PS1/2 PS2 softmod

[Majin Vegeta]

Hm, maybe I should really buy a fat one and use some IDE HDD Loader.
Open PS2 Loader sounds nice, but basically it's just a HD Loader with SMB support and (as of now) worse compability, right?

As for HD Loaders:
There is HD Loader and HDAdvance and the only major defference is that HDAdvance can be booted without the independence exploit, right?
So... to load games from HDD I would need a fat PS2, a network adapter, HDAdvance and an IDE HDD?

As for disadvantages there are:
- no PS1 compability
- no way to boot ELFs for for example that Open PS2 Loader
Everything correct?

 

[WiiPower]

Hm, maybe I should really buy a fat one and use some IDE HDD Loader.
Open PS2 Loader sounds nice, but basically it's just a HD Loader with SMB support and (as of now) worse compability, right?

As for HD Loaders:
There is HD Loader and HDAdvance and the only major defference is that HDAdvance can be booted without the independence exploit, right?
So... to load games from HDD I would need a fat PS2, a network adapter, HDAdvance and an IDE HDD?

As for disadvantages there are:
- no PS1 compability
- no way to boot ELFs for for example that Open PS2 Loader
Everything correct?

FAT ps2 -> Free McBoot possible -> you can boot all .elfs you want

Interesting .elfs:
ESR: boot ESR patched discs, works for ps2 dvd games and ps2 cd games converted to dvd, look for a compatibility list
cogswap: Boot unpatched discs, needs swapping and has low compatibility(also boots ESR patched discs...) oh and requires a high TOC game(=game that fills the disc almost completely, the bigger the better)
Open PS2 Loader: boot games from usb and LAN, in the future maybe internal HDD too
uLaunchELF: allows to copy files around, boot .elfs and allows the ps1 swap trick(play ps1 backups, only works on some models, V9 for example)
HD Loader/HD Advance(or what they are called): run games from internal HDD, they should be the same program just different versions

On the older slims Free McBoot works, on newer ones not.

Again, you only need the Indepence Exploit only once. And there are alternatives for it as well.

PS: uLaunchELF + ps1 swap trick is the only way without modchip i know to run ps1 backups and it really only works on few models(don't know which)

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Ah, thanks. I guess I mixed up some of the names. I hope I understand it now.
Independence Exploit: Way to boot .elfs, works only on fat, needs to be installed somehow (AR Max, Swap Magic, etc.)
FMCB: Updated version of it that also works on older Slims
ESR: .elf to boot disc backups

As for PS1 games: Too bad, I guess I won't be able to play them except I luckily get a V9.

HD Loader/HD Advance(or what they are called): run games from internal HDD, they should be the same program just different versions

Seems you prefer Open PS2 Loader to them a lot.
As I see it:
HD Loader/HD Advance: Boots from internal HDD (only FAT); cost something; HD Advance can be run without FMCB (Wikipedia); if I understand this guide properly, they both can boot .elfs
Open PS2 Loader: Boot from USB / LAN (all PS2s); free; worse compability; slow speeds; need to be booted with FMCB

 

[WiiPower]

Free McBoot is something you install on a memory card. If you put a memory card with it installed into a ps2, you can run any .elf on that ps2. (as long as Free McBoot works on that ps2 model)

cogswap, HD Loader, HD Advance, uLaunchELF, Open PS2 Loader and ESR are available as .elfs, once you have Free McBoot, you don't need anything else to run these. Swap Magic is something that requires the disc and won't work with just the .elf.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Free McBoot is something you install on a memory card. If you put a memory card with it installed into a ps2, you can run any .elf on that ps2. (as long as Free McBoot works on that ps2 model)
So I guess my description of it was right?
"Independence Exploit: Way to boot .elfs, works only on fat, needs to be installed somehow (AR Max, Swap Magic, etc.)
FMCB: Updated version of it that also works on older Slims"

QUOTE(WiiPower @ Dec 25 2009, 04:01 PM) cogswap, HD Loader, HD Advance, uLaunchELF, Open PS2 Loader and ESR are available as .elfs, once you have Free McBoot, you don't need anything else to run these. Swap Magic is something that requires the disc and won't work with just the .elf.

I see.
The biggest question for me now is how to install an .elf launcher. Should I just buy a SwapMagic?

