(CBT) HDLoader game installer

Let's start with the black screen. You didn't tell me about it. D:

So when do you get a black screen? Right when the program is launched?

If you got the black screen right at the program's startup, let's check whether you got the program unpacked properly. You need to have the binary (HDLGameInstaller.elf) and the lang folder in the same place. The only supported devices are the memory cards, CD/DVD drive and a USB mass storage device.

On my setup, I placed both these things in a folder named "HDLGameInstaller", which exists in the root folder of my USB flash disk.

 

That would probably explain the black screen. I wasn't using the language file. I'll have to test that in a moment.

Yep, I wasn't using the lang files. Sorry about that. Gonna start installing games now. Thank you so much!

 

Can we use this to change the icons of games already installed to the HDD? How is this bootable from the HDD-OSD or does it use mini-OPL, etc? I read before that you were actually making an installer so thanks for sharing this.

 

Great. Congratulations on getting it working!

Thank you.

Yes, you can. As long as the game is listed in this program or the PC client, you can adjust anything. If the game was originally not bootable, it'll become bootable if you change the icon.

It's bootable because we're installed a bootable program (Diskload/Mini OPL) into the partition, as per the hidden Sony specifications.

 

That is glorious! Some more questions, though even though you mentioned mini-OPL, does this support VMCs? I know there is a limit for the OSD title of installed games but how come if you use Kermit, that limitation is neglected? Can't we do the same for this installer?

 

Sadly no VMCs as MiniOPL/Diskload is just the core of OPL as we have a file size limitation on it. I do know that OSD title can be a little bigger then what the installer can do but you've need update that by using reworked hdl_dump.

That's all I know for sure, so sp193 will help you/give more info... if needed.

 

Those features that involve hacks like VMC is not supported. I think that IGR still works, but initially it was removed as well.

Sorry, but what size limitation are you talking about here? We just removed it because we didn't intend our project to support VMCs. Since there's no UI, there's also a problem with configuring the VMC system in its current design.

As for the OSD title length, the Sony documentation states that the maximum length per title is 16 characters. Exceeding this limit with Japanese characters immediately causes the OSD to deem the installed game as corrupted data, while using English titles allows longer titles... although that behaviour is not documented (and neither is its actual limit documented).

Neither is this behaviour across different HDDOSD and PSBBN versions known to be consistent or not.

If you insist on having longer titles, do so at your own risk because I am not going to work around whatever that is officially documented.

 

Does the HDD have a maximum size limit for a KELF. From what I know, we can make KELF at almost 2MB and down. If I got that wrong, I'm sorry, just trying to help out.

I've used over 16 characters on Japanese and English test before and all got no errors at all.

The best way is to just used what was documented. I only go over what was documented sometimes if the name is longer, but I try to just do 16 characters.

 

I couldn't risk it though because the installer only allows 16 characters. Maybe we can have a version that does not have that limit in place and instead limits the use of Japanese characters to prevent having corrupted data. The longest title I have working in the HDD-OSD is Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories. This was installed using HDL Dump and put in the HDD-OSD using Kermit.

Anyway, this is still a good piece of software. I'm glad you made this publicly available.

 

Just gonna say, this works great! Tested about 15 games, they all work. This sure beats the other way of doing it!

 

I tested a few games, all but one of them booted. DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7th Mix doesn't load (not sure why.)

 

I am trying this right now on my hdcombo ps-2 slim v12. Thank's for your hard work in creating this newer hdloader. I'll be back shortly to let you know how it goes.

 

To everyone:

The reason we're trying to abide to SONY Quality Assurance(QA) standards is because we wanted this stuff to work and look like original software.

Please do not request hacks/tricks or out of standard things as it goes against the philosophy of the project.

Edit:

That game works fine for me on both NA and Japan versions. No issues at all

 

There's a bug though: Sometime ago, I decided that only the OPL compatibility mode flags field will be filled in because HDLoader doesn't seem to have the same compatibility mode flags.

Unfortunately, the installer doesn't seem to be setting the right field (it fills in the HDL compatibility mode field instead)... so compatibility flags are currently not functional. Sorry.

But actually, depends on how end up implementing this: It's either the HDL or OPL compatibility mode fields that will be used. If the HDL compatibility mode fields are to be used, Diskload/mini OPL must use the HDL compatibility mode fields too.

EDIT: To add on, the MDMA mode 0 compatibility mode setting will still work. So don't worry about that.

 

In HDL_dump for now I fill both compatibility fields with the same value. It is not the best solution. When you decided which field to use I will set it in HDL_dump too for better program cross-compatibility.

 

But aren't some of the bits in the OPL compatibility flags field having a different definition from the same bits in the HDL compatibility flags field?

 

Hi, sp193!

Really niiiice program. I had time to play with it.
The ability to define icons is great.
But i've to make some more tests for a better understanding.

What's about these features?
- Backup installations/ backup games
- Installation of apps/tools


Have a nice day!

 

Thank you!

You mean to allow the user to read the installed games from the HDD? That wasn't a planned feature, but I did work on some routines for reading installed games... although it wasn't completed.

The viability of such a feature is questionable because a game copied from a PS2's HDD may never be exactly the same as the original. There isn't error correction, so if a bad sector develops there and the disk relocated it and that causes the game to lose integrity, your games won't be a 1:1 copy.

This is not a planned feature and will never be worked on. AKuHAK's modified version of the HDLDump server does this.

 

No, prob... :smile-new:


I tried to embed a mono font and get this:

Any hints?



Rgds.

 

Update your PS2SDK to the HEAD revision, from https://github.com/ps2dev/ps2sdk.