Using PS2 HDD with a modchipped system

I recently picked up a Japanese PS2 HDD kit, but when I install it, I get the red "insert a PlayStation disk" screen when I try to load a disk on my Matrix Infinity modded Japanese PS2. It all works fine when I don't have the HDD installed, so it looks like there's a different OS that's overriding the default PS2 one. Is there a way around this? I've also noticed that I can't change the menu language, despite there being a language setting which can't be changed from Japanese.

 

A new browser is installed onto the HDD unit, either the Browser Update v2.00 (aka "HDD OSD") or the PSBBN. If you couldn't tell the difference from the stock browser, then you probably have the Browser Update v2.00 installed (The browser version is v2.00).

Most likely, your modchip doesn't support the HDD Browser and is getting confused. Sorry to say this, but you got the wrong modchip.
I read that your chip has a fast-boot mode for games. You should be able to boot games that way, although I don't think that you can ever have automatic detection and booting from the HDD Browser because of your chip.

Also, if you used DEV1/DEV2 booting of the modchip, the modchip probably lacks code for loading the console's settings from the EEPROM (hence why the language keeps resetting to Japanese). Please use FMCB/FHDB instead.
This is another reason why modchips are obsolete; nobody has been fixing their outstanding issues for years.

Unless you mean that it's the HDD Browser that cannot have its language changed from the Japanese language. Try disabling your modchip then.
If it still doesn't work, try to reinstall the browser.

 

It looks like it's using PSBBN. Yeah, the browser itself can't have it's language changed, there's a language option, but there's nothing you can press that will change it from Japanese.

For reinstalling the browser, which version should I use? It looks like the US never got the PSBBN browser, but it seems like someone made an English version of it? I can't seem to find a download source for it though.

 

Unless you like the PSBBN and/or still can access content from it (and hence have a reason to use it), it may be better to just get the HDD Utility Disc and use the normal HDD browser. That one supports English and is not as bloated as the PSBBN.

I don't remember whether there was an English modification for the PSBBBN, but I remember that there was an English mod for the PSX's XMB.

 

I've burned an image of the HDD Utility disk, but I can't seem to get it to install. Obviously, it won't boot when the PSBBN OS loads, but even if I disconnect the disk and load it via the normal OS, the disk loads up but I just get a black screen after the PS2 splash screen. I've found a hacked version of the OS (http://theisozone.com/downloads/pla...avigator-psbbn-custom-install-2013-by-akuhak/) but I can't get the damned thing to download!

 

1. Download SUDC3, don't use somebody's partial disk image. It's cleaner that way.
2. Disconnect your network adaptor before powering up your modded PS2.
3. Connect the network adaptor while the PS2 is at the browser. Make sure that it's secure.
4. Insert the burned SUDC3 disc and choose to install the Browser Update v2.00 (HDD OSD). If necessary and if possible to, format the disk.

On all of my consoles, the HDD Utility Disc takes a while (half a minute?) to boot. I think that it's decrypting its own files at that point. The utility disc must either match your region (for your Japanese console, it must be a Japanese disc) or be a cracked copy that is region-free (e.g. SUDC3).

 

Cool! I'll try the Sony Utility Disc 3 then. Which is what I'd like to say, but it's hosted on ISOzone and their cloudstor.es downloads don't load for me. Do you know an alternate source?

I downloaded a US version of the HDD Utility disk, but I'm not sure if the modchip is changing my region from Japan or not.

 

The one hosted on TIZ was not the original upload. The original page is gone, but Wayback machine has the page captured. Check your PM inbox in about 5 minutes, as I am unsure if a direct link can be posted here.

No modchip can change the console's MagicGate region, hence why you need either a Japanese copy (Not just NTSC-J, but a Japanese one) or a region-free (cracked) version.

 

I can't say I've heard of PS2 software that goes out of its way to detect the system's region.
Certainly nothing like Gamecube, where the console one chooses to mod very much matters.

