PS1/2 MC Boot installation

[Bonny]

I own 2 japanese PS2 Systems. A Fat and a Slim. I always used my Swap Magic 3.6 for booting Backups, Imports and Homebrew.

This whole MC Boot thing sounds wonderful, cause who knows if my Swap Magic disc works forever

Anyway, i'am a little confused. On the official page i read the following:

Hardware Needed:

* A Playstation 2 Console
* 1 Memory card - Can be 8MB Sony or anything as long as it isn't a cheap Chinese cloned one or one that needs a boot CD to work.
* 1 USB Thumb drive/Hard Drive/PSP - Just as long as it registers as a mass storage device and Swapmagic will recognize it.

Software Needed:

* Free MC Boot Installers- Official release. - Noobie Package
* A retail copy of Swapmagic - NOT A BURNED COPY
* uLaunchELF - Downloads Page

But Devin say's in the "Free MCBoot Install Service"-Thread:

There's a tutorial located here. On how to install it yourself, but if you would like skip the hassle of opening up your PS2

Soooo.... do i have to open up my PS2's, or not?

And, what kind of additional hardware would i need for loading games via USB? (besind the external HDD, of course )

 

[trumpet-205]

You don't really need Free Mcboot, since you already have Swap Magic. You can just use SM and launch Open PS2 Loader. Mind you that USB loading is limited to USB 1.1, which is slower than DVD loading. Many games will stutter if loaded via USB.

If you really want Free Mcboot, then you need to open your PS2 up and block sensors, so that you can swap disc. For FAT I believer you need to tool to drag disc tray out.

You are already using Swap Magic to boot games, no need to open PS2 up. Since you already have PS2 set up for swapping. Simply use it to launch Free Mcboot installer.

 

[Bonny]

Mind you that USB loading is limited to USB 1.1, which is slower than DVD loading. Many games will stutter if loaded via USB.

Ohh..... so no matter what i do/use, loading games via USB is always limited to USB 1.1, and stutters? Is the only way to play games via USB correcly still this "comletely-out-of-stock"-Network Adapter?

If you really want Free Mcboot, then you need to open your PS2 up and block sensors, so that you can swap disc. For FAT I believer you need to tool to drag disc tray out.

I already opened the Slim and blocked the Sensor in order to use the SM Discs, and for the FAT i got the sliding-tools. So this is no Problem.

Is MC Free Boot not much more comfortable than always swapping the Discs with SwapMagic?

 

[geishroy]

Ohh..... so no matter what i do/use, loading games via USB is always limited to USB 1.1, and stutters? Is the only way to play games via USB correcly still this "comletely-out-of-stock"-Network Adapter?



I already opened the Slim and blocked the Sensor in order to use the SM Discs, and for the FAT i got the sliding-tools. So this is no Problem.

Is MC Free Boot not much more comfortable than always swapping the Discs with SwapMagic?

I would buy a HDD for the Fat. They are cheap, I found 320gb pata drive for 10 dollars on there. That way you get fast loading, you just have to rip games or FTP them (FTP is slow though). You can also rip backups just fine as well, you just need a retail game to initialize the ripping in OpenPS2Loader, then right before continuing you swap the disc with the backup.

Slims are cool but Fat>slim

 

[Bonny]

Thanks for the advice... BUT, my PS2's are all NOT Chipmodded. I guess i can't just built a HDD into the FAT and load games from it via the SwapMagic Disk or the OpenPS2Loader, right?

Sorry for being so noobish, but as much as i know, you need this super-rare SONY Network Adapter for loading games from a internal HDD. And loading games via USB-HDD is limited to USB speed 1.1, correct?

 

[master801]

Thanks for the advice... BUT, my PS2's are all NOT Chipmodded. I guess i can't just built a HDD into the FAT and load games from it via the SwapMagic Disk or the OpenPS2Loader, right?

