PS1/2 Is it possible to install free mcboot on PS2 slim with action replay?

[Tweaker_Modding]

hi there

I recently bought a PS2 slim and i am wondering if there’s a way to install free mcboot with an action replay

I’ve seen methods with stuff like 007 agent underfire and swapmagic but i dont have them

And i was wondering if i could do the swap magic method with an action replay
Or a complete different method using action replay


The action replay i have is an action replay max (without the media player)
And my PS2 bios is SCPH-70003

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Yes, it is possible with Action Replay Max even without the media player – but more work. It worked for me last year… but I would never do that again. I can’t give you detailed instructions (to long ago), only the basic idea:

You boot up your Action Replay disc and import some “cheat” codes for the AR itself (from usb-drive). Then you need to use “Launch Game” so the AR menu reloads with active codes. After the reload you select “Max Memory”. Because of the active codes the button points to the Free Mcboot installer instead of the AR memory manager.
If you want to try it, use your favorite search engine with:

installing Free Mcboot Action Replay Max without media player

Then you should find instructions and the needed code file.
Another way is buying a memory card with Free Mcboot already installed. These cards are not very expensive.

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

Yes, it is possible with Action Replay Max even without the media player – but more work. It worked for me last year… but I would never do that again. I can’t give you detailed instructions (to long ago), only the basic idea:

You boot up your Action Replay disc and import some “cheat” codes for the AR itself (from usb-drive). Then you need to use “Launch Game” so the AR menu reloads with active codes. After the reload you select “Max Memory”. Because of the active codes the button points to the Free Mcboot installer instead of the AR memory manager.
If you want to try it, use your favorite search engine with:

installing Free Mcboot Action Replay Max without media player

Then you should find instructions and the needed code file.
Another way is buying a memory card with Free Mcboot already installed. These cards are not very expensive.

Omg thank you!! I’ve been looking for something like this for years.

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

Yes, it is possible with Action Replay Max even without the media player – but more work. It worked for me last year… but I would never do that again. I can’t give you detailed instructions (to long ago), only the basic idea:

You boot up your Action Replay disc and import some “cheat” codes for the AR itself (from usb-drive). Then you need to use “Launch Game” so the AR menu reloads with active codes. After the reload you select “Max Memory”. Because of the active codes the button points to the Free Mcboot installer instead of the AR memory manager.
If you want to try it, use your favorite search engine with:

installing Free Mcboot Action Replay Max without media player

Then you should find instructions and the needed code file.
Another way is buying a memory card with Free Mcboot already installed. These cards are not very expensive.

I just have one issue i cant get the ps2 to read the ar save from the usb

 

[KleinesSinchen]

I just have one issue i cant get the ps2 to read the ar save from the usb

So… I have only one idea: Action Replay seems to be picky. Suggestion: Try some different drives, preferably old ones – and make sure you use FAT16 or FAT32 filesystem and MBR partition table.
I took out my PS2 and tried some drives with AR-Max – this gave mixed results. Now I know again, why I hated this method of installing Free Mcboot. It makes me want to smash the console with a sledgehammer.

Drive no. 1: (Intenso, 32GB)
idVendor=090c, idProduct=1000
Product: Intenso Speed Line
Manufacturer: SMI Technology
Total FAIL! Can’t copy files from memory card to USB-drive. Can’t read the necessary files (for the Free Mcboot installation) from USB-drive. Argh!

Drive no. 2: (Intenso slim line, 32GB)
idVendor=0bb4, idProduct=2910
Product: Slim Line
Manufacturer: Intenso
Partial success. MAX Memory Manager reads and writes from/to USB. But… it is so slow. So extremely slooooow. And sometimes the memory manager throws a strange error (no space left on device although it is almost empty).

Drive no. 3: (very old Kingston, 512MB, FAT16(!))
idVendor=08ec, idProduct=2038
Product: DataTraveler 2.0
Manufacturer: Kingston
Success. Still slow in both directions, but not as bad. Seems to work well.

