PS1/2 Dug Out The Old PS2.. Now What?

[ShaolinAssassin]

Whaaaaat

Back in my day, we had to get in with 007: Agent Under Fire lol

FreeMcBoot (FMCB) iirc is installed on the memory card and allows you to boot games from the hard drive. FreeMcBoot is just the loader.

This method is still valid. But lot of works have been done on PS2 scene. We now have tools to create KELF files and also tools to write them in the HDD MBR. So we can boot from the HDD from almost any apps, without any FMCB card.
Also, since 1.9 serie, FMCB supports booting from HDD. So if you have a network adapter + and IDE HDD, you don't have to use this kind of swap method to install FMCB/FHDB.

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HD is good.

I did not ask about your HDD condition...
Are you still able to boot on uLE ?

 

[ISO-Man]

Made the USB drive over. I boot and I do see at the top: Failed To Load pfs0:/FMC8/
Is that OK?

Thanks,

ISO-Man

 

[ISO-Man]

I'm starting from step 1

to verify a step, __mbr.raw using HDD Raw Copy tool onto the HDD is the only file ?

 

[ISO-Man]

I've been reading lengthy at psx-scene. Is there a step missing? I see many state to format the drive. I only low leveled my drive then __mbr.raw. Does the drive need proper format before attempting the install?

 

[ShaolinAssassin]

I'm starting from step 1

to verify a step, __mbr.raw using HDD Raw Copy tool onto the HDD is the only file ?

Yes.

I've been reading lengthy at psx-scene. Is there a step missing? I see many state to format the drive. I only low leveled my drive then __mbr.raw. Does the drive need proper format before attempting the install?

FMCBInstaller.ELF should do it in the first seconds of the install. But lets do this manually. Modified steps :

1. Low format the HDD using HDD Low Level format tool ;
2. Write uLE_WIP7 MBR version (__mbr.raw file) using HDD Raw Copy tool onto the HDD ;
3. Put FMCB newbie pack (unzipped, with all files. if a file is missing, it will fails) on a USB device ;
4. Boot your PS2 with USB device plugged in ;
5. In uLE, go to MISC/HddManager > press R1 > Format. After this, DO NOT POWER OFF YOUR PS2 - since your HDD isn't bootable anymore.
5. Go to mass:/ and run FMCBInstaller.ELF. From there, R1 > Install FHDB.

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Made the USB drive over. I boot and I do see at the top: Failed To Load pfs0:/FMC8/
Is that OK?

Yeah, that's normal. You don't have any uLE config files yet - so it fails at loading them.

 

[DaFixer]

Another great tip is, on Aliexpress you can buy 32MB ~ 128MB memory card's for very cheap price.
I got some off those 32mb mc's and they works great

 

[ISO-Man]

FMCBInstaller.ELF should do it in the first seconds of the install. But lets do this manually. Modified steps :

1. Low format the HDD using HDD Low Level format tool ;
2. Write uLE_WIP7 MBR version (__mbr.raw file) using HDD Raw Copy tool onto the HDD ;
3. Put FMCB newbie pack (unzipped, with all files. if a file is missing, it will fails) on a USB device ;
4. Boot your PS2 with USB device plugged in ;
5. In uLE, go to MISC/HddManager > press R1 > Format. After this, DO NOT POWER OFF YOUR PS2 - since your HDD isn't bootable anymore.
5. Go to mass:/ and run FMCBInstaller.ELF. From there, R1 > Install FHDB.

By any chance, do you have the file structure the USB Drive should have? the 7z file I unzip everything to my computer then drag/drop everything inside the root folder (FMCB1.953_NP) to the root of the USB. I know this is your area of concern and I would like to verify all is correct on the USB.

Stupid Question: 1st attempt if you recall, I did the FMCB install 1st. When you informed me that I need to read better, I did not uninstall, I just used same program to format the memory card. By not uninstalling the FMCB, could it left anything in the PS2?

Just trying to give all info I can, I am confident error this will be one of those user-error problems

Thanks,

ISO-Man

 

[ISO-Man]

Going to try your method now. Quick question: I read that it is recommended to have an extra partition for covers and such (not important right now). How do the multi partitions work with the PS2? I know with the wii, the USBloader can handle multi in different formats. With the PS2, I assume with absolute confidence it is all PS2 formatted partitions (no Fat32, NTFS, Etc). Partitions for PS2 is the only part I'm still trying to find more info on.

 

[ISO-Man]

It is installing manualy PROPS to you !!!

By any chance you know why it may not have worked the other way?

Thanks,

ISO-Man

 

[ISO-Man]

I added few iso's, got the VMC working, and other misc things done. 3 questions:

1) Images are enabled. How do I add them to the games?

2) Is there a way to make the PS2 boot to the game list?

3) Is there a way to take my discs and dump them to the HD?

 

[ISO-Man]

I see you have a thread for the OPL, my question to artwork is resolved

http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/open-ps2-loader-0-9-3-user-guide-156387/

 

[ShaolinAssassin]

By any chance you know why it may not have worked the other way?

Maybe I was wrong and FMCBInstaller.ELF does not format the HDD before FHDB install.

2) Is there a way to make the PS2 boot to the game list?
3) Is there a way to take my discs and dump them to the HD?

