PS1/2 PS2 softmod

[Arwen20]

Thank you so much playallday! I will try this out.

 

[watertails]

I've been meaning to softmod my PS2 for a while now, but I have a quick question. Would a PS3 USB memory card reader work to transfer files to the memory card? That'd make this a lot easier for people who are either too cheap or lazy to track down an ARMax. At that point, would a regular, cheap, non-USB cheat disc work?

 

[playallday]

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[C175R]

If I softmod my PS2 using this guide will I be able to play original and burnt Japanese games on my USA console?

 

[ballboff]

I've been meaning to softmod my PS2 for a while now, but I have a quick question. Would a PS3 USB memory card reader work to transfer files to the memory card? That'd make this a lot easier for people who are either too cheap or lazy to track down an ARMax. At that point, would a regular, cheap, non-USB cheat disc work?
Seems like you could copy the old PS1 save file exploit on the card with that and use that to install everything. I don't see why it wouldn't work.


You need a way of running the elf file. The only way I've found to do this is to load up AR MAX, an alternative to AR MAX might work. The ps2 needs to run the installer, I don't think it's just as simple as copying files over because there is nowhere you can download the installed versions of the files, they will come in an elf format, which is similar to a exe file in windows. The elf file runs the installer and then your ps2 boots that from the ps2 memory card instead of the OS.

QUOTE(C175R @ Nov 24 2009, 07:43 PM)

If I softmod my PS2 using this guide will I be able to play original and burnt Japanese games on my USA console?

Yep, but this method requires you to install the games onto the hard drive, whilst connected to your pc. You can only add original games via the ps2 drive itself. I think there's a way of patching iso's before you burn them, but I remember it not being easy.

edit: actually that last bit's a load of bollocks lol. Looks like things have moved along since I softmodded my ps2. I imagine you still need to boot the elf file though, to run the installation of mcboot.

 

[playallday]

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[Advi]

I appreciate this tutorial (gonna do it to my PS2) but just wondering, would it be overbearingly ironic if I did this with a pirated Action Replay MAX disc?

 

[playallday]

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[Advi]

I appreciate this tutorial (gonna do it to my PS2) but just wondering, would it be overbearingly ironic if I did this with a pirated Action Replay MAX disc?

You could already boot backups if you could boot a pirated Action Replay.

I meant in theory. I'm still going to buy the disc...........

 

[playallday]

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[Advi]

In theory, no. In reality, no.

Think about it, if you can boot pirated AR's, why can't you boot backups?

I'd figured that the AR disc worked differently because it was loaded by exploiting flaws, not by being an official piece of software for the PS2. It seems odd that the disc would have anti-piracy measures of its own...

 

[Deleted member 177877]

Any non-Sony made PlayStation 2 bootable discs use a method of "growing" and "splicing" stampers from original PlayStation 2 discs (a method of growing a stamper from an original PS2 CD and joining a new stamper with the program data on to it; in essence, the resulting discs contain a portion of an original disc). This includes all cheat discs and swap magic too...This is the reason they are able to boot, because they have essentially copied the boot sequence of the PS2 discs...however, a normal blank DVD/CD doesn't have this, so it won't work...

So, there is no extra anti-piracy measure, it's the exact same thing PS2 game discs have, so it works the same way, just like how you can't play burned games, u won't be able to boot burned cheat discs...

 

[WiiPower]

Whatever it totally makes sense to use a modchip to get into the Free McBoot installer, as it allows some nice stuff a lot of modchips don't offer. Or how many modchips allow loading games via network without killing the drive? Or at least running .elfs directly?

 

[djsika]

Ok so i got my memor32 and heard its not very good but works if i use freemcboot with esr 9b, i've set it up and a few games work using freemcboot/esr9b but most games dont such as Ghost busters, Naruto Ninja storm 2,3 and 4, i've patched them with ESR patcher but they just dont load, any ideas people?

maybe i've missed something ??? PLEASE HELP

 

[klein]

Hey, I have a ps2 slim and I want to konw what is the easiest way to currently do it.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Hey, guys.
I'm completely new to this, so I hope anyone can tell me if I understood everything right.

What I want, is to buy a PS2 and mod it to play backups.
I'm excluding a HD Loader (need to buy old PS2 & not full compability) and a Modchip (too rare), so I guess getting this Memory Card Loader would be the best option, right?

So, I need a PS2 with SCPH-70004 or up (don't want a fat one) but not SCPH-9xxxx.
Then I only need to buy an AR Max (I guess that's the best from the cheat devices?) & a Memory Card (if there will be no suitable one with the console) and then follow this guide.
Everything correct until here?

Then, to boot backups, I will simply need to patch my games (will all of them work?) and to put them into the PS2 like retail games?

