PS2 PlayStation BB Navigator in 2020

Berion

Berion

Developer
So, since I'm discovering HDD on my PS2, I would want to taste all possible hacks. Including PSBBN. I know that all servers are now gone, it is slow and kind a useless now, but hey, it is a part of console history! I would love to try.

I saw several HDD dumps but I would like to install it from scratch. I read that discs are region locked including PS2 hardware region lock, they don't support LBA48 (but I don't need it, I have 40GiB HDD) and support only original HDD. So it will for sure fail to install on my SCPH-30004 with non-Sony HDD.

But is there are any patched versions? Like i.e in SUDC with HDD OSD? Another obstacle is my ODD is dead (or very dirty) so I cannot launch disks.

I found some unknown PSBBN disc release (0.30) but it is modified (somehow...), checksums are different than those on ReDump (C30A42A36CAEEB656D7E2A34EC334F62).

I have looked into some PSBBN videos when peoples browse partitions with idea to recreate them by hand but it looks installer doing more than just unpacking *.pak. :/ I.e I saw that there is in "hdd0:/__system/plboot/" which contains KELF from INSTALL1 package and VMLINUZ from INSTALL2 package. Besides that there are many other encrypted files like SLOT* and *.daz.

Could You guys help me to best approach of installing it? Or maybe the only way is using someone else HDD images (which I really want to avoid).


@krHACKen @uyjulian @TnA
 
Last edited:
The PSBBN that was included in SUDC3 had a shitty DVDELF-injected KELF.
I didn't bother authoring a proper KELF and put it in SUDC4, because as of today, the DNAS connections need to be bypassed, for the network features to be available. This either involves much work on the installer, or some DIY juju after the installation.
IIRC, if you delete the default_isp files from the HDD after installing it, it will stop doing blocking DNAS auths.


As for the installation CDVDs, to make them region free, the usual things have to be done :
- Dexor the main ELF
- Add it a ELF header and apply ATADpatcher_0_04 (or inject a homemade ATA device driver)
- UnPAK the files
- Decrypt the KELFs, decompress osdboot.elf, apply ATADpatcher_0_04 to all of them, recompress osdboot.elf, author the KELFs
- RePAK the files
- Author the disc image
Some more things could be done, like fixing the CDVD key for the DVD Player installer, and decompressing and rebuilding the IOPRPs with their img loaders to inject a homemade ATA device driver (requires REing)...


I've posted 0.32 HDD dumps in the Prototopia section of ObscureGamers.com, thread title "Some CEX PS2 HDD dumps...".
You may also be interested in AKuHAK's modified dumps, that were made years ago...
 
Network capabilities aren't interesting me to be honest. Only want to see/experience GUI (animation, music, You know, that feeling ;p). Maybe music section can be used? I don't know what is there as I saw only on YT.

As for the installation CDVDs, to make them region free, the usual things have to be done :
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if I have enough vodka.

Ok, so the ELF somewhere jumping to XORed blocks?
What do You mean by author the disc? Just making valid PS2 CD or DVD image or something more needs my attention?

Probably it is beyond my knowledge. I was expecting something easy. :D

Maybe I'll should approach to it from different angle, like extracting PSBBN data alone from those HDD dumps. Sounds quicker.
 
Berion said:
Ok, so the ELF somewhere jumping to XORed blocks?
Click to expand...
Yeah, like in all SUDs (except the PSX update discs and PS2 Linux) :
The first booted ELF (SCPN/PBPX/PDPX) executes a KELF (.VOB file);
The KELF reads 4MB of sector data from a static LBA (from sector 200000 or 2000000 I think), to EE RAM address 0x00200000;
The upper 2MB of data is xored against the lower 2MB of data, result is the plain EE segment of the main program (the actual installer for HDD files);
Execution at 0x00200000.

