I have creaded my exploit installer disk and have every thing ready save for one fact. I am using gameshark v3.1 and there is no "start game without codes" option. Also when i press start game GS automatically ejects the tray (blue light blinking) And i press x again to boot. Does this defeat the whole purpose of swapping or is this GS version just incompatilble.There is no options screen or way to disable the auto-eject that i'm aware of.
Well, I've actually got a similar question and I didn't think it reasonable to spam the threads with an entirely new topic regarding the same issue. I tried using the 'search' feature of the forum and have sifted through several pages worth of topics, and this seemed to be the closest thing to what I was experiencing.
I've also been using my own search engine rather extensively to find out all the info I can on this specifically to no avail.
So...
Okay, I'm going to get into info/specs so that anyone knowledgeable enough in this matter may be able to get a pretty good idea of what I'm working with.
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My PS2:
Console Version: says 'SCPH-50001' on the plate on the back of the system as well as in the menu screen where the information is listed.
It's the older 'bulky' PS2 (not the slimeline PStwo)
If I hold down the RESET(POWER) button to start up the system, after a few moments it turns itself back off. So I know the methods that use that technique are unavailable to me.
The EJECT button, if held, only ejects the disc tray and closes it but won't remain open or pop back open if I do that, as I've seen described in some methods; so again, I know this one's a no go.
Completely untouched... un-modded in any way, shape or form.
Just the standard,default system; with the only exception being the removed disc tray piece that allows for the use of a slide card.
... and two USB ports located on the front of the system.
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My Gameshark 2:
I've heard that GS2 versions 2 and under can be used to perform swaps for, if I'm not mistaken, PS2 CD format back-ups.
I purchased a Gameshark 2 the other day (brand new), and it's got the purple color to it on the disc reading side, as well as when I booted it up through the PS2 Browser menu, it shows the blue disc icon and reads as a 'Playstation 2 disc'.
The codes on it however are for I think all kinds of PS2 titles (both CD and DVD format games). I don't own all the one's that were listed but the one's I do, I cross referenced with my library and found it listed both CD and DVD based games.
It also did not come with a dongle (the memory-card like insert) as it apparently is intended to simply generate the files on your standard MC to save any new cheats you create.
On the menu screen it provides these options:
- Start Game
- Auto Cheat Mode
- Expert Cheat Mode
- Memory Card Manager and Gamesaves
- Online Support (or something of that nature... I don't have the PS hooked up for network capability though.)
The label side of the actual disc says Gameshark 2 v1.1...
However, when using the disc, it behaves like the later version 3 discs... and auto-ejects the disc when it prompts me to "insert the game and press x"...
So I'm wondering if it's just a version 3 that got labeled wrong or if there's some explanation for the difference in the version # printed on the disc and the way it actually works.
I'm interested in finding out if anyone has had any experience in getting a GameShark 2 like the one mentioned here to work with a PS2 model like my own, to boot CD format PS2 back-ups...
Also... I was highly interested in the option that says 'Memory Card Manager and Gamesaves' as I'm wondering if this may be a backdoor option to allow the upload of a Memory Card exploit from a CDR compiled disc. I'm pretty well versed in the CD creation process, it's just getting them to boot.
I also thought to mention that I don't have the SWAP MAGIC discs or anything really other than the Gameshark 2 and an Action Replay that is intended for allowing cheats with PSone titles only but is compatible with the PS2 (my GameShark CDX v3.3 for the original PSone hardware didn't allow it on my PS2).
Please forgive the naive nature of these questions as I'm very new to all of this [guess ya gotta start somewhere, huh? :) ].
Any ideas?... or am I going about it all wrong to begin with?
I'd like to extend my gratitude in advance to anyone who may be able to help with regards to this post. :)
Thanks!
The new Gamesharks, made by Fire International & branded under the MadCatz label CANNOT be used as an easy way to boot PS2 games.
You need to use the much older, now non-supported & no longer produced, GS2v1 or 2 (AR2v1 or 2 in PAL territories), made by Datel & shipped in the US by Interact.
Thanks so much for the prompt and very detailed response Ace.
...And as it would seem, that's exactly the GameShark I've got (the Fire International/Mad Catz version)
As for the latter GS's you mentioned (the older Datel/Interact iterations): I've been reading and sifting through a ton of posts, articles and web-sites stating that these are good for people who have certain mod-chips fitted to their systems... but often the information is a little unclear in regards to whether or not it is entirely possible for a standard, non-modded system to boot PS2 CD-R back-ups using just the GS 2 disc(s) and the swap method (using a slide card tool)?
If so, I'm certain it ought to be rather easy to find one of these (the version 2 and below) if I were to search the local EB and Gamestop bins or even the Blockbuster clearance racks.
Again, thank you so much for saving me a ton of headaches on that one... :)
The product I have (the Fire International/Mad Catz v3 v1.1) has the option to load game saves straight off of the disc and to your memory card.
In theory could you rebuild the GameShark CD itself to include all it's files... and simply replace one of the game saves found on the disc with a custom Independence Exploit save build?
When the disk prompts you to decide whether or not you want to load the game saves from a CD rom... could a swap for the back-up with the exploit save on it be performed; or is the sector of the pressed disc that makes it (the actual disc) compatible with the PS2 still going to need to be detected to read from the back-up?
Doing a little searching on the net through GameShark's sites, it says that even the v3 supports Sharkport game saves...
The .xps format isn't specifically found on the disc itself (I didn't use an ISObuster-type thing to view it... just looked at it in my computer's CD drive); so it leads me to believe that one of those files on the disc is a sort of condensed game save file with all the saves that were pressed with the disc contained in it, or the gameshark itself uses an altogether different format.
If an exploit save could be renamed and put in place of one the actual game saves and burned with the back-up, would it be possible to just load that save from the back-up when it prompts you, and transfer it to your memory card?
-=scratches head=- I don't know, anyone think it's worth the time and effort to find out?
I know it's nothing new... but it was a quick and simple method - and I didn't have to end up forking out any more cash other than what was spent on the GS and using something I had laying around the house (my digital camera).
Thought it might help anyone having a similar problem with their GS v3/4 :)
