How to install fmcb so you can get in on homebrew goodness!

2008-11-09T19:24:00.000-06:00

A Guide to Installing Free McBoot 1.7

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About

Free McBoot is a method of running homebrew applications directly off a Memory Card as a stand alone loader. No boot discs or modchips are required once installed. You will however need to have a method to install FMCB to the MC. This guide assumes you have a method to install already, if not read thru the How-to guides and return when ready to install FMCB.
*NOTE* This guide is written for use with version 1.7 and should not be used for previous versions, as some things wont aply to those versions!!

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Requirements

What you need:
A Boot method for the installer { How-to Guides }
A Memory Card with minimal 2MB free
A PS2
A USB stick { optional, but highly recommended}
Free McBoot release Package
Apps/files to install {optional, as apps can be run from a USB device}

File Preparation

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Free McBoot comes only with the necessary files/folders required to run Free McBoot's launching application from the Memory Card its installed to. Many applications can be used with Free mcBoot, but none will be included with a release package.',10,430)"> More info...

Its up to YOU the user to add anything to the installer to use, so decide on what you want to do with Free McBoot once its been installed and then add the apps you want to use.
The most commonly used apps are recommended below and are linked to the developement forums they originate, so you can read about them and get the latest versions.

Recommended apps to use with installation:
uLaunchELF ........Free McBoot skin for uLE apply skin after install, ReadMe included
SMS ........Free McBoot skin for SMS apply skin after install, ReadMe included
ESR
HDLoader ........Free McBoot skin for HDL skin must be patched to HDL before installing
FMCB Configurator

You can also find most any app for the PS2 at SKSApps.com
Emulators, ps2 app skins, Tools & Utilities, Online, Converters , cheat apps, and much more can be found at SKSApps.com

Prepare files for installation:
The Free McBoot Package contains the FREE_MCBOOT.ELF and an INSTALL folder. Only files/folders contained in the INSTALL folder will be used for the installation.

You can place the following files into the INSTALL folder's root:

BOOT.ELF { uLaunchELF is the best file manager/ELF launcher available}
ESR.ELF { used to run backups without the need to swap discs, patching required }
HDLOADER.ELF { run games from an internal HDD }
SMS.ELF { best Media Player available }

These files will be copied to the MC's BOOT folder . Folders will not be copied to the BOOT folder.

Example of how the folder structure should look when properly placing the files:

Exact filenames as shown above are case sensitive with the default FREEMCB.CNF. Check that the file extension .ELF is in fact in CAPS, or it will not display.
If you use different filenames, then it wont work until you configure the FREEMCB.CNF to use those filenames. More info ...

These files will be listed and linked to run from the Sony main menu . ',10,430)"> More info...

The installer will calculate the amount of space that is to be used for your install and show the free space as well.
NOTE: It is important to watch the overall file size when adding apps to your installation folders.
Also consider skins, roms,CNF files, images, etc... will add to the size if your using them from the MC.

Each of the folders included in the install package serve a purpose and should NOT be deleted unless you understand what they are for and can judge if they are necessary or not.
APPS - ',10,430)"> Details This folder is for any additional files you wish to add to your MC .
INJECT -',10,430)"> Details Put your "DVDELF.BIN" or "EMBED.ELF" file here, they will be used for the DVDELF injection. More info...
MODULES -',10,430)"> Details This folder comes with USBD.IRX and USBHDFSD.IRX files. These are required by Free McBoot to use a USB device.
FMCB_CFG -',10,430)"> Details The FMCB_CFG.ELF is Free McBoot's Configurator (made by Suloku from psx-scene).

Installation

Free McBoot MUST be installed to a Memory Card and can not be copied off another. A copy will only work on the MC it was installed on.
Cross Region installations will not work! This means installing with a console from one region will not work on another console from a different region.

Installer Options:
X - Normal install will install the required system files for your console version..
[] - Multi-Version install will install additional files for other console versions of the same region to work with the same MC..
/\ - Power Off puts the console into Stand-by mode
O - Launches the Configurator Application
SELECT - If you dont have anything worth saving on the MC, then format the card for a better chance of a successful install.

START - If you have a previous install of the Multi-Version and wish to install without formatting, you must un-install the Multi-Version first.

