[HOMEBREW] NXFLASH - XPLORER/AR/GS FLASH TOOL

[danhans42]

This is something I have been working on/off the last month or two.. NXFLASH.

​

GitHub - danhans42/nxflash: NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation

NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation - GitHub - danhans42/nxflash: NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation

github.com

NXFLASH is built on the source of XFLASH which was written by Tim Schuerewegen some time ago. It allows you to flash/backup cheat cartridges such as the Xplorer/Xplorder/AR/GS etc.

Shadow from PSXDEV.net managed to get in touch with him and he found the source code for it.

I wanted to add extra features and serial compatibility to it and support more flash parts so I decided to give it a new name - it basically means 'next xflash'. I believe it needed a new name as the original author may no longer want to be associated with it and to save confusion about client side tool compatibility.

In order to run NXFLASH you will need a way to execute it on a console. I will not cover that here as plenty of guides are out there for mastering bootable PlayStation discs and booting them. Alternatively, you could execute it using your usual code upload method (catflap/psxexe/psxserial etc.).
NXFLASH also has a Python3 based client for uploading/downloading data. It has been tested on Python 3.7 on both Linux and Windows 10.

Features :-

• Dump cart EEPROM via Serial
• Dump PSX BIOS via Serial
• Clear Buffer
• Flash cart EEPROM via Serial
• increased screen width to 640px (from 512).
• Increased size of Flash From CD Browser - 16 roms displayed and wider interface.
• Xplorer comms support with xkiller (unchanged from XFLASH)

Its currently working really well, every cart I have flashed with in testing has worked 100%. I have a test version that I have out to a beta tester and will wait to hear back before releasing it.. probably a few days.

To accompany nxflash, there is a tool called nxflash.py (original huh?). Its written in Python 3.x and needs pyserial. The tool allows upload of ROM, and download of ROM and BIOS. It also has support for PSXSERIAL/Unirom v6 if you need to send the EXE to PSX that way.

In essence, that means you can flash your console easily without using a CD other than PSXSERIAL.

nxflash.py examples :-

• Upload ROM - 'python nxflash.py -ur /dev/ttyUSB0 caetla038.bin'
• Download ROM - 'python nxflash.py -dr /dev/ttyUSB0 ar_backup.bin'
• Download BIOS -'python nxflash.py -db /dev/ttyUSB0 scph1002.bin'
• Upload EXE to PSXSERIAL - 'python nxflash.py -run /dev/ttyUSB0 greentro.exe'

Its very simple tool, with hardly any exception handling and will overwrite files without prompt, so be careful!

Full documentation https://github.com/danhans42/nxflash

Would like to hear from people who have unsupported flash types so can see about adding support for them.

If you would like to test the beta version drop me a PM. Will hopefully have it released by the weekend, just want to make sure its working for others before release.

 

[logi26]

Very interesting, is this going to be open source?

 

[danhans42]

Eventually yes, just not at the moment. I am very early on with this and want to get all the code commented and tidied up, so its easy to learn from and further improved. It will eventually end up on GitHub.

The source for xflash is already available from http://www.psxdev.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1530

Thanks

 

[HI_RICKY]

any win program for real time access psx memory and edit like old Datel one?

 

[danhans42]

any win program for real time access psx memory and edit like old Datel one?

Not as far as I know, sorry and its not something I can support

You can use the original xplorer ROM with xlink/xlinkwin.. but I am not sure how well they work with Windows XP and beyond as it was nearly 15 years ago when I last used it under Windows 98 SE.

 

[danhans42]

Latest version is now on github..

GitHub - danhans42/nxflash: NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation

NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation - GitHub - danhans42/nxflash: NXFLASH Xplorer/Xplorer/AR/GS Flasher for Sony PlayStation

github.com

nxflash.py - pythion based client is also included - I recommend reading the info on the github repo.

Current Issues

Currently does not support the dual banked Xplorer FX ( 2x SST29EE020 PLCC32 ), if you have one of these carts please do not flash it as you may not be able to recover.

Also, the support for xkiller/LPT connection is still there but unsupported. It should work fine but I do not have a PC set up currently with WIndows that I can test this on.

If you find any little quirks (display not centred etc), please drop me a DM or raise an issue on github and I will sort it.

Next Version

As well as fixing any issues in the current version I will be looking to add the following features to the next release.

• EXE loading via SIO (psxserial compatible) - implemented and working, need to pretty up the screens with some nice colour bars as seems to be fashionable for this kind of tool
• Xplorer ROM Version - Courtesty of RomProd v2.0 from Sicklebrick over on psxdev - I have been testing loading the EXE to a flash ROM on Xplorer cartridges.
• Adding support for more Flash ROMS.

Ongoing

• I am still learning about C and the PSX, and one bit I really need to get my head around is using graphics better. So ideally I want to create a prettier menu system, along with some custom fonts. That will be ongoing as a side project and once I get where I need to be I will move it into xflash.
• Also, with me wanting to add a serial EXE loader to NXFLASH, I thought I would be quite useful to have memory card support. This can support both memory card file management, as well as configuration. More on this later.