2) You mean, boot directly into OPL ? Use FMCB configurator. "Configure E1 launch keys..." > Auto > OPL path.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160522064809/http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/config.php

3) https://bitbucket.org/ShaolinAssassin/open-ps2-loader-0.9.3-documentation-project/wiki/hdd-mode

 

[dragonic2020]

Get :

- HDD Low Level format tool : http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/ to low format the hdd
- uLaunchELF WIP7 MBR version : http://aybabtu.chez.com/PS2/ule_wip7.zip
- HDD Raw Copy Tool : http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-Raw-Copy-Tool/
- FMCB newbie pack : http://www.mediafire.com/file/0acpyhxe6p2gq6r/FMCB1.953_NP.7z

1. Low format the HDD using HDD Low Level format tool ;
2. Write uLE_WIP7 MBR version (__mbr.raw file) using HDD Raw Copy tool onto the HDD ;
3. Put FMCB newbie pack on a USB device ;
4. Boot your PS2 with USB device plugged in ;
5. Go to mass:/ and run FMCBInstaller.ELF. From there, R1 > Install FHDB ;

Enjoy !

*

Newbie pack includes : FMCB 1.953 + OPL0.9.3 + ESR + SMS + uLE4.43a + an ELF to power off your PS2.

I don't have a Network Adapter for my original fat PS2. Can I still use this method?

 

[sarkwalvein]

I don't have a Network Adapter for my original fat PS2. Can I still use this method?

Where do you plan connect the HDD then?
If USB, then better don't do it, it is slow and unplayable.

 

[dragonic2020]

Where do you plan connect the HDD then?
If USB, then better don't do it, it is slow and unplayable.

Good point. I soft-modded my Wii but never my PS2. Where would I even find a working PS2 network adapter in 2017?

 

[sarkwalvein]

Good point. I soft-modded my Wii but never my PS2. Where would I even find a working PS2 network adapter in 2017?

No idea, I got one back in 2008 through some eBay like site, and even back then it was really hard to find one.
I suppose you can try your luck on eBay.

PS: even so, if you don't want to put your games on the HDD and want to run the backups from burned DVDs instead, there are some other methods that work.

 

[Armadillo]

Good point. I soft-modded my Wii but never my PS2. Where would I even find a working PS2 network adapter in 2017?

Ebay. Network adapters aren't that rare in the US.

Careful of the clones. The "Gamestar" network adapter, network port doesn't actually work and the compatiblity of them isn't as good as the official adapters (only certain revisions of opl work for example http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/opl-9-2-hdd-adapter-ide-gamestar-127723/) although they do have a native SATA version.

 

[ISO-Man]

Maybe I was wrong and FMCBInstaller.ELF does not format the HDD before FHDB install.



2) You mean, boot directly into OPL ? Use FMCB configurator. "Configure E1 launch keys..." > Auto > OPL path.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160522064809/http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/config.php

3) https://bitbucket.org/ShaolinAssassin/open-ps2-loader-0.9.3-documentation-project/wiki/hdd-mode

Using OPL Manager V0.18 to get ART and keep things in order. Using Winhiip 1.7.6 to transfer ISO's from PC to PS2 and keeping drive clean.

Questions:

What is the recommended solution for PSX games on OPL (ISO from taking all bins, mounting as drive, creating 1 bin then convert to ISO) ? I read several ways, but they were outdated.

What all is involved making a PC a PS2 server? Can I keep my directory 'DVD' same name and just share it as 'PS2SMB' or does the ISO folder must be named internally as 'PS2SMB' ?

Is there a difference between play over Ethernet Vs internal HD ?

Last, is the PS2 scene still need feedback to anything? I will be happy to report my hardware and the results of each feature.

Thanks,

ISO-Man

 

[Deleted member 333767]

What is the recommended solution for PSX games on OPL (ISO from taking all bins, mounting as drive, creating 1 bin then convert to ISO) ? I read several ways, but they were outdated.

I'm unsure if this is the optimal set-up anymore, but as of two years ago when i dabbled in PS2 modding, the best way for PSX games to be played from the HDD was with Sony's official POPSTARTER via OPL.

From memory it was extremely time consuming and required hours and hours slaving away behind a PC reading reading tutorials etc. But i suppose thats the price we pay for having native PSX from the HDD!

 

[ShaolinAssassin]

What is the recommended solution for PSX games on OPL (ISO from taking all bins, mounting as drive, creating 1 bin then convert to ISO) ? I read several ways, but they were outdated.

OPL is a PS2 ODE, it doesnt support PS1 games. Use POPStarter. https://bitbucket.org/ShaolinAssassin/popstarter-documentation-stuff/wiki/quickstart-hdd

What all is involved making a PC a PS2 server? Can I keep my directory 'DVD' same name and just share it as 'PS2SMB' or does the ISO folder must be named internally as 'PS2SMB' ?

PS2SMB is usually the name of the shared folder, DVD is the name of the folder for your games, as .iso (or USBEXTREM format (ul.xxx))

Like this : PS2SMB/DVD/Game.iso

Is there a difference between play over Ethernet Vs internal HD ?

HDD >> ETH for speed and compatibility.

Last, is the PS2 scene still need feedback to anything? I will be happy to report my hardware and the results of each feature.

PS2 scene is still alive at psx-scene.

I'm unsure if this is the optimal set-up anymore, but as of two years ago when i dabbled in PS2 modding, the best way for PSX games to be played from the HDD was with Sony's official POPSTARTER via OPL.

POPStarter is not from SONY, it's 100% homebrew. POPS is from SONY.

...we pay for having native PSX from the HDD!

Not native. This is emulation.