Creating a Memory Card Exploit

[Ne0]

Creating a MC Exploit (independence exploit) for FAT PS2


i decided to write this tut essentially for the arriving noobs who need to start from ground-zero. this tut was designed as a step by step walkthrough for creating a memory card exploit. i only intended to show you how to install uLE (uLaunchELF) so that you can later install other apps through the FMCB 1.8 noobie-package that has every other essential app to add on and which are also up to date.

slim PS2 users: you cannot use this method (independence exploit) to softmod your console. sony just simply added an extra security feature that prevents the installation of this exploit to the MC. try this tut instead: Boot FMCB Installer Using Codebreaker (8.1 or newer)


you need the following items...

note: google keyword "sksapps" to find the exploit files using google because i cannot post direct download links. sorry!

1. A cheat disc of the same region that your PS2 is and either being NTSC-U or PAL: (needed program to transfer files to the MC):

1a. Gameshark 2 v.1-2.0 "only"
1b. Codebreaker v.7.0-9.9 "only" and not a v. 10.0
1c. ARmax Evolution (up to v.3 i think)

2. compatible USB stick (recommended: sandisk cruzer or geeks squad)
3. "official" sony MC
4. original ps1 game in fair condition
5. Independence Compiler 4.1
6. PS2 Save Builder 0.8
7. uLaunchELF 4.39

this tutorial is my very own method of putting together a MC exploit as there other methods of doing so as well. "use this at your own risk!"

it is important that you have the following cheat disc versions recommended above or your exploit will not be transferrable. it is also important that you have a compatible USB stick that matches the USB drivers that the PS2 uses to identify USB devices. at last, but not the least important is that you have an official sony mc so that your data will not become corrupted as in other cheapo & unlicensed MC's.


i'm assuming that you already have everything that you need. now open independence compiler and PS2 save builder.

note for Vista users: if you are attempting to create the mc exploit under Vista then you must right click each program and go to properties/compatibility tab/run this program in compatibility mode:/win 95, 98, ME, 2000, or ect. and also open these programs under administrative previleges (find the right windows version for compatibility).


Independence Compiler

1. (TITLE.DB Tab) now, in independence compiler, there will be 8 tabs on top. you will only need use "three" of these tabs." so, go to the "Title.DB" tab and you will see two boxes. on the rectangular box the tible.DB or disc I.D. of any ps1 game will show. now, select the drive where your ps1 game is in and then click on "get I.D.from CD" button and then click on "add to Title.DB." you will now see a SLUS.XXXX or of the sort on the bigger box on the right.

2. (LAUNCHER Tab) now go to the third tab called "Loader." indenpendence compiler comes with a launcher app by default which is uLauncheELF and the default version is 3.4 which is really old! we want to manually browse for the newer uLaunchELF 4.39 version that you downloaded from the PS2 apps section. now click on other and a browse window will pop-up and you need to find the uLauchELF folder that you downloaded. in the uLE (uLaunchELF) folder look for the "BOOT.ELF" file and click on it. this BOOT.ELF file is uLE 4.39 and will be your new Launcher.

3. (CREATE EXPLOIT Tab) now, on this tab all that you will need to do is go below to the "file output area" and click on "MEMORY CARD (XPS)." this will create a file compatible to your MC and PS2 save builder. ok, now click on
"create exploit!" you will briefly get a small pop-up window telling you that you havent' selected any ELF files and will ask if you want to continue with the file conversion. just click on "yes." if were successful then you will see a quick black dos window appear suddenly. if you receive an error then it is because you didn't select the tible.db from you ps1 game or the launcher. now browse to my computer/C:drive/IS CENTRAL folder and copy it to your desktop.


PS2 Save Builder

now inside the "IS Central" folder is a file titled "IS Central.xps" and this is what independence compiler made for you.

1. (Open the XPS file) open up PS2 Save Builder and click on the small folder icon with the arrow pointing out or just to go to file and choose open and browse for the IS central folder and then find the XPS file you created earlier. you will now see the "contents" of the XPS file which has the BOOT.ELF, TITLE.DB, icon.sys, and my.icn all of the files we used earlier).

2. (Save the XPS file Under...) ok, now click on the little cool floppy disc icon after the browse window appears "stop!!!!" you need to rename the file name from "IS Central" to "YourSystemConfiguration" and the save as type needs to be set to the right file type that your cheat disc is.

cheat disc file types: (only use these file types and ignore the rest)

Codebreaker= .cbs
ARmax evolution/regular= .max
Gameshark 2= .md

i use gameshark and i save as "YourSystemConfiguration.md" and nothing else. make sure that you also save to an area on your PC where you can find it (usually on the desktop). now after you have saved the file as mentioned above, you need to rename the file type one more time. so instead of YourSystemConfiguration."md" it will now look like YourSystemConfiguration."ps2." yes, rename the .md to .ps2 and this is only for gameshark users!


Tranferring the Exploit via usb stick to MC

1. (USB stick) copy the exploit to your usb stick.

2. (Gameshark) put your GS disc in the ps2 and make sure that you don't have any "usb devices" hooked to the ps2 usb ports because if you do have any inserted then GS will not load and you will only see a black screen! so after GS loads, go to the memory card management or "you know" and pop your MC and then the USB stick. click on "O" on your controller and format the MC if you haven't done so yet. copy the exploit to the MC target and then you will see a small "?" question mark. this question mark is your exploit. if it doesn't appear or transfer then you need go back to the PS2 save builder part of this tut and revise what you did and if the problem still persists then you need to go back further!

3. (PS1 disc as a uLE trigger disc) now if you successfully transferred the exploit to the MC without any probs then reset your PS2 and put the very same PS1 disc that you recently used to switch the TITLE.DB over with independence compiler. do not press any buttons after you pop the disc in. a white screen will appear and then uLE will load! if you see this then you have basically softmodded your PS2 and you are ready to add apps. you will still need that ps1 disc to trigger uLaunchELF until you install FMCB 1.8 to your MC. i highly suggest that you do that next. browse for a FMCB tutorial on sksapps and ask for help.

if you want to add extra apps then you can easily do so with the FMCB 1.8 noobie-package.


partial credit to gravityBomberMan