The Installer will detect if you have a BOOT.ELF to install, if no BOOT.ELF is found, you are given a chance to abort the install so you can put a BOOT.ELF in the proper location, as described above and in the correct file extension of all CAPS.
Or you can continue the installation without it, but you were warned, so dont say you werent!!

A successful install should look similar to the below image:

Configuring Free McBoot

There are 2 ways you can configure Free McBoot, using the Configurator in the PS2 after the installation or manually create a CNF file on your PC and include it in the installation's FMCB_CFG folder.

Using FMCB Configurator
Once the Installer has successfully installed, you can go right to the configurator app by pressing the O button.
You will first see an option for button layout, meaning what button do you prefer to be the OK button, so press the one you would rather use.

Next the main menu appears.....

Default example:

The FREEMCB.CNF is loaded from mc0: by default , unless a FREEMCB.CNF is present on the root of an attached USB device.

Load CNF from MC0
Loads a CNF from MC slot1
Load CNF from MC1
Loads a CNF from MC slot2
Load CNF from Mass
Loads a CNF from a connected USB device

Configure E1 launch keys...
Configure E2 launch keys...
Configure E3 launch keys...

Default example:

Here you can assign apps from a path to load with a button press, Configure E1 launch keys... is the first location the launcher will look in for an app to load, if not found, it will go to the next set of paths for that button in Configure E2 launch keys... as the second location set, then on to Configure E3 launch keys.... as the third location set. If still no files are found in any of those locations for that button press, it will by default load the OSD, unless you have changed it from default.

Recommended apps are pre-configured as default settings as shown in the example image above.

This is very useful if MC space is important to save, you can assign all your apps in the Configure E1 launch keys... to mass:/ {USB stick} and then assign Configure E2 launch keys... to look on the same MC or on a second MC by using mc?:/ FOLDER/FILE.ELF.
This makes it very flexible when using a number of MCs and/or USB sticks.

Most people will only need to configure Configure E1 launch keys..., but for the advanced user this is a very useful method when using multiple sets of devices.

Configure OSDSYS Options...

OSD Settings menu:

-Hacked OSDSYS

ON - Default setting Displays list of apps in Sony main menu to be selected for booting
OFF - Disables the OSD Hack

-Configure Item 1 -100
Press left or right to select an item from 1 to 100

Here you can assign apps and give them a name that will display on the Sony main menu screen.
You can select up to 100 apps and they will be linked to the Sony menu.
The 3 sets of paths will be the search order the launcher will follow when booting the selected app from the list. The recommended apps are already pre-assigned and named.

Default example:

Configure Scrolling options
-Scroll Menu : ON Default setting turns on the scrolling effects
OFF disables scrolling effects
-Displayed Items : 7 Default setting 4 to 10 items can be selected
-Menu y : 110 Default setting - centered in the screen
The range is 0 to 220
You can adjust the entire list up { lower number } or down { higher number }.
But use caution or the top might be cut off if your Displayed Items is set to a high number, as shown in the up & down example images.

Example settings:

Menu y : 0 {too high} Menu y : 110 {centered} Menu y : 220 {too low}

You can save and go to the PS2Browser ( FMCB restart) and see the results, then return to the configurator if you need to make more changes.
-Cursor Max Velocity : 1000 Changes the distance the cursor indicator moves across the screen
-Cursor Acceleration : 100 Changes the speed the cursor indicator moves

-Left Cursor: >> 10 char. max.
-Right Cursor: << 10 char. max.
-Top Delimiter: -=<>=- 80 char. max.
-Bottom Delimiter: -=<>=- 80 char. max.

-Video Mode: AUTO, PAL, NTSC {AUTO is default setting }
-Skip MC update check:

ON -Default setting Stops PS2 OSDSYS from searching for update files on the MC
OFF - Does normal searches for updates

-Skip HDDupdate check:

ON -Default setting Stops PS2 OSDSYS from searching for update files on the HDD. {HDD doesnt power up}
OFF - Powers on HDD and searches, then powers down HDD

-Skip Disc Boot:',10,430)"> Details

ON -Default setting Prevent a disc (if inserted on power-on/reset) to boot through OSD.
OFF - disables option.

