PS3Hax Network - Playstation 3 Hacks and Mods - View Single Post - [Explain] Understanding PARAM.SFO structure

sandungas · 04-13-2012

I had a little talk with BobbyBlunt about this "PS2 DVD game discs" that can be installed in PS3 HDD
Without knowing the path in the internall HDD and without having an example of this files, is hard to decide how it works, but this conversation gives a few hints, and resume what i think, enjoy the wall of text

<+sandungas> http://www.ps3hax.net/showthread.php...477#post353477
<%Olga> Title: Someone has a "PS2 DVD game" can be installed in PS3 HDD ? (for ps3devwiki) - PS3Hax Network - Playstation 3 Hacks and Mods
<+sandungas> help ^
<+sandungas>

< @BobbyBlunt > no you are wrong
< @BobbyBlunt > install is the wrong word
< @BobbyBlunt > FF11 can be totally installed
< @BobbyBlunt > SOCOM games can use the HDD for DLC
<+sandungas> well, i see this installation as composed by 2 "parts"
<+sandungas> one is the creation of a install folder that can be managed by XMB
< @BobbyBlunt > all it does is emulate a PS2 HDD
<+sandungas> and the other is the copy of all the files from the disc to this "special partition"
< @BobbyBlunt > I used to play lots of SOCOM
<+sandungas> i mean... the official manual talks about this "rare" partition
< @BobbyBlunt > correct. It requires PS2 system data download from PSN and it only allows for the installation of DLC, except in the case of FF11 where a HDD is required for the game to even run
<+sandungas> how is emulated this ps2 HDD ?
< @BobbyBlunt > think along the same lines of VHD on a pc
<+sandungas> im thinking in this partitions
< @BobbyBlunt > like if I install SOCOM data it uses around 2 gig, even though the DLC is nowhere near that large
<+sandungas> because it seems every game creates his partition
< @BobbyBlunt > it isnt a partition, it is more like a VHD
<+sandungas> its inside the install folder ?
<+sandungas> in dev_hdd0/game/whatever ?
< @BobbyBlunt > what are you trying to accomplish with PS2 HDD files?
<+sandungas> im trying to catch this PARAM.SFO generated by the installer
< @BobbyBlunt > does it even create a param.sfo?
<+sandungas> it needs it to be managed by XMB
<+sandungas> this is why i think are separated
<+sandungas> the folder managed by XMB "relinks" to other path where the disc has been copyed (all the big files)
<+sandungas> well.. i think is this, but not sure
< @BobbyBlunt > it doesnt copy the disc
< @BobbyBlunt > I played lots of SOCOM and used the HDD feature for the map packs
< @BobbyBlunt > 2 gig partition/virtual hard drive for combined assault
<+sandungas> i saw a guy in the official ff xi forums saying that after the installation you dont need to insert the disc in the drive
< @BobbyBlunt > yes you do
< @BobbyBlunt > well in the case of SOCOM you do
< @BobbyBlunt > and I am pretty sure he was trolling
<+sandungas> maybe you had only the DLC packs installed ?
<+sandungas> i mean... not the main game
< @BobbyBlunt > you cant install the disc to HDD
< @BobbyBlunt > think about it
<+sandungas> i see no big problem
< @BobbyBlunt > I install SOCOM, but you want to play, so I let you borrow my copy to install
< @BobbyBlunt > even though with SOCOM that would get you banned from SOCOM
<+sandungas> ops, good point :D
< @BobbyBlunt > 2 of the same disc ID on SOCOM will lead to a ban
<+sandungas> yeah, even offline is not good for sony

