psxc_xpandr

A safe hack to expand and/or replace virtually games in a PlayStation Classic using an external USB drive, with no risk. Once you remove the USB drive and make a cold restart, the console works as if nothing was done.

Features:

• Minimal modification of PlayStation Classic internal storage
• Can keep or virtually replace the original installed games (loaded from USB drive instead or internal memory)
• Can add new games (loaded also from USB)
• Extracts automatically most of the needed files when used on a blank USB drive
• Adds support for access to the console emulator menu using simultaneously the buttons Select and Triangle of a controller
• Optionally compatible to play with two controllers, using a USB hub
• Optional UI modifications support
• Optional cheats support via cheatpops.db

Read this in other languages: English, Español.

Installation

Format a compatible USB drive using FAT32 and name it SONY.

Download the latest release file from here. Unzip its contents and copy, at least, the folder 691843bb-62d6-4423-a105-19c06af91a8c to the root of the drive.

Place your game files in numbered directories inside a games folder in the root of the drive, as explained later in this text.

Use

First Use

On first use with a blank USB drive, the following folders and files are copied from the internal media to the USB drive

/
|
+-data
|  +-GR
|  |  +-Acid_B_BTN.png
|  |  (...)
|  |  +-X_Btn_ICN.png
|  |
|  +-system
|    +-20-joystick.rules
|    +-custom.pre
|    +-pcsx
|    +-sonyapp-copylink
|    (...)
|
+-games
    +-custom.db

These can be customized to change the UI, add support for a second controller when using a USB hub, etc. Keep reading for more instructions.

Customization

Add a new game by using BIN/CUE files and a Game.ini file

In the games dir create a new folder with a numerical identifier (GAME_ID), which has to be unique. Use a number between 1 and 20 if you desire to virtually replace an existing game. Use a number greater than 20 if you want to add virtually a new game. For new games, do not make gaps in the GAME_ID numeration (i.e use 21,22,23... and not 21,25...).

Inside of that directory you need to put at least those files:

• BASENAME.cue: Disc CUE file (normally, use as BASENAME string the original disc identifier)
• BASENAME.bin: Disc BIN (use the same BASENAME string)
• BASENAME.png: PNG image with less than 512x521 pixels size (use the same BASENAME)
• pcsx.cfg: PCSX configuration file for the game (a sample file is available to download here)
• Game.ini: Game description file with the following format:

[Game]
Discs=...
Title=...
Publisher=...
Players=...
Year=...

Where the different fields must be filled as follows:

Field	Description
Discs	Name (in order) of the BIN/CUE files of the game, separated by commas
Title	Game Title
Publisher	Game Publisher
Players	Number of players (1 or 2)
Year	Game release year

For example, for a game called "Res Evl 2", with two discs with BIN/CUE files called SUES-00972.bin, SUES-00972.cue, SUES-10972.bin, SUES-10972.cue, one player game and published in 1997 by "Pepi Interactive", it would be:

[Game]
Discs=SUES-00972,SUES-10972
Title=Res Evl 2
Publisher=Pepi Interactive
Players=1
Year=1997

Modify User Interface

Edit the files inside data/GR directory as you wish. For example, to change the UI background, edit the JP_US_BG.png file.

Add support for second controller when using a USB hub

Edit the file data/system/20-joystick.rules, replacing its content with

KERNEL=="js0",SUBSYSTEMS=="input",SYMLINK+="input/joystick0"
KERNEL=="js1",SUBSYSTEMS=="input",SYMLINK+="input/joystick1"

Adding support for more than 25 games

Edit the file data/system/sonyapp-copylink, changing the number 25 in the second line (COUNT_MAX=25) for a greater number.

Adding cheats

Copy or create a cheatpops.db file inside the directory /games of your USB drive.

Using a customized pcsx binary

You can change the extracted data/system/pcsx emulator executable for another one, for example, that has the mipmap_patch applied (see here for more info).

Changing or removing the splash screen

It is possible to change the splash screen by replacing the splash.jpg file in the folder 691843bb-62d6-4423-a105-19c06af91a8c. You can also remove the splash screen if you delete the file from the drive.

Localizing the text shown on splash screen

You can add your own localized text. The scripts checks for the value of iUiUserSettingSelectedLanguageId in the file /media/data/system/custom.pre, and then uses the contents of the corresponding .strings file in the folder 691843bb-62d6-4423-a105-19c06af91a8c. Just copy one of the existing files, rename it to the number of your language and translate the text.

Force a PAL game to run in NTSC

To force a PAL game to run in NTSC, set the value region = 1 in games/GAME_ID/pcsx.cfg.

