PS2 unofficial Launch ELF flavours

Berion

Berion

Developer
The LaunchELF project, gave life to LbFn [1] [2] and a plethora of unofficial LaunchELF forks. So many of the latter have been created that it is difficult for someone who does not follow the so-called scene to choose the right one. I have listed below the versions of the uLE, arranged in the order of appearance of the projects. Each with a brief description of how it differs from the others.

The abbreviated name of unofficial LaunchELF is uLE, but you can still spot wLe (from double unofficial LaunchELF) and uLaunchELF/wLaunchELF.

unofficial LaunchELF v4.42d [1] [2]
The last version of uLE from under EP and Dlanor's keyboard, as well as the last best tested, with the fewest bugs (in my opinion, of course). It is also worth mentioning the experimental version 4.40h, which is the only one of this line that works on old versions of the PCSX2 emulator (although wLE also, so there is no point in hoarding this one).

double unofficial LaunchELF v4.43a (2019-01-14) [1]
Mainly thanks to the work of SP193 and AkuHak, the project evolved from 4.42d, fixed some old bugs, updated the libraries and modules used to the then latest versions. This version was distributed in a package together with FMCB v1.966, and in my opinion, this too is a solid code.

double unofficial LaunchELF v4.43a (rolling release) [1]
Continued development of wLE, thanks in part to the work of Balika and Julian Uy, this time already without separate stable, well-tested builds. Added support for 2TiB HDD, all HDD partitions on DESR models ("hdd0_dvr:/__xdata" and "hdd0_dvr:/__xcontents"), DVD-Video for Free DVD Boot and ESR, fixed some bugs and added some new. ;)

double unofficial LaunchELF kHn (2020-08-10) [1] [2]
Fork based on one of the versions of wLE, modified by krHACKen. It allows renaming any partition on the HDD, as well as running PSX games from *.vcd disc images (that is, actually running POPStarter, to which the relevant parameters are passed). Versions of uLE kHn are always published in the form of not only *.elf, but also *.xin (signed ELF for __mbr partition), *.xlf (signed ELF for PP. partitions), HDD image (i.e. "hdd0:/__mbr") and CD image for so-called Swap Trick.

double unofficial LaunchELF ISR v4.43x Rev* [1] [2] [3]
Fork based on one of the versions of wLE, modified by El_isra. It recognizes, and thus allows to open and edit text files with extensions: *.cfg, *.cht, *.cnf and *.ini. It also does not change the modifier's timestamp "mc?:/LAUNCHELF.CNF" so as not to mess up the exploits: Fortuna, FunTuna, OpenTuna. Depending on the edition, it supports exFAT on external memory, MX4SIO, MMCE, dongles on COH models.

double unofficial LaunchELF ISR HDD v4.43x Rev* [1] [2]
Fork based on one version of wLE, modified by El_isra and Alexparrado. Allows copying files from USB to the Attributes area of any APA partition.

double unofficial LaunchELF XFW [1]
Fork based on one version of wLE, modified by Balika. Allows reading of internal NAND Flash memory ("xfrom0:/") on DESR models.

SmbLaunchELF / NETFS [1] [2] [3]
Fork based on one version of wLE, modified by Ronnie Sahlberg. It adds support for NFS, SMB v2/3 and simplifies the syntax of their configuration file relative to SMB v1.
 
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@krHACKen Thanks. I've updated the first post.

@aldostools I know but I left original link, so everyone can use web archive or similar service to retrieve data. But anyway, I edited now and added it to.

I was thinking about uLE 2TB edition but as far as I know, those changes are part on current wLE (it was created before first wLE released if I'm correct). @sp193 and @akuhak took the code of uLE to a little update it from wip6/wip7, this 2TB edition and wLE was born.

- - -
BTW: I made this thread to list all forks and theirs unique features as for new user could be confused which kid of build to use. Or maybe one day some soul appears which assemble all changes into one "ultimate wLE"? :)
 
Berion said:
Original project of Launch ELF gives born "unofficial Launch ELF" and "LbFn". Both evolved in different ways but only uLE is still alive and only uLE have today a lot of forks. So what each of uLE flavours offering?

unofficial Launch ELF v4.42d
Last version of uLE by EP & Dlanor and last well tested IMO. There was also one experimental build (v4.40h) which works with PCSX2 (PS2 emulator) but current wLE also works with it.
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f113/unofficial-launchelf-v4-42-a-37242/
https://web.archive.org/web/2019111...rums/f113/unofficial-launchelf-v4-42-a-37242/

unofficial Launch ELF v4.43a (yyyy-mm-dd)
Also known as "double unofficial Launch ELF" (wLE), but the name in title is still uLE. Supporting Free DVD Boot, ported to current ps2sdk (so i.e have updated USB modules), some bugs fixed and some new introduced. ;)
https://github.com/ps2homebrew/wLaunchELF

unofficial Launch ELF kHn (mod by @krHACKen)
In addition to wLE, it allows system partition renaming and launching *.vcd (launching POPStarter which will "mount" chosen VCD file). Distributed also as signed executables (XIN/XLF) and mini dump of HDD (setting up as boot from "hdd0:/__mbr").
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/652863740370485258/742327866854998116/wLE_kHn_20200810.7z

unofficial Launch ELF (mod by Balika)
In addition to wLE, it allows to browse DESR flash memory.
https://github.com/xfwcfw/uLaunchELF/commit/927fd4af0467be28ad2070273611f4d33cf31f59

unofficial Launch ELF ISR v4.43x Rev* (mod by @El_isra)
In addition to wLE, it recognizing *.cfg and *.ini files as *.txt. It also doesn't changing time stamp of modified LAUNCHELF.CNF, to prevent breaking *Tuna exploits family.
https://github.com/israpps/wLaunchELF_ISR
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/wlaunchelf-4-43x_isr.32655/

smbLaunchELF (mod by @Ronnie Sahlberg)
wLE with experimental SMBv2/v3 support and simplified Samba configuration.
https://github.com/sahlberg/wLaunchELF/tree/smb2
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/smblaunchelf.32434/
Click to expand...


