Hacking Gaming Homebrew PS1/2 Installing HDD-OSD on modchipped PS2?

[CaseyDog]

I've been meaning to install HDD-OSD (the modified version of the 2.0 update to the PS2 system menu for adding the hard drive to the system browser), but I can't find any guides/info on how to get it working with a modchip. Many sources say to use FHDB alongside HDD-OSD, but FHDB has issues with modchips (just trying to boot into it on my Modbo 750-modded system froze it when attempting to see the "browser/configuration" screen). I tried copying the related files to __sysconf and __system in wLauncElf, but that did nothing. In the event I can't just copy some files over like that, would there be a way to install it over ethernet/SMB? I don't want to have to buy an IDE-to-USB connector.

 

[SylverReZ]

I've been meaning to install HDD-OSD (the modified version of the 2.0 update to the PS2 system menu for adding the hard drive to the system browser), but I can't find any guides/info on how to get it working with a modchip. Many sources say to use FHDB alongside HDD-OSD, but FHDB has issues with modchips (just trying to boot into it on my Modbo 750-modded system froze it when attempting to see the "browser/configuration" screen). I tried copying the related files to __sysconf and __system in wLauncElf, but that did nothing. In the event I can't just copy some files over like that, would there be a way to install it over ethernet/SMB? I don't want to have to buy an IDE-to-USB connector.

Use an old version of FMCB, the newer versions seem to have problems with certain modchips.

 

[CaseyDog]

Use an old version of FMCB, the newer versions seem to have problems with certain modchips.

Any idea what old version(s) specifically?

 

[SylverReZ]

Any idea what old version(s) specifically?

I would say, use FMCB v1.8.

 

[Hayato213]

You can try 1.965 and 1.953

 

[CaseyDog]

Where can I find any of these older versions? The developer's taken down the links for being "no longer needed" (a decision I heavily disagree with, FTR)

Also, should I install FMCB before or after HDD-OSD? And what method should I use for installing HDD-OSD?

 

[Hayato213]

Where can I find any of these older versions? The developer's taken down the links for being "no longer needed" (a decision I heavily disagree with, FTR)

Also, should I install FMCB before or after HDD-OSD? And what method should I use for installing HDD-OSD?

You can try these.

https://github.com/israpps/FreeMcBoot-Installer

 

[CaseyDog]

I put the folders for 1.965 and 1.953 on my USB stick and put it in the PS2. I backed up my memory card contents, and before I even installed anything, I saw that somehow, the system menu'd suddenly been updated to 2.00, with me able to browse my hard drive. I swear it was still 1.20 the last time I checked. Then I ran the installer for FMCB 1.965, and it let me boot into programs like LaunchElf and OPL from the system menu. I noticed it was using older versions of both those programs, though, so I went into the FMCB configurator and changed them to the latest versions as stored on my memory card.

After going back to the system menu, though, it'd suddenly reverted back to 1.20. Changing the FMCB OSD items back to their defaults didn't help. I'm extremely confused now

 

[tech3475]

What modchip do you have? IIRC there are some which can 'fake' any HDD into being an official one.

There's also modified versions of the installer flying around which may work on your chipped system. Can't say for sure though since my system is unchipped.

It may be worth checking the config, IIRC there's a setting for checking for updates (on the PS2) and something HDD related (quick boot?).

On a side note, what is your intended purpose?

 

[CaseyDog]

I have a Modbo 750. I'm using a modified version of HDD-OSD that allows for installation on non-Sony HDDs, specifically the version that allows for just copying the necessary files over to the __sysconf and __system directories of my 500GB WD Blue IDE drive, since I don't own an IDE-to-USB adapter for the installer version. Also, the modchip's config program doesn't have any settings related to checking for updates, and fast boot just gives me a black screen with the system seemingly not even attempting to load anything. I think the "dev2" boot setting uses a boot.elf on your HDD if you have one, but I don't know what specific directory that'd go in or what file to rename to boot.elf.

My intended purpose is to be able to boot games stored on my hard drive (transferred over ethernet through HDLGameInstaller) straight from the system menu. I find that method way cozier than OPL, just as personal preference.

Update: I thought you were talking about the modchip configurator since you just said "the config". I found an option in the FMCB configurator called "skip HDD update check" for skipping detection of newer browser versions on the hdd on startup called and turned it off. This reenabled browser 2.00, but in turn disabled the FreeMcBoot menu in favor of the stock one. "hacked OSDSYS" is also on, and I tried all three settings for the "go to browser" option (controls going to the FreeMcBoot menu vs the stock one along with whatever exactly "auto is supposed to do, according to this guide, which BTW also says the fast boot option is just for booting into games on physical disc quicker if there's one in the console).

It seems like maybe there's a conflict between FMCB and HDD-OSD on my modchipped console. Maybe another version of FMCB or FHDB's needed?

Post automatically merged: Sep 20, 2023

Update 2: I didn't realize that HDD-OSD lets you access wLaunchElf from a browser icon, and it's fairly natural and quick to load into it that way, so I decided to stop wrestling with FMCB and FHDB. I now have a couple more issues, though.

1. After booting up HDLGameInstaller on both my PS2 and PC and establishing a connection, I started my VPN for a few minutes and then closed it. This seemed to break the connection before I even started transferring any games with a "no PC found" error, so I closed the PC client and then went over to my PS2 to restart its version of HDLGI as well. It was still stuck in the "transferring from network; do not turn off console" screen though, even after I shut my PC off. This forced me to shut the PS2 off without safely stopping the program, and when I went back into wLaunchElf to boot up the .elf from my button shortcut again, the screen just rapidly flashed black and I couldn't do anything until I turned off the console. I then replaced the .elf file with one fresh from the HDLGI download folder, and this let me boot in again, but trying to save the program's settings now gave me a "failed to save settings" error whenever I hit confirm, even though backing out of the settings screen applied my changes anyway.

Next I transferred over Jak II and Xenosaga 1, but after that was finished, the prior game had the intro play very flickery and choppy until it froze after about 15 seconds, and the latter just booted to a black screen. Not sure if that part's is just an OPL compatibility thing. After that, though, I tried booting into HDLGI from my shortcut again, but the flashing screen thing was suddenly back.

At some point around the beginning of this series of events, I remember that the button shortcut for HDLGI was suddely giving me a "this is not a .elf file: ." error (though it still started if I launched it by manually navigating WLE's file browser) until i changed the formatting of the ".elf" extension to ".ELF", I think at the very start? Though I can't remember exactly when.

Maybe I'm getting the file structure wrong? I have HDLGI in that "PP." folder/HDLGameInstaller/HDLGameInstaller.elf", but I feel like I might remember it being different before I had to replace it, like "BOOT/BOOT.ELF" maybe? I do remember that the readme.txt and changelog.txt files along with the "licenses" folder weren't in there before, just the .elf file and the "lang" folder.

2. What's the proper way to update the version of OPL that HDD-OSD uses? I read about having to make the OPL .ELF file you need a .KELF file, but there's also an "OPNPS2LD.ELF" inside the same HDD partition. Could I just replace that?