SDload

From GamecubeLinux Wiki

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Requirements 3 Preparations 3.1 Preparing a Memory Card for Action Replay 3.2 Preparing a SD card for SDload 3.2.1 Preparing a SD card from GNU/Linux 3.2.2 Preparing a SD card from Windows 3.2.3 Preparing a SD card from your GameCube 4 Using SDload 4.1 Booting into SDload menu 4.2 Loading DOLs from a SD card 4.3 Loading DOLs from the network 4.3.1 Sample usage of PSOload on Windows 4.3.2 Sample usage of psolore on Linux 5 External Links

Introduction

SDload by Costis and Parasyte is a tool which allow users to load and run DOLs from SD cards on unmodified GameCubes. It also supports loading DOLs through a BroadBand Adapter, like PSOload.

Requirements

SDload requires the following gadgets:

• Action Replay disc, any version. Note: Reports indicate code entry has been removed for recent versions of Action Replay

• a Memory Card (the one bundled with Action Replay or any standard memory card, only for Action Replay)

• a SD card adapter for the GameCube (SD Gecko, original or self-made adapter)

• a SD card (or MMC card featuring SPI mode)

• a SD card reader/writer

• (optional) a BroadBand Adapter

• (optional) a drivechip/modchip in case you wish to boot SDload directly from dvd, or embed it into the bios

Preparations

Preparing a Memory Card for Action Replay

SDload takes control of the GameCube by patching some pieces of memory with the help of a series of Action Replay codes. These codes are really tedious to type and it is very easy to make mistakes while typing them. Thus, it makes sense to type the Action Replay codes once and store them in a memory card for later use.

1. Make sure that the following is true:

• the Action Replay disc is loaded into your GameCube
• the memory card which will store the Action Replay codes is inserted in Slot B

2. Power on your GameCube

3. Wait for the Action Replay main menu to come up

4. Select Action Replay Codes

5. Select the USA flag

6. Select -- ADD NEW GAME --

It is the first entry in the code list window.

7. Enter SDLOAD and push the done key in the on-screen keyboard

Use uppercase letters for SDLOAD.

8. Enter (m) as the code name, and push the done key in the on-screen keyboard

9. Enter the following code, and push the done key in the on-screen keyboard

       7YPR-RKZZ-MH6W5
       D26A-PE4J-1XX2W
       ZJHY-B1ZH-6P00G

10. Select -- ADD NEW CODE --

11. Enter SDLOAD again and push the done key in the on-screen keyboard

Again, use uppercase letters for SDLOAD.

12. Enter the following code, and push the done key in the on-screen keyboard

       AF4H-JPF5-H1B5J
       MVAB-7TQE-ABZPB
       V2CK-QQ1A-Y6P72
       M5N6-CMMH-9EURT
       0JFM-3A6C-VZ6VK
       KYV8-0JGV-0GR1N
       2EGU-HVKF-NDMCN
       7AH0-J9JZ-HHGNJ
       4MHU-G8XT-ZRYCJ
       9474-KF41-8KG34
       QMEV-G90N-A8RV0
       KD4G-5QHV-74D46
       V97K-652Q-Y4TEY
       6M4W-9GPT-E99NG
       QPFY-DJAF-E01FV
       2Z6E-P2WY-24WV4
       6NHW-G3NH-HP31Y
       A2KF-MCKN-D645J
       K5V8-EF9W-7GFQC
       XTU3-269T-VH5NE
       H9GP-C4PP-6FGF9
       HF77-R45C-ZXPDV
       22Y3-D98C-50AJM
       WTWZ-EC88-U5ZTV
       36G1-UGDG-J2G84
       DUMT-15KR-DXJ8K
       JV55-6VF5-2Z02T
       D4R8-MVJ5-QGR21
       1G3C-APD7-1CUVD

13. Select the code named SDLOAD in the code list window, and press the A button to enable it

The check box next to the code name should be filled when the code is enabled. Note that many versions of Action Replay contain a bug that will keep newly entered codes disabled. Make sure that the code remains enabled after a reboot.

