Kaj-Nrig's USBAdvance issues - All Resolved
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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18. February 2009 @ 20:10 |
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Well, first of all, if topics on shrinking PS2 ISOs has to go somewhere else (like the General Discussion or so), then feel free to let me know.
What I'm trying to do here is shrink a 4.3GB ISO to less than 4GB so that the image can fit on my FAT32-formatted drive. Once that's done, I'll use USBAdvance + Swap Magic on my PS3 to play the game.
The thing I want to know is how to figure out what the dummy files are, if there ARE any. Is there something I have to look for? Or should I just do some trial and error?
And if that doesn't work, I'm willing to shave some of the PSS files' quality, but in order to make it work, I'd have to go from 600 MB to less than 300 MB, which is a substantial loss in quality.
Any help would be great. I can provide a list of the files if you want.
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 01:25 |
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For most PS2 games if your just wanting to rebuild to reduce the TOC size, you can use gnie's Xpert Tool V2
There are different methods for some PS2 games, but a simple search for that game title in these forums should help or on alucard.cc/forums.
gnie's Xpert Tool has many plugins that help with that.
The procedure is as follows
1. Select the Shrinker_ps2_psp_CdDvd5 v1.04_iso.epi on the plugins drop down list.
2. Select the iso you want to rebuild.
3. Click extract LBA.
4. Click extract file and wait for it to finish.
5. Click rebuild file and wait for it to finish.
6. Click rebuild LBA.
7. Burn the new iso with DVD Decrypter(imgburn)as usual.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 19. February 2009 @ 01:29
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 01:51 |
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Oh, I should've mentioned that I'm seeking some help from over there, too. Unfortunately, the game I'm looking for - Another Century's Episode 3, a Japanese import - hasn't been ripped there yet.
I used gnie's Xpert tool to extract the LBA and files from the ISO; that's how I figured out all the files and stuff.
What's this about the TOC? This is my first time doing anything like this, so definitions would help me out a lot.
And I thought the Extract/Rebuild would only rebuild the exact same ISO image? I was following his guide on shrinking ISOs, and I'm under the impression that I have to find the dummy files and/or manually shrink some of the files, like the videos or the sound bites.
Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 02:22 |
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My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 19. February 2009 @ 02:23
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 11:05 |
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1.) Thanks for the help.
2.) Huh... I guess I had this thought that:
Rip the files from the ISO. Rebuild the ISO without changing the files. The new ISO will be the same size.
If simply rebuilding it reduces the filesize so significantly, what's being done in the process? For instance, in that first thread you pointed me out to, the process the guy used was almost exactly like the process used with gnie's Xpert tool - extract ISO from disc, rip files from ISO, put files (unchanged) into new ISO, new ISO is smaller than original ISO.
Is there something that goes on when he runs it through IML2ISO?
And speaking of which, would that Xpert rebuilding tool do more or less the same thing in one program as he does in three or so programs?
I know these are a lot of questions, but I'm really interested in this stuff now. Now I'm wondering how to change game text and audio files and all that stuff - listening to Zone of the Enders 2 in Japanese would be so much more preferable to the horrible English dub they gave it.
Anyway. Thanks again. I'll try just extracting/rebuilding the ISO and seeing if that fixes things easily.
EDIT:
This is unrelated to the above game, but in another import I'm also downsizing, there are two files that I assume are dummy files: DUMMY0.OUT and DUMMY1.OUT. Is it a safe bet to assume that they're dummy files?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 19. February 2009 @ 11:07
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PS2RULZ
Newbie
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19. February 2009 @ 16:15 |
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Its also possible to downsample the FMV's of a game (make the resolution and quality lower of e.x an intro or outro). Atleast I saw an ISO of God of War 2 wich was 4gb.
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 17:01 |
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Basically a lot of the PS2 games have False LBA, making it appear bigger on disk than it is.
So once extracted, you have the actual size it is. Then just need to put it back together in proper order.
gnie's xpert tool does what Hursty's post said but all in one.
Now for his other plugins , he usually has the instructions posted right in his plugin thread.
As for the changing game text and audio files, I never really got into that, so probably check the alucard forums.
I am sure they could help you better than I.
I know there undub version out that one can download for certain games.
As for the DUMMY0.DAT and DUMMY1.DAT, again I would ask about the specific game to see if its safe to remove them.
There may be a specific method used to make sure the game will work without them.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 18:15 |
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EDIT:
Never mind, you answered the question for me.
Anyway, now that I've got that figured out, I guess it's just going to be a lot of trial and error from here on out.
Quick question: On the alucard forums, there's stuff about ripkits and plugins and stuff. What are ripkits? And what are those game-specific plugins meant to do in Xpert?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 19. February 2009 @ 18:22
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 18:36 |
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Each ripkit has tools, guides specific for each game.
