PSX GameShark Pro...Info and Tools

[kh2k4]

ugh I meant as a 128KB save like epsxe .mcr or any of the others, I think what u uploaded is the file you see in the root of the save or a exported single save you didn't specifiy what format it was in.

[Mezmorize]

Attached is a save from version 3.2.

I simply added the .txt extension so I could attach it here and not have to use an external site for 8kb, so just delete the extension and it's good to go...

[kh2k4]

That DATELCODES looks very familiar from the 3.0 and 3.2 GSPro.
I suppose all the 3.x code saves are compatible with each other?
Like if you press select or whatever on the menu of the Pro and dump a game's codes to the memory card, can you load/import them in the v3.3?

I noticed issues with the save format long ago. The very first time that the first dump to the memory card is made is the only clean dump. Each one after that will leave fragments of leftover words from previous games/codes. The GameShark Pro seems to always show the titles correctly though, so I'm sure there's some address that tells it how many characters to read for the title (for instance).

It looks like your MemcardRex is outdated, the current version is v1.4. Here is the homepage.

Edit:
Oh yeah, I meant to mention that I'm considering buying the version 3.1 GameShark Pro that's on ebay right now. I mostly just want to dump the ROM...

I don't know could you upload a 3.x save for me to try since I get can't any data off the cdx other than that of a using serial cable with cdxutils for uploading and downloading codes, it doesn't show up in the ps1 memory card manager.
I found another tool PSXGameEdit v.160 and it showing the game save title correctly instead of blank like MemcardRex but game id is still chopped short, i tried the updated MemcardRex and it was still the same.

[Mezmorize]

That DATELCODES looks very familiar from the 3.0 and 3.2 GSPro.
I suppose all the 3.x code saves are compatible with each other?
Like if you press select or whatever on the menu of the Pro and dump a game's codes to the memory card, can you load/import them in the v3.3?

I noticed issues with the save format long ago. The very first time that the first dump to the memory card is made is the only clean dump. Each one after that will leave fragments of leftover words from previous games/codes. The GameShark Pro seems to always show the titles correctly though, so I'm sure there's some address that tells it how many characters to read for the title (for instance).

It looks like your MemcardRex is outdated, the current version is v1.4. Here is the homepage.

Edit:
Oh yeah, I meant to mention that I'm considering buying the version 3.1 GameShark Pro that's on ebay right now. I mostly just want to dump the ROM...

[kh2k4]

Had a look at executables for AR 4.2 and AR / GS CDX v3.3 in ps2dis today and found that the save paths are different.

Action Replay v4.2

bu00:CODELIST00
bu00:OPTIONS0000

Action Replay / GameShark CDX V3.3

bu00:CODELIST00
bu00:DATELCODES

I tried editing a save from v4.2 to see if it'd bypass the cdx check when using it with cdx v3.3 but the only ps1 save editor I know of is MemcardRex and it has a few limtations that prevent it as Datel didn't follow the 10 letter / digit format format for the product id / save folder as you can in MemcardRex it just reds the last ten letters / digits
TIONS0000 instead of OPTIONS0000
and
DELIST00 instead of CODELIST00
the save title is also shown as blank instead of Options and Code List, i've tried hex editing the save myself but I just end up currupting it

[kh2k4]

Yeah MAX is for the PS2 that dongle is just a 16 or 32MB memory card.
I went through my demo disc's and found a hidden demo like you it contains a kite and a block of cheese

[Mezmorize]

I have one of those dongle things, and have no disc to go with it.

Thing is, I'm not sure if it's for PS1 or PS2.
It's black and says AR Max, so I suppose it's for PS2...

[kh2k4]

Well i've just found out that the Planet Psx Cheats volumes are a cut down version of the cdx with the adding cheats, str / tim viewer and cd player removed, it may help me figurer out how to bypass the cdx check.

[Mezmorize]

A couple months ago, for the first time, I had a hard drive fail with all my more important files...