Preparing a SD card for SDload

SDload requires a specially prepared SD card to work. You can prepare a card directly on your GameCube or from a computer running Microsoft Windows.

Preparing a SD card from GNU/Linux

This procedure assumes that /dev/sdcard is linked to the device node associated with your SD card reader (e.g. /dev/sd[abcdef] on PC or /dev/sdcard[ab] on GameCube Linux).

1. Format the SD card with a FAT16 filesystem (FAT12 and FAT32 are not supported).
2. Compile and run the GNU/Linux port of sdpatch (download (http://www.redfelineninja.dsl.pipex.com/software/sdpatch.c)).
3. Mount the filesystem and copy SDLOADER.BIN to the root directory.

For example:

cube# mkdosfs -F16 -nSDLoad /dev/sdcard

cube# gcc -Wall sdpatch.c -o sdpatch
cube# ./sdpatch /dev/sdcard

cube# mkdir -p /media/sdcard
cube# mount -t vfat /dev/sdcard /media/sdcard
cube# cp SDLOADER.BIN /media/sdcard

Preparing a SD card from Windows

This procedure assumes that F: is the drive letter associated with your computer SD card reader.

1. Format the SD card with a FAT16 filesystem (FAT12 and FAT32 are not supported).
2. Run sdpatch.exe f:\
3. Copy SDLOADER.BIN to the root directory of the SD card.

Preparing a SD card from your GameCube

This procedure requires already a working method to upload DOLs to your GameCube.

1. Boot sdpatch.dol on your GameCube
2. Follow the on-screen instructions

Using SDload

Booting into SDload menu

The procedure for booting into SDload menu takes only about 20 seconds.

1. Make sure that the following is true:
   • the Action Replay disc is loaded into your GameCube
   • the SD card adapter with a prepared SD card is inserted in Slot A
   • the memory card containing the AR codes is inserted in Slot B
2. Power on your GameCube.
3. Wait for the Action Replay main menu to come up.
4. Select Start Game using the controller D-Pad and press the A button.
   The Open the lid message is displayed.
5. Open the lid.
   The Please insert SDLOAD and close the lid message is displayed.
6. Close the lid.
   The Please wait message appears briefly.
7. The SDload menu shows up.

Loading DOLs from a SD card

Loading a GameCube executable from a SD card using SDload is as simple as selecting it in the file selection dialog, by using the controller D-Pad, and pressing the A button.

Because SDload requires a SD card to be inserted in Slot A, a special procedure is needed if the selected executable requires a memory card in Slot A. In this case, instead of using the A button to launch the executable, the X button can be used. SDload will load the executable, but will not launch it until you remove the SD card and insert a memory card. SDload will kindly assist you with this process.

Loading DOLs from the network

SDload uses an undocumented proprietary protocol for loading GameCube executables from the network. Thus, you'll need special tools for this purpose.

Both PSOload and psolore can be used to send executables to SDload.

Launching a GameCube executable through the network comprises the following steps:

1. Make sure the following is true:
   • your computer and your GameCube are connected and on the same IP subnet
   • the SDIPDATA.CFG file with the right configuration is stored in the SD card inserted in Slot A
2. Boot into SDload menu
3. Send the GameCube executable from your computer using the loader tool of your choice
   See some examples below.
4. SDload automatically starts the loading and launches the executable

Sample usage of PSOload on Windows

Send the file MY.DOL to SDload using the standard settings:

C> psoload.exe -r MY.DOL

Send the file MY.DOL to SDload using the interface with IP address 192.168.0.49:

C> psoload.exe -r -i192.168.0.49 MY.DOL

Sample usage of psolore on Linux

Send the file MY.DOL to SDload using the standard settings

$ psolore MY.DOL

Send the file MY.DOL to SDload using the interface with IP address 192.168.0.49:

$ psolore -i 192.168.0.49 MY.DOL

External Links

• consolejunky SDload tutorial (http://www.consolejunky.com/sdload-tutorial/) (LINK BROKEN)