PS1/2 help a noob softmod ps2!

[mrpinkeye]

iv read the sticky and a few threads but have some questions...


do i need to burn discs or can i use a HDD to load games? i cant burn any discs at all

do i need a network adapter?

how easy is it? i softmodded a wii, can someone compare it to that for me please?

thanks in advance

 

[DinohScene]

I'd suggest heading over to the FMCB thread.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

To be more specific, to launch all of these you'll need a memory card with Free McBoot memory card (as Dinoh linked to above). If you google FMCB you'll find the tutorial site that lists all of the ways to put FMCB on a memory card. Alternatively, you can visit the FMCB thread and either buy a FMCB card or you can send one of your memory cards in for free and do it that way.

Once you do that, you pretty much have 2 options of playing games.
1) USB HDD Loading, which you'll need a Network adapter for
2) Disc loading, which all you'll need is good DVD-R discs (Verbatim is highly recommended).

The basic tutorial for playing games is download/rip, put game on loading method of choice, launch loader of your choice from FMCB memory card, play.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

To be more specific, to launch all of these you'll need a memory card with Free McBoot memory card (as Dinoh linked to above). If you google FMCB you'll find the tutorial site that lists all of the ways to put FMCB on a memory card. Alternatively, you can visit the FMCB thread and either buy a FMCB card or you can send one of your memory cards in for free and do it that way.

Once you do that, you pretty much have 2 options of playing games.
1) USB HDD Loading, which you'll need a Network adapter for
2) Disc loading, which all you'll need is good DVD-R discs (Verbatim is highly recommended).

The basic tutorial for playing games is download/rip, put game on loading method of choice, launch loader of your choice from FMCB memory card, play.

I'd like to add that if you have a slim PS2 the only option for HDD loading is using USB, and USB loading compatibility is subpar (~70% compatibility last I read)
The laser can also burn out from playing pirated games without a special chip that will turn off the console completely before the laser burns out (of course then it'll no longer be a pure softmod). I'm not sure if this happens on fat PS2's though.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Ahhh right, almost forgot the slim.

 

[DinohScene]

I'd like to add that if you have a slim PS2 the only option for HDD loading is using USB.

I'd like to add just as you did to Supr ;p
You can solder on a IDE connection to early slims iirc.
I've seen it a couple of times but it's not pretty and tricky to pull off.

 

[mrpinkeye]

ok so...

get fmcb on memory card (id need an adapter to connect to a pc right?)
get phat ps2
get network adapter

sorted!?

do any HDD's work better than others? i know with the wii WD HDD's are usually best....

 

[DinohScene]

It can be quite tricky but it should be doable by novice users.

Any HDD should work.
As long as it is a not to big IDE one.

 

[Harsky]

ok so...

get fmcb on memory card (just checked the link given...is it really hard to get fmcb on a memory card myself!?)
get phat ps2
get network adapter

sorted!?

do any HDD's work better than others? i know with the wii WD HDD's are usually best....

Not really. To install FMCB on my memory card, I had to burn required files onto a blank disk and then ran the program on my modchipped PS2 to install it. There are methods that involve buying codebreaker disks or gameshark disks but in the longterm, I would highly recommend you getting someone to do it.

For a great afternoon reading, I recommend this site:

http://sksapps.com/index.php?page=tutorials.html

That really helped me get my phat PS2 working and running PS2 games from my HDD connected to a network adapter. As for brands? I use a Seagate.

 

[clonesniper666]

ok so...

get fmcb on memory card (id need an adapter to connect to a pc right?)
get phat ps2
get network adapter

sorted!?

do any HDD's work better than others? i know with the wii WD HDD's are usually best....

The first thing I would recommend is finding a way to burn a dvd since if you can do that then you can install fmcb yourself and save a few dollars unless you have the required AR or other cheat device. I installed fmcb by using an old PS2 Jampack disc and using the FFX demo to load the install application on my ps2.

 

[Armadillo]

To be more specific, to launch all of these you'll need a memory card with Free McBoot memory card (as Dinoh linked to above). If you google FMCB you'll find the tutorial site that lists all of the ways to put FMCB on a memory card. Alternatively, you can visit the FMCB thread and either buy a FMCB card or you can send one of your memory cards in for free and do it that way.