Anyway, hope you find it useful.

Enjoy.

PS. If anyone in the UK/EU has a Xplorer FX dual 256k version they wouldn't mind parting with for R&D, please drop me a DM. Id be happy to swap it for a single 29C040 (512kb).

 

[megavolt85]

Currently does not support the dual banked Xplorer FX ( 2x SST29EE020 PLCC32 )

Where is the problem?
what does not arrange a method from XFLASH

 

[danhans42]

No idea. Need to investigate it as the routines are exactly the same and remain untouched.

Until I have the correct version of the dual bank FX I won't support it, hopefully will have one soon

 

[megavolt85]

int EepromDetect3rdGenFX()
{
    char txt[50];
    u_char found,xid1,xid2;
    char *src1 = (char*)0x1F000000;
    char *src2 = (char*)0x1F040000;
    int diff = FALSE, ret = FALSE;
    unsigned long i;
 
    for (i=0;(i<0x20000) && (!diff);i++)
    {
        if (src1[i] != src2[i])
        {
            diff = TRUE;
        }
    }
    
    if (diff)
    {
        WaitScreen("First 3rd gen Xplorer check OK");
        src2[0x5555] = 0xAA;
        src2[0x2AAA] = 0x55;
        src2[0x5555] = 0x90;
        
        DelayMs(100);
        
        xid1 = src2[0];
        xid2 = src2[1];
        
        src2[0x5555] = 0xAA;
        src2[0x2AAA] = 0x55;
        src2[0x5555] = 0xF0;
        
        DelayMs(100);
        
        sprintf(txt,"EEPROM %02X %02X",xid1,xid2);
        WaitScreen(txt);
        
        if ( ((xid1==SST_ID) && (xid2==SST_29xE020)) ||
            ( (xid1==SST_ID) && (xid2==SST_29EE020)))
        {
            ret = TRUE;
        }
        
        if (ret == TRUE)
        {
            WaitScreen("Second 3rd gen Xplorer check OK");
        }
    }
    
    return ret;
}

this function return 1 if is dual banked Xplorer FX

 

[danhans42]

Thanks Megavolt. Will have a look at that function and compare with what I have. Initially looks a little different.

Thanks again

 

[megavolt85]

Initially looks a little different.

oh yes, i'm change XFLASH source

MEGA

MEGA provides free cloud storage with convenient and powerful always-on privacy. Claim your free 20GB now

mega.nz

 

[szczuru]

Hi, i'm looking for ROM for PSX MP3 Player (PSXAmp), 'cause by mistake i've flashed "standard" AR/Caetla rom there and lost MP3 functionality...
More info:

Odtwarzanie mp3 na PlayStation - strefaPSX

Przystawka PSXamp umożliwia odtwarzanie mp3 na PlayStation i to jej będzie poświęcony kolejny wpis.

strefapsx.pl

 

[danhans42]

Hi, i'm looking for ROM for PSX MP3 Player (PSXAmp), 'cause by mistake i've flashed "standard" AR/Caetla rom there and lost MP3 functionality...
More info:

Odtwarzanie mp3 na PlayStation - strefaPSX

Przystawka PSXamp umożliwia odtwarzanie mp3 na PlayStation i to jej będzie poświęcony kolejny wpis.

strefapsx.pl

Speak to Squaresoft74 or krhacken, they may have a dump of it between them.

 

[krHACKen (aka kHn)]

v1.3c. That's all I have.

 

[danhans42]

Hi All,

Bit of an update. I don't know if this feature will remain or not but have managed to shoehorn PSX-EXE loading from SIO into xflash. I had to move the internal data buffer for loading ROMS to a higher memory location to get it working, and it currently only seems to work with EXE's at around 1mb.

Not only that, but rather than being stuck at 115200bps, I have got it working at 345,600bps... so its really fast! I also wanted to bake it into a ROM so it could instaboot, which is now working thanks to sickebricks romprod.

See the video below :-



More info here - https://psx0.wordpress.com/2019/07/14/bit-of-an-update/

The direction I will now take is that I will make nxflash standalone and release the current sources, and continue to improve it. Then the bloated version of nxflash can be a seperate version. Next feature I want to add is some form of memory card management so we can load EXE's from memory card (probably will use Shendo's mclaunch), as well as memory card reading/writing/dumping.

 

[Johnny]

Haven't messed with my GameShark cartridge for ages.

In the current version, is is safe to use it to reflash it with some other rom?

 

[danhans42]

Haven't messed with my GameShark cartridge for ages.

In the current version, is is safe to use it to reflash it with some other rom?

Hi,

Yes, works perfectly for reflashing old gamesharks.

Thanks

 

[Johnny]

Hi,

Yes, works perfectly for reflashing old gamesharks.

Thanks

Cool, i'll give it a go.

 

[danhans42]

If you get stuck or have any questions drop me a DM or reply to this thread.