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

[EmulateLife]

NO.

Total douchey answer to someone giving you sound advice. Maybe when you turn 9 you'll learn how to have conversations with people.

 

[UltraSUPRA]

Total douchey answer to someone giving you sound advice. Maybe when you turn 9 you'll learn how to have conversations with people.

Ha. Ha. Ha. Can we get back on topic now?

So.
As I said, I decided to use FreeMCBoot, using the disc-swap method with Ratchet Deadlocked.
I've downloaded an ISO, and I'm almost ready to burn the disc.
But then I realized.

Everything's packed up. Where am I supposed to find a blank DVD when we're preparing to move back to Alabama in a few months?
It took me a solid 30 seconds to find one...but then it hit me.
What type of DVD am I supposed to use?

The one that I found was an 8.5GB DVD+RDL by Memorex. Will that work? If not, what DVDs do?​

 

[CORE]

PS2 To HDMI seems efficient and it dirt Cheap.

One Big Con it is not COMPATIBLE with PS1 Games.



I Would go with Component Cables also pretty Cheap nowadays.

No HDD then use USB Stick , No then Sorry Bud but when that Laser Dies Swap Magic aint gonna do Shit for you.

What I mention earlier is Solid and not at all expensive not to mention a nice Investment.

 

[D34DL1N3R]

Ha. Ha. Ha. Can we get back on topic now?

So.
As I said, I decided to use FreeMCBoot, using the disc-swap method with Ratchet Deadlocked.
I've downloaded an ISO, and I'm almost ready to burn the disc.
But then I realized.

Everything's packed up. Where am I supposed to find a blank DVD when we're preparing to move back to Alabama in a few months?
It took me a solid 30 seconds to find one...but then it hit me.
What type of DVD am I supposed to use?

The one that I found was an 8.5GB DVD+RDL by Memorex. Will that work? If not, what DVDs do?​

Did you intentionally align everything right? Haha. Anyway, I think most people would say to use quality DVD-R such as Verbatim. More specifically, these Verbatims are highly recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-DVD-R-4-7GB-Recordable-Media/dp/B00081A2KY

Don't forget to patch the iso's with the ESR Disc Patcher before burning them. The last version I believe was GUI v0.24a.

 

[KHANV1CT]

Personally, I installed a Modbo 5 (which was only $6.99 shipped) and will be using in conjunction with official network adapter (SATA converted) and 1TB hard drive.

Why did I install a modchip? It was only $6.99 and I like to mod stuff for fun.

 

[kuwanger]

Places are still selling new stock 250GB PATA HDDs on ebay and Amazon for ~$20 (free shipping) (bought one for my PS2 and another for an older Sempron 3000+ XP/98 system). I too agree with POPS on PS2 being a bit wonky--the bit of outputting at 240p being incompatible with many displays is unfortunate, which is why I end up using my PSTV instead. I definitely understand your worries about losing saves but the only safe thing to do is to backup your saves regularly on a second memory card (or USB with ulaunch), regardless of whether you go with FreeMCBoot or not; any game you play can potentially corrupt your memory card. Good luck.

PS - If you do change your mind and go with the HDD method, there's an image you can download and write which has FreeHDBoot installed. From there you can install FreeMCBoot to a MC if you want a faster boot, update both the MC or the HDBoot, etc. Just be aware that if you use winhiip you'll want to select 48-bit mode because apparently normally it doesn't auto detect that and will write files incorrectly--that was an annoying pain to figure out.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

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.

I suggest just buying a premodded FMCB memory card, that way you don't take up space on your existing memory card, there's no risk of losing your saves, you don't need an entry point to install it (like Action Replay etc...)
If you want the satisfaction of inserting discs you can still play burned discs with FMCB.

There is also the option of going the FreeHDBoot route which might be a better option if it is a fat PS2, I think you can do the whole FHDB install process with just a PC? But obviously you need a network adapter to be able to use HDDs.

 

[lafleche]

Perhaps a bit late but what is wrong with freehdboot?

YouTube
You just skip the part of creating the memory card so you won't have to lose your save games

 

[UltraSUPRA]

Perhaps a bit late but what is wrong with freehdboot?

YouTube
You just skip the part of creating the memory card so you won't have to lose your save games

Simple.

We don't have the network adapter.

 

[Sakitoshi]

Simple.

We don't have the network adapter.

and why is buying a used or even a clone one with sata not an option??
even in my country those aren't expensive.

EDIT: around 60 dollars a clone sata adapter (the cheapest one without ethernet port) with a 320gb hdd preloaded with opl and full of games.

 

[KHANV1CT]

and why is buying a used or even a clone one with sata not an option??
even in my country those aren't expensive.

EDIT: around 60 dollars a clone sata adapter (the cheapest one without ethernet port) with a 320gb hdd preloaded with opl and full of games.

OP refuses to even buy a $5 memory card for some reason. Best to just let this thread die.