Xlink 95 (v1.1) patched (Update: Region Free)

[sickle]

Update 2:
Patched to remove region restrictions, and to allow flashing of non-FX roms onto FX carts, etc.

Update 1:

Xlink 95 patched to use GiveIO.sys and run on NT systems.

Why?
Well, besides the mem card manager and stuff, you have a live in-game disassembler, VRAM grabber (+replacer) and memory editor.


(GiveIO + XLink + Instructions in the .zip)

-auto loads GiveIO
-fixes a bug where it resets 0x378 & 0x37A to 0x00 & 0x02
-deprotected to allow addresses like 1f800000, 1f000000, BFC00000, etc

Enjoy

[Administrator]

Whoa, very nice cracking right there!
I could never get the original Win32 to run on my Windows 98 machine, so I would just use their DOS based program.
Reckon you could upload this Win32 Xlink without the GiveIO.sys auto load, and with the other patches in place still?

[sickle]

Sure, lemme know if it works!

Also, if you've not desoldered every hirose in Australia, I'd be interested to know if Xplorer V2, V3(Pro), V4 (FX) made any difference to you. I get the feeling I'm having more luck with the FX cart because they're slightly faster, so make up for any drop in speed from GiveIO. Just a hunch =)

[Administrator]

Sure. The next time I fire up my Win 98 machine I'll give it a go.
I've only got an Xplorer V2 I'm afraid. I gave my FX to Lameguy 64 which originally belonged to Loser.

[sickle]

Updated to remove region restrictions and allow flashing of older ROMs onto FXs etc.

[nocash]

I've tested the "xLink95_unprotected_patched_no_giveio_for_shadow.rar" on win98 - and no, it doesn't work. It's just saying "**Error**, Comms Error" after loading, and disables all buttons except the "Prefs" button, which is also doesn't work well: It shows a drop down combo box with only one port (378) although my PC does have two parallel ports (378 and 278), I can manually enter 278, but the program instantly forgets the input (and comes up with 378 again when re-opening the Prefs window next time).
I can use the xplorer card with "xkiller_sickle" (on port 378), so the hardware & cable seems to work okay, but xlink95 isn't.

I don't really understand what the patches are good for. Region patch might be important... but it was invented in your second update, and probably wasn't included in the "xLink95_unprotected_patched_no_giveio_for_shadow.rar" version (?) ... so that that version does merely contain a patch for "using giveio under NT without giveio" (which sounds a bit like a misconception that cannot work out) (?)... or, wait, does it just patch the "fixes a bug where it resets 0x378 & 0x37A to 0x00 & 0x02" thing? That sounds useful, but doesn't seem to work out for me.

Oh, and does somebody have the original unpatched "xlink95" utility, and the original DOS software with "xlink" and whatever other utilities it might contain?

PS. and what's the difference between "xlink95_giveio_r1.rar" and " xlink95_giveio_r2.rar"? Are that your Update 1 and Update 2 versions? But they are working ONLY with giveio, not with win9x?

EDIT:
I've found the original unpatched "xlink_95_uk.zip" at http://www.murraymoffatt.com/playstation-xplorer.html - that package includes a few extra files (unlike the "xLink95_unprotected_patched_no_giveio_for_shadow.rar" which contains only a single .exe file).
The unpatched version is working well okay with my english Xplorer FX cart (though it's supporting only port 378, too, but it does work - as long as you're okay to use that specific port).
After installing the unpatched version, I've also tried to copy your patched exe to the folder where it was installed (in case the extra files in that folder were needed for anything), but that didn't help either - I guess you patch just isn't working at all.

And, anyways, what is it good for to get xlink95 working? Turned out one can do ONLY stuff like "Diss-Assembling" programs (as shown in the above screenshot). But, the tool doesn't allow to do fundamental things like uploading an EXE file to the psx. So, for tasks, one would have to stick with other utilities. The two (not so good) choices seem to be:
1) The xlink DOS commandline verison (can be also found at http://www.murraymoffatt.com/playstation-xplorer.html - but it that tool is just throwing some weired "ERROR OK!" message when trying to upload exe files)
2) The windows GUI based homebrew Xkiller utility (works with Xplorer FX, but doesn't seem to work with older Xplorer versions).

[sickle]

Heyhey, cheers for the detailed feedback.

Under Win7, GiveIO seems to be the only driver that lets me do OUT DX,AL / IN AL,DX etc without freaking out, so initially the patch was just to load \\GiveIO IIRC via a wee import table patch. The deprotect/region free patches obvs wouldn't interfere either.
GiveIO is for NT systems only and will probably not work on 9x based OS.


So for the "fixes a bug where it resets 0x378 & 0x37A to 0x00 & 0x02".
0041 F747 (mem) | 0001 F747 (.exe), I wrote in my comments:
"this bugger was timing out and resetting the comms port to 0 (meaning it was sending to 0x00 and 0x02 instead of 0x378 and 0x37A)"

After some quick testing (without a psx to hand) it's looking like it kinda locks up and doesn't attempt to reconnect if it loads up and doesn't find something on 0x378 immediately. Even with the original code in place, after the timeout/change port box is Okayed, it just seems to call 0041 2D70, resetting the port, then attempts no further detection (nothing seems to be sent out on any port after this)?

I've never had luck with any port other than 378. and right now I don't even have the hardware to test a normal/unpatched install but I think that box just doesn't work - at least not as intended. Maybe worth hardcoding a different port if you have to?

Anyway, here's a fresh .EXE with just the deprotect/region free to check with (no patched import table or anything), might come in handy.

FYI, the "xlink_95_uk.zip" within xlink95_giveio_r2.rar is the original unpatched FCD release.
I didn't think to include the commandline (well, dos? it's not fully command line I guess) version 'cause honestly I figured it was bundled already, lol. But it was always more feature-packed than the GUI so who knows what you might find in there. I suspsect it started working 'cause you used 0x378 or murraymoffat was hosting a slightly different version?

I know you're not keen on C/C++, but it should be reasonably easy to patch Catlfap to work with a non-caetla'd XPlorer. Edit: slightly different ack/nack/checksum sequence, but I think you have that worked out already.

Lastly, I did the patches basically to document commands as you are, haha. Just haven't had anywhere near as much time as I wanted to fiddle with it though so you're well and truly ahead now. It is kinda cool for in-game editing though i guess, especially fucking with the VRAM while a game's playing and watching how each game handles textures.

[sickle]

Woops, nearly forgot this.
As before, it's the original .exe with only deprotect/regionfree mods =)

[szalay_1]

@sicklebrick Well, Thanks this great modification (oh 2016?)

I've tested proper it: under Windows XP and Windows 7 32bit
in BIOS i set ECP+EPP using 0x378 port (typical)
using regular V2,x rom for Hardware breakpoint test etc..
Works like a charm, dump the memory, and serach in memory
set breakpoint on read/write/execute.

What about Win7 64bit ?
LOADDRV.EXE hit start as it says: An unexpected error occuered

[Administrator]

I think because it's 16-bit machine code. It won't work on 64-bit (too old)

[szalay_1]

oh.. thanks the info..
what happent with PSEXE.COM for win7 ?

[Administrator]

It works for Windows 7 32-bit.

[sickle]

Hah yeah, pain in the ass that it's missing, but we must be the last percent of a percent of people who care.

I don't really have a machine capable of testing the PIO stuff so I've slowly been converting things to C/C# for use with serial comms (Including UniRom).