PS2 SoftDev2 MBR KELF [POC/WIP]

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TnA said:
'and patched OSDSYS'??
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I used some FMCB 1.8 fragments to allow MC and HDD skipping when :but tri: launch key is used.

Berion said:
Awesome news! Both of them. ^^

Forgot to mention backgrounds: are 24bit, while all monochrome bitmaps are 8bit with indexed alpha. OPL support it so if You have troubles, maybe it would be worth to look at libs used by it. Or they can be converted to 32bit of course.
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Thanks, so far I've managed to display both of them by using gsKit with no issues. Only issue I got is font displaying, basically I can't create a proper bitmap from Roboto font (actually I used monospace version) which is not messed up by gsKit when alpha is enabled. So, in the end I decided to use FONTM.
 
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alexparrado said:
I used some FMCB 1.8 fragments to allow MC and HDD skipping when :but tri: launch key is used.
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So we can skip the HDD-OSD when it is installed, but we can also start it?

I mean... We can start OSDSYS with or without "-SkipHD" or "-BootClock" argument from Soft DEV.2?
 
Version 1.0.3 doesn't have FHDB_SYS.ELF so it cannot run HDD OSD itself. Older versions when booting OSDSYS, booting "rom0:/OSDSYS" and it doesn't follow osd update. So to be honest it is also confusing for me. ^^
 
TnA said:
So we can skip the HDD-OSD when it is installed, but we can also start it?

I mean... We can start OSDSYS with or without "-SkipHD" or "-BootClock" argument from Soft DEV.2?
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I don't know a lot of things about HDD-OSD. But as far I know HDD-OSD (pfs0:/osd/osdmain.elf, pfs0:/osd/hosdsys.elf or pfs0:/osd100/hosdsys.elf ) is launched from either SCE MBR or FHDB MBR. Hence, to add such feature I should launch HDD-OSD KELF from my MBR program.

Berion said:
Version 1.0.3 doesn't have FHDB_SYS.ELF so it cannot run HDD OSD itself. Older versions when booting OSDSYS, booting "rom0:/OSDSYS" and it doesn't follow osd update. So to be honest it is also confusing for me. ^^
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In the end I decided not to include FHDB_SYS.ELF due it'll require a full FHDB installation to work. Nevertheless, compatibility with HDD-OSD is something I could add in the future.
 
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Launching "rom0:OSDSYS" should be sufficient to launch the HDD-OSD on a FAT (if properly installed). It would not work on a Slim (not even 70k, except for one where the BOOT-ROM was swapped/changed).

"Skipping" the HDD-OSD is simple via calling "rom0:OSDSYS" via the "-SkipHD"-argument or via "-BootClock" when you also want to skip the Sony sequence.
 
Sure thing. Take Your time. I'll be waiting anyway. ^^

Why MBR.XLF in archive above is different than one from https://github.com/parrado/softdev2-launcher/releases?

Also readme looks a little outdated now:
Code: 
On boot SoftDev2 will launch OPL (OPNPS2LD.ELF) from hdd0:PP.SOFTDEV2.APPS partition. In addition, if you hold CIRCLE button during boot, it will launch UlaunchELF (ULE.ELF) from same partition.

Worth to mention about booting from "hdd0:/__system/softdev2/"; hot button to OSDSYS; and some cosmetics like UlaunchELF>>uLaunchELF.

I'm not sure how this app named. It is "SoftDev2 Installer" or "SoftDev2 Launcher"? Maybe it is not very important but makes me trouble how to name it in AIO PS2. :D
 
Berion said:
Why MBR.XLF in archive above is different than one from https://github.com/parrado/softdev2-launcher/releases?
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I didn't release MBR.XLF for this new version because I added a GitHub workflow, for which kelftool can't be used due to keys it needs. So, in the future, SoftDev2 releases will be given as raw binary files and MBR.XLF will be provided only in installer.

Berion said:
Also readme looks a little outdated now:
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Yes, I'll update it with new installer, I guess.