Once you do that, you pretty much have 2 options of playing games.
1) USB HDD Loading, which you'll need a Network adapter for
2) Disc loading, which all you'll need is good DVD-R discs (Verbatim is highly recommended).

The basic tutorial for playing games is download/rip, put game on loading method of choice, launch loader of your choice from FMCB memory card, play.

I'd like to add that if you have a slim PS2 the only option for HDD loading is using USB, and USB loading compatibility is subpar (~70% compatibility last I read)
The laser can also burn out from playing pirated games without a special chip that will turn off the console completely before the laser burns out (of course then it'll no longer be a pure softmod). I'm not sure if this happens on fat PS2's though.

Laser burning out on the slims was only on the V12. Sony fixed the issue on later consoles.

 

[mrpinkeye]

wow you guys are quick to reply!

also have the option of a modchipped ps2. unfortunatly i have no more info atm so if theres different kinds of modchips im unsure which it would have. could someone explain what that is likely to enable compared to softmodding?

 

[Armadillo]

wow you guys are quick to reply!

also have the option of a modchipped ps2. unfortunatly i have no more info atm so if theres different kinds of modchips im unsure which it would have. could someone explain what that is likely to enable compared to softmodding?

Assuming it's a no swap chip (would have to be really old not to be). Then you get burnt ps1 games and burnt ps2 games without patching them. If it's got Dev mode, then the option to launch homebrew.

Really with FMCB around, the only real advantage is ps1 backups and not having to patch burnt ps2 games.

 

[mrpinkeye]

wow you guys are quick to reply!

also have the option of a modchipped ps2. unfortunatly i have no more info atm so if theres different kinds of modchips im unsure which it would have. could someone explain what that is likely to enable compared to softmodding?

Assuming it's a no swap chip (would have to be really old not to be). Then you get burnt ps1 games and burnt ps2 games without patching them. If it's got Dev mode, then the option to launch homebrew.

Really with FMCB around, the only real advantage is ps1 backups and not having to patch burnt ps2 games.

ewwww. so its not likely to help with loading from HDD?

 

[Qtis]

Before buying a HDD, check the compatibility of it. My WD 500GB AVJB model doesn't fit into the Network Adapter without removing the excess metal pieces holding the whole adapter in place. The connectors are too far from each other. Otherwise it works (also I haven't really seen a reason for keeping the excess metal bits, they only "hold" it together, but don't give any kind of boost to performance).

Going the phat way is easy, but IDE HDDs (especially new ones) cost a bit more than SATA models.

 

[mrpinkeye]

is external desktop USB loading compatibility subpar with both ps2 variations or just the slims?

 

[mechadylan]

is external desktop USB loading compatibility subpar with both ps2 variations or just the slims?

Iirc, the subpar compatibility on USB loading is due in part to the PS2's USB 1.1 ports. Since all PS2s (phats and slims) only have 1.1s, the compatibility should be exactly the same for all models.

As far as compatible IDE hard drives for a phat, I use this chart: http://ps2drives.x-pec.com/?p=list

 

[Qtis]

As far as compatible IDE hard drives for a phat, I use this chart: http://ps2drives.x-pec.com/?p=list

Only problem with the chart is that it doesn't take into account the newer models. For example none of the WD 500GB models, which have been tested and added to the database, are in production anymore. Only thing that really counts in regards to the HDD (AFAIK) is that there are only 8 pins in the bridging part (between the 4pin power and the 40 pin IDE cables). If it's a 10 pin model (like the WD5000AVJB), it's not going to fit without opening the Network Adapter and removing the metal casing that hold the thing in place (nothing is lost by doing this as long as you don't accidentally break the whole adapter).

 

[mrpinkeye]

thanks peeps

i have some new info about the modchipped ps2. its a phat console, with 120g hdd built in and has a network adapter. i know it can install games from disc, just wonder if i can attach hdd to console or console to pc and install cames from iso files without discs? any thoughts?

 

[Armadillo]

You can use winhiip to install games to the hdd from iso files, you have to connect the hdd to the pc (ide->usb adapter will work) or open ps2 loader has a server built in so you can use hdl_dumb to transfer them across the network (slow, about 45min a game).