Run a game in double resolution

To make a game to run in double resolution, set the value gpu_neon.enhancement_enable = 1 in games/GAME_ID/pcsx.cfg.

Add a new game by editing manually custom.db

If you prefer so, it is possible to add by yourself the games to the database. In this case, do not create a Game.ini file, open games/custom.db in an SQLite Editor of your choice, and insert new entries to the GAME table as follows:

Field	Content description
GAME_ID	Numerical identifier, has to be unique
GAME_TITLE_STRING	Name of the game
PUBLISHER_NAME	Name of the Publisher
RELEASE_YEAR	Year the game was released
PLAYERS	Number of players
RATING_IMAGE	Must be CERO_A
GAME_MANUAL_QR_IMAGE	Must be QR_Code_GM
LINK_GAME_ID	Must be empty

Then, insert corresponding entries per each disc for each game to the DISC table:

Field	Content description
GAME_ID	GAME_ID from the GAME table
DISC_NUMBER	Disc number
BASENAME	Name of the disc cue/bin file pair, without extension

Finally, you have to add actual game files. In the games dir create a new folder with the GAME_ID from previous steps. Inside of that directory you need to put at least those files:

• BASENAME.cue: Disc CUE file (use BASENAME value from the DISC table)
• BASENAME.bin: Disc BIN (use BASENAME value from the DISC table)
• BASENAME.png: PNG image with less than 512x521 pixels size (use BASENAME value from the DISC table)
• pcsx.cfg: PCSX configuration file for the game (a sample file is available to download here)

Replace an existing game changing custom.db

To replace an existing game, open games/custom.db in an SQLite Editor of your choice.

Modify the entries for the existing game in GAME and DISC table, keeping the format.

Then go to games dir and create a new folder with the GAME_ID, and add all the necessary files.

Credits

Based on:

• lolhack, a payload launcher created by madmonkey
• The original gpghax by justMaku
• Access Esc Menu from Select + Triangle on controller by andshrew
• PCSX ReARMed, PCSX port for ARM by Notaz (info about cheatpops.db)
• u/rubixcube6's post about how to make custom themes
• u/NonyaDB's explanation to overcome 25 games limit
• Neeraj Kumar's instructions for cross-compiling to ARM
• Vicente Hernando's instructions to cross-compile SQLite3
• PSC_RetroBoot, by u/genderbent

FAQ

Does this modify my console?

The script tries to keep to a minimum the number of files and directories modified in the internal storage of the console, mounting virtually most of the data from your USB drive. However, a minimal amount of data has to be created in order for it to work.

Files/directories that the script creates in the internal media:

• For any directory that you create in /games, if it doesn't exist, an empty directory with the same name is created in the internal media in /gaadata
• For any directory that you create in /games, if it doesn't exist, a directory with the same name is created in /data/AppData/sony/pcsx/.
• For any directory that you create in /games, inside the directory with the same name in /data/AppData/sony/pcsx/, a symbolic link .pcsx/pcsx.cfg is created for the pcsx.cfg in your USB drive.
• If you provide a cheatpops.db file, an empty one with the same name is created inside the directory /data/AppData/sony/pcsx.

Can it brick my console?

The probability is almost none, as none of the original files in the console are modified. A lot of work has been made to try to make it as failsafe as possible, however, no warranties are made or responsibilities taken for any damage that you could make to your console by using it. Please, don't do if you if you are not sure of what you are doing.

How does it work?

The file LUPDATA.bin inside the folder 691843bb-62d6-4423-a105-19c06af91a8 is a Shell script (source available here), encrypted and signed so that the internal update system of an original PlayStation Classic recognises it, copies it to a temporary directory an executes its contents. Then, the script stops the main console menu, mounts virtually files and folders from the USB stick, reconfigures temporarily the system, editing if necessary the database copy using the included sqlite3 binary, and launches again the main menu software. This way, if the PlayStation Classic is powered off, and then started again without the USB drive, everything should work as if no modifications were made.

I have deleted a game folder, but the game is still shown

If you are using Game.ini files, just delete the custom.db file from the USB media and power off, removing the power cable. Connect the power again, and start the console with the USB drive attached. The game database will be recreated from scratch, using only the existing folders. If you changed manually the database file, you have to remove the corresponding entries in GAME and DISC tables.

Is the custom.db file always edited on start?

Yes, whenever the script finds a Game.ini file, the database file is edited accordingly. If you don't want this to happen, just delete or rename the Game.ini for each affected game.

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2019, kounch All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.