swap the original game with your hacked copy.

Yeah, I swap at the game menu, and it all runs just fine. I can still play everything using the swapped disc--except load the .elf. Every other demo runs fine with no hiccups except the i-ninja, which, when loaded, sends me straight to the PS2 menu with the red blocks in the background asking me to insert a PS/PS2 screen.

 

[Gamemaster1379]

Bump.

S'pose I should have been paying attention to the scene while it was still active.

 

[Ultratech87]

Hmm...don't know what the problem could be then.

I just finally got it working with Agent Under Fire (very cheap!) and it worked perfectly. However, I must've tried this same thing with a ton of other games beforehand and got no result or the red screen.

My only guess is that it's very limited to what might actually work with it. Just because a game has an .elf file, doesn't mean you can run launchelf from it, as I've learned. Get something like the old SOCOM games or even better, Agent Under Fire, for it work successfully.