Timemachine: Checking space... Too few free sectors (16). 32 at least required.

[sinphaltimus]

I've heard it all, from "Fake Mem stick" to "Format via PSP" to "Format via mspformat".

Well I do have fake mem sticks and they worked fine for me until I tried to install timemachine. I got the above error (the title of this post) and thought I'd shae the fix.

It's not as simple as "Do this" or "Do That". It's more like, "Do this, then that and never do this again."

So here is your fix:
1. Put PSP in to USB mode and connect to PC.

2. Backup up memstick first.

3. Format memstick using mspformat from command prompt (need to run as administrator in vista). mspformat is included with most if not all magic memory stick creators. SYNTAX = "mspformat.exe X" run from your mspformat folder in command prompt without the quotes where X is your psp drive letter on the PC.

4. Leave USB mode, remove mem stick, replace mem stick, enter USB mode again.

5. Create folder PSP in the root of the mem stick. Inside the PSP folder create a GAME folder. Put timemachine installation folder in the game folder.

6. Run timemachine installer and select the first option "Install iploader on PSP MS boot sector" (this is the place where you would get the error I posted as the title) and it will work.

7. Exit the installer - from this point on - you can never format this mem stick. You will mess up time machine if you do. And if your memstick is a fake, you will have to go back to step one above.

8. Copy your mem stick backup to your mem stick to return it to normal.

9. Now you can return to the timemachine read me file and complete your time machine installtion as per those instructions/ NOTE - you can skip the "Install iploader on PSP MS boot sector" part of the installation instructions since you did it already or not. It doesn't matter.

Keep an eye out for more posts from me as I explain how to share your memsticks between your PSP Fat and Slim running timemachine. It's easier than you think but can get a bit confusing. Also, been making my own custom backgrounds and waves. I'll be posting that soon to. Don't confuse a background with a wallpaper. They are not the same thing. Your wallpaper makes the animated xmb wave go away, a background does not. And yes, you can customize your xmb wave too. It's easy and I'll show you how later today.

[pvtolson]

thanks for the info

[jing12]

Thank you. i had try it and it work. U r genius.
But can u explain why memory card must format with mspformat?
Issit all psp's card must format with mspformat to run smoothly?

[sinphaltimus]

Somthing to do with the size of the boot sector on the Mem stick. NBot all cards need it, just cards like Magic Memorty Sticks and Ones for use with Timemachine. Typically any card that will be needed to boot up with a pandora battery (bootable mem stick) will need mspformatting.

Thansk for the compliment, but I'm no genius, I'm subgenius...

[Switchblades]

Hey sin, I followed your guide as the first thing I did but I do not get the same error report as the 16 sectors.

I get: Checking space... Too few free sectors (20). 32 at least required

Ever come by this? I've googled it but with no avail.

[sinphaltimus]

My memory fils me. I think I did come across this once. I may have had to format the memstick manually in Dos Prompt with the /FAT command. I'm not really sure what I did but I eventually got past the error.

[Switchblades]

I see, I'll give it a try.

Thanks again, Sin.

Edit: How am I supposed to go about doing that?

[sinphaltimus]

Well, with the PSP connected, click start\run then type CMD and hit enter. That will give you a command prompt. type format /? for a list of options. I think it would look something like this
format X: /fat

where X is the PSP drive letter.

After that run mspformat (pick up at step 3 above)

Last thing would be for us to schedlue a time when I could connect to your computer and work on it. I work better in real time than in trying to remember what I did.

You'll need crossloop from CrossLoop - Simple, secure screen-sharing and trusted experts for computer help - I have good ratings thus far and am trusted.You'll be there and we can chat in realtime as I'm working on it.

[Switchblades]

Yea, if you could do it for me some time that would be great.

I use TeamView more often, is crossloop like a remote assistance program?

[sinphaltimus]

Yes, Crossloop is a free and very secure remoe desktop system that runs off VNC at it's core. Random access codes and it's encrypted. Check it out at the site.

Let me know about what evenings you are free.

[Switchblades]

I got it fixed, I formatted the card in fat16 then formatted in fat32.

Thanks for the offer sin, really appreciate it

[sinphaltimus]

No Problem at all, glad you got it going. Sometimes you just gotta play with it a little.