TUTORIAL: How to play backups w/o mod chip, only Max Drive Pro Memcard

I have a UPS on the computer, just not on the game cube, n64,and PS1 in the kids playroom. I really never had any trouble before in 24 years of gaming since my first Atari 800 in 1982, just bad timing on that one to be in the middle of a save process when the power went out. No harm done, and it still appears to work okay, I just wanted to know what the system file was for since it is working without it even though the manual for the Max Drive says it is essential for correct operation.

 

@ Xian: Did you ever notice how every time you save a game it says "Please do not remove memory card or press the power button while saving" ? That's exactly why . Your lucky the memcard didn't get completely fried.

@ Contempt: If @ Anytime your MDPro isn't being detected by your comp, stick it in your gamecube and boot up the Max Drive Pro Gamecube software. When it loads up, press "A" button (it will be scrolling on the bottom of your screen saying "Press A to prepare the MDPro for usage on the PC) and it will prepare the Max Drive Pro for usage on the PC. I also believe this will restore the "File System" you are all so worried about.

@j99: good luck! Post your troubles/results for others to learn from.

 

Thanks man, will try that.

I should able to hold down start when I boot the gamecube to see what files are saved on there shouldn't I, or not? Can't I use it as a memcard for normal games also?

 

It's wierd but for me, I have to hold down A, not start, when I load the gamecube to go into the default GC Setup (where you change the time and look in your memory cards). However, it does make sense that the MDPro isn't detected via this method, because it has it's own filesystem. If you wanna look at the contents of your MaxDrivePro memorycard, you should boot up the MDPRo software and that will allow you to take a look @ it.

Also, I personally have been able to use it as a memory card I currently have plenty of games saved on it, even from the SNES emulator. However, I have only saved games that have been loaded through GcoS. You should be able to use it normally too, but I haven't tried it personally and it seems j9990 says it doesn't work. I guess it's hit or miss, but I will try to use the MaxDrivePro as a regular memory card on a normal gamecube game booted directly and tell you if it works.

 

I formatted the MDP again. Then, I played a normal game (splinter cell) and it let me save. I then ran the MDP dvd on the gamecube and hit a, it it changed the Splinter Cell game file to pc ready or whatever. I then hooked the MDP up to my pc, and it recognized it. I also dragged the gcos on there and converted it. I then put the drive back in my gamecube, and booted using the MDP dvd. It saw both files on there.

So then I turned it off and put splinter cell in. However when i tried to load, it said it was corrupted. I didn't format, but...

When I converted the splinter cell to be able to be used on pc, does that automatically make the drive not able to be used with gamecube until I delete it or change the format via the pc or something?

 

formatting the MDPro for PC use shouldn't affect the saved game itself, I've done this many times and my saved games were unaffected. Once again though, I've yet to test it on an original game, so far I've only saved games which were burnt.

 

I got it to work with a burned game after formatting and putting gcos back on and all. Eternal Darkness. However, the video did stop at one point after opening a door after a bit... but I'm going to hope that was a fluke or a game burn problem and not worry about that.

I played with a normal game again, and save was working. However, once I put the MDP disk back in to play another burned game later, I got a hardware read error again. Now on my computer I am getting an error reading card. I guess I'm going to format and put gcos back on and try with just saving burned games and not mess with normal games and see if it works.

 

Ugh. I tried to play burned call of duty: big red one, and it let me create a save file and all, but once I selected new game and it started loading, I get an error. Black screen and it says something like, "An error has occured. Please refer to the gamecube manual for more instructions." Sigh. Dunno if it's the game or whats the problem.

 

brucedlx i dont see how it could damage my gamecube, its not like there are any loose bits on the disc. If cube had a tray drive like ps2 then i could see how it would, but as it is I can't see how it could possibly do any damage. Surely it couldnt be damaging the laser as the inner bit of the disc is completely fine (obviously as it works!). brucedlx do you know much about gamecube laser and should I stop using cut up discs (I've now burned over 40 games to fullsize DVDs and cut them (Saving about £10 compared to minis! & £24 and risk of damaging due to replacing case)) Are you telling me I shouldn't use them?

