Tutorial w/ Pics: Getting GcoS and playing backups w/ a MaxDrivePro! (Softmod)

[brucedlx]

Please feel free to incorporate this into the first post of the "Playng with AR MDPRo" Sticky on this section. I see a lot of questions asked about this (including myself when I was starting) and I personally believe softmod is advantageous to those who don't feel comfortable w/ soldering, don't want to unscrew GC, may want to preserve their collectors value etc.

Start:
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OK. I have received the Max Drive Pro in the mail today (about time) and am pleased to say it works FLAWLESSLY!

I will post a tutorial on how ridiculously ez it is to go from just a gamecube to being able to back up GC games!

Step 1: Buy the Max Drive PRO Memory card from:

North American Nintendo Fans Buy here (http://us.codejunkies.com/shop/product.asp?c=US&cr=USD&cs=$&r=0&l=1&ProdID=297)

Europeans Click Here (http://us.codejunkies.com/shop/product.asp?c=GB&cr=GBP&cs=£&r=1&l=1&ProdID=297)

Note 2 Things:
1. You MUST buy the Max Drive PRO (Not Max Drive EVO or any other Action Replay memcard)
2. The only place to actually buy these is directly from the website. They aren't on eBay or in stores.

Step 2: Here you have 2 options. You can either buy some blank Mini-DVD's (recommended) from you favorite store or online retailer, OR you can buy a replacement top for your GC and use Standard DVD-R (Note it MUST be DVD-R not +R, +RW or -RW).

A good place to buy blank minis: www.blankmedia.ca

I find that Ritek Ridata Mini DVD-R 4x works very well. I've heard even no-namers will do the job, but personally have only used Ritek.

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/6513/p10100633sw.jpg (http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100633sw.jpg)

Replacement tops: Here (http://www.interesting-devices.com/asp/product.asp?product=446&ph=related)

This tut. deals with Mini-DVD's, so if you decide to go the replacement top route, you need to find out how to install it elsewhere. This method works, but I haven't tested it personally.

Step 3: Wait for everything to arrive in the mail.

Step 4: When your package arrives, the MD Pro supplies should look a little something like this:

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/1113/p10100551er.jpg (http://img394.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100551er.jpg)

PLEASE NOTE: If your discs do not say PRO, please throw out this memory card and your blanks because it won't work. IT MUST BE MAX DRIVE PRO

Step 5:
Download the most recent version of GcoS (Currently 1.5). You can get 1.5 from HERE (http://www.dlxserver.com/gcos1.5.rar). Extract it to a folder.

Step 6: Insert the Computer Software MiniDVD into your DVDWriter. It should autorun and install the software. You may have to reboot after this.

Step 7: Once this is finished, open up the MDPro Software.

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5057/aaaaasddddd7ov.jpg (http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aaaaasddddd7ov.jpg).

Plug the USB Cable provided into the little hole on top of the memcard. It should look as pictured below when finished, don't try to push the metal all the way in because it won't go.

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/6715/p10100563da.jpg (http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100563da.jpg)

Now, open the folder in which you extracted GcoS1.5, and drag the file called GcoS 1.5(PSO).dol into the Cube window in your MDPro program. It will ask if you want to convert this to a memcard file, press yes. It will upload the file onto your memory card.

Step 8: OK, the "Hacking" part is all done. What you need now is to find some gamecube iso-, err, "Backups" of your games. (These can be made yourself with a BBA, or, found from torrents, ftp, usenet etc.) I'm not gonna tell you where to get ISO's, this is one step you need to do by yourself, and should be able to do by yourself.

Step 9: Extract your iso and burn it w/ Nero. (I have only used Nero v7 and I have not yet had a problem). If you get a .gcm file, rename it to .iso and burn away w/ nero. NOTE1: If your GCM is <~1.3GB in size, you must use a tool called Wiped GCM Fixer (http://www.lekkertjooos.nl/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=53). This requires the knowledge of MS-DOS but will fix your gcm, so u can rename it to .iso and burn. NOTE2: When burning w/ Nero, it is IMPERATIVE that you tick the FINALIZE Button, otherwise your games will not work. You should now have the memory card with GcoS 1.x loaded on it, and an ISO. Your almost there!

Step 10: Insert your Max Drive Pro into memory card slot 1 of your gamecube. Note that this can be used as a (HUGE) memory card normally while your playing your games too!!!

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/8856/p10100575le.jpg (http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100575le.jpg)

Step 11: Insert the MiniDVD That came with your MDPro (the one for the gamecube, not the one that says PC Software) into your gamecube.

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/1491/p10100609an.jpg (http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100609an.jpg)

Step 12: Turn on the gamecube. It will take a while for the program to load, but only the first time. From there on in it will be quick. Now you should be at the main screen. Select the GcoS 1.5(PSO).dol file and press start (it should be the only one on there right now so just press start).

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/148/p10100612yv.jpg (http://img473.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100612yv.jpg)

Step 13:
Now you should be at the GcoS main menu. Select the Boot Game option, from here on in it's pretty simple. It will tell you to swap your game so open up the lid and put in your backup. After this, it will detect the game, and give you 3 loading options.