I obtained another unopened GameShark Pro for a friend to fix up to load burnt games. I decided to just give him my old hacked one and I've been messing around with the flashing tools etc once again in my spare time.

Just thought it would be worth mentioning that I turned this old post into a guide on "how to Import and Export Memory Cards to and from a GSPro/AR3 ROM".

Hanimar's AR3Flash v0.32 is used to extract/flash the ROM to the GameShark Pro, but the guide is for everything else...

[CLH]

Im having the hardest time getting this to work.

The method you described with 3.0 users would never work for me.
Yet once I upgraded to AR3stop my backup loaded.

But my main problem is that my backups are loading s-l-o-w.
I cringe everytime I run into a load point (and it being psx, thats all the time).
Can anyone help, im using SONY CD-R and burning at 8x & 16x, both gave horrible results.

Also is their any possible way to use GSpro to boot backups of import games?

[Mezmorize]

Interesting stuff, one of these days I'll find the free time to get back to messing with the Game Shark Pro.

On that note, I'm just now noticing a post from the co-developer of ar3stop on one of my sites.
5 months later....lol

Anyway here is what he wrote:

Blogger Kamilion Schnook said...

Ahhh, thanks.
Long long ago, somewhere around 2000ish, Herben and I got together and wrote ar3stop.

A friend gave me a SCPH-7501 recently, and I dug out my original GSP3.2 cart that the old ar3stop was developed on, and promptly totaled it due to forgetting about the VMem bug.
Now I have it back thanks to you.

Thanks for finally fixing the VMem issue -- how'd you do it?

Feel free to continue to distribute it to anyone who needs it. You can pass any questions on to me.

Just a note: Hanimar's ar3flash.exe flasher works best with Windows 98's DOS boot disk, with the bios set to "Bidirectional" parallel port.
It also seems to work with FreeDOS as well.

I'll try to recover my old GS code archive, if I'm successful, I'll send you a copy of the raw rom with the updated codelist.

August 3, 2009 2:41 AM
blogspot.com

[kh2k4]

http://www.gsmcables.i12.com/xianaix.htm

hmmmmm

[Mezmorize]

My desktop pc wouldn't never connect to any of the game shark programs properly except for the flashing program. I ultimately had to get out an old windows 98 laptop running xp for the port to work as it should. I do remember having to restart it often if the totalIO service didn't start correctly. Don't make since why it wouldn't save your settings after deleting though.

[kh2k4]

I deleted duplicate codes and games from my codelist which results in 300 games, dumped the codelist then cleared my codelist from the memory card using Select+O but when I transfer the codelist back it's 312 games there's a few repeats like for instance Tomb Raider 3 and Tomb Raider III both with the exact same codes but when I delete one the games and reset the console it always comes back with the same two games as if I hadn't deleted one of them

I only managed to dump the codelist with PSXUTILS v.105-06 using the serial cable with cdx v3.3, gscc wouldn't recognize it since it classes gs v3.x as a LPT port and has no option for serial CDX devices, on the packaged tutorial vhs though it says you can use a Serial to Parallel converter so i'm thinking about seeing if putting a converter on the end of the cable with get it to recognize as a LPT port device in gscc and the other psxutils versions. Also I had to run it under Windows ME since XP just stalls when you try to communicate with the console, I guess that totalio port opener thingy only works for the LPT?

[Mezmorize]

Well, here's my WIP re-write guide in text format.
Hopefully it will be easier to understand when I'm finished.

I'm very very bad about starting things and not finishing, but I can't write anymore tonight.

Flashing a PS1 GameShark Pro/Pro Action Replay v3.X

Facts:
"InterAct acquired the rights to sell Datel's Action Replay and Pro Action Replay devices in North America; 
these devices were sold under the GameShark and GameShark Pro names." ~Wikipedia

I took apart a GameShark Pro and the board indeed says 'Datel Ref 1326'.

