PS1/2 Memor32 or SwapMagic?

[1NOOB]

Yeah, pretty much as title says:

Which would you recommend between Memor32 and SwapMagic if I want to play backup versions of my games?

Memor32 looks better to me because you don't have to swap disks, but I'm afraid Free McBoot might not be compatible with all my games...

Any insightful comments or recommendations are welcome, thanks a lot!

 

[velocity37]

When you say Memor32, you mean the free clone that everyone uses on their genuine Sony memory cards, right? The actual memor32 is pretty expensive...

The free clone requires a boot disc as well, so unless you have a cheat disc on hand, a set of slim tools and Swap Magic discs won't cost you much more than Action Replay. In that case, you can have the best of both worlds.

So really, if you have a real Sony Memory card on hand, you can get the functionality both for $30.

I myself have only used Swap Magic 3.6 and HD Loader. Swap Magic 3.6's compatibility has been pretty spot on for me, I've really only had trouble with CD games.

 

[WiiPower]

If you get Free McBoot somehow on your memory card you are fine. I read everywhere that ESR (that's what you use with Free McBoot to launch backups) has a higher compatibility than Memor32. On top of that with Free McBoot you can use cogswap, that's similar to swap magic, but doesn't require you to buy a special disc for it, it requires a so called "high TOC game" and a way to swap the discs without the ps2 knowing.

PS: High TOC game == big ORIGINAL game, which completely fills the disc

 

[1NOOB]

well, I think that right now I have an Action Replay MAX but not their usb key... Will Action Replay be able to read any USB key?

How would I be able to put Free McBoot on my memory card if my own usb key doesn't work?

And just for information purpose, is Swap Magic compatible with Action Replay? I'm not really thinking of using it to cheat but I'd still like to know, if anyone can provide me with this information.

Edit: I have an Action Replay MAX but WITHOUT Max Media Player (won't be able to install FMCB with this, will I?) and a GameShark PS2 v5 (with Media Player Software - maybe it will work?). I would like to know if there's a way to do this without having to buy something else?

 

[velocity37]

well, I think that right now I have an Action Replay MAX but not their usb key... Will Action Replay be able to read any USB key?
I've only used my Action Replay for crushing/transferring saves via USB, and from that I can tell you that it will work with non-datel USB Drives, but compatibility is shaky at best.

How would I be able to put Free McBoot on my memory card if my own usb key doesn't work?
Well, if you have a PS2 that is compatible with the Independence exploit, that's always an option for installing it. If you have any way of booting a disc momentarily, you can also install Mcboot via a burned CD.

And just for information purpose, is Swap Magic compatible with Action Replay? I'm not really thinking of using it to cheat but I'd still like to know, if anyone can provide me with this information.

Yes... sort of. What you need to look up is "Action Replay Swap Magic Edition". The process involves additional swaps, but it's tolerable if you don't cheat often.

QUOTE(1NOOB @ Mar 28 2009, 03:30 AM)

Edit: I have an Action Replay MAX but WITHOUT Max Media Player (won't be able to install FMCB with this, will I?) and a GameShark PS2 v5 (with Media Player Software - maybe it will work?). I would like to know if there's a way to do this without having to buy something else?

There are many, many methods of installing McBoot. It'd be a lot easier if you had an older PS2 that can boot Independence.

 

[1NOOB]

Thanks for your reply, Velocity37.

With what I have, I don't think I can install it by myself:

- fat PS2 that can't read any CDs because it's too old
- slim PS2
- GameShark v5
- Action Replay MAX (non-EVO)
- Swap Magic 3.3 (from long ago, with the Magic Keys thingy, never really worked - the Swap Magic install thing doesn't work, unfortunately)

I'm thinking of buying Swap Magic 3.8 CODER and a flip top cover for Slim PS2's soon. That is, if there is no other way to get FMcBoot installed on my MC (of course, the cover isn't NEEDED, but can be useful if McBoot install attempt fails).

 

[wchill]

Don't buy 3.8. 3.6 actually has better compatibility.
Also, I'm willing to install Free McBoot for you if necessary, seeing as I have a fat PS2 with FMCB already.

 

[velocity37]

Thanks for your reply, Velocity37.

With what I have, I don't think I can install it by myself:

- Swap Magic 3.3 (from long ago, with the Magic Keys thingy, never really worked - the Swap Magic install thing doesn't work, unfortunately)

If you have Swap Magic already then you should be able to boot a McBoot installation disc directly. You're saying that your Magic Keys don't install right? There's always the tissue and straw method to block the slim PS2 sensors. The sensor in the back is the one that tends to be picky, if you're a bit patient and keep trying, you should be get it right. If you have an old set of Magic Keys and one of the newer slims with a piece of metal in the way, you can open up the PS2 and take out the piece of metal (it's held on with a single screw).

Also, like wchill offered, you can always send out a blank memory card and have McBoot installed for only the cost of shipping both ways. The McBoot install guide index also links to a thread where there are several verified people.

I just tried McBoot for myself, and it's pretty nice. I would use it if I hadn't already burnt everything before McBoot came out, but I also have HD Loader now as well...