Drive no. 4: (very cheap USB 2.0 multi card reader made by “Hama”)
idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0716
Product: USB Storage
[Linux does not show any manufacturer in syslog]
32GB (Toshiba) mirco-SD card inserted via SD-adapter.
Success. This weird setup actually worked – slow like number 2 but without any errors.

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

So… I have only one idea: Action Replay seems to be picky. Suggestion: Try some different drives, preferably old ones – and make sure you use FAT16 or FAT32 filesystem and MBR partition table.
I took out my PS2 and tried some drives with AR-Max – this gave mixed results. Now I know again, why I hated this method of installing Free Mcboot. It makes me want to smash the console with a sledgehammer.

Drive no. 1: (Intenso, 32GB)
idVendor=090c, idProduct=1000
Product: Intenso Speed Line
Manufacturer: SMI Technology
Total FAIL! Can’t copy files from memory card to USB-drive. Can’t read the necessary files (for the Free Mcboot installation) from USB-drive. Argh!

Drive no. 2: (Intenso slim line, 32GB)
idVendor=0bb4, idProduct=2910
Product: Slim Line
Manufacturer: Intenso
Partial success. MAX Memory Manager reads and writes from/to USB. But… it is so slow. So extremely slooooow. And sometimes the memory manager throws a strange error (no space left on device although it is almost empty).

Drive no. 3: (very old Kingston, 512MB, FAT16(!))
idVendor=08ec, idProduct=2038
Product: DataTraveler 2.0
Manufacturer: Kingston
Success. Still slow in both directions, but not as bad. Seems to work well.

Drive no. 4: (very cheap USB 2.0 multi card reader made by “Hama”)
idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0716
Product: USB Storage
[Linux does not show any manufacturer in syslog]
32GB (Toshiba) mirco-SD card inserted via SD-adapter.
Success. This weird setup actually worked – slow like number 2 but without any errors.

Hmm the usb’s i tried are

Blue integral 8gb USB
PS2 recognises it but it wont read files on it throws an error at me when i attempt to copy a file over to it

White toshiba 16GB USB
does the same as the blue integral USB

the thing is those are the only USBs i have i could try both my PS Vita (hacked so it can work as a usb to transfer stuff) and my PSP (bricked but ik how to fix it using my jailbroken PS3)

If i can’t get this to work i’m just gonna say “fuck it” and buy a free mcboot memory card off eBay

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

So… I have only one idea: Action Replay seems to be picky. Suggestion: Try some different drives, preferably old ones – and make sure you use FAT16 or FAT32 filesystem and MBR partition table.
I took out my PS2 and tried some drives with AR-Max – this gave mixed results. Now I know again, why I hated this method of installing Free Mcboot. It makes me want to smash the console with a sledgehammer.

Drive no. 1: (Intenso, 32GB)
idVendor=090c, idProduct=1000
Product: Intenso Speed Line
Manufacturer: SMI Technology
Total FAIL! Can’t copy files from memory card to USB-drive. Can’t read the necessary files (for the Free Mcboot installation) from USB-drive. Argh!

Drive no. 2: (Intenso slim line, 32GB)
idVendor=0bb4, idProduct=2910
Product: Slim Line
Manufacturer: Intenso
Partial success. MAX Memory Manager reads and writes from/to USB. But… it is so slow. So extremely slooooow. And sometimes the memory manager throws a strange error (no space left on device although it is almost empty).

Drive no. 3: (very old Kingston, 512MB, FAT16(!))
idVendor=08ec, idProduct=2038
Product: DataTraveler 2.0
Manufacturer: Kingston
Success. Still slow in both directions, but not as bad. Seems to work well.

Drive no. 4: (very cheap USB 2.0 multi card reader made by “Hama”)
idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0716
Product: USB Storage
[Linux does not show any manufacturer in syslog]
32GB (Toshiba) mirco-SD card inserted via SD-adapter.
Success. This weird setup actually worked – slow like number 2 but without any errors.