Related to how SUDs were authored, here are patches that replace the XORed main program by wLaunchELF, for hotswap purpose :
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/i-have-a-ps2-dvd-player-version-2-01-disc.25957/#post-206982

Berion said:
What do You mean by author the disc? Just making valid PS2 CD or DVD image or something more needs my attention?
Click to expand...
Yeah, simply a valid PS2 CDVD with the files in it. No need to fix LBAs unless you want to inject the CDVD key to get the DVD Player update working.

Berion said:
Probably it is beyond my knowledge. I was expecting something easy. :D
Click to expand...
It's easy. Just time consumming since it involves the use of multiple tools to unpack this and that, ATAD patch, unpack/repack PAK files and decrypt/sign executables.

Berion said:
Maybe I'll should approach to it from different angle, like extracting PSBBN data alone from those HDD dumps. Sounds quicker.
Click to expand...
As you could see, almost all the PSBBN files are on ReiserFS partitions.
 
Besides data on PFS, and based on "BBN201311.img" (took from archive.org) I see several partitions with EXT2 and RFSv1 but I don't know how to properly copy data from them. Rsync output me several errors related to symlinks.

Besides that, I see that many partitions contains whole userland (does PSBBN chrooting to them or something?) and on top of that, "hdd0:/__linux.2" looks like raw or unknown to me fs.

All of this above killing the idea of transplantation because I will not be free from LBAs of original disk image. Oh, and also I don't know how to create RFS file system on Linux because it creates only RFS v2 or RFS v4 if special kernel patches are applied, no love for RFS v1 which is mandatory I think.

Code: 
#!/bin/bash

# __linux.9  (EXT2)
# __linux.4  (RFS)
# __linux.5  (RFS)
# __linux.6  (RFS)
# __linux.2  (raw?)
# __linux.7  (RFS)
# __linux.10 (EXT2)
# __linux.1  (RFS)

losetup loop1 /home/mint/ps2/BBN201311.img
losetup loop2 --offset 5372903424 --sizelimit 2143289344 /dev/loop1
losetup loop3 --offset 7520387072 --sizelimit 532676608 /dev/loop1
losetup loop4 --offset 8057257984 --sizelimit 532676608 /dev/loop1
losetup loop5 --offset 8594128896 --sizelimit 130023424 /dev/loop1
losetup loop7 --offset 8862564352 --sizelimit 264241152 /dev/loop1
losetup loop8 --offset 9130999808 --sizelimit 532676608 /dev/loop1
losetup loop9 --offset 9667870720 --sizelimit 2143289344 /dev/loop1

mount /dev/loop2 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.9
mount /dev/loop3 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.4
mount /dev/loop4 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.5
mount /dev/loop5 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.6
mount /dev/loop7 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.7
mount /dev/loop8 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.10
mount /dev/loop9 /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.1

rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.9/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.9/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.4/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.4/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.5/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.5/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.6/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.6/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.7/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.7/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.10/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.10/
rsync -avrXS /home/mint/ps2/mnt/linux.1/. /home/mint/ps2/bup/__linux.1/

umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.9
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.4
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.5
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.6
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.7
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.10
umount /home/mint/ps2/linux.1

losetup -d /dev/loop2
losetup -d /dev/loop3
losetup -d /dev/loop4
losetup -d /dev/loop5
losetup -d /dev/loop7
losetup -d /dev/loop8
losetup -d /dev/loop9

losetup -d /dev/loop1
 
krHACKen said:
The PSBBN that was included in SUDC3 had a shitty DVDELF-injected KELF.
I didn't bother authoring a proper KELF and put it in SUDC4, because as of today, the DNAS connections need to be bypassed, for the network features to be available. This either involves much work on the installer, or some DIY juju after the installation.
IIRC, if you delete the default_isp files from the HDD after installing it, it will stop doing blocking DNAS auths.


