PS1 BIOS patch for disc/PSIO Game ID (auto Memcard Pro VMC)

[bobrocks95]

I've released a preliminary version of my patch for PS1 BIOS to send Game ID commands to a Memcard Pro (and possibly an SD2PSX or PS1Digital) for automatic memory card selection from disc or PSIO, like an xStation install supports or if you were to launch games through UniROM. Great for PSOne slims that can't run an xStation and where booting UniROM requires a long memory card exploit.

Details and xdelta patches are available on my github. You will need a replacement BIOS chip that is pre-flashed with the patched BIOS, or a stock BIOS that can be re-flashed with a supplied homebrew program and what should be a 1-wire installation (though I did not have success lifting an individual pin on a TSOP package from a seller with pre-flashed BIOS). I have a handful of extra chips that I may sell pre-flashed to recoup my costs on the flashing hardware I bought, and 2 extra adapter boards from OSHPark I could install 2 of them on, if anyone is interested.

Hardware testing has been minimal so far, so I'd recommend anyone not handy with soldering or with no way to relatively easily re-flash their BIOS to consider caution. There is a socketed PCB adapter option available as the easiest way to rapidly flash your BIOS.

Anyone who does try it out, please let me know if you have any games that do not boot or properly load the Game ID.

If you are confused about what this does, here are two videos from the creator of the adapter PCBs I recommend, mi213:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJwKBzZzR6Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bnTjVvUoDg

[Gunstar]

This is amazing, great job on making this, and thanks for sharing it.

[bobrocks95]

This is amazing, great job on making this, and thanks for sharing it.

Thank you! I wish it was a bit easier to get it installed but I don't want to actively distribute Sony code, and prior to this I didn't really find people swapping BIOS other than to bypass some Japanese consoles' extra region checks.

[Syntax]

No chance on getting this working as an expansion rom?
https://www.psxdev.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1319

[bobrocks95]

No chance on getting this working as an expansion rom?
https://www.psxdev.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1319

It very well might work as an expansion rom- testing in no$psx actually compiled the assembly and ran it as an expansion rom. I don't have one to test with, but I'll ask if some early users have one.

How hard is it to flash a gameshark/action replay/xplorer cart?

EDIT: It looks to me like the Xplorer FX is the only cart with a 512kB flash chip on it, which is the required size for the PS1 BIOS (nocash's PSX-XBOO is 256kB). If there are any others let me know. I'll look into the flashing .exe that no$psx can generate.

[Syntax]

Sounds very promising!
I do own an FX but can't find it right now.

[bobrocks95]

no$psx unfortunately embeds the rom file in a .exe so its flasher is a no-go. The one I describe in my github the author said to not use it for cheat devices in their original thread.

This might be promising though- https://github.com/danhans42/nxflash

Also in talking with mi213 he may release files for a DIY PCB that plugs into the parallel port with a 512kB flash chip on it.

[BuckoA51]

Hey Bob, I'm trying to document all the GameID stuff for PixelFX, is this project still in development? I'd very much like to try it myself.

[bobrocks95]

Hey Bob, I'm trying to document all the GameID stuff for PixelFX, is this project still in development? I'd very much like to try it myself.

Hey Bucko, it's running and in the wild in a small handful of people's systems (Myself, ModzvilleUSA, mi213, bbsan, a couple of others). All bugs should be worked out, I haven't heard any reports of issues so far.

Still unable to test Retro GEM/PS1Digital support since I don't have one, and I'm on a PSOne slim where Dan's still working on support. MemCard Pro and SD2PSX are both confirmed working, I haven't gotten around to checking BlueRetro but it should be fine as well.

Will's Console Mods in the UK offers BIOS boards pre-flashed with my patches, but it's been a bit frustrating since I think he's using an older version with compatibility issues, and hasn't responded to my attempts to contact him to get the updated versions over to him (I don't like directly distributing BIOS files on the GitHub for obvious reasons).

If you have other questions feel free to ping me on Discord!

[Qtronics]

Hey Bob, I'm trying to document all the GameID stuff for PixelFX, is this project still in development? I'd very much like to try it myself.

Hey Bucko, it's running and in the wild in a small handful of people's systems (Myself, ModzvilleUSA, mi213, bbsan, a couple of others). All bugs should be worked out, I haven't heard any reports of issues so far.

Still unable to test Retro GEM/PS1Digital support since I don't have one, and I'm on a PSOne slim where Dan's still working on support. MemCard Pro and SD2PSX are both confirmed working, I haven't gotten around to checking BlueRetro but it should be fine as well.

