PS1/2 PS2 HDD questions

[nodnyl10]

I can vouch for the cheap Chinese sata adapters being good - I've been using one I bought off of Ali-Express for a couple of years with no problems (and I regularly remove and replace the drive to hook it up to my pc).
As someone else mentioned, FreeHDBoot is an excellent replacement for FreeMcBoot on a memcard, but I would recommend keeping a memcard with FreeMcBoot on it in case you ever have an issue booting directly to the HD.

You almost answered my question. I was gonna ask if its ok to keep the memory cards with Mcboot and use it for FMCB even when i already have HDD.

Another thing, a lot of tutorials in my research seems to prefer to use the HDD as well for saving games. But i have 128mb memory card for saving and such (with my current save files too). Is it still gonna be usable after i went to HDD on network adapter?

 

[Sakitoshi]

I have a fat 50001 (original matrix chip installed, but it doesn't matter) and I recommend you to install the browser 2.0


that video illustrates what the browser 2.0 is and does but if you have more questions I'll gladly answer them.

 

[nodnyl10]

I have a fat 50001 (original matrix chip installed, but it doesn't matter) and I recommend you to install the browser 2.0

that video illustrates what the browser 2.0 is and does but if you have more questions I'll gladly answer them.

I will gladly ask you anything that i am having troubles with. Right now, i am currently on a waiting stage until i can get that SATA network adapter. After that, i will try the simplest things first and that is to put games on the HDD network adapter.

The browser 2.0 is nice, i watched the whole video. But will it still show the whole FMCB menu? Like i can choose uLaunchELF, OPL, HDloader, FMCB configurator, etc. I kinda prefer that.

 

[Sakitoshi]

I will gladly ask you anything that i am having troubles with. Right now, i am currently on a waiting stage until i can get that SATA network adapter. After that, i will try the simplest things first and that is to put games on the HDD network adapter.

The browser 2.0 is nice, i watched the whole video. But will it still show the whole FMCB menu? Like i can choose uLaunchELF, OPL, HDloader, FMCB configurator, etc. I kinda prefer that.

you can install both, browser 2.0 and freemcboot (freehdboot to be exact) at the same time without any problem. I had it like that for a time but I wanted a more vanilla experience and opted to have only the browser 2.0.
you can add games (even with compatibility modes thanks to mini-opl) and apps (I have opl there if I need it) to the browser 2.0 and boot them from there if so you choose or just launch opl from the mcboot menu like a regular installation.

vash32 created a couple ready to use harddisk images with the browser 2.0 and freehdboot preinstalled along with ulaunchelf and (a now outdated but can be changed with a newer one) opl. once you get your network adapter you can experiment with those.

EDIT: you can change the icons of the games installed in the browser 2.0
this is how my setup looks:

 

[nodnyl10]

Im afraid i will have to be patient. Yhe network adapter will be delivered within a week. So i am gonna hold off first and will get back with you guys once i got the tools i needed. I dont want to have information overload or my brain will explode.

Thanks for all the help. And wish me luck the network adapter gets to me soon and undamaged.

 

[nodnyl10]

you can install both, browser 2.0 and freemcboot (freehdboot to be exact) at the same time without any problem. I had it like that for a time but I wanted a more vanilla experience and opted to have only the browser 2.0.
you can add games (even with compatibility modes thanks to mini-opl) and apps (I have opl there if I need it) to the browser 2.0 and boot them from there if so you choose or just launch opl from the mcboot menu like a regular installation.

vash32 created a couple ready to use harddisk images with the browser 2.0 and freehdboot preinstalled along with ulaunchelf and (a now outdated but can be changed with a newer one) opl. once you get your network adapter you can experiment with those.

EDIT: you can change the icons of the games installed in the browser 2.0
this is how my setup looks:
View attachment 144837 View attachment 144838

Hey there. Hope youre still around. Everything is a success. HDD is working with network adaptet (SATA) and gameplay is smooth. I immediately tried Tekken Tag and its opening cutscene took me back on launch day of PS2.

