I think my PSX DVR is a refurb? Info inside...

All SONY HDDs have custom firmware. They add a 512 bytes security sector which contains information which is used by the DRM mechanism on DNAS. PSX need that data on power on because the HDD DNAS ID is part of the encryption key used to encrypt/decrypt the data stored on the disk. Also that's the reason why you can't use standard harddrives on the PSX. DVRP need HDD keys in it before it can start up and do stuff. Also all stuff on the PSX do check the drive for SONY custom features.

Not a SONY HDD, no dice. Like I said a 40GB HDD will work and you will be able to use Open PS2 loader with your PSX at least.

 

What he said. So unless somebody cracks the DVRP's firmware or creates an adaptor to respond to the DVRP's challenges, it's impossible to make the PSX unreliant on "Genuine SCE HDDs".

Although it pains me to see a PSX get this crippled. >_>
Relying on OPL to play games on it, really? The XMB, which is one of the main features of this model, is lost. D:
It will still be usable and practical for use, I know.

 

Your work made it possible the use of broken PSX units. So we can only thank you for this. Otherwise LeHaM's PSX would be just "ジャンク".

 

Ok I ran the disk through powermax did an advance scan passed 100%
system still won't boot (as expected)

i did make a backup of the disk with HDD clone (copied all sectors it seems). Should I 0wipe this disk and re copy the imag back onto the disk?
or will I be worse off??

when trying to boot, the psx logo plays (boot rom) screen flashes a little. The hdd attempts to read once a second then maybe a little longer for a second or two.
there is an LED on the motherboard which will flash once a second red, it starts a second or two after the psx boot screen ends..

 

Was the backup from before or after the bad sectors were remapped? If it's from before that and there were no access errors, then you can go ahead and try to perform a restore. Otherwise, there's no point in trying that because the data would have already been lost because of the bad sectors and the sector remap.

It still means that the XMB cannot be loaded properly.

Thank YOU for your help, with the testing and identifying of the stability issue that (X)FMCB had. Now FMCB v1.94 should be perfect for use on PSX units.

I'm still dreaming of the day when we can finally replace the HDD unit with a generic disk though. :/

 

The backup was made right after I lost the XMB, so it probably won't work but I'll try anyway.
as far as OPL, can I use the same method, but instead of buying a 40gb sony drive, could I use my 160gb PSX drive instead?

this ordeal however has given me a chance to take a closer look at the hardware (one can learn a lot in 6months), if you guys need any high res shots of any of the components I can do that for you.
(Off topic: I took a look at the PSU in this unit, it's pretty basic, single 12v rail [almost the same as a v3 psu.])
Sorry for being a noob..
thanks for all the help

 

If you managed to pull the data out without any loss (meaning, no I/O errors), it might be fine.

You could, if it's still serviceable. We suggested a new disk, in case your current HDD is dead. If the sector(s) got remapped, then it should last for a few more months.

Thanks, but I think that you've already done that at the start of this thread.

 

I did but I shot those with a d3000 which does not have the best sensor, I'm taking some pics anyway for my blog with my newer d3200 (found it much better for Pcb shots)..

i could pretend to break my arm and when the doctor goes to X-ray me I'll swap my arm out wth the Pcb mwahahaha lol

 

Ok so how do I go about setting up OPL on the disk?
im assuming I set it up the same as FMCB on a hdd but set OPL as the default elf?

shame we can't just point FMCB to a copy of the XMB directory

Can you please upload a copy of your psx file directory? If it's not too big?
Thanks

 

Check out these screens I got out of the system. I am assuming they just say please send to sony or something..

 

how did you get these screens? I, too, there PSX DESR-5500 with a faulty HDD

 

My Japanese is very weak, but I think:
1. (SYSTEM ERROR) Yea, it's about sending the unit to the Sony service centre for repairs, for a reason that I cannot understand.
2. Checking system integrity. Please wait...

How did you get these screens?

Like on a normal PlayStation 2 console, save OPL somewhere and start it.

If we could extract the XMB files from the utility disc, then you would have been able to restore your console's HDD without any problem.

I could, but I really don't know whether it will cause more harm than good. Will PM you later, once I get something done...

 

Yo.
I haven't messed with my PSX for a while, so I'm not sure but I think this red screen of death appears when the loading/execution of the flash (xfrom) based xosdmain KELF has failed for some reasons that can be : Can't find it, or can't decrypt it, or the xosdmain KELF doesn't match the HDD software version, or osdmain.dat doesn't match the xosdmain version...

 

Thanks for your input!

Doesn't the OSDSYS load and execute the update file (xosdmain.elf) from xfrom first, before the check occurs? I mean, the OSDSYS itself doesn't have code for checking the HDD unit, does it?

I have been always wondering about this:
1. There are updates stored on both of the HDD (in the MBR) and the xfrom device. The KELFs are exactly the same on my PSX.
2. If I'm not wrong, the xfrom one has a higher priority.
3. If the xfrom update is booted, then the one on the HDD has no use. @@
4. But if the update on the HDD (as in, the HDD MBR) is exactly the same as the KELF within xfrom, then what is the point of storing the loader within the flash storage? Especially when the main bulk of the XMB is going to be on the HDD anyway. Maybe it was done so that the HDD checking tool will always be functional, but then they could have really just embedded a "load failed" error message in the ROM OSD. =_=

 

Disconnected the sub BD board (tv tuner)
the psx has some weird HW boot requirements, it can boot with no speed chip, no HDD (well sort of), no optical drive, no ethernet controller, no video inputs (still need out puts to see what's happening)..

but if you remove the sub BD board (All sony Bravias do this too) the system will error out like that.
Also if the rear IR board is not connected the system will error out with a red and green power key, if this IR board is disconnected at any power on stage, system will hang and all lights with turn off on the unit, however mobo stays on but cannot be turned off..

 

SYSCON check if both infra red sensors are present. If any is missing it blinks the red led and refuses to power on.

 

It's odd, I would think that SYSCON would only care about critical HW

 

On the PSX IR sensors are critical hardware... lol

 

But it has one on the front too haha

 

It checks both. SONY stuff is usually built like that.