Will's Console Mods in the UK offers BIOS boards pre-flashed with my patches, but it's been a bit frustrating since I think he's using an older version with compatibility issues, and hasn't responded to my attempts to contact him to get the updated versions over to him (I don't like directly distributing BIOS files on the GitHub for obvious reasons).

If you have other questions feel free to ping me on Discord!

Sorry if this is high jacking the post a little.

I’ve recently made one of these, I have a video install coming out on friday for it.

7502 model, when I first installed it, I was getting cd and psio sending game id to my memcard pro 2.

Now the psio no longer send the game id, it does send the main exe id though when it first boots to psio. I did change a setting by accident but i’ve since changed it back, however i’ve had no luck.

Have any of you come across this before?

Also as a side note for anyone who comes across this, if you use a memcard pro 2, you have to reset the system on first boot for cd game id to work, as the mem card pro 2 needs to switch ps1 mode first before the bios is loaded.

[bobrocks95]

Sorry if this is high jacking the post a little.

I’ve recently made one of these, I have a video install coming out on friday for it.

7502 model, when I first installed it, I was getting cd and psio sending game id to my memcard pro 2.

Now the psio no longer send the game id, it does send the main exe id though when it first boots to psio. I did change a setting by accident but i’ve since changed it back, however i’ve had no luck.

Have any of you come across this before?

Hmm, can't say I have- CDs are still sending it fine? I may be able to reach out to some people who have my BIOS and a PSIO, I know one or maybe two people who do.

Any sort of factory reset or restore defaults for PSIO settings or anything?

Also as a side note for anyone who comes across this, if you use a memcard pro 2, you have to reset the system on first boot for cd game id to work, as the mem card pro 2 needs to switch ps1 mode first before the bios is loaded.

Hopefully you just have to do that once to get it to PS1 mode and then it remembers? Does suck if you planned to swap a MemCard Pro 2 back-and-forth between PS1 and PS2 (if that's viable to do even without the Game ID stuff).

[Qtronics]

Sorry I forgot to mention it was a clone PSIO,
I have factory reset it. I have it set up the same as a friends who’s Clone PSIO works. So I’m leaning on it being the psio as like I said disc’s still work.

Further up you mentioned there are new bios files/ are these the original bios’ or are there new bin files not on the git hub?

Finally with the memcard pro 2c unfortunately it always boots in ps2 mode, it has to be on to switched on to swap it.
I was pointing it out incase anyone else had the issue.
One my video drops im going to reach out to 8 Bit Mods, im wondering if they can make a software update to let you default it to ps1 mode.


I’ll link my video when it drops as does show that thing.


The Game Id Bios is awesome by the way, thanks for making it.

[Qtronics]

So, an update. I went back and reviewed my footage when it was working. It turns out I was using the original PSU. Where has i’d switched to a Ali express PSU with a USB C power delivery board.

So I switched back to a normal PSU and hey presto it worked.

[bobrocks95]

Further up you mentioned there are new bios files/ are these the original bios’ or are there new bin files not on the git hub?

They've been up on the Github for quite awhile, it's the 1.0 release. There was a 0.99 or whatever I called it shortly before that had some issues with initialization and games with their boot file in a folder, Ape Escape being a good example- if Ape Escape gets the Game ID properly you're on the newest version.

Finally with the memcard pro 2c unfortunately it always boots in ps2 mode, it has to be on to switched on to swap it.
I was pointing it out incase anyone else had the issue.
One my video drops im going to reach out to 8 Bit Mods, im wondering if they can make a software update to let you default it to ps1 mode.

Ah that does suck but I think it's something they could add easily enough. They've been supportive and responsive so far for the project.

The Game Id Bios is awesome by the way, thanks for making it.

You're welcome! Just glad to see others using it.

So, an update. I went back and reviewed my footage when it was working. It turns out I was using the original PSU. Where has i’d switched to a Ali express PSU with a USB C power delivery board.

So I switched back to a normal PSU and hey presto it worked.

Another reason to dislike PicoPSUs... Could be inrush voltage on startup putting the MemCard Pro in a slightly different state for initialization... Could be just not enough power for it period depending on how many total mods you have going on the machine. You'd think they'd be overengineered wattage wise, but AliExpress and overengineered don't really go together lol.