Ok so i tried it and sadly i couldnt unbrick the psp and the ps2 refused to recognise the vita so imma just buy a free mcboot memory card off eBay

 

[Vorde]

Isn't the PS2 Slim limited at USB1.1 speeds? Doesn't it break compatibility with a lot of games and cause a bunch of slowdown or something? I remember trying to load backups from an external HDD once and it was god awful. I ended up picking up a Fat PS2 and installing a 250GB HDD into it with the network adapter, and loaded my games that way.

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

Isn't the PS2 Slim limited at USB1.1 speeds? Doesn't it break compatibility with a lot of games and cause a bunch of slowdown or something? I remember trying to load backups from an external HDD once and it was god awful. I ended up picking up a Fat PS2 and installing a 250GB HDD into it with the network adapter, and loaded my games that way.

Tbh idk i never loaded backups off a usb before

Hecc i never even used free mcboot before

 

[Vorde]

Tbh idk i never loaded backups off a usb before

Hecc i never even used free mcboot before

Okay well if I were in your shoes I would do some more research into USB loading on a PS2 Slim, and I would likely just burn my backups to DVD-R or DVD+R if you can find those where you live (finding DVD+R usually tend to be more difficult, but I found over the years that I had much less problems with them over DVD-R for some reason)

 

[tech3475]

Depending on the price, it might be worth seeing about going the phat + HDD route, particularly since it may possible to then hack the PS2 via the HDD for free (well, if you have a method to write to an IDE HDD to from a PC).

It is possible to have both a hacked HDDOSD and FreeHDBoot.

Okay well if I were in your shoes I would do some more research into USB loading on a PS2 Slim, and I would likely just burn my backups to DVD-R or DVD+R if you can find those where you live (finding DVD+R usually tend to be more difficult, but I found over the years that I had much less problems with them over DVD-R for some reason)

Isn't it possible to run games over SMB?

 

[Vorde]

Depending on the price, it might be worth seeing about going the phat + HDD route, particularly since it may possible to then hack the PS2 via the HDD for free (well, if you have a method to write to an IDE HDD to from a PC).

It is possible to have both a hacked HDDOSD and FreeHDBoot.



Isn't it possible to run games over SMB?

Yeah but it's limited at your networking speeds of the console + any overhead used by the SMB protocol, so it still ends up being slower than disc reading afaik. I believe there's a way to get IDE to SATA working, I just never bothered cuz I'm using an old 250GB IDE drive by Western Digital in mine, and the last time I used it, it worked well. With that being said, it has been about 8 years since I powered it up and had a chance to play on it.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Yeah but it's limited at your networking speeds of the console + any overhead used by the SMB protocol, so it still ends up being slower than disc reading afaik. I believe there's a way to get IDE to SATA working, I just never bothered cuz I'm using an old 250GB IDE drive by Western Digital in mine, and the last time I used it, it worked well. With that being said, it has been about 8 years since I powered it up and had a chance to play on it.

Fat PS2 with HDD is super – if you have the network adapter and a suitable IDE-drive. Buying the adapter, possibly an IDE-SATA bridge and a hard disk is pretty expensive for an old console – in my opinion.
Loading from USB is a pain. Many games do not work at all, or cutscenes don‘t play or the games crash. So… NO. Using DVD-backups patched with ESR patcher works considerably better.
Personally I prefer network/SMB on the slim PS2. This was my reason to install Free Mcboot in the first place: Not wearing down the laser anymore and no disks lying around. Network IS slower than DVD but it is usuable. I just did some quick tests comparing SMB with original disks in good condition.

Rayman 3:
Loading first level takes about 10 seconds from SMB and 8 sec from disk.

Tomb Raider Anniversary:
Loading “Croft Manor” takes 26 sec SMB / 20 sec disk.
Loading first level takes 21 sec SMB / 16 sec disk.

I tried some more games from network share. All intro cutscenes played good via network – no skipping, no crashes. Network throughput maxed at only 12MBit/s on the Raspberry Pi 1b, which provides the samba-server. The Pi is not the bottleneck. It can deliver at about 50MBit/s to a “big” computer.

 

[Tweaker_Modding]

update: i bought a free mcboot memory card off ebay as i said i would do
and i load games via SMB on an old laptop of mine