DARKSOFT CPS III Bios and CD Releases

[Ioncannon]

Do the original CDs work with this bios?

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Nope

 

[skusuma]

finally I reburn it with another burner and run perfectly.
THX

I had the same issue with burned cd-rw on original cps3 CD-ROM Drive but working with burned cd-r (burned at 4x write speed).

 

[herzmx]

Hello All,

I have updated the first post with 4 new Bioses that are 100% NOCD. You dont need a CD Drive anymore (but obviously you can't change a game with this BIOS).

http://www.mediafire.com/file/x0qul3rlzfje8bn/SuperBIOS_NOCD+AsiaNOCD_Custom&Standard_.7z/file

Also, just FYI. If you want to run as ASIA NOCD cartridge, you just need to change the region in your cart. To do this, just take any of the SuperBIOS NOCD Carts that I just posted and change the region byte, which is located at offset 0x20733:

• In standard SH2, you need to write 08.
• In custom SH2 BIOS, you need to replace the value with B8.

I dont know what will happen with games other than Warzard, they may run like any of the regions or not run. Maybe someone can check?

Hi @Darksoft

In order to make auto select BIOS for any region is only needed change the byte on offset 0x20733?
What is the values for all regions and the offset it's the same for latest release of Ultra BIOS?

 

[Maruchan]

All the official announcements for the CPS3 Multi BIOS and CDs will be done here.

The files need to be converted to CHD in order to be played on MAME. Those CDs are ready to be played from the Real Arcade CPS3 setup. You need to have the Multi BIOS installed in your CPS3 cartridge.

If you also got the CPU in your cartridge changed then you need the HD6417095 version. If you just got your cartridge BIOS changed, then you need the custom.

Enjoy!

***** CD IMAGES - UPDATED August 28th 2019 *****

OFFICIAL IMAGE WITH ALL 6 games (2 versions of 3rd Strike included). This version includes the text Darksoft or has a small text modification to differenciate.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/p8eieg5zz47rmk6/UniCD-CPS3_for_custom_SH2_V5.7z
http://www.mediafire.com/download/qpwnen5a2uy011p/UniCD-CPS3_for_standard_SH2_V4.7z

IMAGE WITH ALL 6 games (2 versions of 3rd Strike included) as above but without Darksoft text exactly like the original. Requested by our Japanese friend TMZ for competitions.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/4pi5uh497yv768q/UniCD-CPS3_for_custom_SH2_V5_Unmodified.7z/file
https://www.mediafire.com/file/bzicwhv7j2iu532/UniCD-CPS3_for_standard_SH2_V4_Unmodified.7z/file

IMAGE WITH ALL 6 games (2 versions of 3rd Strike included) as above but without Darksoft text exactly like the original. Exactly like the one above, but this one has the Makoto bug Fixed. Only one byte fix. The date shown has also been modified with two "dots" to differenciate from others. It says 99.05.12 now.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/i2q8k...or_custom_SH2_V5_Unmodified_MakotoFix.7z/file
http://www.mediafire.com/file/djktn..._standard_SH2_V4_Unmodified_MakotoFix.7z/file

IMAGE WITH ALL 6 games (2 versions of 3rd Strike included). The 2nd version of 3rd Strike has been replaced by the hacked version called 4th Strike. In order to load this game you have to choose the 2nd version of 3rd Strike. ONLY AVAILABLE FOR STANDARDS SH2.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/a5hty7el6f8942a/UniCD-CPS3_for_standard_SH2_V4th+Strike.7z

*****NEW BIOS - UPDATED January 9th 2021****

New UltraBIOS released January 6th 2021. It fixes previous problems with joystick speed in menu and other few glitches but the most important feature is that it adds support for the NEW UltraSimm. This BIOS is still 100% compatible with the old one. You have a version for CD and another for NOCD. There are 2 versions. One that will only work with carts that have a STANDARD SH2 and another with carts that have a custom SH2. Be sure to grab the right one.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/j037lkbsm7e3upk/ULTRABIOS_CD+NOCD_For_Custom_and_Standard_SH2.7z/file

***** OLDER BIOS *****

Official BIOS with region selection.
http://www.mediafire.com/download/a3cikcmay0ujj8f/SuperBIOS_for_custom_and_standard_SH2.rar

BIOS that forces USA Region Always - UPDATED August 28th 2019. Region selection menu doesn't show up at all.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/qy2548e23pm4su1/SuperBIOS_for_custom_SH2_USA.7z
http://www.mediafire.com/file/3bdwbq2wbzfvta2/SuperBIOS_for_standard_SH2_USA.7z

BIOS that forces Japan Region Always - UPDATED August 28th 2019. Region selection menu doesn't show up at all.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/aq4k34mm3v342pn/SuperBIOS_for_custom_SH2_Japan.7z
http://www.mediafire.com/file/5jamvv221ntwdmi/SuperBIOS_for_standard_SH2_Japan.7z

NOCD Japan and USA BIOS VERSIONS FOR STANDARD and Custom SH2 (4 BIOS in total) - UPDATED November 13th 2020. Region selection menu doesn't show up at all.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/x0qul3rlzfje8bn/SuperBIOS_NOCD+AsiaNOCD_Custom&Standard_.7z/file

NEW VERSION UNTOUCHED! Like the original, you won't notice any difference unless you press 1P and enter menu.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/277zxo4shbsyb1r/SuperBIOS_for_standard_SH2_Untouched_Japan.7z/file
https://www.mediafire.com/file/okp3xq4k7jdqw6c/SuperBIOS_for_standard_SH2_Untouched_USA.7z/file

Hello! i was trying to figure out which one of these (if any) has an option to force Japan region and no darksoft text?