Sorry for being so noobish, but as much as i know, you need this super-rare SONY Network Adapter for loading games from a internal HDD. And loading games via USB-HDD is limited to USB speed 1.1, correct?

Yes. You are correct. Note that, some slim ps2's cannot run free mcboot. The slims that cannot, must be made before 2008.

 

[geishroy]

Thanks for the advice... BUT, my PS2's are all NOT Chipmodded. I guess i can't just built a HDD into the FAT and load games from it via the SwapMagic Disk or the OpenPS2Loader, right?

Sorry for being so noobish, but as much as i know, you need this super-rare SONY Network Adapter for loading games from a internal HDD. And loading games via USB-HDD is limited to USB speed 1.1, correct?

You don't need a chipmod to use internal HDD. Sony Network Adapter is $5 on ebay, I am sure they are pretty cheap in Germany too. You could probably find them at a local shop. But any PATA HDD will work (there may be a size limit). The only issue you can run into is that the network adapters power and data connector does not line up right with the hard drive. I had to slightly modify mine to hook up to the hard drive, WD hard drive were not spaced properly. After that fix however it works fine. I only have FreeMCBoot and it runs games from HDD fine.

 

[Thomas83Lin]

If you have a compatible Ps2 slim for free mcboot, one option is smb through opl, Its alot faster than 1.1 usb speed, FMV play perfectly in most games, some games like gradius still play bad but its a better option than slow usb speeds. btw the ps2 network adapter isn't super rare.lol its quite cheap actually on ebay.

 

[trumpet-205]

Ohh..... so no matter what i do/use, loading games via USB is always limited to USB 1.1, and stutters? Is the only way to play games via USB correcly still this "comletely-out-of-stock"-Network Adapter?

Yes, USB port on PS2 is always limited to 1.1. You should be able to find network adapters online. Just make sure you buy the official one, as third party one tends to not work.

Is MC Free Boot not much more comfortable than always swapping the Discs with SwapMagic?

You could just leave SM disc inside PS2 and load homebrew on each boot up. DVD drive will just idle after homebrew is loaded.

 

[Bonny]

Thanks for all the kind help!

My Slim PS2 is SCPH-79000 CW, so it should be compatible. To be honest: I'am only intrested in the MC Free Boot thing because of 2 reasons:

1. My SM Discs are the only way for me to lauch Backups/Imports and homebrew on the FAT and the Slim PS2. If my SM Discs become unreadable some day, there is no possibility for me to lauch Backups/Imports and homebrew anymore at all. I know, even with a Free Boot MC, i have to reburn all games because they need to be patched in order to work with MC Free Boot. But at least, it would be some kind of insurance.

So the simple question: If i create a Free Boot MC, are the SW Discs still necessary to launch Backups/Imports and homebrew?

2. Playing games from a HDD is sure a nice thing. But a compatiblity of 50% and stutters are not really an acceptable option.

You don't need a chipmod to use internal HDD. Sony Network Adapter is $5 on ebay, I am sure they are pretty cheap in Germany too. You could probably find them at a local shop. But any PATA HDD will work (there may be a size limit). The only issue you can run into is that the network adapters power and data connector does not line up right with the hard drive. I had to slightly modify mine to hook up to the hard drive, WD hard drive were not spaced properly. After that fix however it works fine. I only have FreeMCBoot and it runs games from HDD fine.

You're right. I found one on ebay. So everything i need to play games from an internal HDD on the FAT is this Adapter, a free boot MC and a matching HDD? Good news. Of course, this only works for the FAT... no way to run games from an internal HDD on the Slim, correct?

If you have a compatible Ps2 slim for free mcboot, one option is smb through opl, Its alot faster than 1.1 usb speed, FMV play perfectly in most games, some games like gradius still play bad but its a better option than slow usb speeds.

Sorry, but this is a little bit to difficulte to understand. So there is a way to run games from an external USB HDD on the slim with almost full speed? Could you please explain this to me...

P.S.: Can i use an PAL Network Adapter with Japanese PS2's for HDD loading?

