PSX GameShark Pro...Info and Tools

[Mezmorize]

How to update firmware and/or use downloaded saves and emulator saves on the V-Mem. Can also revive a corrupt GameShark Pro firmware.

First off:
Any fat PSX (with the GameShark port in the back) can do this, mod-chip or not.
Any model PSX can boot backups, mod-chip or not!

Q: Why use the GSP to boot backups instead of disc swapping?
A: Normally, you are swapping while the disc is spinning. Using the GameShark will save your PSX from wear and tear, since it stops the disc from spinning allowing you to swap.

What you will need:
1. If no mod-chip, knowledge on how to disc swap to boot backups. (GoogleTube is your friend...)

2. A blank CD-R.

3. A standard Male 25-Pin D-Type to Female 25-Pin D-Type parallel (printer) cable hooked to your PC and GameShark Pro (or AR3)!



Firmware Choices:
1. If you boot backups with your GameShark Pro and want to use the V-Mem feature, use version 3.0 firmware.
See this post for more info on 3.0 and backups.

2. If you have a mod chip, or don't run backups, use the version 3.2 firmware (ar3stop replaces v-mem).

3. Don't care about using v-mem?
Want to boot backups on version 3.2?
Use this firmware instead, but never click on v-mem or you will have to reflash to boot backups again.

[Anyone have the version 3.1 for me to test out?]

How to use downloaded saves, without a DexDrive, or a PS2 capable of running uLaunchELF.

Step 1: Extract your firmware for editing using these tools, make a backup too. Or, just choose one of the above firmware files.
Note: You must boot the CD with the GameShark plugged in, but disabled!

Step 2: Use the program 'MemcardRex' to export your emulator/downloaded saves to the .bin pSX emulator format. Name the file MC.bin.

Using this method you can convert these formats to the v-mem:
RAW single Save (PS1 memory card in a PS2 with uLaunchElf installed) or
(.mcs) (.psx) (.ps1) (.mcb) (.mcx, .pda) (.psv) (.mcr) (.gme) (.bin) (.mcd) (.mem, .vgs) (.mc) (.ddf) (.ps) (.psm) (.mci) (.vmp).

Step 3: Split your firmware file at 128 KB using the program HJsplit.exe.

Step 4: Firmware Info:

512 KB raw firmware file divided by 4 parts equals:
128 KB SECTION 1 = GS Firmware Part 1 of 3
128 KB SECTION 2 = GS Firmware Part 2 of 3
128 KB SECTION 3 = GS Firmware Part 3 of 3
128 KB SECTION 4 = Virtual Memory Card (pSX Emulator Format).

Why pSX format?
Because "The goal for pSX is to make an accurate emulator that reproduces the gaming experience from the real PlayStation.".

To merge your firmware files for flashing make a new text document and rename the extension from .txt to .bat and put this code into the text file:

@ECHO OFF
COPY /B *.001+*.002+*.003+MC.BIN EXPORT.RAW
DEL *.001 *.002 *.003 *.004
PAUSE

Now run the .bat/.cmd file and you will have an updated firmware file named EXPORT.RAW ready for flashing.

How To Flash Firmware onto an AR3/GSP.

Step 5: Flash your firmware using the command line tool 'AR3FLASH.EXE' and the PSX CD 'ar3flash.bin'.
Note: You must boot the CD with the GameShark plugged in, but disabled!



That's all, your GameShark should be the way it was when you extracted your firmware, besides your custom memory card inserted into it.


Notes on step 1 & 5:
You have to boot the PSX CD with the GameShark plugged in the back, but disabled!
There are a few ways to go about doing this.

1. Slowly press down the power button of the psx, this sometimes makes the bios boot up instead of the gameshark trainer.



instead of GSP trainer...