[Qtronics]

Awesome, I took my files from Github recently so I should be fine then. I will be moving back to a standard PSU, and will reach out to 8Bit mods.

Sorry, but another quick question, If I install a mod chip, do is it need a special hex to use with your game bios , or is it just the standard one?

[Qtronics]

My video on the install and the issue with the memcard incase you are interested.

https://youtu.be/ys3le0b41eU?si=jFoG7KV4MkDfDqxj

[bobrocks95]

Awesome, I took my files from Github recently so I should be fine then. I will be moving back to a standard PSU, and will reach out to 8Bit mods.

Sorry, but another quick question, If I install a mod chip, do is it need a special hex to use with your game bios , or is it just the standard one?

No changes needed for a mod chip as far as I'm aware. I have one and I do get some occasional boot issues with Japanese discs, but I think that's from having an older MM3 chip that doesn't have an extra clock wire and tries to generate its own timing.

Unless you're using one of those Japanese systems that need to patch the BIOS for region free stuff? I could see that being a potential issue, hasn't been tested though, I think those are only specific models?

[Qtronics]

Awesome, I took my files from Github recently so I should be fine then. I will be moving back to a standard PSU, and will reach out to 8Bit mods.

Sorry, but another quick question, If I install a mod chip, do is it need a special hex to use with your game bios , or is it just the standard one?

No changes needed for a mod chip as far as I'm aware. I have one and I do get some occasional boot issues with Japanese discs, but I think that's from having an older MM3 chip that doesn't have an extra clock wire and tries to generate its own timing.

Unless you're using one of those Japanese systems that need to patch the BIOS for region free stuff? I could see that being a potential issue, hasn't been tested though, I think those are only specific models?

Ah ok awesome, Yeah I tried a Mayumi v4 but it failed. It could have been my flashing though, as I was using a PIC12F508-E I've flashed a couple more so will try again.

[bobrocks95]

Awesome, I took my files from Github recently so I should be fine then. I will be moving back to a standard PSU, and will reach out to 8Bit mods.

Sorry, but another quick question, If I install a mod chip, do is it need a special hex to use with your game bios , or is it just the standard one?

No changes needed for a mod chip as far as I'm aware. I have one and I do get some occasional boot issues with Japanese discs, but I think that's from having an older MM3 chip that doesn't have an extra clock wire and tries to generate its own timing.

Unless you're using one of those Japanese systems that need to patch the BIOS for region free stuff? I could see that being a potential issue, hasn't been tested though, I think those are only specific models?

Ah ok awesome, Yeah I tried a Mayumi v4 but it failed. It could have been my flashing though, as I was using a PIC12F508-E I've flashed a couple more so will try again.

I know others I've talked to have PSNee's installed, I'm considering swapping mine out for one just to avoid the occasional resets. Don't know if I've heard of a Mayumi specifically mentioned, would be nice to know if it has issues.

[Qtronics]

I installed one in my mates pu22 board and it worked fine( he purchased it pre flashed). Hence me thinking it’s my issue with the flashing. We’re using the Mayumi because we do have japanese disc games(forever trying to lean Japanese) .

[incrediblehark]

I’d really like to try this out, does anyone offer this as an install service?

[bobrocks95]

I’d really like to try this out, does anyone offer this as an install service?

VideoGamePerfection may soon! They are based in Ireland though. Modzville USA may be another person to reach out to, he is now offering the boards pre-flashed though I don't know if he plans to offer install services as well.

[incrediblehark]

Thank you! I’ll reach out to them.

[BuckoA51]

I've a small number of these pre-programmed boards with the modded 5502 firmware for GameID. I'd like to get a bit more testing/feedback on them before I open them up to the general public. Is there anyone here wants one for 15 EUR plus shipping?

Please note that currently to use these you must have a memcard pro.. They do work with PixelFX (RetroGEM/PS1Digital) but only if you have a Memcard Pro as well.

If anyone would like one please shoot me a private message, cheers.

[Qtronics]

It's been a while. I've had someone reach out to me wanted this for a Schp-1002 model. I noticed that they're unsupported as they are listed as "Requires an alternative code injection point".
As there been any development on this> I assume it's more than just a software thing and needs some additional modding? ( I'm not even going to pretend I understand how this work, hence asking)

[Qtronics]

It's been a while. I've had someone reach out to me wanted this for a Schp-1002 model. I noticed that they're unsupported as they are listed as "Requires an alternative code injection point".
As there been any development on this> I assume it's more than just a software thing and needs some additional modding? ( I'm not even going to pretend I understand how this work, hence asking)

Just in case anyone ever has the same issue. I reached out to bobrocks95.
His suggestion ( and not a fully test solution) was to use a later bios from the same region. so in my case for the 1002 board to use a 5502.
He said you can test if it looks ok using an emulator too.

