Max Drive, Game Save and making video files thread.

[CFM]

Hey guys, sorry if this has been covered, but I searched and couldn't find anything. I got my MAXDrive yesterday and it's giving me trouble. Works fine on the PS2 (well, if I use USB Port 2 for some reason) but on the PC Windows keeps picking it up as a generic USB mem stick which it can't read (props show 0 bytes used/free, Explorer marks it as "Removable Disk" and asks for a disk to be inserted if I try to open it).

I've installed the Datel driver, and once this is done, it will always use this driver, even when not working. Occasionally I get lucky and it comes up as a MAXDrive, and all is good, so the device DOES work, but this is like 1 out of 10 tries, maybe.

Anyone else have this problem? I've formatted the MAXDrive using the software that came with it, didn't help. I'm getting very frustrated and I'm worried I have a faulty MAXDrive. Help!

Maybe try going into your contraol panel, add/remove programs, and remove the Max Drive software. Then try re-installing it. That's all I can think of right now.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Do you have any other USB drivers on your computer or do you use other USB sticks? It sounds like your max drive is haveing a clash with another device or something and your computer is finding it hard to distinguish (sp) whats what.

I dont even need software for my maxdrive its just plug and play and works just like a normal flash drive.

 

[rdaley]

As a newcomer to online discussions and to your very interesting posts on GT4 can someone guide me to a link or instruct me as to how to save to a USB drive?
I would appreciate this very much.
88.4% complete
all gold licenses
all missions completed
a few one make races left
2 24 hour le Mans races left

 

[Small_Fryz]

Do you have a maxdrive?, if not search this thread for the word Maxdrive and you will find much info about it.

 

[Androoos]

Zeratul,

Are you running Windows XP? With Service Pack 2? It sounds like the problem you're having would happen on an older system that's not as familiar with USB, maybe Win2K or WinME?

Also, does your computer have USB 2.0 or 1.1? That may have something to do with it too.

Strange that its not showing up with Windows. Might you be able to return it to the store and get something like a SanDisk Cruzer Mini drive? I've had ZERO problems with mine so far.

Also, since you say it only works in USB port 2 on the PS2, you *may* have a defective MaxDrive...even more reason to try to return it!

Keep us posted.

 

[ZeratulSG]

Thanks for the tips guys, but no luck so far. Both PCs have USB 2.0 and run WinXP (no SP2 though) and WinServer2003 respectively (home and work). The only other USB devices connected are mouse and keyboard, so no likely conflicts there. Interestingly, this morning after I posted my original query, I had the same problem with another normal USB mem stick, but only once and briefly, in that props suddenly showed 0 bytes used/free and I couldn't access the stick. Reinserting it seemed to fix it, and as I said the MAXDrive has worked (ask kragbees I mailed him my Week 8 WRS replay earlier) it's just inconsistent and takes several tries (inserting it and removing it) before it does.

Personally I think all USB controllers are out to get me, because I've had a myriad of problems with USB devices in the past (for example, my DFP will not work on two of my four USB ports on my PC at home).

As for returning it, well I ordered it from Play-Asia.com, so I'd rather not have to mail it back to them and go through all of that if I can help it. So any other tips would be helpful!

Thanks guys 👍

 

[CrackHoor]

ZSG, I had a similar problem with both my Kingston USB drive and my MaxDrive being visible but not accessible. I had to go into Computer Management (right click on My Computer, click on Manage) and manually change the drive letter for them - XP had assigned them a drive letter that was already mapped to a network drive. Since then, they've been recognized as a K: and M: drive every time. Could it be something like that?

 

[Androoos]

OK, it sounds much more complicated than I originally thought. You know how computers are. And yeah, sending it back doesn't sound like a good idea either!

I wonder if there's a problem with your mainboard and the USB connections...weird that it happens on more than one USB device.

Honestly, I had to chuckle about this problem, as it's the 100% opposite of the problem I was having with my CompactFlash/SmartMedia card reader. The PC recognized it just fine. The PS2 said it had 0 of almost 400 gigabytes of space left on it, although the card I had in it was only 128MB. Weird, but the SanDisk Cruzer solved my problems.