Mod chip users: That's all...(lucky you).
No mod chip: disc swap to boot the ar3flash.bin CD

2. Mod chip users: Hold the button in on the side of the GameShark while turning on the system with the burnt cd in.



3. No mod chip [easiest way for me]: Insert retail psx cd and turn on the system, go to v-mem and then press select to enter the bios.



Disc swap like normal to boot the disc (any time you enter the bios from the v-mem menu, the GameShark is disabled to prevent bios dumping I would presume).

Downloads

All files mentioned above [1.02 MB] - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5WH198GB

GameShark Reflash Tool (Complete).zip
--ar3flash.bin
--ar3flash.cue
--AR3BKUP.EXE
--AR3FLASH.EXE
GSP30.RAW
GSP32.RAW
AR3STOP.RAW
HJsplit.exe
MemcardRex v0.8.zip

Optional - BiosDump.psx
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TS9C9XKD

[helder]

get a mod chip installed, like MIR was supposed to get done, then you don have all that bullshit swapping to do,just insert the backup like any original version game.

[Mezmorize]

Import and Export pSX Memory Cards into GSPro ROM

Note: What you are about to read/see is based on using Windows XP
Note 2: It seems Final Fantasy 8 is not compatible with V-Mem, but I use a PocketStation anyway...

Extract your GSPro/AR3 ROM using Hanimar's boot cd, it must be 512kb...

Extracting a Memory Card from a GSPro ROM Dump.
-
1. Place an unencrypted 512 Kb ROM in the same folder with the two CMD text files.
2. Use KB Split uitlity to split the ROM at 384 Kb, then exit the utility.
HJSplit will also work - http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/



.
3. You will now have two new files (.0 and .1), now double click the file RENAME.CMD and you will now have a GSPro ROM split from the current one (of 8) V-Mem slots.



If you only wanted to extract your V-Mem to use in the emulator pSX, you are finished!
If you want to use your V-Mem on another emulator/system, you'll need to convert it...

MemcardRex v1.3.exe
http://www.shendo.xtemu.com/memcardrex.html

Importing a Memory Card into a GSPro ROM Dump.
-
Note: You need a 384 Kb ROM to import a Memory Card to, see steps above...


1. Make sure there is only one pSX Memory Card (.BIN file) in the same folder as the two CMD text files.
2. Double click RE-MERGE.CMD.



3. You will now have a 512 Kb unencrypted ROM titled REPACK.RAW, ready to flash with the boot cd.




Manually creating the two CMD text files.
-
1. Right-Click in a folder or the desktop and choose New->Text Document...



2. Rename the extension from TXT to either BAT or CMD.
3. Right click the BAT/CMD file and choose edit, paste in the correct text and save it.

Blue text is RENAME.CMD

@ECHO OFF
ECHO Renaming splits exit now or
PAUSE
rename *.0 GS_NO_MC.RAW
rename *.1 pSX_MC.BIN
ECHO Exiting...
EXIT


Orange text is RE-MERGE.CMD

@ECHO OFF
ECHO Ready to merge GS_NO_MC.RAW with your pSX Memory Card (.bin)
ECHO Make sure there is only one .bin file in this folder
ECHO Exit now or
PAUSE
COPY /B GS_NO_MC.RAW+*.BIN REPACK.RAW
DEL GS_NO_MC.RAW *.bin
ECHO Exiting...
EXIT


Downloads
See Attachment Below...
Attached V-Mem Import Export RAR Contains:
01 - Split 512kb ROM at 384kb.exe
02 - Rename Split Parts.CMD
03 - Manage GSPro and pSX Card.exe
04 - Merge GSPro ROM and BIN Memory Card.CMD
-
The Best PSX Memory Card Converter (GSPro = pSX BIN Format)
MemcardRex v1.3.exe - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4SF7HFJ8
Homepage - http://www.shendo.xtemu.com/memcardrex.html


Manually Extracting a Memory Card from a 512KB Unencrypted ROM
-
Note: This is based on using Hex Workshop v6.

