PS1/2 PS2 Modding in 2019: Swap Magic or FreeMCBoot?

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

I'v been wanting to mod our PlayStation 2 for a while, ever since I modded my Wii U (in Wii mode). However, the lack of true internal storage has lead me to a brick wall.
Clearly, there's no coldboot softmod for the system, so I'll have to resort to the two most popular methods: Swap Magic and FreeMCBoot.
Of course, both have their pros and cons.
In favor of Swap Magic:

Doesn't Clog Mempak
Easy Setup
Built-In Action Replay
Satisfaction of Inserting Discs
Five Bucks

In favor of FreeMCBoot:

Installs to Mempak
One-Time Setup
Requires Action Replay Anyway
Saves Discs for Dreamcast
Lower Cost Over Time

Overall, both options have advantages that cancel each other out. However, there is one thing holding FreeMCBoot back from being the best choice.

The fifth and sixth letters in its name.
The PlayStation 2 can only support two mempaks at a time, and the first time I thought about hacking the ol' PS2, I read that there's a chance that FMCB will corrupt the card with the only option of recovering it being to format it.
We already have two mempaks; one for PS2 games, and one for PSX games.
And the save files on the PS2 one...they're a part of my childhood. Watching my father play Kingdom Hearts 2 was just what I did until he got a Wii for his birthday and hacked it. (Then we moved on to Twilight Princess. I was three at the time.)
Formatting this 8MB mempak would be stripping part of my life away from me. I don't want another part of my childhood lost. Therefore, FreeMCBoot is an option that I'm not instantly willing to take.

Also the mempak is full. Kinda shoots it down right there.

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

I used Swap Magic for quite a while before FreeMCBoot. Once FreeMCBoot was released I never went back to Swap Magic and I don't think anyone else did either. Don't you have more than one memory card for the PS2?

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
I used Swap Magic for quite a while before FreeMCBoot. Once FreeMCBoot was released I never went back to Swap Magic and I don't think anyone else did either. Don't you have more than one memory card for the PS2?

...which is only compatible with PSX games.
And before you recommend FreeHDBoot...no.

CORE · Apr 11, 2019

Phat PS2 with Network Adapter
IDE HDD or SATA Adapter and SATA HDD
FreeMCBoot
Open PS2 Loader
Pops PS1 Emulator

The Best Solution.

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

UltraSUPRA said:
...which is only compatible with PSX games.
And before you recommend FreeHDBoot...no.

Are you aware that you can backup your saves to USB using ulaunchelfs file manager? There's your solution to not having to lose your childhood. Or... you know... buy another memory card.

There's also a solution to your Action Replay issue, as there's a Codebreaker elf you can use instead. Yeah I know you said Action Replay - but that's a bit moot.

The answer is simple though and I'm sure most will agree. FreeMCBoot all the way.

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
Are you aware that you can backup your saves to USB using ulaunchelfs file manager? There's your solution to not having to lose your childhood.

Can I back up my saves before I install FreeMCBoot?

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

UltraSUPRA said:
Can I back up my saves before I install FreeMCBoot?

Absolutely! Purchase a larger mem card and transfer your saves from your current card to the larger one with the PS2's built in mem card manager.

Edit: I have to ask, what size mem cards do you currently have? Sony made official cards in 8/16/32 MB sizes, and 3rd party cards had up to 128 MB.

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
Purchase a larger mem card

NO.

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

UltraSUPRA said:
NO.

Well, then have fun with your crummy Swap Magic discs & taking apart your PS2 for them to work as intended. If you can even find them, and if they actually still work if you manage to get some. You really can't afford $5-$10 for another card? How much are you going to pay for the shit-tastic Swap Magic discs? And if it's not a $$$ issue... why so hell bent against buying another card?

It's ultimately your choice, but maybe don't ask for help and suggestions and then tell people "NO." when they give you the answers. I'll let someone else take over from here since you seem to want help but not want to do what it takes because it's too much work. Feel free to waste the mem card $ on Swap Magic discs that you'll be paying MUCH more for and probably won't even work when they arrive. One thing I can't help, is people who ask for help but then can't help themselves when given the solution.

Alexander1970 · Apr 11, 2019

Hello.

Please remember also: the PlayStation 2 Drives will sooner stop working than a whole Console.
And SWAP Magic will not make it better for your Drive.

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
Well, then have fun with your crummy Swap Magic discs. If you can even find them, and if they actually still work if you manage to get some.

All you needed to do was tell me the quality of Swap Magic Coder. I'll do FreeMCBoot.

D34DL1N3R said:
You really can't afford $5-$10 for another card? How much are you going to pay for the shit-tastic Swap Magic discs?

I'm not saying I can't, I'm saying I don't see the point. (Though I am saving up to pre-order SMM2.) Also, Swap Magic CODER is five bucks on eBay.