So basically: Buy PS2 fat v7-v10 (as better laser | preferably v9 for PS1 backups) -> Buy SwapMagic 3.8 -> Install SwapMagic -> follow this guide to get FMCB installed -> use FCMB to start HDLoader 8C (seems to be the newest)
If that's correct, I'll just stick to that way.

One thing that I still don't quite get: The difference between FMCB & uLaunchELF. They both boot .elfs, don't they?

 

[WiiPower]

Free McBoot adds options to the ps2 main menu. Usually you will want uLaunchELF, ESR and whatever you are planning to use often there. These .elfs are selected before installation by which .elfs you put on the usb device. But don't worry with uLaunchELF you can copy every .elf you want to your memory card and Free McBoot adds an option to configure itself too. You can change which options it will show in main menu and what to boot when which button is hold at startup.

If i would have to buy something to get Free McBoot, i would go for Swap Magic as it also allows running .elfs on ps2 compatbile ps3s. That might become handy sometime and increases the value if you want to sell it again. Also, i don't know which compatiblity Swap Magic has, but it might be useful to run games as well.

About which model to choose, search on which models Free McBoot works. If it does not on a certain model, you can remove that from your wish list. Also i don't know on which models the ps1 swap trick works, V8 and lower definatively not, V9 yes, V10 most likely, slims maybe. And i can't say anything more about lasers than that the ones i had died(all KHS400B&C).

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Ah, ok. That makes a lot of stuff clearer.

I searched a bit and Free MCBoot is supposed to work on all models until SCPH-9XXXX Bios: 220. At least i didn't see anything about incompatibility with certain versions.
I couldn't find much about the PS1 backup compability, but I've seen someone also saying v9 works and I also found some nice v9s on eBay (yes, I don't have much money), so I'll just buy a v9.

Well then... The last question and I'll buy that PS2: Any problems with NTSC-J (well, some NTSC-U too) on a PAL console with ESR / HDD loaders like region code, video mode or PAL memory card?

 

[playallday]

Ah, ok. That makes a lot of stuff clearer.

I searched a bit and Free MCBoot is supposed to work on all models until SCPH-9XXXX Bios: 220. At least i didn't see anything about incompatibility with certain versions.
I couldn't find much about the PS1 backup compability, but I've seen someone also saying v9 works and I also found some nice v9s on eBay (yes, I don't have much money), so I'll just buy a v9.

Well then... The last question and I'll buy that PS2: Any problems with NTSC-J (well, some NTSC-U too) on a PAL console with ESR / HDD loaders like region code, video mode or PAL memory card?

Yeah, I said that SCPH-900xx's don't work in my main post.

Look locally, one of my friends got a fat PS2 for $4 bucks.

All PS2's work with PS1 games.

You can get a converter, look at some older posts here and you'll find a link.

 

[WiiPower]

All ps2s work for ps1 games, true. But my V9 also plays ps1 backups with an original ps1 game and the swap trick. If there was a way to run ps1 backups on every model, i guess ffgriever(the guy behind ESR) wouldn't be writing a ps1 emulator that runs on ps2.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

As I don't really like waiting, I just bought a v9 on eBay.
And also an AR Max Evo as I just couldn't find Swap Magic in any german shop... Well, the method with it isn't very different anyway.

Thank you guys, expecially WiiPower for his patience with me

I'll try your Open PS2 Loader Mod when/if everything arrives~

 

[WiiPower]

As I don't really like waiting, I just bought a v9 on eBay.
And also an AR Max Evo as I just couldn't find Swap Magic in any german shop... Well, the method with it isn't very different anyway.

Thank you guys, expecially WiiPower for his patience with me

I'll try your Open PS2 Loader Mod when/if everything arrives~

You know that my mod does nothing to usb loading? You will need a network adapter to play games from network with a V9. And then i guess you will go for an internal HDD.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Yes, but for an internal HDD I need the network adapter anyway, so I can try it out then.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Sorry for double-post, but I guess noone would notice otherwise.

I got everything today, but...
I was uncareful and got a AR Max Evo without Media Player. Well, no problem, there is this guide.
But actually there is a problem...
I bought some cheap PSX game today (Racing 2 Simulation), but it doesn't work.