1. Open the ROM and choose Edit->Goto... (Ctrl+G)



2. Choose Offset 60000 Hex From the Beginning of the File and click Go.



3. Next choose Edit->Select Block (Alt, E, B, Enter Key)



4. Enter in Block Size of 20000 Hex and click on the OK button



5. While highlighting the proper hex, choose File->Save Selection... (Alt, F, L)
Name it with the .bin extension for use with pSX Emulator and MemcardRex.




Extra Info:
-
Byte KB MB GB TB Converter - http://www.egret.net/kb__mb.htm
1,024 Bytes = 1 KiloByte
1,024KB = 1 MegaByte
1,024MB = 1 GigaByte

512 KB = GSPro Dump Size
(384 KB ROM + 128 KB pSX Memory Card)

Hex 60000 Bytes = Decimal 393,216 Bytes (384 KB)
Hex 20000 Bytes = Decimal 131,072 Bytes (128 KB)
384 KB + 128 KB = 512 KB (0.5 MB)

[helder]

There was a cd available in the good old days that I myself used that would update the system to the newer version, as for doing it nowadays I'm not sure how you would do it.

[ugetab]

The VHS tape is pretty much crap with all the real tutorials available online.

I haven't actually used this method for backing up the GS, but I may give it a shot eventually...
http://www.gshi.org/?s=downloads#section9
Look for GSCC, and see about the parallel cable for downloading from it. It could be what you were after.

[Mezmorize]

The VHS tape is pretty much crap with all the real tutorials available online.

I haven't actually used this method for backing up the GS, but I may give it a shot eventually...
http://www.gshi.org/?s=downloads#section9
Look for GSCC, and see about the parallel cable for downloading from it. It could be what you were after.

Thanks for the info, I'll have to check it out when I get home from 'work'.
Seems like just what I was looking for.

Possibly when it is all said and done, I can write a small GameShark Pro updating guide.

[LiquidManZero]

There are discs you can burn to update/reflash just about any psx cheat device, but it's difficult to use them without a modchip equipped console. Updating from v3.0 is a quite good idea even if you aren't going to use the swap-trick update. If you do use v3.2, without the "stop" version it tends not to run swapped discs.

[Mezmorize]

There are discs you can burn to update/reflash just about any psx cheat device, but it's difficult to use them without a modchip equipped console. Updating from v3.0 is a quite good idea even if you aren't going to use the swap-trick update. If you do use v3.2, without the "stop" version it tends not to run swapped discs.

I would so love to have the disc image you are speaking of.

I am having lots of problems getting my PC to communicate with the PSX.
I had to right click the .exe and choose run as windows 98 to get it to not crash.
But every time I click the Detect button, it always says 'Error: Console did not respond'.

Do I need to install some kinda driver for XP?
Maybe something like 'TOTALIO.SYS'?

[kh2k4]

I seem to remember having to mess about with my serial or parallel port settings in BIOS last time I used it, SPP/EPP/ECP.

[Mezmorize]

The mods or whoever should really consider adding 'ver032pc.zip' and 'ar3fl030.zip' (you need them both) from this site to the downloads section. It was a hard to find thing, and I would hate for the links to die out like they have at sooo many other sites I browsed. Here's the complete package.

By the way, the guy on ebay is accepting best offers of 16 bucks free shipping for version 3.0 new un-opened GameShark Pro if anyone is interested. Just type 'pro' in the search box and you'll instantly see them.



How To Boot Backups on Firmware v3.0.
(Don't use this method to boot the 'ar3flash.bin' CD, only PSX games.)

How To:
1. Use a toothpick or similar to keep the disc cover sensor down (to prevent the disc from stopping while the disc cover is open).
2. Insert an actual retail psx cd and turn on the system.
3. When the GameShark boots up, go to explorer and choose either 'Play CD Music' or 'Use Enhancement CD', this will stop the disc from spinning.

A.


B.


4. Insert backup game and go to start game (codes on or off).