PS2 Diagnostic Mode? Does this do anything useful?

[cory1492]

OK, I have been spending some time digging through the bios and came across an irx TESTMODE. Ever since I first got the PS2 I have been wondering what this does.

(in case you have no clue what Im talking about, when you are on the initial screen where you can setup the ps2 or go to the browser, press triangle, then go to the top line and press triangle again)

The searches I have done speculate that this recalibrates the ps2's laser alignment, but no one seems to know (for sure). After looking at TESTMODE it almost looks like the ps2 had/has some kind of diagnostic mode (like some TV's have, and the repairmen usually are the only ones to use it), although I could be really way off on that thought.

Anyone know what this Diagnostic mode actually does? Does it recal the laser?
Edited

[ooPo]

Run it and find out. Its a fun game!!! :)

[cory1492]

Hrmm, that must be what was thought about that psp bios.... guess that wont happen on a ps2 though so here goes:

Code: Select all

[NET] : Executing host:C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\TESTMODE.elf ...
Setting Curent Directory to C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\.
Executing Elf host:C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\TESTMODE.elf...
loadelf: fname host:C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\TESTMODE.elf secname all
Input ELF format filename = host:C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\TESTMODE.elf
0 00100000 0001cd36 ..
Loaded, host:C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\TESTMODE.elf
start address 0x100008
gp address 00000000
[NET] : Sent TESTMODE.elf at 122.8kbytes/s
[NET] : Sent  at 122.8kbytes/s
loadmodule: fname rom0:ADDDRV args 0 arg 
loadmodule: id 33, ret 1
loadmodule: fname rom0:LIBSD args 0 arg 
loadmodule: id 34, ret 0
loadmodule: fname rom0:TESTSPU args 0 arg 
iop start end
loadmodule: id 35, ret 0
loadmodule: fname rom0:TSIO2MAN args 0 arg 
loadmodule: id 36, ret 0
loadmodule: fname rom0:TPADMAN args 0 arg 
loadmodule: id 37, ret 0
open name rom0:ROMVER flag 1 data 41378
open fd = 2
voice start...
Data transfer ...
TSA = 15010 

OOh, pretty testpattern colorbars! Any idea what voice start and TSA are talking about?

Damn, I didnt even know that could be done - taking those bios files and just running them without calling them from a program in some way.
Thanks again ooPo for some new insight

Unfortunately that still doesnt answer my question, does anyone know if the "diagnostic mode" from the ps2 menu actually does anything, and if so when and what? On a soft reset? On disk insertion? Nothing unless its on a testing assembly?

[Neil Stevens]

So let's see.. In TESTMODE, select changes modes, X changes options within a mode, but what are R1 and L1 doing? Changing resolutions?

[ooPo]

Strange. The testmode on mine doesn't respond to controller input at all.

[cory1492]

perhaps if it is executed directly from the ROM instead of from ps2link it will allow its proper functionality? If you look above at the return values from the functions some fail and some succeed (1==fail 0==success IIRC) so perhaps it needs to be run direct from the rom before it works.

Anyone with ps2menuk that can do that? lol

[Neil Stevens]

I ran it it like this:

ps2client -h hostname execee rom0:TESTMODE

[cory1492]

no-go, at least on a V9 ps2 - just colorbars...