Anyway to cut to the chase, how come some games i had back when i use USB seems to be not working when they jump to HDD. I mean, i encountered 2 games so far.

In USB, Capcom VS SNK 2 have all sounds. Music is intact and it plays well. Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks also play very well. No freeze or anything.

In HDD, Capcom VS SNK 2 plays well but the music is not intact. Its like the whole BGM for the whole game is muted. The sound effects and voices are intact. Then on Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, it doesnt even load at all. After picking the game, it just goes to a white screen. Then it freezes there. I have to power off the button at the back then power on again since even the reset / power button doesnt work at the front. Any ideas?

 

[Sakitoshi]

Hey there. Hope youre still around. Everything is a success. HDD is working with network adaptet (SATA) and gameplay is smooth. I immediately tried Tekken Tag and its opening cutscene took me back on launch day of PS2.

Anyway to cut to the chase, how come some games i had back when i use USB seems to be not working when they jump to HDD. I mean, i encountered 2 games so far.

In USB, Capcom VS SNK 2 have all sounds. Music is intact and it plays well. Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks also play very well. No freeze or anything.

In HDD, Capcom VS SNK 2 plays well but the music is not intact. Its like the whole BGM for the whole game is muted. The sound effects and voices are intact. Then on Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, it doesnt even load at all. After picking the game, it just goes to a white screen. Then it freezes there. I have to power off the button at the back then power on again since even the reset / power button doesnt work at the front. Any ideas?

some games require compatibility modes, I don't know about those specific games but for example klonoa 2 needs mode 1 (accurate reads) to play the sound effects, most rhythm games also require mode 1 to not lose sync, ridge racer 5 needs mode 6 (disable igr) or else... well you can try watching the intro before activating mode 6 and you'll see what happens.
of all the games I've played only one has needed an older version of opl and that is fatal frame 1, can't remember from what version onwards the game freezes at the intro level with himuro.

but for I can gather about those 2 games:
mortal kombat sm: if you used winhiip to transfer it you need to fix something because for that specific game it does something wrong. http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/shaolin-monks-opl-0-9-beta-98096/
capcom vs snk 2: I couldn't find something specific but if it has to do with sound or music try enabling mode 1 or 3 or both.

 

[slaphappygamer]

I’ve always used hdloader. There is a complete compatibility list here. It’s got all the modes you’ll have to enable for each game.though for that game, it seems to work fine with hdloader 0.8c. I’ve always had great success with hdloader. These modes seem to be universal, so mode 3 on hdloader will be mode 3 in opl.

 

[Sakitoshi]

I’ve always used hdloader. There is a complete compatibility list here. It’s got all the modes you’ll have to enable for each game.though for that game, it seems to work fine with hdloader 0.8c. I’ve always had great success with hdloader. These modes seem to be universal, so mode 3 on hdloader will be mode 3 in opl.

hdloader, while is not bad, is very outdated and not a good alternative anymore, opl has solved many issues that hdloader had while providing new features like in-game reset and virtual memory cards.

 

[nodnyl10]

some games require compatibility modes, I don't know about those specific games but for example klonoa 2 needs mode 1 (accurate reads) to play the sound effects, most rhythm games also require mode 1 to not lose sync, ridge racer 5 needs mode 6 (disable igr) or else... well you can try watching the intro before activating mode 6 and you'll see what happens.
of all the games I've played only one has needed an older version of opl and that is fatal frame 1, can't remember from what version onwards the game freezes at the intro level with himuro.

but for I can gather about those 2 games:
mortal kombat sm: if you used winhiip to transfer it you need to fix something because for that specific game it does something wrong. http://psx-scene.com/forums/f150/shaolin-monks-opl-0-9-beta-98096/
capcom vs snk 2: I couldn't find something specific but if it has to do with sound or music try enabling mode 1 or 3 or both.

I will use all these tips you provided. Thanks a lot. So far, all games seems to be working. Excited to play FFXII without hiccups. And God Hand ending theme is enjoyable again.

So i have to just go to winhiip settings for Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks. I got quite the time to read so i will be fine, i hope.