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/110/p10100624cs.jpg (http://img468.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10100624cs.jpg)

-If your backup is the same region (PAL or NTSC) as your gamecube, just choose the Autodetect Region function (Press A)

- If your backup is differently region coded than your gamecube (IE PAL game NTSC Gamecube) force loading for the region of your gamecube (X or Y depending on your region, IE if you have a PAL gamecube force load as PAL).

Step 14: Wait for the moment of joy, than jump for happiness! Your laughing now. Enjoy the game and thanks for reading this long-winded craP!
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End.

Suggestions/Questions?

[emu_kidid]

You may want to link to the fullsized pictures instead and possibly change the hosting (i'm unsure how long pictures last on imageshack).

With that being said, it's a great guide, thread stickied! :)

[brucedlx]

Yea you guys don't have standard BBcode it seems since I just copy/pasted the imageshack links. I'll try to fix it later.

Anyways, thanks for sticky and thank YOU for making such a great thing to put on the memcard in the first place!

[elosnocxam]

And for those who wants to protect there MaxdrivePro mini-dvd, here is a fast-made boxart for DVD keepcase.

Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[_NGC] MaxDrivePro.jpg)
Alt Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[_NGC] MaxDriveProAlt.jpg)

Feel free to do a better one if you wish, but post it here as we can all get it ;)

[brucedlx]

Great idea mate, but links are dead :(

[DeepBlade]

hey brucedlx, I was wondering if I could use parts of your guide in my guide. I don't have MaxDrivePro so I don't know how it works, but your guide is really useful. You'll be given credit in my tutorial.

[brucedlx]

Yea sure feel free to use any or all of this tutorial if your gonna give credit!

[DeepBlade]

check it out:
http://www.gamecubeos.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=32&forum=10

[rchris710]

Is there an alternative site to get the maxdrive pro. I bought it a few months ago I tried emailing these guys no response, I even called the telephone number it asked to leave a msg but I did speak to a rep by going to operator first. Anyways whenever I connected the mem card to the PC it didnt detect it while all other usb devices did. I sent the memory card in and never got crap back

[toad86]

Nice guide :)

But:
(Note it MUST be DVD-R not +R, +RW or -RW).
Sometime when scene was more alive, i read that +R works better than -R... I have'nt got possibility to use +R, because my burner dont support it. But just a thought :)


And little suggestion to stickies...
Some forums are gone that whole first page is almost full of stickies, and forum turns into "bumb" flood because everyone want to own question to be on first page. So let's prevent this going to that kind of forum by removing useless stickies. I think "GCOS 1.4 - Released!" is quite old and useless...
Or do like one thread like "LINKS TO IMPORTANT TOPICS" and unstick less used stickies and put links of them to it :)

[cloudspear]

is there another place to buy Max Drive PRO Memory card because the link in the tuts doesn't work anyomore. thanks

[d00dness]

Not to beat a dead horse, but is there any other 'soft mod' software out there that does the same thing as MaxDrivePro since these are discontinued?? Thanks..

[Dany23]

does this method work with the Action Replay (Max Evo) for GC? Because the Max Drive Pro is discontinued, i can't buy it from Codejunkies/Datel website anymore. I can only find the AR discs for GC. Will that let me install the GCOS 1.5 on the memory card? i just bought a GC for 50$ and wanna softmod it somehow

Dany26

[toad86]

does this method work with the Action Replay (Max Evo) for GC? Because the Max Drive Pro is discontinued, i can't buy it from Codejunkies/Datel website anymore. I can only find the AR discs for GC. Will that let me install the GCOS 1.5 on the memory card? i just bought a GC for 50$ and wanna softmod it somehow

Dany26

I remember there been a thread about the Evo, that it does'nt work with it, i'm not sure though. Use the search function to make sure.

[Dany23]

then, u know any place that let me buy the max drive pro disc with the ms?
i know it hard to find, but maybe I can find it somewhere :p

Dany26


I remember there been a thread about the Evo, that it does'nt work with it, i'm not sure though. Use the search function to make sure.

[toad86]

then, u know any place that let me buy the max drive pro disc with the ms?
i know it hard to find, but maybe I can find it somewhere :p

Dany26

I dont know :)

[Dany23]

nevermind about the max drive pro, I found an alternate method for loading homebrews on the GC via GCOS 1.5, you only need the SD Media Launcher (1GB or the 2Gb doesnt matter), the setup is similar to the Max Drive Pro one, (you copy the dol file to the memory card via the pc, then u insert the media launcher and the 1gb card in the GC, u load the media disc, u boot GCOS (or any other .dol) file and voila...same reults. I already ordered the media launcher yersterday, should be here in 1-5 business days :D

Dany26

here is the full tutorial:

hxxp://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/468895 (replace the x's with t's)



I dont know :)

[elosnocxam]

And for those who wants to protect there MaxdrivePro mini-dvd, here is a fast-made boxart for DVD keepcase.

Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[_NGC] MaxDrivePro.jpg)
Alt Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[_NGC] MaxDriveProAlt.jpg)

Feel free to do a better one if you wish, but post it here as we can all get it ;)

Here is the new adress for these "fast-made boxart"


Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[HARDWARE]_MaxDrivePro.jpg)
Alt Box (http://gbarts.free.fr/NGC/Boxarts/[HARDWARE]_MaxDriveProAlt.jpg)