Freezing when PS2 tries to access HDD

[CRTGAMER]

Use HDAdvance/HDloader built in auto format. Install games thru yes a little slow but reliable built in direct game disc install or thru a ethernet cross over cable from PC direct to PS2 Network adapter. Keep PS2 HD out of Windows prevents extra files being written or worse a reformat to be recognized by windows and unrecognized by HDAdvance/HDLoader. That happens when you temporarily put the HD in your PC or in an external USB enclosure. HDAdvance 3.0 has the config files to set your PS2 to receive files ethernet crossover mode from PC to PS2 HD.

[Ducky]

Hi CRTGamer, the problem with that is I can't access the HDD on the PS2 any longer without it freezing on me in the first place.

Also, I've just formatted my memory card and have reinstalled FMCB. I've fixed the USB problem, however I still cannot access the HDD.
Any other suggestions, guys?

[CRTGAMER]

Hi CRTGamer, the problem with that is I can't access the HDD on the PS2 any longer without it freezing on me in the first place.

Also, I've just formatted my memory card and have reinstalled FMCB. I've fixed the USB problem, however I still cannot access the HDD.
Any other suggestions, guys?

With that re-install of Free Memory Boot, maybe the memory card still buggy? Does HDLoader boot up?

Make sure HD is set to Master jumper before putting in PS2.

HDAdvance deleting or renaming a game will kick the drive into a "Defrag cleanup mode".

Just to clarify, are you using a FAT PS2 with Internal HD? HDAdvance/HDLoader on Fat PS2 setup should automatically format your errored Hard Drive. Leave the drive inside that Fat permanently. Plugging into PC for game installs is just giving more headaches. The internal install PS2 reliable method is slow but not bad. It will install a full 4gb DVD game in about 20 minutes. Less full DVDs even quicker, a CD in about 3 minutes. Takes longer to swap and configure drives going the PC nightmare.

I have a preference to HDAvance, a trouble free inexpensive purchase, about the price of one good PS2 game, worth the investment. Yes I know FMCB is free and great for a dead laser PS2, but for me too buggy. With both CD and DVD versions included of correct TOC size, a breeze to install both blue CD and DVD games internally direct to HD. Only time I remove HDAdvance disc is if I need use CD HDAdvance disc to install CD games or the DVD HDAdvance disc to install DVD games. For PC transfer use the ethernet crossover way I mentioned earlier. Either type HDAdvance (even 2.0 with a 3.0 install) disc will run either type game already installed. I also have a multi-HDLoader 6 to up to 8c in the Hard Drive for tricky to run games such as DVD9 God of War. Turn on PS2, HDAdvance boots first which then can load if needed, HDLoader as one of the "Game" selections. As matter of fact all my utilities run off the initial boot of HDAdvance including ULaunch, SNES-GENESIS EMUs, and home brew games such Geo Tron.

An end note.
USB HDAdvance/HDLoader is too slow, don't bother going that route.

[gtmtnbiker]

An end note.
USB HDAdvance/HDLoader is too slow, don't bother going that route.

Another option to consider is the Open PS2 Loader. See http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62141 for details.

If you get the Free McBoot menu, then the memory card can't be the problem. It has to be the network adapter or the hard drive.

You haven't mentioned if you tried another hard drive or not. I would try that first. Try putting the hard drive on your PC and do a low level format. That is, format it and see if there are any bad sectors. Just choose the non-quick format option.

Like I mentioned before, I had similar freezing problems and it turned out to be a bad hard drive. The low level format never completed because it found lots of bad sectors.