D34DL1N3R said:
And if it's not a $$$ issue... why so hell bent against buying another card?

Convenience. The PS2 can only accept two mempaks at a time, and I don't want to have to switch them out every time I want to play Chrono Cross.

D34DL1N3R said:
It's ultimately your choice, but maybe don't ask for help and suggestions and then tell people "NO." when they give you the answers.

Didn't you read the entire OP? I specifically said that we already have two mempaks.

D34DL1N3R said:
Feel free to waste the mem card $ on Swap Magic discs that you'll be paying MUCH more for and probably won't even work when they arrive. One thing I can't help, is people who ask for help but then can't help themselves when given the solution.

I decided to do FreeMCBoot.

-Well, would you look at that. I edited my post instead of double-posting. Maybe I could end up being a role model.-

alexander1970 said:
Hello.

Please remember also: the PlayStation 2 Drives will sooner stop working than a whole Console.
And SWAP Magic will not make it better for your Drive.

Yep. I'm definitely doing FreeMCBoot.

Alexander1970 · Apr 11, 2019

And if you maybe want to use an HDD/Network Adaptor and OPEN Ps2 Loader for your games you can save on HDD.That leaves your Memory Cards space untouched.

Only an option for you.

UltraSUPRA · Apr 11, 2019

alexander1970 said:
And if you maybe want to use an HDD/Network Adaptor and OPEN Ps2 Loader for your games you can save on HDD.That leaves your Memory Cards space untouched.

Only an option for you.

One day...one day, I'll get the network adapter and an HDD...that one fateful day will come when NasomiXI gets ported to the PS2...one day...hopefully...

Daggot · Apr 11, 2019

Yup freeHDDboot/OPL sounds like what you need(you can make a virtual memory card on the HDD and just save to that) but I'd reconsider using POPS PS1 loader. The emulation is downright wonky with some games(Xenogears).

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

UltraSUPRA said:
I'm not saying I can't, I'm saying I don't see the point. (Though I am saving up to pre-order SMM2.) Also, Swap Magic CODER is five bucks on eBay.

Convenience. The PS2 can only accept two mempaks at a time, and I don't want to have to switch them out every time I want to play Chrono Cross.

Didn't you read the entire OP? I specifically said that we already have to mempaks.

I decided to do FreeMCBoot.

1) The point I thought was common sense. To have larger mem cards so you can have FMCB, other elfs you're probably going to want on the card, and a good amount of saves
2) Every capacity of mem card can also be bought for $5 on eBay vs Swap Magic
3) What's wrong with having more than two
4) Good deal

Don't forget that you can set up FMCB to load from either mem card slot. There are variables in the settings to look for it slot 1 or slot 2, and if it doesn't find it to look on the other. That prevents having to swap your mem cards around if the save you need is in the opposite slot.

CraddaPoosta · Apr 11, 2019

I rocked with SwapMagic for years until I finally got FreeMCBoot installed. There's really no point in having SwapMagic if you have a spare memory card.

brollikk · Apr 11, 2019

CORE said:
Phat PS2 with Network Adapter
IDE HDD or SATA Adapter and SATA HDD
FreeMCBoot
Open PS2 Loader
Pops PS1 Emulator

The Best Solution.

Thank you. How about getting it on my hdmi tv? What’s the best way?

D34DL1N3R · Apr 11, 2019

Daggot said:
Yup freeHDDboot/OPL sounds like what you need(you can make a virtual memory card on the HDD and just save to that) but I'd reconsider using POPS PS1 loader. The emulation is downright wonky with some games(Xenogears).

I would have recommended using an HDD also, but the OP already stated they didn't want to do any HDD loading.

brollikk · Apr 11, 2019

Also is loading from an hdd using the network adapter slow? Like does it make any games cutscene lag?

Daggot · Apr 11, 2019

brollikk said:
Also is loading from an hdd using the network adapter slow? Like does it make any games cutscene lag?

Absolutely not. It's loadtimes on standard settings are faster than the actual PS2 disk drive.

UltraSUPRA · Apr 12, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
I would have recommended using an HDD also, but the OP already stated they didn't want to do any HDD loading.

That's because forty-five minutes ago, the only HDD I cared about came with Final Fantasy XI (which doesn't work on the PS2 anymore to begin with) because I though you had to get specific HDDs. I'm completely fine with getting an HDD with a $15 Amazon gift card that I found at the bottom of my desk drawer (if it still works).
Though first, I'm gonna see if I can back up all my saves with uLauncherELF without installing FreeMCBoot beforehand. I'd imagine it's possible, seeing as how the instructions say that uLauncherELF runs the FreeMCBoot installer. I'm downloading a Ratchet Deadlocked ISO as we speak.

PS1/2 PS2 Modding in 2019: Swap Magic or FreeMCBoot?

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