forums.ps2dev.org

I have been experimenting in linux with memory cards. Inside linux, I can copy a whole ps2 save's folder to another memory card, and it will work fine. For instance, I can play Soul Calibur 2 using a save that was copied in Linux.

But, when I mess with ps1 saves the story is entirely different. I copied a ps1 ff7 save to a ps2 memory card in the browser, and then in linux copied the save to another ps2 memory card. Inside the ps2 browser, it doesn't show the copy as valid, but instead as corrupted data. I know that all the info you need for a valid save is there, since I was able to copy the 8k file within the ps2 memory card's ff7 save folder to my pc, overwrite a portion of a memory card image, and play ff7 in a psx emulator at the same point I left off when I saved on a real ps2.

So, where is the other information on the ps2 memory card that linux can't see when the folder in question is a ps1 save? Are there hidden directory attributes or data that ps1 saves have and ps2 saves don't? A psx save file in linux takes 8k, but in the browser, it shows as 10k. Where are the other 2k?

EDIT:
Something else too:
I can then play in the emulator for a little while, and then copy out the 8k chunk I overwrote before, send it to the ps2, and overwrite the original save file on the ps2 memory card, copy that to a psx card, and play ff7 where I left off in the emulator. But if I create a folder on a ps2 card with the same name, it will show up as corrupted data. So I can move psx saves from a pc to a ps2 in linux, provided i'm copying into a save folder the ps2 browser created, but not into one I create myself.

you cant have ps1 saves on a ps2 formated mc.

blackdroid wrote:you cant have ps1 saves on a ps2 formated mc.

Sorry ? :)


You can actually copy PS1 saves from a PS1 memory card to a PS2 memory card.


However, the file will be in PS2 format, with a special "This is a PS1 save!" flag. Thus, this save won't be usable under PS1 mode.


Most PS2 savegame handling softwares won't handle this "this is a PS1 save" flag though. So, you'll only mess them up when trying to backup them.

yes and its not usable, ps1 games wont load/save, so whats the fucking point :)

No, his point was originally "Hey, I wanna copy/backup my PS1 memory cards to the PC using the PS2 Linux Kit" I think.

Well, no idea what he want to do with that exactly, but, I say it IS possible to safely backup a PS1 save first to the PS2 memory card, then to the PC, and the other way back. But this is possible only when dealing with the ps2sdk or something which will get this special "PS1" attribute right. That is, not the nPort.

On a side note though, it should also possible to directly read a PS1 memory card using the ps2sdk, although I never tried it. Well, at least, there's mcGetInfo that can return MC_TYPE_PSX as a memory card type. Don't know if the other reading/writing function will work afterward.


So, to sum up: no, you can't safely write a PSX save on a PS2 memory card using the linux kit, nor with the nPort, nor with the X-Port. You need a special custom code of yours that will deal with the MC_ATTR_PSX attribute of the file. When this is done, you finally can copy the save back to a PS1 memory card in the PS2 browser.

blackdroid wrote:yes and its not usable, ps1 games wont load/save, so whats the fucking point :)

One 128k (IIRC) PS1 memory card,
Five 8MB PS2 memory cards,
One 30GB PS2 HDD,
One Nearly Infinite storage space of a PC,
Lots and lots of cheap PS1 games,

See a reason yet? ;)

See a reason yet? ;)

Yeah, those psx cards don't hold very much.

This thread at least confirmed that I wan't doing something wrong. I do have a workaround though.

To backup a save: Copy a save to a ps2 memory card. Copy the 8k file off of the ps2 card. This is your backup. Make a note of what save slot it is in.

To restore a save: Boot the game you want, and create a save in the same slot you backed up. Copy to a ps2 card. Boot linux, copy the file you backuped over the file in the new save folder that the ps2 browser made. Copy to a psx card. Your restored backup should now work.

Maybe I should just buy a pc to psx memcard adapter and save myself some trouble :)