[Ducky]

CRTGAMER, I'd imagine the Memory Card is fine. I have no other problems other than when accessing the HDD. And it is set to Master, I know that because it wouldn't have been able to read it the first (and only) time.
As for the HDAdvance suggestion, I can't even do that because like I said the PS2 freezes any time it tries to use the HDD.
And yep, this is a fat PS2 (model 30002 R) with a network adapter and an IDE HDD. I am unable to format it anywhere other than when plugged into the computer because of the problem I'm having with what I'm quickly assuming is the Network Adapter. In future though, I will indeed be taking your advice. Putting the HDD into the computer has caused me nightmares. Though I don't see why it wouldn't work for me alone.

gtmtnbiker, I've also tried OPL. It was able to read my USB when I was having those USB problems earlier, however it also hangs when I ask it to read the HDD.
I don't think the HDD is at fault because the numerous times I've formatted it on the computer has pulled up no errors.

So that leaves me with either the Network Adapter (most likely) or perhaps even the PS2 itself? To help narrow this down further, I've asked one of my friends if I can plug my Network Adapter and HDD into his PS2 (a model 500002) and see how that goes. I'll post back my results when I find out.

[gtmtnbiker]

gtmtnbiker, I've also tried OPL. It was able to read my USB when I was having those USB problems earlier, however it also hangs when I ask it to read the HDD.
I don't think the HDD is at fault because the numerous times I've formatted it on the computer has pulled up no errors.

So that leaves me with either the Network Adapter (most likely) or perhaps even the PS2 itself? To help narrow this down further, I've asked one of my friends if I can plug my Network Adapter and HDD into his PS2 (a model 500002) and see how that goes. I'll post back my results when I find out.

Trying it another friend's PS2 is a good idea. Trying another NA (if your friend has one) is also a good idea.

You said that you did a format but what kind of format? There's a big difference. You need to do the non-Quick format. The quick format is quick because it just redo the file allocation table. It doesn't do a sector-by-sector format which takes a lot longer.

I was able to identify an issue with my original harddrive by doing the non-quick format on Windows. It clearly showed that there were tons of bad sectors.

A handful of bad sectors are ok since the drive will mark them to not be used. But when you have a lot, it's best to trash the drive.

[CRTGAMER]

So that leaves me with either the Network Adapter (most likely) or perhaps even the PS2 itself? To help narrow this down further, I've asked one of my friends if I can plug my Network Adapter and HDD into his PS2 (a model 500002) and see how that goes. I'll post back my results when I find out.

Also leaning towards the drive being the culprit. A step further, try either another Network Adaptor or different cheap used IDE drive in that friend's PS2. Just in case, even a different memory card with FMB. Different component one at a time, process of elimination.

EDIT
I noticed your posts about USB. What exactly are you using the USB for? Memory stick? Hard drive enclosure?

[Ducky]

Alrighty, so it froze on his PS2 as well. That leaves it to the HDD or Network Adapter.

Unfortunately, I don't have another IDE to test with. But I pretty confident in saying that it's not the problem because I did various formats. I did a quick and full format with Vista's own Disk Management and I did a quick and full format with Winhiip as well. There were no problems with the HDD.

Yesterday I installed FMCB on another Memory Card. When using that, I still got the freezing so I think it's safe to say it isn't the Memory Card. It can't be the software either because I've tried various HDL's, uLaunchElf and OPL.

As for the USB, CRTGAMER, that was just for loading PS2 elf files. I had accidentally bumped an option because uLaunchElf seems to be super-sensitive with my controller. Now I have that fixed by replacing the uLaunchElf app and it's fine now.

[gtmtnbiker]

Unfortunately, I don't have another IDE to test with. But I pretty confident in saying that it's not the problem because I did various formats. I did a quick and full format with Vista's own Disk Management and I did a quick and full format with Winhiip as well. There were no problems with the HDD.

How long did the full format take? It should take on the order of hours, not minutes.

Check out these two articles:

http://www.computing.net/answers/window ... /1946.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/19622 ... ick-format

I still think it's the hard drive. I'm skeptical of the NA going bad. You should be able to find a small IDE cheap from an old computer. In the US, small IDE drives (under 80GB) are plentiful on Craigslist, Freecycle, etc.

[CRTGAMER]

USB port and Controllers are shared. Also maybe your FMCB or HDLoader files are corrupt? HDAdvance?