Let us know if you stumble upon a solution, I'm curious to find out what it is.

 

[bleurabbit7]

I'm going out to get a MAX DRIVE. Can I also use this to transfer pics from the game to here (the forum) as thumbs, or should I get a 'drive stick'? I've never posted pics before. I've read how to but I'm retarded and will always need learning.

 

[eggmann]

you need a max drive from somewhere and for photos you need a USB drive of some sort.

 

[Kolyana]

The MaxDrive *IS* a regular USB device. If you transfer the photos from the memory card to the MaxDrive using the MaxDrive software, you get a useless file, but if you take the photo and save it to a USB device in the Photomode provided by the game (rather than saving it to the memcard), it works just fine.

 

[eggmann]

So you can simultaneously have replay files and photo files on a MaxDrive USB stick?
I thought you had to reformat it for each of the two uses.

 

[Kolyana]

I'll have to confirm later, but I believe that I had photos and save files on there simultaneously ... the photomode creates a folder which is subsequently ignored by the MaxDrive software (infact, it ignores all non .max files).

And I'm not sure what you mean by "format for each use", because it can only be formatted one way and it's just a regular format, nothing special.

Oh, and to just add a little clarity here, I also own a 1 gig USB stick and I can also use that INSTEAD of the MaxDrive ... i just need to use the MaxDrive software. At the end of te day, the MaxDrive is just a USB stick (no different), that they claim is guaranteed to work ... and is over priced You essentially buy their software ... which also happens to suck

 

[eggmann]

And I'm not sure what you mean by "format for each use", because it can only be formatted one way and it's just a regular format, nothing special.

I saw this on another forum in March, "can some one here tell me how to format my max drive to FAT32. i was reading on a site that they used FAT32 format for the pic's in GT4 so if you can for mat you max drive to FAT32 it will work with GT4 o well post it if you can help thx"

Sounded like too much work to me, but it's probably just incorrect info.

Thanks for setting it all straight.

 

[Kolyana]

When I fire up the PS2 later on (it'll be a few hours yet), I'll confirm everything above one way or another by taking a few photos and saving them to the same MaxDrive I've currently got a replay on. I'll let you know how it shapes up

 

[bleurabbit7]

I hate to be a complicated mule. I bought a USB stick. Not the MAX DRIVE though. They didn't have any. I'm still able to copy photos, correct? Am I able to do replays?


EDIT: Just tested some pics. Works great. Now I have to test a replay.

 

[Kolyana]

Replays won't work ... the built in PS2 mem manager doesn't see the USB stick for transferring the files, for this you need the MaxDrive software (I do, incidentally, have a spare disc if you would like to try it )

 

[Rob23]

Replays won't work ... the built in PS2 mem manager doesn't see the USB stick for transferring the files, for this you need the MaxDrive software (I do, incidentally, have a spare disc if you would like to try it )

Just wanted to understand this,the USB card that comes with the MaxDrive,is juat a plain stick,then,nothing different than any other USB card,right?
I thought it was,just wanted to make sure..too bad they dont just sell the software..

EDIT: I just saw your post from earlier...sorry!

Oh, and to just add a little clarity here, I also own a 1 gig USB stick and I can also use that INSTEAD of the MaxDrive ... i just need to use the MaxDrive software. At the end of te day, the MaxDrive is just a USB stick (no different), that they claim is guaranteed to work ... and is over priced You essentially buy their software ... which also happens to suck

...I guess that answers my question!

 

[Tyre King]

If you look carefully on the Datel website, there are some links to download 'updates' to the software.....

However the daft bugger's have not made it upgrade-only, SSOOOO download it and it installs the FULL latest version without having to have a previous version installed!


Handy eh?

Neil

 

[Canoe]

OK... I've read through the entire thread and see nothing about MAC users and transferring files.

Does anyone here have any experience with running the macOS and GT4 file transferring from the PS2?

Later,
Canoe (on a MAC)

 

[Kolyana]

If you look carefully on the Datel website, there are some links to download 'updates' to the software.....

However the daft bugger's have not made it upgrade-only, SSOOOO download it and it installs the FULL latest version without having to have a previous version installed!


