PSX Gameshark Pro freezing

[root670]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I figured this would be the right place to post about the issues I'm having.

I have a GS Pro flashed with 3.2 (flashed with BigWave 4 disk). On my XP desktop, I was able to get GSCC to detect the GS very erratically, every 1 out of 10 trys or so. When I do get it to detect it, I loose a connection quite quickly and my PS1 will freeze. If I try to dump memory from a game or dump the GS code list, the PS1 freezes almost instantly, then looses connection.
I tried both ECP and EPP modes for the LPT port, but that didn't help. I also tried with a Windows 2K laptop, without any luck at all.

Could the length of my parallel port cable, which is 25ft., be causing issues like this? Most of the cable is coiled up.

[rimsky82]

I think it's better to create a new topic rather than bump an old thread, considering it is actually a different topic than a general announcement.

It may be your cable, but not just the length. I'd use a continuity checker and look for shorts. Plus the gameshark parallel setup was never that great for connectivity issues, considering how everything plugs in and is weighted.

I believe the last time I used mine, I think I was using a 98 box. If I can get some time, I'll try with my xp vbox later, or maybe my xp machine. My cable is only 3 or 4 feet, so I can't test the length. I can't imagine that's the problem though.

[root670]

Well, I was able to get GSCC to read my memory card (but only one time) while the GS was hooked up through the parallel cable. Other than that, all of my attempts to connect with it have failed. I even tried a third PC with Windows 98, no dice. I don't have access to a continuity tester so I'll see if I can find another cable to try.

[root670]

I bought a new 6ft parallel cable today and have had a whole mess of problems. My 98 machine crapped out so I can't test anything with that one right now. On my XP desktop, GSCC still cannot detect the GameShark. If I manually set it to GameShark 3.XX mode, most functions will freeze the GS, in-game and at the main menu.

Now for the REALLY weird part. If I manually set GSCC to use the Xploder protocol, I can dump RAM and edit RAM without the system freezing. Maybe the firmware on the GameShark is corrupt? Or maybe the 3.2 firmware has a buggy protocol implementation? I haven't tried this with the 25ft cable yet. Again, I used a burned copy of the BigWave 4 disk. I'd hope the firmware updater on that disk included a way of verifying it.

Any ideas?

[dlevere]

The cable can be no longer than 6 feet. Try using these links to re-flash. I had to tie a rubber band around the GS Pro and the cable.

NOTE: The following 2 links are for PlayStation consoles ONLY! DO NOT USE these with an N64 GSPro!

GSPro Hacking Software for the PlayStation V3.2

GSPro Hacking Software for the PlayStation CDX V?.?

[root670]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I tried the GS Pro tools on two computers, one with XP (w/ UserPort) and one with Windows 98. The software couldn't detect the GS on either one. I also tried using the AR3 Reflash CD, which allows for interaction through the parallel port outside of GameShark's main menu. The PC side software says "connection refused" when doing simple things like checking the version of the GS. But what's confusing is that when I use the AR3 reflasher CD with AR3VER.EXE (which will ask the GS what version firmware it's running), the software on the PS says that it's receiving a command yet AR3VER never gets a response. I tried using it with DOS from a Windows 98 CD and with a FreeDOS disk on two diffrent computers to test this. The "connection refused" error occurred each time.

As a last ditch effort, I used X-Flasher to reflash the GS Pro 3.2 ROM with a CD. Same problems as before . I'm going to use a continuity tester on each pin of the parallel port and edit this post if I see anything funky.

[Bat Rastard]

Back in the day, I had to use the shortest cable possible - roughly 3 to 5 feet - and had my LPT port set at SPP. Then again, that was more common in motherboards back then, and some would even have a SPP+ECP combo setting for compatibility's sake (i.e. nearly every office daisy-chained an SPP printer with an ECP/EPP scanner). In recent years, if your motherboard even has an LPT port, you're stuck with EPP and ECP; fat chance the BIOS will have old school SPP at all. Also, I vaguely remember my GS Pro 3.2 always giving me the "connection refused" error upon first trying to detect it. Forcing a re-detect immediately afterward would always succeed though.

[root670]

Yeah, I've tried using SPP for the LPT port with no luck. This just isn't worth fiddling with at this point If it's really that picky, requiring a cable LESS than 6ft, I'd say it was poorly engineered.

[Mezmorize]

Have you tried loading totalio.sys?
You can find directio.zip and loaddrv.zip at the following site:

http://talkingelectronics.com/FreePr...ipPgmr-P3.html

[root670]

Yes, I've tried totalio.sys and it hasn't worked for me.