Soft-Mod Tutorial: How to play backups with only SD Media Launcher + Extra Info

There is so much confusion about the SD Media Launcher, So I hope this thread helps.

If you enjoy this tutorial please sticky it so others can as well.

NOTE: THIS WILL NOT WORK ON THE WII! WHEN YOU TRY TO SWAP DISK ON THE WII, THE WII WILL JUST RESTART!!!

NOTE: There are download links all throughout this post but if you just need the files you can go to the end of this post, to find what you need.

I just received my SD Media Launcher (1gb), with some time and tweaking, I am finally running a back-up of my Zelda Twilight Princess.

Goal of this thread is to help with the following:
- How to use your SD Media Launcher
- A place to get everything you need in one thread (Downloads)
- How to take your Gamecube apart.
- Show you how to do the Laser "POT" Tweak and How much to Tweak it, is based on your model of your Gamecube.

So lets get started!:

How to use your SD Media Launcher

Step 1: Ordering your SD Media Launcher

Well first you have to order your SD Media Launcher from Datel
You have two choices

1 Gig Version

Or

Two Gig Version

Does not matter which one you get.

Order it and it should take a 10 days or less to get to you.


Step 1 1.5: Getting your DVD-R

While you wait go get some Mini-DVD-R (THEY MUST BE DVD-R)
Top Mini-DVD-R are:
Ritek Ridata Mini DVD-R 4x (Really popular)
FujiFilm DVD-R (Worked really well for me)
DVD-R CMC (Heard good thing about it)

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A good price for Mini-DVD-R should be around 50 Cents - 60 Cents a Disk. A good place to buy your Disk from:
SuperMediaStore
CDRDVDrMEDIA

Replacement Top is another way to go if you don't want to trouble yourself with the Mini-DVD-R. Just get DVD-R and it should work the same way.

Good place to get your Replacement Top is at: Interesting-devices

Step 3: Your Package Arrives

When it arrives it should look like this:
To the Picture

Checklist:
A SD Media Launcher
SD Card Reader
1gb or 2gb SD Card
The User Manual
SD Media Launcher Disk (Its inside the user manual)

Step 4: Downloading the GCOS

GCOS = GameCube Operating System
Download the most recent version of GcoS (Currently 1.X beta). You can get 1.X beta from GCOS 1.X Beta. Or get the 1.5 GcoS from here GCOS 1.5. Extract it to a folder. I had more luck the with 1.5 so I am using the 1.5 on my Media Launcher.

Step 5: Putting your GCOS on your SD Card

Plug in the USB 2.0 Card Reader and the SD card.
When your computer reads the SD Card, Drag and drop the GCOS to your SD card.
File Name:
If you are going to use version 1.5, then the file name will be: GCoS 1.5 (PSO).dol
If you are going to use version 1.X Beta, then the file name will be:
gcos1.x.dol

Step 5: In to the Media Launcher.

Unplug it and take the SD card and put it in to the Media Launcher.

To The Picture

Step 6: Putting your Gamecube game Back-up on a disk.

Before burning make sure your Back-up Rip should exactly read 1,459,978,240 bytes.(1.35GB) It does not matter if its a 50MB game. If it is not that size, that game will not work, but you can use a program called: Wiped GCM Fixer 1.5 (This program will help make it to that size.) If the back-up is a .gmc file just rename it to .iso.

Download here: Wiped GCM Fixer 1.5

Finding a back up of your game is one step you have to do on your own. But when you find that back-up you should use a program called Imgburn. Its free and very easy to use, + It works!
Download Here: Imgburn
Imgburn: 2x Speed Burning

If you are a Nero user: Extract your iso and burn it with Nero. If you get a .gcm file, rename it to .iso and burn away with Nero. I had some problems with Nero but when I reburned it with Imgburn it worked.
Nero: 2x Speed Burning

Step 7: In to the Gamecube

Now Plug in the Media Launcher in to memory card slot 1 or slot 2.

Then put the Media Launcher Disk in to the Gamecube.

To the Picture

Step 8: Turning it on

Turn on the gamecube. You will see the SD Media Launcher screen pretty quick. Now you should be at the main screen. Select the GcoS 1.5(PSO).dol file and press start or if you are using Version GCOS 1.X Beta: click on gcos1.x.dol. and let it load.

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To the Picture

Step 9: GCOS

Now you should be at the GcoS main menu. Select the Boot Game option, from here on in it's pretty simple. It will tell you to swap your game so open up the lid and put in your backup. After this, it will detect the game, and give you 3 loading options.

To the Picture


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-If your backup is the same region (PAL or NTSC) as your gamecube, just choose the Autodetect Region function (Press A)

- If your backup is differently region coded than your gamecube (IE PAL game NTSC Gamecube) force loading for the region of your gamecube (X or Y depending on your region, IE if you have a PAL gamecube force load as PAL).

Step 10: Have Fun!

Step 10.5
(NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY): Did you follow this tutorial to ever step, yet you have one of the following problems:

* Game Wont Boot
* Game TOC Loads, but fails to boot (You get the Cube setup screen)
* Onscreen Error "Can't read disc, etc" (Most Common)
* Onscreen Error "Refer to instruction manual, etc"
* Random Game Freezes
* Choppy Movie Playback
* Black Screen of Death

?