<+sandungas> BobbyBlunt one question, this FF XI was installed in the internall ps3 hdd ?
<+sandungas> or they sold a externall device for this ?
< @BobbyBlunt > you mean PS2?
< @BobbyBlunt > it came with a 40 gig internal HDD for PS2
<+sandungas> ps2 game on ps3
< @BobbyBlunt > sadly if you had a slim PS2 you could not play it
<+sandungas> and you had some way to manage this "virtual partitions" ?
<+sandungas> erase... or look for details
< @BobbyBlunt > well on PS2 it wasnt virtual
< @BobbyBlunt > but yes you could manage them through the PS2 system menu
<+sandungas> all this time im refereing to ps3
< @BobbyBlunt > just like a memory card
< @BobbyBlunt > ahhhh
<+sandungas> i mean... there are just this 5 ps2 games discs
<+sandungas> that can be copyed to the internall hdd in a ps3
< @BobbyBlunt > they cant be copied to the HDD
<+sandungas> *only backward compatible ones of course
<+sandungas> ok, maybe also its used for DLC
<+sandungas> but FF XI shares this same installation, and seems to be "full"
< @BobbyBlunt > SOCOM uses the HDD space for map packs. FF11 does copy most of the game to the HDD but you still need the disc. You can manage these partitions/VHD files through the Game Data Utility
<+sandungas> ok, interesting
<+sandungas> and how do you know are named as "VHD" ? there is some indication of the name of this format in XMB ?
<+sandungas> because there is only other PS2 data that can be shown in the "Game Data Utility" (the PS2 system data itself)
<+sandungas> maybe all this shares the same category, hmmm
< @BobbyBlunt > they are marked as PS2 and have no icon if I remember correctly
< @BobbyBlunt > plus the name of the game is usually there as well
<+sandungas> ok, marked as ps2 (with the mini-grey icon i suppose)
<+sandungas> mm, and no icon, heheh, this has sense
<+sandungas> maybe they had the option to add it for the DLC, but not for this FF XI
< @BobbyBlunt > FF11 is the main reason this feature was even added
<+sandungas> ouch, but weird thing is.... i "tweaked" a SFO to be recognized as a "bootable" ps2 disc installation
<+sandungas> and it was out of "Game Data Utility"
<+sandungas> "PS2 classics" (from PSN) uses category "2P"... and this PS2 discs installations uses category "2G"... both out of "Game Data Utility" folder
<+sandungas> also there is the category "2D" for the "PS2 system data" (inside "Game Data Utility")
<+sandungas> and the one you are saying that can be "2D" or a new one, (inside "Game Data Utility")

