PS2 HDD Works Only When CD Inserted?

Hello,

My PS2 only recognizes the HD when a disc is inserted.

I am using the MAXDIYPOWER Sata adapter. I have a 1TB Seagate Baracuda with an original Network Adapter. My PS2 model is 39001.

Realized it only recognizes the HD when I insert a disc. I would have to hold select after the FreeMcBoot logo appears in order to access the HD menu.

Any idea what could be causing this?

Thanks in advance

 

What do you mean by that? On its own, the PlayStation 2 has no way of allowing the user to access the HDD unit. If one is connected, then it tries to boot the HDD Browser from it. So if you only have FMCB installed, you won't ever see the HDD unit appearing in the browser.

FMCB has no HDD menu. Perhaps you're referring to uLaunchELF?

Perhaps your SELECT button is bound to some program like uLaunchELF, which you have been activating.

 

> FMCB has no HDD menu
> uLaunchElf does
The third of the triumvirate, OPL, has HDD support too.

Anyways, can't be of much help apart from confirming that for me, both uLE and OPL work just fine without any optical media in the drive.
The only thing I could come up with would maybe be a timing issue, with your HDD taking a while to spin up, which if the PS2 is keeping busy lasering at a CD for a bit isn't a problem, but with no disc the HDD just shows up a tad too late? So maybe try another drive (ideally an SSD if you got a spare one). Absolutely guessing here tho.

 

If you're using a phat PS2, consider using HDD-OSD

 

Apologies I should have clarified these points. I have FHDB 1.93 installed on the HDD.

It works completely fine with an older PS2 I have. It loads right away without the need to insert the disc. I have it stuffed with over 350 games and never had any issues.

On the new PS2 I am having issues with, the only way I can access the HDD content is by inserting a disc and holding select after the FMCB logo appears to stop the PS2 from loading the disc. This hotkey is configured by deafult in HDboot configurator.

 

Okay, then software X has HDD support and it's bound to his SELECT button.

The HDD interface functions independently of the CD/DVD drive's functions, so there shouldn't even be such a thing in the first place.

The hardware will know that a HDD is connected, even when the HDD is not fully powered up.

Also, unless it is a Japanese console and his FMCB installation is a multi-installation/cross-model/cross-region setup, FMCB has no support for the HDD unit. Either way, it has no capabilities for even indicating to the user whether one is installed or not.

So this isn't about FMCB, but FHDB? And this FMCB screen that you speak of, appears after the "Sony Computer Entertainment" boot screen?

So you do have the HDD Browser/HDDOSD installed? And if you do not use a disc, what is the version of the browser that is displayed?
To see the version number, you need to press TRIANGLE at the menu. If it is v2.00, then the HDD Browser was loaded, but it somehow didn't access the disk correctly.

Since you have the HDD Browser installed on a SATA disk, I guess that it is a cracked copy? Whose mod is it?

 

I used the FHDB noobie package found in this thread: http://psx-scene.com/forums/f153/unofficial-fhdb-1-93-noobie-package-obt-119562/

Yes, after the Sony boot screen FMCB logo pops up. This is when I hold select to stop the disc from booting to gain access to the menu pictured below.

Without the disc inserted I get the default 1.2 version. When HD is accessed it turns to 2.00.

What's confusing is that it works completely fine on my other PS2. Same model. Don't have to insert any discs. HD loads right away.

 

The HD I am using is brand new. If it's a timing issue maybe it's from the PS2 itself?

 

It sounds like a timing problem, but why does this happen?
Have you tried using this PS2 and network adaptor, with an IDE disk before modding the network adaptor?

 

I just tried it with an IDE disk and the same thing happens

HD loads only when disc is inserted.

 

Is there a modchip installed in this console? If there is, please try disabling it first.

 

No chips. The console is actually brand new almost. Looks unused.

 

Maybe the problematic PS2's PSU is a bit on the weak side? Try providing external power to the HDD (spare PC PSU, 12V wall wart, sth like that) so it can spin up as early/fast as possible. (Just to narrow it down, obviously not a permanent solution.)

 

By the FMCB logo, the HDD would have been already powered fully. The power-up is at the Sony Computer Entertainment screen and FHDB will not be booted if no HDD is found by the ROM ATAD module.

 

Herpity derp. You're totally right about FHDB needing to boot off the HD, of course.

But just to exclude one more thing: ramiq, you're only using FHDB, i.e. there isn't any FMCB memcards inserted too that the system might use?

 

No memory cards in the system.

 

Is it possible to install HDD OSD along with FHDB?

This way I don't have to format and lose my data.

 

Wait... so do you or do you not have the HDD Browser/HDD OSD installed? The default OSDSYS screen has no capabilities for supporting the HDD unit.

 

I have the FHDB noobie package installed. It's basically FMCB launched from the HDD as far as I know. I don't think the FHDB package includes HDD OSD.

On my working PS2, it boots automatically into a hacked dash. From there I go into OPL to play backups installed on the HD. On the other PS2, I have to insert a disc, hold select to stop the system from booting into the disc and access the hacked dash.

 

Okay, so your HDD is not visible, in what software?