The plugins are for psp and PS2 games.
So in his plugin thread, he will list each one have instructions on how to use it.
So for example for "God of War 2"
It says this:
ps2 God of War 2 ntsc plugin
use dos commands merge 2 files as 1 bigfile
copy /b part1.pak + part2.pak new-part1.pak
bigfile = new-part1.pak
tablefile = GODOFWAR.TOC
PS2_GOW2_pak_toc.epi
[PS2 God Of War 2 *.PAK |*.TOC]
http://www.alucard.cc/forums/index.php?topic=1204.0
Or the plugin will be used in conjunction with a ripkit tutorial.
They are used to rebuild the game to a smaller size without losing quality.
The GOW2 is a DVD9 game and this reduces it too a DVD5 disk size.
Hope that helps.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 19. February 2009 @ 18:38
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 19:58 |
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...wow... Uh... I think I'll have to start learning a lot more stuff... yikes.
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 21:03 |
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My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 21:08 |
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Well, is this USBAdvance (for the PS3) about the same as the one for PS2?
For that matter, what IS the USBAdvance for PS2? What's it supposed to do?
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AfterDawn Addict
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19. February 2009 @ 21:27 |
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Oh ok, sorry I don't know anything about the PS3.
Didn't know it had its own USBAdvance
USBAdvance is an ELF file for the PS2, and lets you play backups off the USB hdd, but like I say not all games are compatible with it.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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19. February 2009 @ 22:37 |
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Well, the PS3 USBAdvance is more or less the same. It's an ELF file... or sumthin'... that you use with Swap Magic (Swap Magic to put the PS3 in PS2 mode) to boot PS2 backups off a USB drive.
The only drawback is that the PS3 only reads fat32-formatted external media, and the fat32 format only allows for a max filesize of 4GB. Hence why I'm trying to shrink a 4.3GB backup to less than 4GB.
Anyway, I'm more or less in a rut until my Swap Magic arrives. I'll ask you some more once that thing arrives and I can start testing out my rebuilds.
Thank you very much, again. You've been about the most helpful person I've met about this.
Be back in few days or so.
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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23. February 2009 @ 13:09 |
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Dee dee dee, me.
I am an idiot.
Okay, so I never had to worry about shrinking it to less than 4GB anyway. Since you split it with USBUtil, all the files are less than 4GB, and as long as I put it on an 8GB or larger drive (which, if the 1TB on the external hard drive I just bought is any indication, I should have one that's significantly larger), I'll be good to go.
Duh, me. Well, that takes care of the size issue. Sorry to have wasted your time, smoky. All that fussing for nothing. Well, I'm good on this end, now, so thanks a lot for all the help.
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AfterDawn Addict
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23. February 2009 @ 15:12 |
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Oh well no harm done and you learned some things in the process.
I was going to mention that with using USBAdvance, but I just thought maybe something was different for PS3, or because your drive was small that you wanted to rebuild.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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28. February 2009 @ 02:11 |
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smoky (or anyone else), I've run into another problem. Now, I would ask this in the PS3 forum, but since the PS3's running in PS2 mode for this, I figured I may as well just ask here.
Anyway, the issue comes whenever I try to boot a game... any game. I can boot up USBAdvance and stuff perfectly fine. Get it to see my external drive, etc.
But when I click on the game, after the loading and everything, eventually I get to some weird, TV-static screen where nothing happens.
I thought that maybe it was just my game, but when I loaded Rez (which has been confirmed to work with USBAdvance), the same thing happens. It can't possibly be that the game is incompatible, then.
Would you happen to know anything about this? Get a new USBAdvance? Get an older version of USBAdvance? I'm freaking out of my mind trying to get this to work.
Any and all help would, as always, be greatly, greatly appreciated. Thanks. (The fact that the white screen thing happens to even Rez is what gets to me.)
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. February 2009 @ 11:33 |
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My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 28. February 2009 @ 11:36
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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28. February 2009 @ 12:46 |
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Uh... well, the USBAdvance is an .ELF that was designed specifically for the PS3 (I guess).
It's USB Loader ver. 0.2b.
It's a USBAdvance that doesn't require me to put any files on the memory card - I just boot it directly from the Swap Magic screen. If I have it right, usually you need to copy the BADATA_SYSTEM folder and USBLDv01.ELF to your memory card, then reboot Swap Magic and load it from the memory card (to load the USB drivers).
Am I right so far?
As far as external drive goes, I'm using a Cavalry CAUM 1TB external hard drive partitioned equally into two drives - one NTFS and one FAT32 - to store the game, and a generic 512 MB flash drive for booting USBLoader.
...or are USBAdvance and USB Loader two different things?
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. February 2009 @ 13:15 |
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Ok this is why you still should post in the PS3 section even if it is about PS2 games, being your PS3 is backward compatible.