 

[WiiPower]

Hey, guys.
I'm completely new to this, so I hope anyone can tell me if I understood everything right.

What I want, is to buy a PS2 and mod it to play backups.
I'm excluding a HD Loader (need to buy old PS2 & not full compability) and a Modchip (too rare), so I guess getting this Memory Card Loader would be the best option, right?

So, I need a PS2 with SCPH-70004 or up (don't want a fat one) but not SCPH-9xxxx.
Then I only need to buy an AR Max (I guess that's the best from the cheat devices?) & a Memory Card (if there will be no suitable one with the console) and then follow this guide.
Everything correct until here?

Then, to boot backups, I will simply need to patch my games (will all of them work?) and to put them into the PS2 like retail games?

I'm not sure, but i think i heard that the independence exploit does not work on slims. Swap Magic 3.6+(not sure about the version), seems to have a way to run .elfs directly and even works on a ps3 with ps2 compatibilty. So i would recommend getting one of these if you are buying something especially for this. And there's another way to get such a memory card, i'm not sure if it's mentioned in the thread:
http://www.psx-scene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58851

For compatibility you should look for an ESR compatibility list. And with a slim you will be able to load games over network with Open PS2 Loader. (but that's in development, many games don't work, and in many games the videos stutter)

Oh, almost forgot the most important detail: Playstation 2 lasers die, if you buy a used ps2 and play DVD-Rs with it, don't expect it to live long That's the reason why i'm that much interested in the Open PS2 Loader, i have several dead or half-dead lasers.

PS: It needs to be an original sony memory card

 

[nIxx]

Hey, guys.
I'm completely new to this, so I hope anyone can tell me if I understood everything right.

What I want, is to buy a PS2 and mod it to play backups.
I'm excluding a HD Loader (need to buy old PS2 & not full compability) and a Modchip (too rare), so I guess getting this Memory Card Loader would be the best option, right?

So, I need a PS2 with SCPH-70004 or up (don't want a fat one) but not SCPH-9xxxx.
Then I only need to buy an AR Max (I guess that's the best from the cheat devices?) & a Memory Card (if there will be no suitable one with the console) and then follow this guide.
Everything correct until here?

Then, to boot backups, I will simply need to patch my games (will all of them work?) and to put them into the PS2 like retail games?

Here are all infos you need http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/ how to get the Loader on a Memory Card and so on. (best would be if you just know someone with a Mod Chip or with the FMCB or just get a Memor32)
Well SCPH-9xxxx models doesn´t work and no worry about patching all games will work

anyway the nice thing about the "Fat" models is that you can easily use a HDD with them (at least if you have the Network adapter).

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Thank you both, but that's exactly why I'm asking.
One says "does not work on slims", the other one "SCPH-9xxxx models doesn´t work" and I don't want to waste my money on some PS2 that won't work.

@WiiPower: I thought the AR Max would be easier to use as I've seen some clip about how to install Swap Magic and it looked a bit difficult (and I've also read some of the parts can slide into the drive after some time)
As for that site: I don't really want to register there, post 50 times and then send my memory card to some stranger in another country and wait some weeks.

Oh, so not all games work? That "ESR" loader is only mentioned in the "old guide" here, is it still the best loader?
Open PS2 Loader: sounds nice, but I plan to especially play a lot of japanese games and I'm sure it's nowhere written if they work or not, that's also the reason I don't want a HD Loader as I guess DVD-Rs will have the best compability.

@nIxx: Unfortunately I don't know anyone with a modded PS2 etc, so I need to do it myself...
So you say all games will work? What about that "ESR" compability list?
A HDD would be nice, yeah. But buying an old & loud & very big & bad-laser PS2 only for that? Is that worth a HD Loader that won't work with all games?
Memor32: Any advantages over the AR Max method?

 

[WiiPower]

Just search for ESR compatiblity lists. There's only ESR to run backup discs on not hardmodded ps2s. All that's required for ESR is to run the .elf somehow. Free McBoot "just" allows to run .elfs directly from the ps2 main menu.

The independence exploit i was talking about only works on some ps2 models, not sure which. You need some exploit to start the Free McBoot installer .elf once. The black list for ps2 models is the list on which ps2s Free McBoot does not work.

I don't know how the AR max method works, if it invloves the independence exploit it won't work on all ps2s where Free McBoot works. And you may look for Swap Magic again. I think there's a better way that does not involve swapping discs, but i'm not sure.

About fat vs. slim:
Fat has the capability to install a network adapter and an IDE HDD. There's some loader for this already, but Open PS2 Loader may add this functionality(with higher compatibility) somewhen too.
Slim has a network adapter included already for launching games from network.
I can't say anything about laser quality on slims, but i doubt it's better than on fat ones.