It could be due to many things, DVD-R Quality, Burner Type/Speed, Laser POT Adjustment etc. Check out the following link to solve that problem.

ModThatCubeWIKI

EXTRA INFORMATION:
- The Mini DVD-R I used was Fujifilm DVD-R
- The burner I used was Pioneer DVR-108 Firmware 1.20 MOD (100% Success Rate)
- Other Burner Samsung TSSTCorp TS-H652L (0% Success Rate)
- Other Burner Plextor PX-708A (33% Success Rate)


Next Part to this Tutorial

Laser POT Adjustment
This helped me play all my games. It makes the laser stronger so it reads your back-up copies much better.
I will only link to places so you are able to get the information better.

First you need to know how to take your Gamecube apart, by going here:
ModthatCubeWIKI
When on the site look on the left and find Guides and Tutorials and click on "Taking apart the cube"

When you learn how to take apart your gamecube, click on this link for step by step information on adjusting your POT.

POT Tutorial

This next link will tell you how much other users adjust their POT:

How much To Adjust

NOTE: Lower the number stronger the Laser
NOTE: The average for most system is 200 ohms
NOTE: The lower the Ohms, The lower the life of your laser


Download Links:
GCOS 1.X: GCOS 1.X
GCOS 1.5: GCOS 1.5
ImgBurn: Imgburn
Wiped GCM Fixer 1.5: Wiped GCM Fixer 1.5
GameCube Game Ripper: Gamecube Game Ripper
NEW: GCMUtility(Makes Multi Game Disk):GCMUtility



NOTE: I will try to keep this up to date.

I wish you all the luck and I hope this was any help to you.
Good luck!
Questions? Feel Free to Ask!!!

 

GREAT - UBER GUIDE...it will help me alot when i get my sd launcher!!!!!

I have just 1 question , and plus a request!


1) Please! re-upload the files somewhere else , because i cant download from megaupload!!(
(try uploadtemple or www.yourfilehost.com)
Thanks!!

2) About the mini-dvds..
In my local store they have only maxell mini dvd-r 30' ... you think that they will work ? :/

edited:
Reupload "Wiped GCM Fixer 1.5" only if you can..i know where to get the others...

 

Thanks for the Post =)
Reuploaded all files with www.yourfilehost.com

About the mini dvd-r, you can try them but buy a little bit at first to test them out. But I believe that it really depends on your burner. I tried three burners and the first one gave no working games, the second one gave me 1 working game, the third one gave me 7 out of 7 working games. I only used one type of Mini DVD-R during this. They were the FujiFilm. Good luck if you have more question please feel free to ask. =)

 

this should definitely be stickied. the other guide asks for a discontinued product to get it working. too bad most of this will be overshadowed by the wii modchips.

oh yeah! is this wii compatible?

 

I agree .. +1


@Kenohki: First of all , thanks for re-uploading the files.. i got the program! .

So i might have to get a new dvd-rw ? im asking because i've already made 30 ps2 100% working backups (even DVD9 to DVD5 like GT4).

..Ohh .. and i dont have to adjust the laser..right? this part of the tutorial is optional...right ?!!.

[EDITED]
In case i have to get a new dvd-rw(i want external , which one is the best?

 

Thanks for the kind words! =)

"Sorry Edited for wrong information"

Sorry again.

 

You can try your burner, But if you do get out and get a new one, Get the Pioneer DVR-108 with Firmware 1.20 MOD. I had 100% Success Rate with all my Gamecube games. The Laser part, well it depends... If the factory set your laser on your gamecube high then you won't have to worry. But if you get the message Gamecube can't not read the back-up disk then you may have to worry about it. I got the message, so I tweaked the laser to make it stronger, and now all gamecube games works flawlessly and my original are faster then before.

Good luck and if you have anymore question please feel free to ask =)

 

you can NOT run gamecube backups on a wii with this method!!

 

Oh ok, I just heard that people are able to run GCOS on the Wii, Thanks for the clear up.

 

Damn..
In case i have to do it....where can i get that thing :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/thecheekymonkey/Gamecube/tutorials/pot tweak/meteranim.gif
?!

 

it's called a multimeter and you can find one at any electronics store, such as radioshack. you can even find them for like $10 new on ebay. You'll also need a gamebit to open your gamecube since they don't use 'normal' screws.

 

I used a Round Head to get the screws out of my gamecube, but had a hard time putting them back in.

 

I see...well , i hope that everything will go well..

 

Which is why I recommend a gamebit, their cheap and do what they're designed for, making disassembling a gamecube SO much easier.

 

Wulfie ,you had to pot your laser too?
(just asking)

 

I haven't tweaked it yet...waiting to get my gamebit and multimeter, but yes, I have to tweak it, it's a simple enough process.

 

But you can play games right now...right?

Is it possible to get information about the pot without opening the console?..

(I know that im asking alot..but i just want to learn as much as i can

 

Yes, I can play normal games now, but my backups arent working, you can hear the disc spin up and I know it's TRYING to read it, but the laser isn't set properly, so I have to tweak it. You can't get any info about the laser, such as resistance, w/o opening your gamecube.