 

[nIxx]

Here are Tutorials for FreeMCBoot
http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/

 

[1NOOB]

If you have Swap Magic already then you should be able to boot a McBoot installation disc directly. You're saying that your Magic Keys don't install right? There's always the tissue and straw method to block the slim PS2 sensors. The sensor in the back is the one that tends to be picky, if you're a bit patient and keep trying, you should be get it right. If you have an old set of Magic Keys and one of the newer slims with a piece of metal in the way, you can open up the PS2 and take out the piece of metal (it's held on with a single screw).

Also, like wchill offered, you can always send out a blank memory card and have McBoot installed for only the cost of shipping both ways. The McBoot install guide index also links to a thread where there are several verified people.

I just tried McBoot for myself, and it's pretty nice. I would use it if I hadn't already burnt everything before McBoot came out, but I also have HD Loader now as well...

Unfortunately, I have lost some parts since then, and I'm planning to either buy swapmagic 3.6 or 3.8 with the flip cover for slim (i will install fmcboot on it but still use swap magic as backup - knowing my luck, i'm better off with a backup plan, lol)

From personal experience, which would you recommend between 3.6 and 3.8? Wchill seems to say 3.6 has more compatibility, but why would it be so? I thought a new version would mean improvement. :S

Thank you very much for your time, it's really appreciated.

 

[Deleted User]

what about this instead of McBoot
Memento for Memor 32

Edit: nevermind, you have to patch games aswell

 

[velocity37]

Unfortunately, I have lost some parts since then, and I'm planning to either buy swapmagic 3.6 or 3.8 with the flip cover for slim (i will install fmcboot on it but still use swap magic as backup - knowing my luck, i'm better off with a backup plan, lol)

From personal experience, which would you recommend between 3.6 and 3.8? Wchill seems to say 3.6 has more compatibility, but why would it be so? I thought a new version would mean improvement. :S

If you have lost parts, you can still use the tissue and straw method. Anywhoo.

I only have 3.6 myself, but I can't imagine there would be a whole lot incompatible between both ESR and Swap Magic 3.8. Swap Magic 3.8 Coder also has cheats, so you can cheat without having to do many swaps.

If you own a high TOC PS2 game, you can also use a Swap Magic ELF file in place of the discs like such:
1. Start PS2 empty, launch uLaunchELF (enable disc control if first time)
2. Insert a real PS2 game, it'll detect it as a game and stop spinning.
3. Launch Swap Magic ELF.
4. "swap" to backup and launch

 

[xist]

Since you have the old style chubby PS2 i'd highly recommend that you track down a Network Adapter on trading forums or ebay and install either the old Independence Exploit or Free McBoot instead, so that you can set up HDLoader. Storing your games on a HDD is amazingly convenient and decreases load times for many games. The swap trick gets old fast....but If you can manage it once on either console to boot a burned disc with Ulaunch on it, you can gain access to your USB ports and run the FMCB installer.

 

[jalaneme]

what is the point in using the mcboot when you have to swap discs anyway? just buy swap magic 3.8, install the slide tool or magic keys 4 if you have the slim and swap away, and you are done!

 

[Armadillo]

You don't have to swap discs. Once you have free mcboot +esr setup, you just have to patch the games and they boot directly. Can also play dvd9 backups with it, swap magic can't.

 

[xist]

Swap Magic is not only a waste of energy but unkind to the PS2 hardware....there's really no need to persist in archaic swap tricks any more for all but the most obstinate discs.

 

[kobykaan]

there are still the odd couple of games that do not work with the ESR

eg SONIC UNLEASHED!

yet works fine with MEMOR32

I got the MEMOR32 when it was first popular before Free MCBOOT was as advanced as it is today

good thing about MEMOR32 you can BACKUP your saves and load ESR/ELF files quite easily to the mem card so you can have the best of BOTH WORLDS

games that don't load on MEMOR32 such as SINGSTAR ... you can just switch and load ESR from the MEMOR32 card and boot the ESR elf and load them

You can also create Free MCBOOT cards using the MEMOR32 to copy files over and launch the Free MCboot installer to create standalone 8mb memcards that boot ESR backups for your friends etc!

sure its not cheap but worth it in the end and works just from installing the hacked memento firmware and patching a disk ... you don't have to buy a swap disk/action replay etc to get it to work like you do with FreeMCBOOT exploit!

 

[xist]

But you can also backup your saves and transfer files with Ulaunch (from FMCB) just as easily....

And you also don't need to buy anything to do the swap trick for a FMCB install...if you're confident and deft then you can swap discs in the small window that exists when the PS2 starts reading the game. Rather than play about with a slide tool I'd probably just open the thing up temporarily to make the swap easy (exposing the DVD drive). Whilst certainly not recommend as a general boot method, this trick could easily get FMCB and ESR installed for free.

 

[1NOOB]

Yeah, right now i'm thinking of buying CODER 3.8 + Flip top for SLIM ps2, and installing FMCB with it. I'd use Swap Magic as backup if ESR/FMCB aren't compatible with my games.

Until I buy Swap Magic, I would have a short question: Does ESR/FMCB let you play games directly from your HDD, or do you need to install another homebrew?

Thanks!

 

[xist]

FMCB when fully set up according to JNABK/Bootlegninja's tutorial will include the HDLoader elf as a menu option. So indirectly the answer is yes. (ESR is just a backup disc booting tool however)