Berion said:
I'm not sure how this app named. It is "SoftDev2 Installer" or "SoftDev2 Launcher"? Maybe it is not very important but makes me trouble how to name it in AIO PS2. :D
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I guess you can refer to it as SoftDev2. Which is composed of installer and MBR launcher. Keep in mind I've not uploaded source code for installer, I'll do so for graphic installer you designed.

TnA said:
Launching "rom0:OSDSYS" should be sufficient to launch the HDD-OSD on a FAT (if properly installed). It would not work on a Slim (not even 70k, except for one where the BOOT-ROM was swapped/changed).
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So, no need to launch pfs0:/osd/osdmain.elf, pfs0:/osd/hosdsys.elf or pfs0:/osd100/hosdsys.elf?. And, what exactly you mean with "properly installed"?
 
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alexparrado said:
So, no need to launch pfs0:/osd/osdmain.elf, pfs0:/osd/hosdsys.elf or pfs0:/osd100/hosdsys.elf?.
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Oh... I forgot... Since this is a custom bootloader, it basically gets executed as HDD update, hence you have to manually point there if you want to support it. My fault.
And, what exactly you mean with "properly installed"?
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Well... "properly"! :P
In a way that the rom OSDSYS finds the HDD Update
 
TnA said:
Oh... I forgot... Since this is a custom bootloader, it basically gets executed as HDD update, hence you have to manually point there if you want to support it. My fault.
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Thanks, anyway it does not seem to be a trivial task. Apparently, only known homebrew software capable of doing that is sp193's MBR program, and its source isn't available. I'm gonna make some tests with SifLoadElfEncrypted along with ExecPS2.
 
I can confirm, triangle now loads HDD OSD. But not FHDB+HDD OSD. :) It is possible to launch FHDB if found instead of HDD OSD (because FHDB will adopt HDD OSD)? Or maybe another solution, easier, looking for "hdd0:/__system/osd/osdmain_decrypted.elf" and run it if exist, if not, run HDD OSD or OSD as current.

BTW: Sony nomenclature:
  • *.elf - standard ELF
  • *.xlf - encrypted ELF (*.kelf on scene) but for PP./PC./osd
  • *.xin - encrypted ELF (*.kelf on scene) but for __mbr
What do You think to follow this naming? It is just cosmetics of course but my digital OCD told me to post this. :D
 
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Berion said:
I can confirm, triangle now loads HDD OSD. But not FHDB+HDD OSD. :)
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Glad to know it works for you.
Berion said:
It is possible to launch FHDB if found instead of HDD OSD (because FHDB will adopt HDD OSD)? Or maybe another solution, easier, looking for "hdd0:/__system/osd/osdmain_decrypted.elf" and run it if exist, if not, run HDD OSD or OSD as current.
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Not sure, when I first devised SoftDev2 wanted to keep distance from FHDB. Who knows, maybe when graphical installer gets ready, i'll give FHDB a second chance.
Berion said:
What do You think to follow this naming? It is just cosmetics of course but my digital OCD told me to post this
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Nice ones, thanks. In fact I wasn't aware of *.xin, it'll help me to make clear difference between an encrypted ELF and an encrypted raw binary like MBR program.
 
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It is not a big deal anyway, as user can put decrypted FHDB loader into OPL APPS.

After unpacking *.pak from HDD OSD, along with SYSTEM and SYSCONF folders, there are MBR.XIN which is a file putting into __mbr by installer, just like the rest are contents for corresponding partitions. So I think we can adopt this nomenclature as KELF is to general and encrypted ELFs have various of signatures (for __mbr, for apa space, for dvr, for mc). It is still not perfect but better. ^^
 
imo best setup would be to load default rom0:OSDSYS and circle button ule. that way its easier if you want to play a game disc
 
@alexparrado can a memory card version be possible for slim ps2s? also can you change ule to square button as if you keep circle pressed when ule boot it messes up the default elf timeout
 
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