There has been a lot of confusion about how to use xLoader. Here are a few tips in an attempt to clear things up.
Step-by-step instructions:
Install xLoader, using either the
auto-installer, or by following the instructions in the readme.txt file in the
ZIP package.
Install some homebrew - perhaps by using the Installotron, which you can run from eLoader (it doesn't work well in xLoader).
Use the PatchSFO tool to ensure that your homebrew is ready for xLoader (see below for instructions).
Now browse to your PSP's photo menu, and open the folder 'xLoader 280'. If everything has worked, you will see 2 file icons, one a round blue circle, the other a 'corrupt data' icon. So long as your PSP hasn't crashed at this point, then xLoader is now running.
Alternatively, highlight the 'xLoader 280' folder and press START, to attempt a slideshow of the images in the folder. The PSP will complain that there are no pictures to show - this is OK, so long as the PSP hasn't crashed, then xLoader is now running.
Browse to the homebrew you want to load, in the PSP's 'GAME - Memory Stick' folder, and press X or O (depending on your PSP region) to start it.
The screen should go white, and then some text about eLoader appears briefly, followed by the homebrew starting. If your PSP crashes, then the homebrew you're trying to run is either not installed correctly, or it's not compatible with xLoader.
Some general info:
There's plenty of useful and important information in the README file - click here to read it again (because of course you read it when you installed Kriek, right?).
If you haven't downloaded it already, you should grab the PatchSFO utility (see below). You can also install it via Installotron. If you run PatchSFO, then you'll be able to at least attempt to run all your homebrew via xLoader. Without PatchSFO, the XMB won't even try to start most homebrew.
Sometimes you'll find that the eLoader and xLoader TIFFs stop working. If that happens:
Try running a disk checking tool on your memory stick. For Windows, you can use 'chkdsk', or the 'Properties - Tools - Error Checking' option that comes up if you right-click the memory-stick drive icon. On a Mac, you can try the 'First Aid' option of the Mac Disc Utility. This seems to fix about 95% of problems.
Try reinstalling eLoader.
Try starting with a different method - if you normally start with slideshow (using the START button, then try just opening the folder (with the X or O button) - and vice versa.
eLoader will usually crash if you try to run it when xLoader is active. Just hold the power switch on your PSP for 5 seconds to reset it, then turn it back on again. This removes xLoader from memory.
Finally, a tip for Installotron:
Installotron currently can only cope with one network connection in your PSP's configuration - it will always try to connect to the first one in the internal list. So, if you're having trouble connecting, you could try deleting all access point configurations except for the one that you're trying to connect to.
This program is used to patch the EBOOT files to make them compatable with firmware 2.80. This application goes through all of the applications installed in MS0:/PSP/GAME/ and patches them so that they will start with xLoader.
This was a tool that we used during testing and we thought it would be useful to users, the source is provided as well so that if anyone wants to build this into an nice application, you can do.
It will presumably also work for making homebrew compatible with Dark Alex's HEN C, although we haven't tested that to confirm it.
Source is included in case anyone wants to extend it and make it prettier.