I created the save like the tutorial said, copied it over and started the PSX game, but nothing. The game just boots and not uLaunchELF (and after that "NEW_FILE" gets renamed to "Your System Configuration").
I'm pretty sure I did everything right, I tried it like 5h now with different programs and tutorials ...
Could "Racing 2 Simulation" be not compatible? I read different things: "every PSX game works", "98% of them work", "games made before 1998 work".
Does someone know?

 

[WiiPower]

Sorry for double-post, but I guess noone would notice otherwise.

I got everything today, but...
I was uncareful and got a AR Max Evo without Media Player. Well, no problem, there is this guide.
But actually there is a problem...
I bought some cheap PSX game today (Racing 2 Simulation), but it doesn't work.

I created the save like the tutorial said, copied it over and started the PSX game, but nothing. The game just boots and not uLaunchELF (and after that "NEW_FILE" gets renamed to "Your System Configuration").
I'm pretty sure I did everything right, I tried it like 5h now with different programs and tutorials ...
Could "Racing 2 Simulation" be not compatible? I read different things: "every PSX game works", "98% of them work", "games made before 1998 work".
Does someone know?

I also heard that some games are not compatible, so this could be the problem. But first let's try to eliminate all other error sources.

1. My cheat device copies files to *whereever you select* in some crappy compressed format. Are you sure your device copied the file in the way it should do it?

2. When i used the indepence exploit to run the installer, i had to backup a system config file and then overwrite the backup with the exploit savegame, so that the name is 100% correct.

3. Did you just rename the savefile or did you convert it to the format you need to use(the format your cheat device uses)? There are like 100 different formats for ps2 savefiles, if you just renamed it, it won't work.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

Well, of course... Shortly after I posted I (kinda) solved the problem.
I have no clue how though... I simply redid all the steps for like the 15th time.
I noticed that the Online TITLE.DB Generator generated a different file than the offline version and I used that one which eventually worked. I also tried that before, but I guess I messed something up back then.
Also, I changed the filename from "Exploit_Save.max" to "BEDATA-SYSTEM.max" like I saw in a forum, but I doubt that was the problem.

What I got then was: white screen -> "gray" screen -> black screen
Seems like the uLaunchELF 4.4 I included in the save doesn't work for me (who knows why... | yes, it was called BOOT.ELF), but I replaced it with Free MCBoot and it started.
That's where I'm now. But that's hopefully a bit easier.


Yes, I always copied the save uncompressed, deleted the old Settings file, and also properly converted the save file.
I have no clue why it only worked now after 5h of doing almost the same all over again...

 

[WiiPower]

I needed to enter the title id manually, i anyways don't trust online programs for stuff that does not need to be done online. As you get something now, i guess you had a title id problem and it's fixed now(i could be wrong). Do you get into uLaunchELF now or not? If not, you can try to put the Free McBoot installer into the file. The only purpose for uLaunchELF(when booted that way...) would be launching the installer anyways.

 

[Majin Vegeta]

I tried entering it manually and automatic, but before the last try it never worked.
As for online programs: That site is free to use the ID of that 3€ game, heh.

No, uLaunchELF 4.40 gives me a black screen.
Replacing it with Free McBoot is exactly what I did, but of course it doesn't work like that. I guess it needs the INSTALL folder in the same directory and of course INSTALL is not in the save file.
Now I tried the older uLaunchELF version that comes with the "Noobie package" and this one worked.

Free MCBoot installed itself and everything seems to run fine. I even booted a DVD-R, no problems (I'll wait a bit until I buy a HDD, as HDD + adapter will cost more than the PS2 ...)
The picture looks horrible on my FullHD TV, but who cares (maybe the component cable will help), finally the PS2 is ready!

EDIT: Also no problem with NTSC-U/J, great. Thanks again.

 

[WiiPower]

I'm glad to hear that everything works now. Yes a better cable will result in better graphics, even my noname rgb cable on my old non hd tv improves the graphics. And i'm not one of those graphics fanboys.

 

[C175R]

Can you download PS2 Action replay Max on somewhere? I can't find it on any store and none of my friends has any cheat discs for PS2. and on ebay its like $30 and i don't wana/can't pay that much...

 

[BoxShot]

Well yes you can but it won't work for it isn't a readable disc since it doesn't have the layer(?) on the top. This is assuming you don't have a modchip.

You could always do the swap trick which comes to about $10 at max. Only if you need to buy a game and maybe a card to use it with. Eh maybe $15. I did mine for ... $1 since the dvd I used to burn costs that much.