That way other PS3 users will reply if they know.
USB loader 0.2 is just a modified USB Advance
http://www.demonhades.org/viewtopic.php?t=831&f=104
Ok I had to take this thread and translate it from Spanish to English in Yahoo Babel. Link
Now whether it has same features as USBAdvance for PS2 or not, I don't know.
USBAdvance does not like more than one partition on a hard drive, now the USB loader 0.2 may be different. I don't know.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 28. February 2009 @ 13:22
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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28. February 2009 @ 14:06 |
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Yeah, I've tried to ask in the PS3 forum, but the thing is that I'm about the only one there who's even trying anything like this, so no one else really has anything to input. I've been posting my results and stuff there, just in case there IS anybody that wants to know anything.
USBLoader 0.2b is more or less USBAdvance. It operates on the same principles, just... y'know, on the PS3.
But I s'pose the biggest thing is just whether that white snowy screen thing happens on the PS2, as well. And if it does, then what do you do to fix it?
...then again, I've asked on the PS3Hax and alucard forums, too, so I'm hoping some folks there have had this problem, too. Thanks again.
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. February 2009 @ 14:14 |
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Is the game you copied to the hdd, the same region.
For the PS2
If the game is pal and your PS2 is NTSC you need to patch the PAL game.
YOu can only have one partition on the USB drive and has to be FAT32
Not all USB drives are compatible with USBAdvance
Not all games are compatible, some need to have DNAS or IORPRP image patched first
That is what I can tell you.
There is a list here as to what is compatible so far with USB loader 2b
http://www.demonhades.org/listado-juegos...oader-t837.html
You may have to register
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 28. February 2009 @ 14:46
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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28. February 2009 @ 15:03 |
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No, the games I tried are both NTSC, one US and the other Jap. I wouldn't have to patch from NTSC-J to NTSC-U, would I?
And if USBAdvance detects my game anyway (from the partitioned drive), why would it matter if it's in two partitions?
As far as IOPRP goes, I actually had to do that. I replaced the IOPRP280.IMG from my game with another that's known to work, and that's how I managed to get as far as the white screen. Before I replaced the IOPRP, what happened was that I loaded up the game, the text scrolled by, and then it stopped on a black screen, and it didn't go past that point... at all.
That demonhades list I already took a look at (actually, I looked at the PS3Hax one, but it's by Ifcaro, one of the members of demonhades, I believe), and that's why I got my hands on Rez US and tried it, and I got the same result - white screen.
But if you're stumped by this, then don't worry. I'll try to figure it out somehow. Thanks again.
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AfterDawn Addict
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28. February 2009 @ 15:42 |
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Originally posted by KajNrig: No, the games I tried are both NTSC, one US and the other Jap. I wouldn't have to patch from NTSC-J to NTSC-U, would I?
No you wouldnt need to patch as they are both NSTC
Quote:
And if USBAdvance detects my game anyway (from the partitioned drive), why would it matter if it's in two partitions?
It obviously doesn't matter on your system.
I was only mentioning the aspects of the PS2.
Quote:
As far as IOPRP goes, I actually had to do that. I replaced the IOPRP280.IMG from my game with another that's known to work, and that's how I managed to get as far as the white screen. Before I replaced the IOPRP, what happened was that I loaded up the game, the text scrolled by, and then it stopped on a black screen, and it didn't go past that point... at all.
That demonhades list I already took a look at (actually, I looked at the PS3Hax one, but it's by Ifcaro, one of the members of demonhades, I believe), and that's why I got my hands on Rez US and tried it, and I got the same result - white screen.
But if you're stumped by this, then don't worry. I'll try to figure it out somehow. Thanks again.
Well good luck with it, sometimes you may need to find another IOPROP image to get it too work, or you need to make sure there aren't others also that may require changing.
My consoles: Nintendo64>Dreamcast aug/99>PS2 V7-Seagate 400gb hdd-Maxtor 300gb hdd,PS2 V14 FMCB 1.8 - Memor32 >V18 SM 3.6 >DS-Lite-G6DS Real 16GB-R4DS Ultra 8gb SDHC>Gamecube-Original>Wii-Wiikey 2>PSP PHAT CFW 5.00 M33-6>DSi (Kingdom Hearts Edition)-EZ Flash Vi - M3i Zero Sakura>Kindom Hearts:Birth by Sleep PSP 3000>PS3 80GB. WiiU PS4 XBOXONE 3DSNDS
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KajNrig
Senior Member
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1. March 2009 @ 15:31 |
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Well, just in case you're interested, here's a quick video of the problem I'm having:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NBVZSSCKrY
The problem only really occurs near the end, when I get the aforementioned white screen.
But yeah, I've yet to solve this problem. Maybe in a bit, when Ifcaro or someone from Demonhades takes a look at it.
Thanks again.
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