-Skip Sony Logo:
ON -Default setting Skips the "Sony Computer Entertainment"-Logo , helps speed up boot process.
OFF - Disables option

-Go to Browser:
ON - Free McBoot loads to MC browser menu
OFF - Default setting Free McBoot loads to Sony main menu

-Selected Color - changes the color of the selected item in Sony's main menu
-Unselected color - changes the color of the unselected item in Sony's main menu

-MenuX : 320 Default setting - centered in the screen
Range is 0-640.
You can adjust the entire list to the left { lower number }or the right { higher number }.
But use caution or the words might be cut off, as shown in the left & right example images. So adjust in small amounts at a time.
You can save and go to the PS2Browser ( FMCB restart) and see the results, then return to the configurator if you need to make more changes.

Example settings:

MenuX : 0 {too far left} MenuX : 320 {centered} MenuX : 640 {too far right}

Configure ESR Path...

You can assign the locations you want Free McBoot to search for direct ESR launch.

Default example:

FastBoot:',10,430)"> Details

ON - Fastboots a disc if found
OFF -Default setting Disables option

Debug screen:

ON - Displays a green screen when it doesn't find any ELF to launch
OFF -Default setting It launches the PS2 OSD when no ELF found

Pad Delay: ',10,430)"> Details

2.0 Default setting

Save CNF to MC0

Saves changes to mc0:/SYS-CONF/FREEMCB.CNF

Save CNF to MC1

Saves changes to mc1:/SYS-CONF/FREEMCB.CNF

Save CNF to Mass

Saves changes to mass:/FREEMCB.CNF

Return to Loader

Boots the BOOT.ELF { Searches for mc?:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF, then B?DATA-SYSTEM/BOOT.ELF (first pal, then usa, finally jap)

PS2Browser (FMCB restart}

Boots to PS2Browser and restarts Free McBoot {unless MC has been removed}

2008-11-09T19:21:00.001-06:00

Lets see whats new in the world of gaming shall we?

UAE4Wii v0.1 Released

Gouky has released a new emulator for the Nintendo Wii. He's ported over UAE an Amiga emulator originally for *nix based systems, but has been ported to other video game consoles - now including the Wii.

Quote:

UAE is a mostly complete software emulation of the hardware of the Commodore Amiga 500/1000/2000.
A Commodore Amiga, for those who don't know, is a 16/32 bit computer system based on the Motorola 680x0 CPU and a few specially designed custom chips that provide very good graphics and sound capabilities. Its first incarnation, the A1000, appeared in 1985, followed by the highly successful A500 and A2000 models.

Features

- First release !
- Minimal GUI

Quote:

Ok i love the wii :-) and last week i was saying to myself 'Damn !! im sure there's an amiga emu, i want to play battle squadron now !!' but... i found nothing ... what the f*** I thought, so here is it a port of UAE based on UAE4ALL. I have tons of idea for the GUI to make it very wiiiiish and easy to use but thats a first release ;-) First time i do that kind of port , I really enjoyed it.

2008-10-29T16:53:00.001-05:00

Figured i'd post an update not like anyone reads this shit anyways...how am i feeling today?
lonely and depressed don't know why i just do i feel like im all alone in a world full of people....who knows maybe something good will come out of all this misery and despair....just wish our family had more money so we would'nt have to do this end of the month suffering like we do every month it just seems we keep coming up short during the middle of the month and have to struggle through the rest of it always always.....more things change the more they stay the same i guess.

2008-10-27T19:50:00.001-05:00

Awsome so batista won the wwe title thanks to none other than stone cold steve austin!

good stuff im tellin ya ^_^

2008-10-25T17:54:00.001-05:00

Figured id post an update not much to say today really other then how is it that in this day in age people can still believe in government i mean we know they are screwing us over every chance they get and they know our votes don't matter because of the electoral college but meh vote if you want to it wont matter when this country is in complete chaos and we're living in a new third world country!

Welcome to my world

2008-10-22T17:28:00.000-05:00

Hey i just had a thought what if i started a blog?
Would anyone read it?
or would it be needlessly buried to the dark dank regions of the internet?

Well this is a little experiment to test that theory so bare with me and hang on for the ride because im about to get this ball rolling!

Watch this space For Further Updates!

Dangwoots World

How to install fmcb so you can get in on homebrew goodness!

Welcome to my world