Though PS1 imports have NTSC/PAL issues. I haven't used the program that may help when that arises.
http://ichiba.geocities.jp/ysai187/PS2/PS1VModeNeg.htm

 

Okay, I managed to get the HDD working! Thanks for the tips! I had to format it with ulaunchelf first and format the HDD, since it wasn't being detected if I plugged it in after the console had already booted up. Now out of region games boot up fine. There wasn't a v2.0 utility disk on the disk though, did you mean 1.0?

Now that I've got the HDD working, what cool stuff can I do with it? I guess I could get that HDD launcher thing working, this would be handy for stuff like betas or hacked version of games, that way I won't damage my disk drive by running a DVD-R.

 

Yup some games just don't work on HDD, but the load time improvements are essential.

 

Hmmm, I've been reading up on the HDD, and it seems like in order to launch a game you've copied to your HDD, you need to run a special app? But you can launch them directly from the games channel of BBNAVI? Sounds like using BBNAVI would be the most elegant way to run games from the HDD if you ask me. So should I run the SUD again and install the BBNAVI instead of the US v1.0 software?

 

The HDD utility disc game out as v1.00 in Japan, and v1.00 and v1.10 in the USA. After that, the PSBBN was released to replace it, before support for the HDD unit was removed entirely.

You can (legally and by design) run games with the PSBBN... but only games that you bought through it. It's basically the predecessor to the modern-day PSN, which does not allow you to actually convert your physical games into a digital copy for free.

On the other hand, if you wish to do that, check out HDLGameInstaller. It will install your games in the necessary format, so that you can launch of directly from the HDD Browser or the PSBBN. The game can also be booted by OPL.

As for game compatibility, only a handful of games should be truly incompatible... which is insignificant in comparison to the number of games out there. Those games that are truly incompatible, are either anti-HDLoader or have bugs. For the rest, please feel free to file a bug report for OPL, so that I can fix it.

 

Oooh! HDLGameInstaller sounds good, I'll have a look at that, thanks. Since it doesn't need PSBBN to run, I guess I'll stick with v1.0. Seems a little faster to navigate.

*EDIT* Hmmm, I've got HDLGameInstaller and ripped a game with it, but it doesn't appear in the HDD browser. I'm not sure if it's because I'm using OS v1.0, the instructions say that I need Browser v2.00 but I'm still not entirely clear on what that is. A system update Sony released? There sure wasen't anything like this on the Sony Utility Disc...

 

The browser update is the HDD OSD/Browser, which is installed by the HDD Utility Disc (Regardless of the version). If you had it installed correctly, then the browser version will be v2.00, as reported on the version information screen. It'll also support the HDD unit, and should show the HDD unit in the browser if one is connected.

When you install a game onto the HDD unit, it should appear under the HDD unit. If not, then perhaps the installation wasn't completed properly... which you said didn't happen.

 

Ah ha, Mine does say "browser 2.00".

Hmmm, maybe I'm not doing it right? I copied the files to a USB stick and run ulaunchelf and loaded it up. Popped a game in and let it rip it. Seems to have completed (it appears in the list) but isn't there when I browse the HDD.

 

Which version of HDLGameInstaller did you use? Does the game still get detected, even after the console is reset?
Does uLaunchELF list the game's partition under the HDD manager? What are the partitions named like?

This is the first time I've heard of games totally not appearing.

 

I re-did the rip and it's appearing now! Hooray! When I try and load the game I get a black screen though... It also said it can't use the save icon as the game's icon, which is a bit of a bummer.

 

Congratulations!

If you're not using the latest version, please upgrade.
If you're already using the latest version, please use the latest version of OPL. HDLGameInstaller needs to have its embedded copy of OPL updated, which will hopefully happen soon when OPL v0.9.3 actually materializes.

As of right now, the public version of HDLGameInstaller is unable to correctly install DVD-DL games due to a design flaw that nobody reported, until I discovered it myself sometime around this year... :/

What was the problem?

 

Is v0.808 the latest version? That's what I have.

I've downloaded the latest version of Open PS2 Loader, but uh, what do I do with it? I've put it on a USB stick and loaded it up, but I'm not sure that actually did anything. I also can't see any similar files or folders on the HDD that I could replace either.

It said something to the effect of "unable to use save icon, do you want to use the default?"