In addition to .cfg and .ini
.CNF and .CHT support was added.
Also: The changes where ported to 41e4ebe to ensure stability (mostly because this mod is bundled with FunTuna Fork) (the previous version had reports of pasting from mc1 to Mc0 being disabled somehow)
 
Thanks for clarification. So maybe also *.md worth to add as it is the readme choice for all github lurkers? I don't have in mind markdown parsing which could be impossible without serious changes in code, just displaying as is.
 
Berion said:
Thanks for clarification. So maybe also *.md worth to add as it is the readme choice for all github lurkers? I don't have in mind markdown parsing which could be impossible without serious changes in code, just displaying as is.
Click to expand...
Maybe...
But it would be hard to read it...
 
Depend of how many markdowns was used by author. Still better than not read it at all. ;) But I don't remember how uLE threat end unix lines.
 
Berion said:
@krHACKen Thanks. I've updated the first post.

@aldostools I know but I left original link, so everyone can use web archive or similar service to retrieve data. But anyway, I edited now and added it to.

I was thinking about uLE 2TB edition but as far as I know, those changes are part on current wLE (it was created before first wLE released if I'm correct). @sp193 and @akuhak took the code of uLE to a little update it from wip6/wip7, this 2TB edition and wLE was born.

- - -
BTW: I made this thread to list all forks and theirs unique features as for new user could be confused which kid of build to use. Or maybe one day some soul appears which assemble all changes into one "ultimate wLE"? :)
Click to expand...

It would be excellent a "Ultimate Ule" merging all this features and using GUI based in ps2psxe or MC Annihilator os sketch from Omni!
Fizing badly view in certain CRT TV, as well as in the new visual.

oLE_1_rev2.png
oLE_3_rev2.png
oLE_5_rev2.png
oLE_6_rev2.png
06.png
08.png
 
That's needs writing everything relate to GUI from scratch. I would love work on such project, yet I'm only a humble graphic guy. ^^
 
Hey, don't forget about little Pepe...
Here's wLE HWC. This wLE mod is the one packed inside every FreeDVDBoot ISO.
It allows reading the content inside DVD Video discs.
It was made only for that matter (to be launched from a disc), so you need to have a disc inserted in the PS2 in order to run this wLE version.
Keep that in mind. This is not the funky wLE you keep forever in a MC or pendrive. There's better options for that as this one will stop working if your lens gets damaged in the future.
upload_2022-6-9_7-43-1.png


Mod by: Howling Wolf & Chelsea
Special thanks: Fnaf Guy21, Keego, kHn, ffgriever
Source code (plus precompiled .o binaries so people with modern SDKs does not hassle with old libs) is packed inside the RAR
Enjoy it (or hate it, it is wonky, but steady):
 

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But why we needed access to DVD-Video anyway? I mean, normally libs support ISO9660 and Joliet, so what's the difference here as all DVD kinds using ISO9660 and all are pass through by ODD to the rest of the system?
 
Berion said:
But why we needed access to DVD-Video anyway? I mean, normally libs support ISO9660 and Joliet, so what's the difference here as all DVD kinds using ISO9660 and all are pass through by ODD to the rest of the system?
Click to expand...
The difference here is that the console is unmodded. No modchip is allowing us to fully read the contents of the ISO9660 and no ESR patches are in place, so we need to do an IOP reset, load the homebrew libcdvd and then load scedvdv and pscedvdv in that specific order, which are ESR's IRX files. Even if the MechaCon auths the DVD Video disc, it does not means it gives PS2 executables permissions to read every file inside. Think for a second, why FreeDVDBoot places wLE's ELF file inside the "VIDEO_TS" folder and under the name "VTS_02_0.IFO" instead of just "wLE.ELF" in the root of the disc? So, for unmodded consoles, we need to do our magic so users can do stuff like this:
Yes, there's wLE, FCEU and SNES Station in there as standalone ELFs, but all of them has either a new libcdvd made by uyjulian or some bits of ESR inside.
 
Bad example... This one doesn't require it, because it is a standalone ELF without external assets, nor does it need any CDVD-lib. It is already in RAM THX to the DVD-Player's IFO-Parser being stupid. :D
 
TnA said:
Bad example... This one doesn't require it, because it is a standalone ELF without external assets, nor does it need any CDVD-lib. It is already in RAM THX to the DVD-Player's IFO-Parser being stupid. :D
Click to expand...
That's exactly the point. Please, do read again what I wrote.
 
Nah... You wrote that there are multiple standalone ELFs "in there" which have additional code to access the content of DVD-Video-Discs.

I wrote that this additional code is not necessary, when the standalone ELF doesn't read more stuff from the disc and is started as "IFO 2"!
 
TnA said:
Nah... You wrote that there are multiple standalone ELFs "in there" which have additional code to access the content of DVD-Video-Discs.

I wrote that this additional code is not necessary, when the standalone ELF doesn't read more stuff from the disc and is started as "IFO 2"!
Click to expand...
Indeed. That code is not necessary in that case scenario, but with FreeDVDBoot, CTurt wanted people to be able t build their own discs with various ELFs inside if they want to. Same goes for emulators and backups of ROMs.
 
I know that...

Doesn't change the fact, that your claim was partially wrong and mine was not... :P
 
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