HDloader is dead

[abrannan]

"HDLoader has been withdrawn from the market and will no longer be available for purchase."

Didn't take Sony's legal team long to kill that one.

[Floyd10]

Funny, I just read about how great it is in my new OPM mag today. Well, It was fun while it lasted

[old school gamer]

"HDLoader has been withdrawn from the market and will no longer be available for purchase."

Didn't take Sony's legal team long to kill that one.

Glad I got it before its demise!

[pointdablame]

damn  I never got to order one.  Oh well.

[dema]

damn  I never got to order one.  Oh well.

It's still available at www.divineo.com under the PS2 Accessories section. You'll have to act quickly though.

[crashwg]

They've also still got some at www.Consolesource.com

[Edgedamage]

Ummmm making a clone of the disk is out of the question?

[crashwg]

Supposedly you have to have some kind of "hacked" file to burn a copy of it.

I'll let ya know for sure when mine arives.

[derek1800]

How about HDADVANCE

stole from hdloader

[pointdablame]

HDAdvance does CD and DVD... I wonder if it can do PS1 games as well...

[derek1800]

no

[pointdablame]

What I should have said is perhaps the CD can open up a way to play PS1 discs as well. I read the FAQ saying PS1 games don't work out of the box, but people were talking about creating a way to use PS1 games.  Problem was... there was no way to load up CDs, just DVDs.

I still think it won't be possible since the HDAdvance CD will have to load up the PS2 bios.  I was just throwing out an idea.  Even a fliptop/slide card wouldn't help since once the PS2 files are loaded (from the HDAdvace CD) I'm guessing a PS1 game would error.  I don't have a fliptop though, so who knows.

[derek1800]

Your second statement is correct

[Stingray]

Thanks for the heads up on this guys. I just ordered one while I still have the chance.

-S

[Floyd10]

My co-worker was going on and on about how he got games for 3.99 pretty much, because of this. I say double/triple layer the discs and leave HDloader, but I see where they're coming from

[RayB]

Hi guys. It's been 9 months since HDloader was pronounced dead, and yet it's still available. In fact, they even ADVERTISE IT on G4TechTV Canada.

www.hdloader.org

Possibly they are using some loophole that makes it ok to sell in Canada.

[crashwg]

It's right there in the FAQs...

Q.     I heard this product has been banned / discontinued. Can I still buy it?

A.    HDLoader.org is only a reseller of this product, and we have a limited quantity left. Once they are gone, they are gone and the product is no longer being produced.

[gprime]

I take it this thing doesn't work with the new ps2s?

What's it do exactly... read ps2 discs and then copy them to the hard drive?

[SoundDoc]

There are many versions of HDLoader floating around, it just isn't being commercialy marketed anymore. (long story short, they stole open source software and sold it commercially). HDloader, HDAdvanced, and now USBAdvanced are easy to get.

Basically they will let you copy your legally bought games to a hard drive you attach to the network adapter.

I just finished "exploiting" my PS2, and run HDloader from a laucherELF, which is simply a linux shell, that lets me launch HDLoader, network media players, and tons of other apps that have been developed for the PS2.

A quick google of "PS2 Independence Exploit" should get you going, or after months of info harvesting, www.exploitstation.com has the simplest and most straightforward tutorial and file downloads to get you a working version on a PS2. Basically you need a PS2, Network adapter, a HD, a Memory card, and a PS1 game to set it up. This is the only tricky part, as you need to trick the PS2 once, to get it to load the CD you make, but after that, when ever you turn it on, it boots stright to the HDLoader menu, and you just select what games you want to play.

Hope this helps,

SD

[RayB]

A quick google of "PS2 Independence Exploit" should get you going, or after months of info harvesting, www.exploitstation.com has the simplest and most straightforward tutorial and file downloads to get you a working version on a PS2. Basically you need a PS2, Network adapter, a HD, a Memory card, and a PS1 game to set it up. This is the only tricky part, as you need to trick the PS2 once, to get it to load the CD you make, but after that, when ever you turn it on, it boots stright to the HDLoader menu, and you just select what games you want to play.

Or just get HDAdvance 2.0, and leave it in the drive.

[Stingray]

HDAdvance also recognises larger hard drives than HDLoader.

-S

[b3atmania]

...  This is the only tricky part, as you need to trick the PS2 once, to get it to load the CD you make, but after that, when ever you turn it on, it boots stright to the HDLoader menu, and you just select what games you want to play.

Actually it doesn't work that way. Using the trick you describe you still need to have the PS1 disc sitting in the PS2 to boot HDLoader from the memory card. It totally defeats the purpose as you might as well just keep the original HDLoader disc in the PS2 without bothering with the exploit.

When the HDLoader becomes bootable directly from HD or memorycard it would be great, but if you need to boot discs it is not worth it.

[SOAPboy]

...

[SoundDoc]

Yes, I still have to have the ps1 disc, ($1.99 grab bin find) in my dvd drive, and I downloaded HDloader, and many of the other Elf's (like the media player, FTP server etc...) from Exploitstation for free, instead of buying a pressed version of HDloader.
Also, HDloader supports the same size drives as HDAdvance, you just need to get the patched version. there really is no difference between the two other than the graphics. (go check their forums for more info).
HDLoader IS directly bootable from both the HD AND the memory card, I have a 8MB memory card, and all that is on it is about 1mb for the exploit files, everything else, all the other elfs, HDloader, HDAdvance, and all the other apps reside on the HD in the boot partition.
With the new HDloader which contains the toxic .2 core, on boot the ps2 spins up the ps1 game for a few seconds, until the exploit triggers, then spins down. after that, its all HDD, no dvd usage at all (unless I throw in a dvd to watch, or a cd of MP3's). Copying new files and new versions of software over the the ps2 doesn't require a cd either, I just copy them onto a usb dongle, plug it into my ps2, and cut & paste from the launcher.