04-13-2012	#148
sandungas Homebrew Developer Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: dev_hdd0/home/ Posts: 499 Likes: 239 Liked 503 Times in 211 Posts Mentioned: 100 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I had a little talk with BobbyBlunt about this "PS2 DVD game discs" that can be installed in PS3 HDD Without knowing the path in the internall HDD and without having an example of this files, is hard to decide how it works, but this conversation gives a few hints, and resume what i think, enjoy the wall of text <+sandungas> http://www.ps3hax.net/showthread.php...477#post353477 <%Olga> Title: Someone has a "PS2 DVD game" can be installed in PS3 HDD ? (for ps3devwiki) - PS3Hax Network - Playstation 3 Hacks and Mods <+sandungas> help ^ <+sandungas> < @BobbyBlunt > no you are wrong < @BobbyBlunt > install is the wrong word < @BobbyBlunt > FF11 can be totally installed < @BobbyBlunt > SOCOM games can use the HDD for DLC <+sandungas> well, i see this installation as composed by 2 "parts" <+sandungas> one is the creation of a install folder that can be managed by XMB < @BobbyBlunt > all it does is emulate a PS2 HDD <+sandungas> and the other is the copy of all the files from the disc to this "special partition" < @BobbyBlunt > I used to play lots of SOCOM <+sandungas> i mean... the official manual talks about this "rare" partition < @BobbyBlunt > correct. It requires PS2 system data download from PSN and it only allows for the installation of DLC, except in the case of FF11 where a HDD is required for the game to even run <+sandungas> how is emulated this ps2 HDD ? < @BobbyBlunt > think along the same lines of VHD on a pc <+sandungas> im thinking in this partitions < @BobbyBlunt > like if I install SOCOM data it uses around 2 gig, even though the DLC is nowhere near that large <+sandungas> because it seems every game creates his partition < @BobbyBlunt > it isnt a partition, it is more like a VHD <+sandungas> its inside the install folder ? <+sandungas> in dev_hdd0/game/whatever ? < @BobbyBlunt > what are you trying to accomplish with PS2 HDD files? <+sandungas> im trying to catch this PARAM.SFO generated by the installer < @BobbyBlunt > does it even create a param.sfo? <+sandungas> it needs it to be managed by XMB <+sandungas> this is why i think are separated <+sandungas> the folder managed by XMB "relinks" to other path where the disc has been copyed (all the big files) <+sandungas> well.. i think is this, but not sure < @BobbyBlunt > it doesnt copy the disc < @BobbyBlunt > I played lots of SOCOM and used the HDD feature for the map packs < @BobbyBlunt > 2 gig partition/virtual hard drive for combined assault <+sandungas> i saw a guy in the official ff xi forums saying that after the installation you dont need to insert the disc in the drive < @BobbyBlunt > yes you do < @BobbyBlunt > well in the case of SOCOM you do < @BobbyBlunt > and I am pretty sure he was trolling <+sandungas> maybe you had only the DLC packs installed ? <+sandungas> i mean... not the main game < @BobbyBlunt > you cant install the disc to HDD < @BobbyBlunt > think about it <+sandungas> i see no big problem < @BobbyBlunt > I install SOCOM, but you want to play, so I let you borrow my copy to install < @BobbyBlunt > even though with SOCOM that would get you banned from SOCOM <+sandungas> ops, good point :D < @BobbyBlunt > 2 of the same disc ID on SOCOM will lead to a ban <+sandungas> yeah, even offline is not good for sony <+sandungas> BobbyBlunt one question, this FF XI was installed in the internall ps3 hdd ? <+sandungas> or they sold a externall device for this ? < @BobbyBlunt > you mean PS2? < @BobbyBlunt > it came with a 40 gig internal HDD for PS2 <+sandungas> ps2 game on ps3 < @BobbyBlunt > sadly if you had a slim PS2 you could not play it <+sandungas> and you had some way to manage this "virtual partitions" ? <+sandungas> erase... or look for details < @BobbyBlunt > well on PS2 it wasnt virtual < @BobbyBlunt > but yes you could manage them through the PS2 system menu <+sandungas> all this time im refereing to ps3 < @BobbyBlunt > just like a memory card < @BobbyBlunt > ahhhh <+sandungas> i mean... there are just this 5 ps2 games discs <+sandungas> that can be copyed to the internall hdd in a ps3 < @BobbyBlunt > they cant be copied to the HDD <+sandungas> *only backward compatible ones of course <+sandungas> ok, maybe also its used for DLC <+sandungas> but FF XI shares this same installation, and seems to be "full" < @BobbyBlunt > SOCOM uses the HDD space for map packs. FF11 does copy most of the game to the HDD but you still need the disc. You can manage these partitions/VHD files through the Game Data Utility <+sandungas> ok, interesting <+sandungas> and how do you know are named as "VHD" ? there is some indication of the name of this format in XMB ? <+sandungas> because there is only other PS2 data that can be shown in the "Game Data Utility" (the PS2 system data itself) <+sandungas> maybe all this shares the same category, hmmm < @BobbyBlunt > they are marked as PS2 and have no icon if I remember correctly < @BobbyBlunt > plus the name of the game is usually there as well <+sandungas> ok, marked as ps2 (with the mini-grey icon i suppose) <+sandungas> mm, and no icon, heheh, this has sense <+sandungas> maybe they had the option to add it for the DLC, but not for this FF XI < @BobbyBlunt > FF11 is the main reason this feature was even added <+sandungas> ouch, but weird thing is.... i "tweaked" a SFO to be recognized as a "bootable" ps2 disc installation <+sandungas> and it was out of "Game Data Utility" <+sandungas> "PS2 classics" (from PSN) uses category "2P"... and this PS2 discs installations uses category "2G"... both out of "Game Data Utility" folder <+sandungas> also there is the category "2D" for the "PS2 system data" (inside "Game Data Utility") <+sandungas> and the one you are saying that can be "2D" or a new one, (inside "Game Data Utility")