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PS2 Exploit Allows Running of Unsigned Code
DrEldarion writes "This man has figured out a way to make the PS2 run unsigned code without a modchip. "To make a long story short, the exploit allows anyone with a memory card and
a valid, legal PS1 disc to hijack the boot process and run any piece of code.""
Lilo
Am I the last guy on earth who actually goes out an pays for things?
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
It seems that it would be ueber-leet to be able to run linux to its full potential. Instead of just having the Sandbox environment we will have direct access to the hardware. I'd also be able to play tuxracer on the PS2. But then again I'm still waiting for a gamecube port of linux because thats what I have.
Nero-burning ROM for Linux!
If I can get my American PS2 to run Japanese PS2 games without having to pay $100 and do a lot of fiddly soldering, that's worth it. I don't know how much it would actually cost to get a memory card reader, since I don't have one, but I doubt one would have to pay $200.
Dan Aris
Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
I was reading about this before seeing this article. One of the points brought up is that it's not really a useful hack because it's quite tricky to utilize.
It looks like you need a memory card reader ($$), and then have to edit a file and add the Title ID for each game you want to play. This requires a bit of work to figure out, and a *nix system to run his software, I think.
It doesn't work with all games all the time, only the ones you specify. Also, there may be a limit to how many table entries you can have, which would limit the number of games you can run.
If someone is tech savvy enough to figure this out, they just might have what it takes to install some of the existing modchips out there. Mine only has one wire, and coupled with a GameShark, will run almost anything out there, but it's a bit of a pain.
Perhaps the bright side is that this will allow users of Linux on the PS2 to run code outside the restrictions of the OS that Sony added.
I don't think that the people who just buy xboxes to "hurt" microsoft really understand what they are doing. In the short term, YES, you are costing Microsoft money on their per console loss. In the long term, you are helping them.
For instance, 1,000,000 MS haters buy xboxes with the hopes of making a serious dent in the $60 billion (yes with nine zeros) cash reserve that Microsoft holds. In the mean time, Microsoft is able to report to the software vendors that they have those 1,000,000 extra xboxes out there. Vendors see the large numbers and make more games to support the xbox. In turn, the xbox software library grows and so does its legit customer base. I know the 1,000,000 xboxes for the MS haters is an exaggeration, but hopefully you will get my point.
http://www.tomandemily.com
So what? I've been running custom code on my unmodded PS2 using Sony's Linux kit for awhile now, even crunching Distributed.net with it. If you want to run custom code, buy the Linux kit. Show Sony people do want a Linux kit, that way they might release one for PS3 or even PSP. I'd rather use an official kit instead of a hack.
Border, n: in C64, area of screen where no graphics can be displayed. Therefore it's the favourite place for all Commodore demoscene coders to display various graphics, causing engineers who designed it rip their hair from their heads and jump out through the windows, yelling "THIS CAN'T BE WORKING".
Understand now?
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That is a rather simplistic view I'm afraid.
If I were a game producer...
I would compare characteristics from my potential product to that of similar products in the market. Then I would compare sales figures. ie, compare age demos of various genres or which types of titles sell the best. Hell, I would even glance as to which company is selling the most titles and try to understand their secret to success.
You would only need to look at pure console sales as a point of interest for producing on that platform. Its already a bit of a known fact that the large console markets are PS2 and XBOX.
It doesn't do alot of good to know there are X Billion people in North America, if you don't know how many people would be potentially interested in buying your product.
Buy and Burn all the xbox's you want.
"You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
"An agreement of law", Are you drunk?
One of the biggest problems with consoles and DVDs these days is that companies put region coding in them. If you live in a certain area of the world you get to play the games and watch the movies that they want you to, and no others.
This is a hideous practice and we must all publicly flaunt our disobedience of it at every opportunity. Otherwise they'll sneak it beneath the radar of the masses and make it part of the international copyright agreements.
Currently, region coding has no legal weight, though dishonest laws like the DMCA might have make bypassing it illegal in some jurisdictions.
If you believe you have the right to use your possessions however and whereever you wish, fight dishonest companies who do this!
You can already run Linux on the playstation by paying for the PS2 Linux kit at http://playstation2-linux.com/
That kit allows you to run any code that you want to anyway. Plus getting one allows companies to see that there is a paying group of individuals that would like configurable/extensible electronic products.
It's funny that many people criticize the software and media industry for promoting DRM and DMCA type laws, but then the same people turn around and promote/utilize cracks like this.