Notes:
Because of the fact that any PSX can boot burnt disc's (modchipped or not); every PSX with a parallel port 
can flash a GSP/PAR.

If you do not have a modchip or AR3Stop, you will need the disc cover sensor kept in the down position. 
This is to allow the disc to continue spinning with the disc cover open.

What you can achieve by flashing your GSP/PAR:
1. Update or downgrade your firmware.
2. Revive a dead cartridge.
3. Convert between GameShark, Action Replay, Caetla etc.
4. Boot backup games without swapping a moving disc.
5. Use downloaded or emulator saves without owning a DexDrive. (Or a PS2 capable of running uLaunchELF.)

What you can achieve with the AR3Flash CD:
1. Launch PSX-EXE's (Chipmunk BASIC or dump your PSX BIOS). http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/GSHI/BiosDump.psx
2. Backup your current firmware.
3. Flash firmware onto a GSP/PAR.

What you will need:
Obviously a GSP/PAR and a PSX that can use it...
1. If no modchip, knowledge on how to disc swap to boot backups.
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 GSP/PAR.

How to properly launch the AR3Flash CD:
You can not simply launch this CD like you would a game backup.
You MUST boot this CD with the GSP/PAR plugged in, but disabled.

How to achieve this:

1. If you have a modchip, simply hold the button of GSP/PAR down and turn on the PSX. 
Keep holding the button until the logo appears.
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/images/004.jpg

or

2. If your GSP/PAR has the 'AR3Stop' patch installed to boot backups:
A. Insert a black bottom (anotherwords REAL) PS1 CD with the power off on the PSX.
B. Do the same as step 1. (Hold down the button and power on the system, keep holding until you see logo.)
C. When the disc stops spinning, insert the burnt CD and press the button on the GSP/PAR to boot the disc.

or

3. I've found that if you very slowly press down the power button of the PSX (only until the power light comes on),
you can bypass the GSP/PAR logo and boot a disc as if the cartridge was not even plugged in the back of the PSX.
If you don't have a modchip OR AR3Stop patch, this will be the easiest method to disc swap.
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/images/003.jpg

or

4. Entering the V-Mem menu and pressing the select button will launch the PSX BIOS for Memory Card management.
Any time you do this, the GSP/PAR is disabled. (I would assume to prevent BIOS dumping...)
If your disc cover sensor is down, it will launch a game instead of going to the Memory Card and CD Player screen.
You can disc swap like you normally would (without the GSP/PAR) using this method.
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/images/002.jpg

Note: If you have never ever used V-Mem and the AR3Stop patch is installed, entering the V-Mem menu will
'purge the memory' and erase the AR3Stop patch. (You CAN have both AR3Stop patch and V-Mem though, just flash the 
V-Mem fix version of a firmware.)

Known Firmware differences:
GSP v3.0 can boot backups by using the explorer menu to stop the retail disc from spinning for the swap. 
(Go to explorer and choose either 'Play CD Music' or 'Use Enhancement CD', enter backup and go to start game.)
It also includes a .STR movie viewer.

GSP v3.2 needs a patch called AR3Stop to boot backups, the explorer menu method will no longer work. 
The .STR viewer was also removed, but the other 'explorer' options function faster.
The codelist appears to be unchanged between the 2 firmwares.

Here is everything you need to backup and flash your GSP/PAR:
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/gshi/PSX_GSP_-_AR3_Flash_v3.2_by_hanimar.rar

Here are GameShark Pro firmware files:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to use the command line tools 'AR3 Flash v3.2 by hanimar': 
Once you have successfully booted the AR3Flash CD-R, press the circle button on the option 'Run AR3 Reflash Tool' 
to enter backup/flash mode.
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/images/000.jpg

The screen will tell you to press the button on the GSP/PAR. If you see the code generator menu when you press
the button, you have not booted the disc with the GSP/PAR disabled.
http://www.mezmorizingmage.com/images/001.jpg