Handy eh?

Neil

But there's software for the PC and software for the PS2 ... and it's the PS2 stuff that's important (the PC software is a JOKE ... a really big JOKE ... dragging and dropping files using window explorer is more effective).

Regarding the PS2 software ... you'd have to burn it to a DVD and then have a modded PS2 capable of reading it, right? Or maybe a hardrive? (The latter would be a great addition).

Or have I got something wrong there?

 

[amp88]

OK... I've read through the entire thread and see nothing about MAC users and transferring files.

Does anyone here have any experience with running the macOS and GT4 file transferring from the PS2?

Later,
Canoe (on a MAC)

Use VMWare to emulate a win32 PC on your graphics tool mac

edit: Hmmm, looks like we need to emulate strikethrough (either that or turn it on )

 

[Infest]

But there's software for the PC and software for the PS2 ... and it's the PS2 stuff that's important (the PC software is a JOKE ... a really big JOKE ... dragging and dropping files using window explorer is more effective).

Regarding the PS2 software ... you'd have to burn it to a DVD and then have a modded PS2 capable of reading it, right? Or maybe a hardrive? (The latter would be a great addition).

Or have I got something wrong there?

Well if that's the case how would i go about getting that software. I have a 128 MB Cruzer mini USB flash mem. that i would like to use to upload replays so i can join WRS. I would like to do this as cheap as possible, i really cant spend any money ATM.

 

[eggmann]

Well if that's the case how would i go about getting that software. I have a 128 MB Cruzer mini USB flash mem. that i would like to use to upload replays so i can join WRS. I would like to do this as cheap as possible, i really cant spend any money ATM.

Acquiring the software without purchasing a MaxDrive (USD 25) would be called 'software piracy' and I'd recommend against discussing such things on a public forum, especially when the GTP TOS/AUP explicitly ask you not to.

 

[Rob23]

Well if that's the case how would i go about getting that software. I have a 128 MB Cruzer mini USB flash mem. that i would like to use to upload replays so i can join WRS. I would like to do this as cheap as possible, i really cant spend any money ATM.

Unfortunately, the only way I know of to get that disk for the PS2,to transfer replays from the PC to the PS2,is to buy the MaxDrive.

The good news (not really good news,but hear me out), according to all the Vid Game stores (EBgames,Gamestop,etc), around here, they are apparently discontinuing making the maxdrive.
I got lucky and found 1 copy left from a store near me,which means that if any stores have any left, they will probably be trying to unload them fairly cheap.

The Datel website doesnt say anything about the MaxDrive being discontinued,in fact, they still sell it on there.

I dont know, maybe the guys around here dont know what they are talking about.But keep looking.It sells for 29.99 on the website, but I got mine cheaper than that.

You could also try loooking on Ebay, or Half.com...theres gotta be something on there.

Hope this helps.

 

[CFM]

They lowered the price for Max Drives to $19.99 at Best Buy recently. If they are going to be discontinued, now is the time to buy one!👍

 

[Rob23]

They lowered the price for Max Drives to $19.99 at Best Buy recently. If they are going to be discontinued, now is the time to buy one!👍

Yes, i got lucky and got mine from a friend of mine at a certain store for 10.00...they had it there for a while,and it was they ONLY one they had at any of their chains around here.

Im not sure if he meant it was just the 16mb version being discontinued,or what. But, the 16mb versionn is plenaty big enough for just transferring replays,imo.

So,there's a couple of options for you ,Infest
Good luck !

 

[Infest]

Acquiring the software without purchasing a MaxDrive (USD 25) would be called 'software piracy' and I'd recommend against discussing such things on a public forum, especially when the GTP TOS/AUP explicitly ask you not to.

Like i said "cheap as possible" and now since there discontinued, now i might be able to afford the damn max drive. The reason i wanted it cheap because this game is a expensive game plus the usb thumb drive i bought to upload pics.

 

[eggmann]

I know that came out bad as I posted in haste, RE: "I can't spend any money ATM." Sorry about that.

 

[smaug terrible]

Err, may sound like an obvious question, but just to be sure ;

Does the max drive and accompanying software work with newer slim PS2's.

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