I'll reach out again once I know if it's worked.

[bobrocks95]

BIOS versions have been interchangeable so far in my experience, though I'd stick to the same region if possible.

For those curious the "alternative code injection point" note is some early BIOS with a slightly different boot code that doesn't have some spare NOPs to replace with jump instructions for the Game ID routine. There's likely suitable spots to use but they'd need their own testing and when the versions appear interchangeable, not a huge demand.

It's also been a couple years since I looked at the assembly code and I've probably forgotten how most of it works by now

[SolidJake]

Hey Bob, I'm trying to document all the GameID stuff for PixelFX, is this project still in development? I'd very much like to try it myself.

Hey Bucko, it's running and in the wild in a small handful of people's systems (Myself, ModzvilleUSA, mi213, bbsan, a couple of others). All bugs should be worked out, I haven't heard any reports of issues so far.

Still unable to test Retro GEM/PS1Digital support since I don't have one, and I'm on a PSOne slim where Dan's still working on support. MemCard Pro and SD2PSX are both confirmed working, I haven't gotten around to checking BlueRetro but it should be fine as well.

Will's Console Mods in the UK offers BIOS boards pre-flashed with my patches, but it's been a bit frustrating since I think he's using an older version with compatibility issues, and hasn't responded to my attempts to contact him to get the updated versions over to him (I don't like directly distributing BIOS files on the GitHub for obvious reasons).

If you have other questions feel free to ping me on Discord!

I've been looking online and had issues finding a preflashed 9001 bios. It looks like modzvilleusa only flashes 1001 and 101 bios. Would you be able to point me in the direction of someone that could potentially help out? Thanks again for this great gift to all PS1 users!

[bobrocks95]

Hey Bob, I'm trying to document all the GameID stuff for PixelFX, is this project still in development? I'd very much like to try it myself.

Hey Bucko, it's running and in the wild in a small handful of people's systems (Myself, ModzvilleUSA, mi213, bbsan, a couple of others). All bugs should be worked out, I haven't heard any reports of issues so far.

Still unable to test Retro GEM/PS1Digital support since I don't have one, and I'm on a PSOne slim where Dan's still working on support. MemCard Pro and SD2PSX are both confirmed working, I haven't gotten around to checking BlueRetro but it should be fine as well.

Will's Console Mods in the UK offers BIOS boards pre-flashed with my patches, but it's been a bit frustrating since I think he's using an older version with compatibility issues, and hasn't responded to my attempts to contact him to get the updated versions over to him (I don't like directly distributing BIOS files on the GitHub for obvious reasons).

If you have other questions feel free to ping me on Discord!

I've been looking online and had issues finding a preflashed 9001 bios. It looks like modzvilleusa only flashes 1001 and 101 bios. Would you be able to point me in the direction of someone that could potentially help out? Thanks again for this great gift to all PS1 users!

Interesting, at the time there was no dump of the 9001 BIOS available but I'm seeing some sources listed now. I'll have to take a look in the future to see if the code would be compatible with it and create a patch for it.

For now, do you know which UI design it uses? If it's the standard grayish grid menus that the SCPH-101 uses, you should be just fine to use SCPH-101 BIOS with your SCPH-9001. Mixing system and BIOS versions does not seem to have had any effect from those who have tested so far. I could potentially see a model with the back I/O port running 101 BIOS have that port stop working, but haven't heard that either, and doesn't seem like a concern for 9001. I want to say I've even tried a PAL BIOS on my SCPH-101 and it worked fine, but it's been awhile.

[donluca]

BIOS versions have been interchangeable so far in my experience, though I'd stick to the same region if possible.

For those curious the "alternative code injection point" note is some early BIOS with a slightly different boot code that doesn't have some spare NOPs to replace with jump instructions for the Game ID routine. There's likely suitable spots to use but they'd need their own testing and when the versions appear interchangeable, not a huge demand.

It's also been a couple years since I looked at the assembly code and I've probably forgotten how most of it works by now

I've been toying with the Master System BIOS for a while so I'm still pretty fresh on assembly code.
If you have documented somewhere the changes I'd love to give this a shot in my free time, if it could be of use to someone.