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brad-lin / FreePSXBoot

Exploit to allow loading arbitrary code on the PSX using only a memory card (no game needed)
MIT License
605 stars 46 forks source link

SCPH-5502 not working with 20210421 #56

Closed mjh17474 closed 3 years ago

mjh17474 commented 3 years ago

I have reformatted my cheapy Aliexpress memory card that I was using for TonyHax using MCA v2 on a ps2 (SCPH 50003). I performed a full format, selected to restore an image and used 'freepsxboot-unirom-fastload-20210421-bios-3.0-19970106.mcr'. I boot the PSX with the lid open, select the memory card manager and it just opens as normal. If I put the card back in to the PS2, MCA will see it and format it without a problem (I've tried full and fast). I tried the same process 3 times just to make sure it didn't work. I then booted an original copy of Tony Hawks 3 and started a new career with the FreePSXBoot card in slot 1 (to see what it would do if I tried to save a career). It detects the card as unformatted, asks me if I'd like to format it and saves the game, I can see the saved game block on the card after. I then tried to create the FreePSXBoot card again with MCA and the result is the same.

hurda commented 3 years ago

Some third-party cards behave differently than the Sony-card, especially with regard to FreePSXBoot. There are reports in here about FreePSXBoot working on a 5502, so it's probably your card that's the problem. Can you somehow get access to a Sony-card and try it with that?

mjh17474 commented 3 years ago

I'll see if I can grab one off ebay, just wanted to check I wasn't doing something stupid ;)

invaderlex commented 3 years ago

That is what was happening to me with a model 1001, try to use other images, try the other 3.0, and some new or older bios versions. I was able to use a 3.0 image in a 1001 with a 2.2 bios.

Related issue: https://github.com/brad-lin/FreePSXBoot/issues/50#

mjh17474 commented 3 years ago

Ok, I've just tried from 2.1 through to 4.1. None of them worked. I also tried a second new cheapy AliExpress card and it did the same thing. I've got an official Sony card on the way, hopefully that will work. :)

Ichisuke83 commented 3 years ago

I've noticed you said ".mcr". Did you convert or open the .mcd file with some memory card program? If that's the case you can just flash the .mcd file directly in MCA. Otherwise it's probably a bad memory card. I think that some cheap cards can't even hold all 15 blocks....

mjh17474 commented 3 years ago

I just renamed the .mcd file so it was recognised by MCA. I agree about the cards though. I will know more when my official Sony one arrives.

Ichisuke83 commented 3 years ago

Pretty sure it is definitely the card. If you can you could try testing it by completely filling the memory card with saves and see what happens. With cheap/bad one you should lose the saves or the card could stop working or whatever.

Anyway no need to rename the file. Simply press R2/L2 and you'll remove the "file mask" in MCA and you'll see all the files.

brad-lin commented 3 years ago

This sounds like a bad memory card indeed. Try to read it back using MCA, and post the image here.

mjh17474 commented 3 years ago

Here you go. This was after using the file for a 5502 machine. memorycard0.zip

brad-lin commented 3 years ago

The image is full of 0s, i.e. it is either defective or the device writing it is defective. A new memcard should fix it.