As for the installation CDVDs, to make them region free, the usual things have to be done :
- Dexor the main ELF
- Add it a ELF header and apply ATADpatcher_0_04 (or inject a homemade ATA device driver)
- UnPAK the files
- Decrypt the KELFs, decompress osdboot.elf, apply ATADpatcher_0_04 to all of them, recompress osdboot.elf, author the KELFs
- RePAK the files
- Author the disc image
Some more things could be done, like fixing the CDVD key for the DVD Player installer, and decompressing and rebuilding the IOPRPs with their img loaders to inject a homemade ATA device driver (requires REing)...


I've posted 0.32 HDD dumps in the Prototopia section of ObscureGamers.com, thread title "Some CEX PS2 HDD dumps...".
You may also be interested in AKuHAK's modified dumps, that were made years ago...
Click to expand...

Hey krHACKen, I know it's been a long time but I'm really hoping you can remember a little more about disabling DNAS on the PSBBN. You mentioned deleting "default_isp files"?

I've done a fresh install from the Sony Utility Disc Compilation v3.7 and compared the files to the ones on the BBN201311.img. The file /opt0/bn/script/default_isp.dat exists on the BBN201311.img but not on my fresh install. I've had a dig around but I'm at a loss. I'm really hoping you can help. Thanks
 
@Dariush Aghaee If You don't have Japanese PS2, original HDD and original PSBBN disc, then You cannot install it. There are many hacked versions which work on any 128GiB max drive, and any console with any HDD, but they are not clean images but with addons by authors. I only write such disk image once to check some stuff, then I delete it. Probably the best would be one of Vitas images.
 
Berion said:
@Dariush Aghaee If You don't have Japanese PS2, original HDD and original PSBBN disc, then You cannot install it. There are many hacked versions which work on any 128GiB max drive, and any console with any HDD, but they are not clean images but with addons by authors. I only write such disk image once to check some stuff, then I delete it. Probably the best would be one of Vitas images.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the reply.
Yeah, capacity and other limitations. But the UI of it is very beautiful, makes it difficult to give it up.
 
Dariush Aghaee said:
@Berion I want to install PSBBN on my ps2. Could you please guide me? What is the best version? Where should I start?
Thank you
Click to expand...

As @Berion said the hacked/translated versions of PSBBN were abysmal, full of bloat, badly translated and had the menus moved around and modified so much they barely even resembled the stock Japanese version. For those reasons I decided to create my own English translation of the stock experience.

PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch
  • A full English translation of the stock Japanese BB Navigator version 0.32
  • All binaries, XML files, textures and pictures have been translated
  • DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable online connectivity
  • Links to working mirrors of the online game channels for Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco and KOEI
  • "Audio Player" feature re-added to the Music Channel from an earlier release of PSBBN, allowing compatible with NetMD MiniDisc Recorder.
  • Japanese qwerty on-screen keyboard replaced with US English on-screen keyboard
It can be installed in two ways. There's a raw disk image and there's also a patch. The patch can be applied to any existing install of PSBBN version 0.32, be that a legitimate install or from something like the Sony Utility Disc Compilations.

I won't post a link because there are probably rules against that but it can be found on the Internet Archive.
 
CosmicScale said:
As @Berion said the hacked/translated versions of PSBBN were abysmal, full of bloat, badly translated and had the menus moved around and modified so much they barely even resembled the stock Japanese version. For those reasons I decided to create my own English translation of the stock experience.

PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch
  • A full English translation of the stock Japanese BB Navigator version 0.32
  • All binaries, XML files, textures and pictures have been translated
  • DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable online connectivity
  • Links to working mirrors of the online game channels for Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco and KOEI
  • "Audio Player" feature re-added to the Music Channel from an earlier release of PSBBN, allowing compatible with NetMD MiniDisc Recorder.
  • Japanese qwerty on-screen keyboard replaced with US English on-screen keyboard
It can be installed in two ways. There's a raw disk image and there's also a patch. The patch can be applied to any existing install of PSBBN version 0.32, be that a legitimate install or from something like the Sony Utility Disc Compilations.

I won't post a link because there are probably rules against that but it can be found on the Internet Archive.
Click to expand...