 

[marcus134]

1. My SM Discs are the only way for me to lauch Backups/Imports and homebrew on the FAT and the Slim PS2. If my SM Discs become unreadable some day, there is no possibility for me to lauch Backups/Imports and homebrew anymore at all. I know, even with a Free Boot MC, i have to reburn all games because they need to be patched in order to work with MC Free Boot. But at least, it would be some kind of insurance.

there are 2 way of booting gamedisc image from a FMCB:
1. the most popular one is ESR, you need to patch your iso with ESRpatcher and boot ESR on your ps2, no swapping (this is what makes that technique popular, although some fiddling required with cd games and few other issue)
2. SwapMagic.elf (almost nobody uses it), using the extracted executable from SW, you can use 1:1 image, however it requires an original ps2 game of the same disc type (cd/dvd) to be present when booting your ps2 and launching the elf. Swap when prompted.

So the simple question: If i create a Free Boot MC, are the SW Discs still necessary to launch Backups/Imports and homebrew?

nope, that's the whole point of FMCB, executable can either be launched from a shortcut on the main menu, or from ulaunch (file browser)

2. Playing games from a HDD is sure a nice thing. But a compatiblity of 50% and stutters are not really an acceptable option.

internal hdd is pretty clean with openPS2loader and so is from smb ( although some HQ FMV stutters on smb), but through usb it's another story

You're right. I found one on ebay. So everything i need to play games from an internal HDD on the FAT is this Adapter, a free boot MC and a matching HDD? Good news. Of course, this only works for the FAT... no way to run games from an internal HDD on the Slim, correct?

it's actually possible to install a hdd on slim, I've even seen a sata mod for the slim, but be ready for some soldering and parts scavenging hunt over the web.

Sorry, but this is a little bit to difficulte to understand. So there is a way to run games from an external USB HDD on the slim with almost full speed? Could you please explain this to me...

running a game from usb will result in atrociously choppy FMV and long loading time, but what's loaded in the ram will work normally.
if you want to use an external drive, you're gonna need a nas enclosure that supports SMB protocol.

 

[Thomas83Lin]

Sorry, but this is a little bit to difficulte to understand. So there is a way to run games from an external USB HDD on the slim with almost full speed? Could you please explain this to me...

P.S.: Can i use an PAL Network Adapter with Japanese PS2's for HDD loading?

Google smb opl, its not running through usb, its running from your PC\laptop through your ethernet port. I use a crossover cable myself, but you can also use a router. Just google for a tut if your interested. literately your streaming the game from your PC to your Ps2. Its alot faster than Usb but still doesn't beat a internal hdd

 

[Lumstar]

Get a fat PS2 from any region, and network adapter from any region. Hard drives do not use the PS2's optical drive and thus have no protection.
Any other method of installing games allows imports and backups. Like transferring them from a network or placing the drive into a PC.

 

[Bonny]

Google smb opl, its not running through usb, its running from your PC\laptop through your ethernet port. I use a crossover cable myself, but you can also use a router. Just google for a tut if your interested. literately your streaming the game from your PC to your Ps2. Its alot faster than Usb but still doesn't beat a internal hdd

Thanks for explaining. But this is absolutely no option for me.

nope, that's the whole point of FMCB, executable can either be launched from a shortcut on the main menu, or from ulaunch (file browser)

Wonderful

it's actually possible to install a hdd on slim, I've even seen a sata mod for the slim, but be ready for some soldering and parts scavenging hunt over the web.

Ok. Loading games via HDD on the SLIM is not going to happen for me.

Well, I'll get the network adapter than for the FAT, and i'll also create a FreeBoot MC. So i can run ISOS, Imports and Homebrew on both Consoles via SM Discs and the modded MC. And on the FAT also via HDD. That will make sure i'll be able to get alsong if anything happens to the SM Discs.

BTW: In Germany the network adapters are around 20 Euro on ebay.