This problem has been driving me nuts, hopefully someone here can help. As stated I have AR Max EVO which comes with the Max Drive USB pen and I thought this should be the easiest way to copy what I need to a memory card so I can run HDLoader (or rather my kids could) when putting in a a PSX game. I need to know exactly what files need to be on the memory card for this to happen. I have tried using just the Titleman.db and HDLoader.elf and combinations of other utlities as well to no avail. The boot occurs properly but I get a black screen, no HDLoader.
Aftyer doing some research I have found that due to a quirk in the Max Media Player, if I rename the HDLoader.elf to autoexec.elf on my USB Pen, then it will load correctly on its own. But I would prefer for my kids to load it from a memory card because the USB pen is more fragile and they also wouldn't have to navigate through the Max CD to get to the Media Player screen every time which is a real pain and sloooooww!
So my question is, what exactly are the files required to load on the memory card for HDLoader to run right away after the PSX is booted?
I had the same problem and no one wants to explain what exactly you need to do. "Do a search" is all I could find.I will try to explain so if you dont understand read this thread http://www.ps2-scene.org/forums/showthread.php?t=30257. To install a softmod on your ps2 using AR Max, you need to put it in .max file form, this way you dont need to use the media player. You use the memory card manager. To put it in .max, you need a program called ps2 save builder. Once you open the ps2 save builder, name the root folder BADATA-SYSTEM. Then just right click and add the elfs you want. You must also add your titleman.db here also. If you take a look at the thread above you will find a large titleman.db (make sure you have one of the games with the SLUS in the titleman.db you choose) already made plus all the other files you need. You will need to name one of the elfs BOOT.ELF. If you want it to load hdloader.elf when the ps2 starts, just rename it BOOT.ELF. Once you are done click the save icon, and name the file BADATA-SYSTEM. This will now show up as a .max file. Now put this on your pen drive and load up ar max. Go to memory card manager and delete your system configure file from your memory card, before installing the BADATA-SYSTEM because this is your new system configure file. Now go to your pen drive and the new system configure file will show up as "New File". Just uncrunch to memory card and restart your ps2 with your ps1 game in and it should work. I just figured all this out over the weekend, so if anything is incorrect, I apologize.
Thanks for the reply bearcreek, but I have been trying to do just what you said all weekend myself also. It's as if I am missing something, a file or something else?? I max the files up and uncrush them to a blank MC , boot up with the PSX and it flashes a white screen then nothing but black?? This is when I rename the hdloader.elf file to boot.elf and have the titleman.db in with it. I have tried other "filepacks" through the max file method and they will load to what I presume is pkmenu but I am clueless what to do in that DOS looking screen, I can't figure how to load hdloader from it. I tried a version of keylauncher as well, it will load to the menu (which looks great to use for my kids) but when I try to load hdloader from it I get a failed to load error message, even after I edited the KL.dat file properly.
I know the hdloader.elf will work, its flawless on my USB pen, even formatted the hdd from it. But I need it on my MC for the kids to use it OK.
Any other things I may be missing? When I installed my network adaptor for the hdd, I didn't install the software for it because I am not looking to network. Could this be a problem? the elf file sees the hdd on the USB so I am assuming the hdd is working properly.
I didnt install the software for the network adapter either and I got it to work. As far as the ps2 menu, I didnt understand it either. I had just as many problems with this as you did. It is rediculous to try to get a answer that you can understand. Did you try to launch the hdloader.elf from the ps2menu? To launch it from the ps2 menu, go into the badata-system file and hit x then scroll down to the hdloader.elf and hit x again. The .. will take you back to the previous file. If it didnt work, then there may be a problem with hdloader.elf. If you have kids I doubt you want the ps2menu as the default dashboard as it is easy to screw something up. Try checking the thread I listed, it helped me alot. I hate to send you to another forum, but I know what it feels like to not be able to get this thing modded. I was in your shoes Saturday with a week worth of reading. If you cant get it, PM me your email address and I will send you the badata-system.max file I used. This shouldn't be this hard and I dont know why it is. I didn't have half this problem modding my xbox!
Well, lo and behold I finally got it working. Found a file in max format that actually loads Keylauncher with a whole assortment of goodies that worked flawlessly.
Thanks again bearcreek, and if you would like to try this file out I would be more than happy to send it your way!