Will there ever be support for hard drives over 130gb?
 
seatran said:
Will there ever be support for hard drives over 130gb?
Click to expand...

Depends what you mean by support. If you follow my guide it can be installed on a larger drive but that extra space can't be utilized. PSBBN refuses to boot if you go over the 128GiB limit. Saying that though, within that limit I've managed to install 40 PS2 games in the ZSO format, 3 PS1 games, 3 homebrew apps and Linux, all bootable from the Game Channel.

I'd love to see support for larger capacities but that's beyond my expertise.
 
I have had one thought about the possibility of larger drives. To launch PS2 games PSBBN just needs a 128 MiB "PP" partition for each game that contains OPL Launcher. You could have around 900 "PP" partitions on the first 128 GiB of the drive. The actual games could be installed after that and OPL would be able to access them. The problem being that PSBBN freezes on launch when data goes over that 128GiB limit. Not sure if it's possible but if somebody could get the PSBBN software to ignore anything beyond that limit and just boot then we'd be in business.

The only other option would be a hybrid drive
 
I recently added bb navigator to my ps2 and for some reason I can't load any games or apps I have's saved through the game channel. It takes me to the browser menu instead. Is it because I'm using the 2013 version?
 
Shwampy said:
I recently added bb navigator to my ps2 and for some reason I can't load any games or apps I have's saved through the game channel. It takes me to the browser menu instead. Is it because I'm using the 2013 version?
Click to expand...

What version of PSBBN are you using? I'd recommend using my "PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch" that can be found on the Internet Archive.

Anything that is bootable from the Browser 2.0 HDD-OSD is also bootable from PSBBN. The process is the same.

Most games installed with hdl-dump should just boot however, I would recommend using OPL-Launcher for better compatibility as well as allowing you to have custom icons on PSBBN (https://github.com/ps2homebrew/OPL-Launcher)

For apps you need to encrypt the elf file with kelftool (https://github.com/parrado/kelftool)
Create a partition and name it in the following format "PP.APPNAME"
Place the encrypted KELF named "EXECUTE.KELF" into that partition
Create a text file called "system.cnf" with the following contents:
Code: 
BOOT2 = pfs:/EXECUTE.KELF
VER = 1.01
VMODE = NTSC
HDDUNITPOWER = NICHDD
Put the system.cnf file as well as an icon.sys and list.ico file into the same folder on your PC
Use hdl-dump to modify the header of your partition (https://github.com/ps2homebrew/hdl-dump)
For PSBBN you can also create a folder titled "res" on the partition with a png file titled "jkt_001.png" for the app icon and a file titled "info.sys" for app info. Example info.sys:
Code: 
title = wLaunchELF
title_id =
title_sub_id = 0
release_date =
developer_id =
publisher_id =
note =
content_web =
image_topviewflag = 0
image_type = 0
image_count = 1
image_viewsec = 600
copyright_viewflag = 0
copyright_imgcount = 0
genre = Homebrew
parental_lock = 1
effective_date = 0
expire_date = 0
area = E
violence_flag = 0
content_type = 255
content_subtype = 0
 
I'm using version 0.32 and to install my games I'm using batch kit manager. In the script program when you add the games it asks if you want to add to bb navigator . All the art files are there already since I'm only using ps1 games. I removed opl from my hdd because i wasn't using it. I still have the opl partition tho .
 
@CosmicScale Executable filename of XLF can be any. It is important to just match in "system.cnf". You not need also to make partition with PFS. It can be RAW and executable inside Attributes area instead fs area (then BOOT2 parram without "pfs:/").
 
Berion said:
@CosmicScale Executable filename of XLF can be any. It is important to just match in "system.cnf". You not need also to make partition with PFS. It can be RAW and executable inside Attributes area instead fs area (then BOOT2 parram without "pfs:/").
Click to expand...

Fair points, I just find it more convenient to have the app reside in the partition so it's easier to update or switch it out with a different app also there's no size limitation that way
 
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