 

I am telling you that you shouldn't use them. The reason is because when you cut the discs, the layer of dye gets moved around and that is very sensitive. Immediately, you might not see any mal effect, but over time the dye may shift around and your data may get corrupted. The gamecube laser will keep trying to read it though, and this puts excess strain on it.

I personally can't believe you would go that far (snipping DVDs) just to save 10 pounds! Your not saving enough money by not having to buy originals? Snipping DVD's is absolutely unheard of, and I'm very surprised your games even work.

However, my comments above are just speculation, and there may not be any damage at all to your GC. But I do strongly recommend against it.

 

@[bold]beermunky[/bold]: OMG dude...WTH? Cut a DVD to fit it in the gamecube? That's ridiculous! For that, just get a vipermod & be done with it....don't try to cut media. That's crazy!! Don't encourage people to do that. You cannot finalize the disc if you cut the excess off.

 

about my call of duty 2 not working, that was just the iso I read the comments about that iso and other people say they get a lot of DRE's

I also have a linux media player on my max drive pro.

Here is what you do

download mfe-bo20.dol from

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=98581&package_id=156977

Put that on you max drive pro,





then download mfe-distro-1.0.tar.bz2
from

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=98581&package_id=156977


extract mfe-distro-1.0.tar.bz2 and open it
you will see a file named mfe-fs.bz2 (do NOT extract it) burn that to a dvd-r, make sure that file is in the root directory. you can put media on that disk or another and swap disks.

Once the max drive software is loaded put in you media player disk and start the .dol

 

Woa, guys I was only kidding! I just burnt one game to big DVD-R and cut it to test it because some asked on this thread. I said I've been using orange mini tuffdiscs really. But thanks for your concern!

seperate note:
My max drive got completely corrupt yesterday when after i backed up my saves to PC. It wouldnt even format in my cube (by holding start and pressing z) or anything because when I booted up max drive disc with max drive in and pressed started it crashed my qoob to a 3/4 red screen. And my PC wouldnt recognise it or format it either. My gamecube saw it as a normal memory card so i copied loads of saves from other mem cards and then i was able to format it and it works again now. Anyone else had this problem

 

that's strange because a couple posts ago you said you burned 40+ games to fullsize dvd and cut them down to size saving you 10 pounds...

 

I know that is nothen to do with the mod .. but i would like to say without this forum i would never be able to get my video out there .. check it out.. the video i made on another site.. http://gctracker.mine.nu:800/torrents-details.php?id=2871

Just think its kinda cool..Thanks Brucedlx

 

Ah FRICK. I have to buy MORE stuff . My multimeter just came in the mail and I can't open the fricking gamecube.

http://modthatcube.pxn-os.com/content/dis.htm

See?

I don't want to do any melting pens. What do I do?

 

wow didn't know that.

well if you REALLY don't wanna do the melting pen, you could always buy $$$!!! lol.

http://www.divineo.com/cgi-bin/div-us/zz-gc-screwd2

 

Cheaper here: http://ihackps2.org/inventory/product.php?productid=16181&cat=257&page=1

$6.95 shipped.

 

Thanks! brucedlx for such great tutorial.

OK. For the record I used a Sony DVD burner DRU-720A, Ridata & Maxell mini DVD's. For those guys getting "Media Wasn't Recognized" on screen.

Check the disk status with Nero InfoTool and see if it says, open, not finalized. That might be the problem. Even if you check the box "finalized disk option" on Nero, it won't finalized the disk. Should say n/a on disk status. I was getting the same error using Nero 7 or Ashampoo Burning Studio 5.

This what I found out after wasted 6 disks with the same error.
I update my burner with latest firmware. Burned disks @ 4x speed, if I choose a lower speed, I don't know why the disk won't finalized and I get that error.

I tried on both programs, burning at same speed 1x, 2x and 4x and got the same results. Only works when burn it at 4X.

Hope this help and sorry for my english!

 

i just made a backup of my pal mario party 7 to use on my ntsc system(yes i travel alot)and when i select force ntsc it hangs black screen,,,is there something im doing wrong?when i boot my ntsc backups work fine just cant get my pal backups to work....i got my pro 10 days after i orderd great company tia