My total cost (sans HD) to get a fully open and customizable ps2 were $1.99 for a ps1 game, and $20 for a case of beer to share with a friend that had a mod chip to load the exploit onto my memory card, why would I want to fork out another $50ish, to only get HDloader, when I have so much more for so much less?

SD

[zander]

SoundDoc is the only one who knows what's up here, listen to the guy he tells the truth.  It's very easy if you follow his method ignore mame for now.

buy these first
mem card, ps1 disc,usb pendrive,cheat disc ar or codebreaker, hdd 200 gig (use this guide at ps2drives.x-pec a must), usb enclosure or usb 2.0 to ide cable (cable is cheap).

then get whatever you need + how to do  from exploitstation or ps2scene or ps2hd, elfs are very tiny get launcher + patched loader for 200+ gigs, winhiip (a must).

[Thndrbug]

I use HDAdvance and it is great.  I take my HD with me to parties and road trips and stuff.  There is a USB eXtreme version now,  for external HDs.  I have some of the USB versions left after eBay gave me the boot (no pun intended). 

Send me a message if you want info on where to get them now.

Thndrbug

[zander]

Do not listen to that guy. HDAdvance is an inferior product and is exactly the same as the original hdloader with a graphics patch applied. Newer versions of HdAdvance is hdloader again with more free hacker patches applied. HdAdvance sucks cause the Asian company who publishes it takes freely available patches to hdloader and outputs HdAdvance for sale. Plus they give nothing back to the scene. Plus they never credit the official hex edit patchers/hackers who maintain the free hdloader. To get all the free patches and learn how to apply the patches to hdloader which is definitely not dead head to ps2-scene. New patches to hdloader comes out all the time and it now supports huge ide dives 400gb, dvd9 media and network play. You can now even easily skin your on bitmap screen onto hdloader to make it look however you want and all homebrew of course.

Usbadvance is a totally novel project written differently. But it is still an inferior product to hdloader patched version because of low game compatibility and poor speed. Plus there is now a kit to attach an ide drive to slimline ps2 now. And the latest hdloader patches support the slimline ps2. So now there is no excuse not to use only hdloader which again is by no means dead.

[JoyMonkey]

I used HDadvance for months and was very happy with it (it does exactly what it says on the box). Then last week I thought I try the Independce Exploit, so I put the HDloader thats available on ps2hd.com on a memory card and gave it a whirl. And all I can say is wow! The unmodded PS2 boots straight to KeyLauncher, where I can load the newer HDloader at the touch of a button. The newer hdloader has a bunch of patches applied to it and is compatible with many more games (I even got God of War to work!).

[spiffyshoes]

Wow! God of War? Seriously?  Sweet!!  I knew that they had it listed on their compatibility list over at PS2HD.com as working with ToxicOS but nothing is listed as far as compatibility with the new HDloader patches.  Is there a list of all the games that are now working with the latest patch that don't work with the retail version?

[JoyMonkey]

Well the current patched version of HDloader has some kind of ToxicOS 0.2 based patch applied to it, so many games that would previously only work on a PS2 running from ToxicOS will now work with HDloader. Dual layer games still have some problems, unless their flattened.

[zander]

You guys are finally on the right path and no hdloader is not dead it is better than it ever was.

In direct conflict to the site JoyMonkey plugged  I suggest  interested people head to ps2-scene.org as they give back far more than any other site in ps2 land. Also I'd stay away from the version that has ToxicOS 0.2 core. It's a decent upgrade but the orginal hdl core that's constantly being patched version is again superior to that toxic one also and can do GOW and GT4 and any other dvd9 iso unflattened and unpatchced contrary to what JoyMonkey is saying. What he is saying is no longer true of hdl.

[spiffyshoes]

Wow!  I just installed the new HDLoader .7b and it wasn't nearly as hard as it sounded like it was going to be.  All the tutorials made it sound ultra complicated but it's not.  All you need is an origonal version of HDLoader/HDAdvance or SwapMagic and your good to go.  Now I'm able to play a ton of new games that didn't work with the old version.  Woohoo!!

[sixcoin]

where did you find .7b at? and are there instructions on how to install it?  I am guessing that you now don't have to use your HDL disk.

[orntar]

sixcoin, theres a link in joymonkeys last post.

and can anyone give a quick rundown of what to do and what to get for hdloader?
i have snooped around, but am completely lost as to what to do. i have a flip and swapmagic.

[abrannan]

sixcoin, theres a link in joymonkeys last post.

and can anyone give a quick rundown of what to do and what to get for hdloader?
i have snooped around, but am completely lost as to what to do. i have a flip and swapmagic.

Refer to SoundDoc's posts, and check the links he's provided.  One of them has a pretty comprehensive set of tutorials and glossaries that should get you up and running.

[spiffyshoes]

The latest version of HDL can be found at www.exploitstation.com.

To make your installer disk all you need is the latest version of the indipendence compiler which you can download from www.ausdigital.net

And some sort of burning software like alcohol120%.

Then just use your swapmagic disc to run the installer disk and it will load launchELF 3.4 and any additional ELF files you added to your MemoryCard.  If you want to save space on your memory card LaunchELF can run ELF files off of a burned CD so you can use your flip top or slide card to put a CD in and run them off of the CD.  It can also run elf's from USB thumb drives.