 

[XeD]

Hello! i was trying to figure out which one of these (if any) has an option to force Japan region and no darksoft text?

To force region you will need to flash your cart again. No darksoft text is from the CD

 

[Maruchan]

To force region you will need to flash your cart again. No darksoft text is from the CD

Thanks for the reply good sir.

 

[GoldenGlover]

Has anyone else ever noticed any occasional slowdown when running Red Earth with the NoCD UltraBIOS? I noticed today on my spare CPS3 rig that using the UltraBIOS NoCD bios causes Red Earth to hang (i.e. frozen audio and video) every 10 seconds or so when loading a region (Asia in particular). My cart is a custom SH2 cart flashed with the UltraBIOS NoCD bios. Switching back to the CD version runs without issue.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

The freezing was an issue at release but a new set of files were released to fix it.

 

[GoldenGlover]

The freezing was an issue at release but a new set of files were released to fix it.

It might still be an issue? The NoCD BIOS I’m using is from January 2021 & shows as the most recent one available at the top of this thread, unless I’m missing something?

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

The bios isn't the problem. The data written to the simms is.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

For some reason I thought you said you were using the ultrasimms. So it seems the current superbios cds still have the glitch when using red earth with a Nocd case.

 

[TMF68k]

Problems with Red Earth.
Patch for UniCD-CPS3_for_custom_SH2_V5_Unmodified_MakotoFix.iso
14771E25: DF DE
14771E27: DF DE

If you rewrite the binary of the CD and install it in this way, I think the problem will be solved.

 

[GoldenGlover]

Also, FWIW the original, encrypted NoCD version of Red Earth doesn’t have Game Rewrite as an option in the test menu; see this screen grab from my original battery cart. Don’t know if this could be incorporated in the existing BIOSes to appear as accurate as possible?

 

[kuze]

Problems with Red Earth.
Patch for UniCD-CPS3_for_custom_SH2_V5_Unmodified_MakotoFix.iso

If you rewrite the binary of the CD and install it in this way, I think the problem will be solved.

What problems? I recently sold my CPS3 setup and the buyer says he gets a “no cd” error when Red Earth is loaded. It’s a custom SH2 cart with SuperBIOS.

I never played Red Earth before but other games load and run fine. Anyone encounter this or know if an updated CD ISO would fix?

 

[djsheep]

I’ve played Red Earth quite a bit with a custom SuperBIOS cart and CD with zero issues. Do you remember which CD you burnt?

I haven’t tried with the UltraBIOS / CD / SCSI2SD combo yet.

 

[kuze]

Not sure, it was probably around 5 or 6 years ago. I don’t think I ever updated it since I first tried the SCSI2SD. I told the buyer that updating the disc image might fix it, looking through the thread I see mention of some earlier problems with Red Earth.

 

[djsheep]

The Red Earth issue was only related to UltraSIMMs and was fixed fairly quickly after they were released.

Is the cart definitely SuperBIOS and not Ultra? If so, then it shouldn't be an issue. A reflashed SD card and reseating of the SIMMs wouldn't hurt though?

 

[kuze]

Thanks, definitely SuperBIOS - it was done way back before UltraBIOS was a thing

 

[djsheep]

Did some extensive testing with UltraSIMMS and Regular SIMMS with the UltraBIOS (both versions, NoCD and CD). Thanks to @xodaraP for flashing some carts up for me.

UltraBIOS CD: Custom SH-2
Loads all games supported by the SH-2 fine on Regular SIMMs.
Tested with SCSI2SD v5.0a and the "UniCD-CPS3_for_custom_SH2_V5_Unmodified" image.
Red Earth / Warzard plays fine with no skipping / pausing.
You can use also use this cart with UltraSIMMs.

UltraBIOS NoCD for Custom SH-2
Pressing the Start Button whilst powering up brings up the Darksoft Menu, *HOWEVER* you are unable to proceed further and program games on regular SIMMS using this cart.

If you have programmed a game using the "CD" UltraBIOS, you are able to use this cart to play the game "NoCD style" on regular SIMMs, if you do this with Red Earth / Warzard, and have your CD drive / SCSI2SD disconnected, you will experience the skipping / pausing issue. Connecting the SCSI2SD back up fixes this issue.

Both versions of the UltraBIOS have fixed the "fast" cusor when selecting regions in cab.

TLDR: If you are using UltraSIMMS, use the NoCD UltraBIOS. If you are using regular SIMMS, use the CD UltraBIOS. If you already have the SuperBIOS and the "fast" cursor issue when selecting regions doesn't/hasn't bothered/affected you, then there's ZERO need to upgrade.

Hope this helps someone.