PS2OS Version 0.3b (alpha) 06/February/2005
PS2World.it Team

Thanks for choosing PS2OS, a free program for your console management. The program is still in a developement phase, we're still at the beginning, but it smells really good. This project was born as a tool that can make comfortable the use of your PS2 for everything that is unrelated to gaming. Through this tool the management of a lot of features, for which you need a lot of different programs, will be easier.

######### READ CAREFULLY #########
This ps2os' version is only a BUGFIX version and has nothing new apart from an integrated Ftp, the background music cut-off and several bugs solved ;)  
After many suggestions, our team decided to abandon this version in order to migrate towards a new PS2OS; the features of this new new version (the release date isn't yet announced) will be:
- PS2OS will be fully skinnable 
- Support for any tipe of devices (mc0 and mc1) and the opportunity of mounting 2 partition at the same time for partition-to-partition copy
- Graphic library migration from libito towards gslib
- Video definition improved with wobble cut-off
- You can now view Source and Destination in two separate windows
- External developers can now develop plugins due to two libraries (OSGFX and OSFS), created on purpose by team PS2OS
- Plug-in installation
- Application management and installation
- A new (and separate from OS ELF) OS installer. OS will be slimmer than the other versions, in order to allow a full installation on MC and DEV1 too (we hope we'll find infos about the various chips for this kind of setup)
- On the startup, Os' partition will be locked and will be available only in "Safe recovery mode"
- Safe recovery mode boot, will exclude skin,plugin loading. This mode will allow the uninstall of these options in order to avoid problems linked to these features. (This mode will be reachable through a button-pressing during the boot sequence)
- 48-bit HDD Support (Maintaining the old drivers too. A bool option that you'll be able to turn on/off)
- HOST, FTP, ecc services turn on/off opportunity
- Simple and semi-walk-through USBD.IRX driver installation (irx driver search in cd/dvd supports and istallation with the single button press)
- PS2Os working without an HDD too (In lite mod without the possibility of loading plugins, skins and apps)




THE PROJECT:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ps2OS will include various features:
- FILE MANAGER: With this tool you'll be able to copy files between peripherals like HDD,Memory card, USB Pen drive, HOST; you can also delete files for those devices. It'll include HDD partition management too.

- APP MANAGER: From that tool you'll be able to install homebrew apps onto the HDD and launch them in a comfortable way from it and from the Main Menu either with the fast boot feature

- MEMORY MANAGER: Tool for savefile management; copy them from MC to HDD and vice versa.

- BOOT CD/DVD: Tool for PS2 CD/DVD boot.

- BROWSER: Feature for original PS2 browser launching (useful if you use ps2os from dev1 mod)
 

The program has an elaborated GUI as the major force point, in order to provide the final user all the tools that it needs without occurring in strange button combos...the only thing you've to do is reading the fluent tutorial at the bottom of the screen in order to unveil all the program's features.


DEVELOPING PROGRESS
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Impemented features:

        - HDD & partition management
        - Memory card management (Files, Directories, savegames viewer)
        - USB Pen Drive 1.1 and 2.0 compatibility (File USBD.IRX needed, please read technical notes)
        - Read/Write support for external USB drive
        - CD/DVD boot
        - Browser comeback feature
        - Savegames management

Features that have to be implemented:

        - Apps installation (Partially implemented)
        - Fast apps boot (Partially implemented)
        - And more to come

INSTALLATION
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Once you launched PS2OS for the first time, will appear a setup screen. From this screen you'll be able to center your screen. choose the language (italian or english), choose the size for the PS2OS' partition and eventually the option for dev1 install.

PS2OS is installable in the dev1 modality, but you've to have a modchip compatible with the devolution mode: DMS3, Infinity, O2MOD,CrystalChip, DMS4... the only thing you need is pressing the square button during the setup... WARNING: It will delete your chip browser (crystal bootmanager, dms explorer...) and won't be added as an app in the browser menu. Only 150k will be required on the mc, the app will entirely reside on the HDD.
An update feature is included too, so when a new release of Ps2os will come, you'll just have to run the new version from cdrom or host, go to the config screen and choose Update. In this way the old PS2OS will be updated to the newest version.

Fast launcher feature does not work prefectly; it will fully work when ps2os pc client will be ready.



TECHNICAL NOTES
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

PS2OS needs a Network Adaptor + HDD installed in order to work.

In order to grant the correct functioning of the USB Pen Drive:

  - If you run PS2OS from a PC through ps2client + ps2link 1.23 you have to put USBD.IRX file in the directory where you launch PS2OS.
  - If you run PS2OS from DEV1 or CD-ROM you have to put the USBD.IRX file in the mc0:/PS2OSCFG/ directory.

This file can be found in Naplink CD or inside some cd demos/games. It' very important that the files is named USBD.IRX in capital letters. If this operation (capitalization) won't be made, mass: unit won't be available.


THANKS TO:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Special thanks from team ps2world to the guys @ ps2dev.org mainly to:
t0mb0la for ps2menu sources
ole for mass usb drivers
hermes for his cogswap loader

The team Ps2world:
sincro    --> coder
c0d3x     --> Graphics and testing
weltall   --> testing


Check out latest news at:
http://www.ps2world.it
http://ps2os.ps2world.it


---------------------------
What's new in 0.3b

- A lot of new bugs solved
- Improved Dev1 installation
- Finally the savegame support is fully working
- Added the BMC (backup memory card) features
- Added read/write support for external USB devices
- Exploit 50% compatible (you need to launch first ps2menu otherwise it won't work)
- Fully working on v9/v10 console.

____________________________________________________________________________
SEE YA WITH PS2OS 0.4 First Beta!!! :D