Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

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ElDanteDelAnte
shadow
Posts: 6

Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#1 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:53 pm

Hello everyone. New Online member here, and I need some help

I've been able to browse online with my Dreamcast via DreamPi, but I cannot yet connect to the PSO servers.

My setup:
I have an authentic copy of PSO Ver. 2 (recently purchased), but a previously owned Dreamcast. It came with a serial/key set that got me as far as character creation, but when I tried to get online it asked me for my Ver. 1 serial/key, which I do not have (it's a new character). I used the pairs from this site (http://www.tweeg.psoarchive.com/snak.html ) and it got me as far as attempting to connect to the servers, which ultimately failed. I am supposedly able to play in single-player mode, but I have little interest in coming this far just to play alone.

My problem:
I believe I need a copy of the Sylverant boot disc. Unfortunately my computer has been having trouble burning discs. I normally use DiscJuggler, but I took it into the local RadioShack to see if my buddy could burn it there, and he gave me a copy of Xilisoft, which is supposed to be able to burn .cdi images, but the loader.cdi from the site failed to open. I tried the same with PowerISO, but it couldn't recognize the file either, despite claiming compatibility with .cdi images. My RadioShack buddy says he can try to burn the disc for me, but at this point I'm not too hopeful that he'll have better luck than I did.

My hunches and ideas:
Is the posted Sylverant .cdi broken?
Do I need to convert it to a different format before burning?
If it seems like nothing can be done, would someone who got it working be willing to mail me a disc with the freeware burned onto it?

yroc52
shadow
Posts: 5

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#2 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:41 pm

i use img burn with the cdi files (https://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download) bottom of the page, look for cdi mounter. and for pso, you will have to flash the onboard dreamcast memory to get rid of the old v1 serial and re enter the v2 serial (i assume). also look at the pso disk itself and check to make sure you really have a v2 disc. thats my 2 cents anyway.

yroc52
shadow
Posts: 5

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#3 » Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:43 pm

also dont use those serials if you have your own serial. you wont be able to track youe individual stats and sylverant might kick/ban you. or so ive heard

ElDanteDelAnte
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#4 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:49 am

Afraid I can't use ImgBurn either. My machine recognizes the current version as malware, and a bit of research tells me that this is in fact not an accident. The earlier version that's on the Dreamcast Live site simply disappears from my machine when I try to run it, even though my antivirus shows it as clean when I scan it.

I may have to flash the memory but it seems like I will need the boot disc regardless. That said, will just my v2 serial/key pair be enough if I flash the memory? The system seems to recall some previous v2 serial (no matching key), but the way the game is currently behaving it seems I don't have a complete set without a v1 pair.

When run, the game will behave like it knows it's a v2, so I have little doubt about that.

SMiTH
Black Mesa
Posts: 1492

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#5 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 7:01 am

if the imgburn version you are trying to use has issues, then try using an older version or use disk juggler.
imgburn needs the pftoc files to add diskjuggler support.
if you are having issues with any of the pso cdi files, make your own selfboot version from the raw gdi files and create an .nrg iso
then use nero to burn the .nrg
or buy a gdemu and use a gdi file from sd.
or buy a sd card adapter and play pso v1 only.
or play pso for pc instead ;)

maybe your gd rom laser is slowly dying?
soon it will not boot any disk..retail or cd-r!

use flash eraser disk to clear dc memory.
use the serial from your retail pso disk if you have it.
if the serial is ver2 it should say so on the sticker that came with the retail pso disk.
if you want use a shared serial instead.
basically you can't have a unique guild card on server if you use shared serial.

easy way to tell what version of pso you have is: orange text for character name is v2, white text for character name is v1.
35 AE FF FF is v2
FF FF FF FF is v1

connect to sylverant server or connect to another server or host your own server.
there are different servers, you're not stuck with choosing only one.
at least there used to be... some1 will chime in soon?
if you want to host a server there is software available.

host a dns server or use dreampi master dns or use patch disk or use auto connect disk or use codebreaker codes.
there are probably a few things i am leaving out..but, you have many options.
idk maybe this helps?

User avatar
Bob Dobbs
Sub Genius
Posts: 4393
Contact:

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#6 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:02 pm

Here is what actually had to do based on a previously owned Dreamcast with a new PSOv2 disc.

1. Flash the Dreamcast with Flash Eraser.
2. Redo the dial-up settings and/or BBA settings.
3. Register your legit copy with Sylverant. To note, this step I should have done but I didn't being I do use the Dreamcast PSO GD-ROM disc.
4. Once you are verified as registered, you are ready to use your PSOv2 disc. I am in the USA but I use the PALv2 version with the PSO loader disc only because at one time the NTSC/U version was an issue getting online.

All of this works, so I know not what else to tell you if these steps are not helpful to you.

SMiTH is right on about burning. I use the DC-Live suggested software but rarely that fails. That is when I use DiscJuggler 6.
Regards,
Bob Dobbs

ElDanteDelAnte
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#7 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:53 pm

I used to run DiscJuggler but it hasn't been working lately. It keeps giving me an "overburn error" like the machine ran out of RAM because it's old. For some reason it also thinks that the launcher.cdi is meant to be burned to a DVD?

The laser in my computer might be dying, yes. I've had better (though still mixed) results using an external drive, but I don't have that on me right now. The laser in my Dreamcast is fine, it runs backup discs without an issue. This still doesn't explain why I'm having so much trouble getting the burn process to even start.

The sticker on the case specifies they are v2 codes. It might be that until I flash the drive, it's going to want a full set of two pairs.

The Dreamcast Live version of ImgBurn IS an earlier version, unless you mean to go even further back than that. My next attempt is going to be using Alcohol 120% FE, may try much older version of ImgBurn after that.

I went the DreamPi route because the emulator wasn't cooperating with me when I tried to run and connect to the server. It's been years now, so I suppose I could try that again, but I've already dropped upwards of $100 into getting this most authentic experience and I don't want this final barrier to be what does this plan in.

ElDanteDelAnte
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#8 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:46 pm

Good news: Alcohol 120% can open the .cdi file. I still get the error on trying to burn, so it looks like my drive is probably busted, but this means I've found something that my buddy at the RadioShack can work with. The only problem I can foresee is the burn speed might go too quickly. I need to set it to 8x or lower, but A120% didn't want to set it any lower than 188x or so. Still, this is progress.

I'll see what I can do about flashing the system, give my buddy the .cdi on a thumb drive and some CDs, tell him A120% looks promising, and I'll see how it goes from there.

ElDanteDelAnte
shadow
Posts: 6

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#9 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:22 pm

Actually, is there any chance I can get a link to the Flash Eraser? Having a hard time finding it.

yroc52
shadow
Posts: 5

Re: Help: PSO Sylverant Boot Disc

Post#10 » Fri Jul 03, 2020 4:16 pm


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