What do you expect the companies to do? Sit there and watch this happen?
Based on upvotes, Ageism is the only "-ism" Slashdotters care about and think isn't SJW
Why do we do anything challenging and not particularly useful?
Why do we climb the mountain, why do we run webservers on 6502 processors?
Because its there, man, because its there.
SCO to Hell
For instance, 1,000,000 MS haters buy xboxes with the hopes of making a serious dent in the $60 billion (yes with nine zeros) cash reserve that Microsoft holds. In the mean time, Microsoft is able to report to the software vendors that they have those 1,000,000 extra xboxes out there. Vendors see the large numbers and make more games to support the xbox. In turn, the xbox software library grows and so does its legit customer base. I know the 1,000,000 xboxes for the MS haters is an exaggeration, but hopefully you will get my point.
Other posters have pointed out that an x-box which never goes purchased hurts Microsoft more than one that is. By buying the product, you reimburse Microsoft's cost by $110, or whatever their resellers pay.
An X-Box on the shelf costs M$ more than two in the hand!
I think I just came up with my new sig...
Bored with karma, be a fan/freak
As I've mentioned a couple of times before in this thread, I want to use this (and was planning to get a modchip) to play games I have legally imported from Japan. I know that many people won't believe me, and that, unfortunately, that won't be the primary use of this exploit, but I know of no law that prohibits running region-locked games out of their region. I realize that it's possible the DMCA covers this, but if so, it really shouldn't. I paid for the PS2, I paid for the game, so why the heck shouldn't I be able to run it?
If this can really work (I haven't gotten the guy's code to compile, see one of my posts, above), it would be really great. I could use a $30 memory card reader/writer to let me play imported games, rather than a $100 modchip kit, which I would have to solder onto the PS2's motherboard. And those things look extremely fiddly.
So, yes, there is at least one legitimate use. And the point of our opposition to the DMCA is not (at least not for anyone who would have any chance against it) "so I can keep pirating stuff." My argument against it is that it probably will allow Sony to sue anyone who uses this hack, whatever purpose they put it to. It stops you from using certain devices or processes because they could be used for piracy or copyright infringement, even if you would truly, honestly, never use them for that purpose.
Dan Aris
Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
I think you mean my system which I bought and paid for. So yes, I should be able to do what I want with it
Please pay attention before replying. We're talking about their Linux distro. Sony is free to limit their software in whatever way they want, they are under absolutely no obligation to allow you access, through their software, to parts of the system they'd rather not have you muck with. If you want to utilize this hack to play around and explore, feel free, more power to ya, I agree that doing such a thing should not be illegal. But that is not what this thread is about.
btw, I was going to insert the following text after I wrote "their" system:
"their meaning that they designed it, since you obviously own it".
Because I KNEW that someone would bring that up.
This is a lame argument since the world abounds with systems that have software that limits your access to the underlying systems. How is this anything new?
Border, n: in C64, area of screen where no graphics can be displayed. Therefore it's the favourite place for all Commodore demoscene coders to display various graphics, causing engineers who designed it rip their hair from their heads and jump out through the windows, yelling "THIS CAN'T BE WORKING".
The C64 wasn't restrictive. It allowed hackers (as in coders) to do whatever they could think of with the hardware. There were crazy optimizations where two instructions executed at once, 27 sprites could be displayed at once (the hardware is limited to 8), 240 colors could be displayed (the hardware was limited to 16), and not once did the commodore engineers come and say, "Stop doing that! It wasn't designed for that!"
Fast forward 20 years, and take a look at major console manufacturers bitching if we exploit the hardware or software to install something they didn't intend.
Heck, even being a developer, you can't do to modern consoles that you could do to the C64... To get an XDK, or PDK, you have to adhere to all sorts of restrictions about what you can and cannot do in your code (no fancy ASM hacking to do cool stuff)... what's the point? No wonder all we have is cookie-cutter games... Developers aren't allowed to innovate, unless it meets with Sony or Microsoft's predetermined vision... bah, gimme a modern day C64 dammit!
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Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
"Its already a bit of a known fact that the large console markets are PS2 and XBOX."
The PS2 has shipped 50,000,000 units. The Xbox and GameCube have both shipped 10,000,000 units.
I don't understand how one 10,000,000 is smaller than another 10,000,000 enough to be considered equal to 50,000,000.
Here's a well known fact: "well known facts" are often made up on the spot to support another argument, and make it look that much more believable.
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Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.