Can't use VMC with OPL on SATA hard drives!

R

RaptorZX4

Member
i've been using a IDE hard drive, but now i bought a SATA kit (converting an official network adapter from IDE to SATA) from Bitfunx, the v2.0 version.
Since then, games doesn't seem to be able to use VMCs (Virtual Memory Cards) in OPL, even though i created VMCs for each game, and saved settings.

I use OPL v1.2.0 Beta 1987 (for now). And i have a PS2 SCPH-50010/N model.

Is this a known problem/bug with OPL and SATA drives?
Because VMCs work just normally with an IDE drive.

Thanks for the help.
 
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Well, i formatted the 500gb drive with LaunchElf 4.43x_isr, as specified on the FreeMcBoot website, and also making a +OPL partition with 768mb in size, as they say if the storage is 500gb or less. Though 768mb doesn't seem very large for that partition where all the OPL stuff goes like art, VMCs, CFGs...But it seem to work now, i have no idea why it does now.
 
RaptorZX4 said:
i think i made it 4gb, cos those craploads of 8mb VMCs for each game, they take a lot of space.
Click to expand...

+OPL maximum size for avoiding problems is 2048MB (I have it this size on a 2TB HDD. Other then VMCs I can also store about 400 POPSTARTER.ELF files on APPS and cover arts for both Ps1 and Ps2 games ). You shouldn't make one VMC for each game that's a total waste.

You should simply make one (always make it 8MB) and use it with every game you play until is full, then make another one. Considering how much games you can fit on a 500GB HDD (hardly 200) you'll just need a few VMCs.
 
Peppe90 said:
+OPL maximum size for avoiding problems is 2048MB (I have it this size on a 2TB HDD. Other then VMCs I can also store about 400 POPSTARTER.ELF files on APPS and cover arts for both Ps1 and Ps2 games
Click to expand...

I want to clarify, what I meant was that 400 POPSTARTER.ELF files is what I need to store into +OPL/APPS 'cause I have 2 100GB POPS partitions into the HDD on which I can fit almost 400 Ps1 games.
I didn't meant that they would fill up the partition. With all that I still have more than 1,5GB of free space on +OPL.
 
I had to set up a 500GB for a friend. He's not practical at all on these things so I had to made everything plug & play. For 132 games I made 11 VMCs. But it is an exaggeration just to be sure he won't ever run out of space. Also because he has a lot of soccer games that have quite big save size.
 
Yeah, 500gb is more than enough for me anyway. I'm not one who want to install the whole library of games, i just want to install the games i want, so far i think i'm around 200-250gb out of 500gb. I use a Crucial MX500 500gb.

And also, i made my own cardboard bracket for the SSD inside, since the plastic 3D print seem to not hold anything at all inside. I checked thru the vents on the front and the SSD was sticking up inside. So i made something out of cardboard and electric tape, that really hold the SSD in place in horizontal position, and without moving around.
 
I have something similar to this:

HDD-mount-for-PS2-30000-55000-serials-IDE-SATA-HDL.jpg


You see the long screws are for 2,5" HDDs. It keeps the HDD perfectly fixed, you can safely put the Ps2 in vertical position.
 
Yeah but the problem is there might be some differences in spacing between the GameStar adapter and a converted Sony adapter to SATA.
I converted my Sony adapter to keep the network capabilities, and making sure it still have a good quality hardware, many people said the GameStar and 3rd-party adapters lack quality and can do bad stuff to your console.
 
RaptorZX4 said:
I converted my Sony adapter to keep the network capabilities.
Click to expand...

Same.
I got the SATA board from maxdiypower (back then it was the only one with support for fast SATA III 2,5" 2TB HDDs) and got the HDD mount also from there. It fits 100% perfectly.

And there's no difference if using a clone adapter, sata boards are positioned the same.
 
Peppe90 said:
Same.
I got the SATA board from maxdiypower (back then it was the only one with support for fast SATA III 2,5" 2TB HDDs) and got the HDD mount also from there. It fits 100% perfectly.

And there's no difference if using a clone adapter, sata boards are positioned the same.
Click to expand...
There's actually a difference in position for brackets, between the GameStar/Kaico/etc... and the official Sony adapter converted to SATA with the Bitfunx kit. Just a little difference, but enough so a bracket made for the GameStar adapter in mind won't quite fit with the converted official Sony adapter!

This is exactly why, here, there's 2 versions: 1 for GameStar, 1 for Sony (official) converted to SATA. https://www.printables.com/model/79118-ps2-25-hdd-ssd-converteradaptermountcaddy/files
And 2 different sizes depending what you want, personally i would pick the larger one so i can really push the adapter down with thick folded cardboard applying a bit of pressure so it won't move around when moved.
 
I had 3 clones sata NA through the years and they were the same in size (only difference was in the metal sheet, larger than the official SONY NA, I always modded it for perfectly fit on the 39004), I didn't knew about that possible difference of the sata board position.
 
Peppe90 said:
I had 3 clones sata NA through the years and they were the same in size (only difference was in the metal sheet, larger than the official SONY NA, I always modded it for perfectly fit on the 39004), I didn't knew about that possible difference of the sata board position.
Click to expand...
it's possible, because i tried a 3D_printed SATA bracket from China, and it's off from 1 or 2 millimeters or something, which is bad because i would have to force my SSD in and it could break something if i do so.
So yes, measurements have to be perfect, and there are different measurements for the GameStar/Kaico (and other brands using GameStar adapter) and the official Sony adapter converted to SATA with the Bitfunx SATA kit.
 
RaptorZX4 said:
it's possible, because i tried a 3D_printed SATA bracket from China, and it's off from 1 or 2 millimeters or something, which is bad because i would have to force my SSD in and it could break something if i do so.
So yes, measurements have to be perfect, and there are different measurements for the GameStar/Kaico (and other brands using GameStar adapter) and the official Sony adapter converted to SATA with the Bitfunx SATA kit.
Click to expand...

If you mean Kaico UK I know them (I bought from them one of the GameStar adaptors).

Btw, also the maxdiypower HDD mount needed a little modification. It was perfect as width but depth was 1mm too much, so I filed a little both mounts at the end.

Now that I think of it, there are even differences depending on the Ps2 model. I'm remembering now some poeple didn't needed to mod the metal sheet, using the same adapter models as mine.
I always needed to do it on my Ps2, like this: [SHOW & TELL] successful venture with cloned Gamestar Sata adaptor on a PS2 - PS2-HOME.com - PS2 Homebrew and Tools
 
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