PS1/2 Which way should I mod my ps2?

[ShinraArmy]

Ok, i got my good ol' still working fine PS2 fat, for this xmas i want to get it loading backups already(yeah, it's taken me long enough)

since it's a PS2 fat it would be nice to eventually get it a hard drive to read games off, but i would need a new hdd(duh) and a network adapter to do that...so for now ill settle for a modchip(altho i am a bit afraid for my laser), magic swap or a softmod, since as far as im aware you can't get fat PS2 fliptops in mexico

Swap magic seems kind of impractical tho...

SO

Should I hire someone to install a modchip?
or
should i get someone to install a virtual mod on it?
or
can you suggest a 3rd choice?

 

[Deleted member 177877]

softmod is good, FreeMCBoot is definitely your best choice. It requires a cheat disc that has USB drive manager, an original PS1 game to be used as a trigger disc (not always required depending on your cheat disc), a memory card with lots of free space, and a USB drive (durr).

Pro:
Plays burned games without swapping.
No hardmod.
99% Compatibility.
Could install ELF and run them through ulaunch, including HDloader, when you want to switch to an internal HDD and network adapter.
SMS player included in noobie package, allowing playback of xvid+mp3 videos through USB drives or CD/DVD.

Con:
Must ESRpatch every iso before burning.
Installation eat a considerable amount of space from memory card.
Boot sequence flashes may cause epilepsy (joking, although I wouldn't rule it out with the constant pink flashes and all)

 

[clonesniper666]

I would definitely suggest FMCB just buy a spare memory card for your original games. And if you do not mind swapping a ps2 game without the system knowing then you can do that as well but it does require a special homemade tool to get the disc to read, also you need an original game to swap as well as a backup with the .elf file switched around. If you want to know how to do it that way then pm and I will send you the website for it, since I cant remember it right now.

 

[BoxShot]

Are you talking about this method? http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/swap.php

 

[Harsky]

I was kinda that way when I wanted to mod my PS2 but at the time I only had a slim PS2 so the only option I could afford back in 2005 with what I got for allowance was the swap magic.

This was fine for 6 months but swapping discs when I had something like 20 PS2 isos to play through did get tedious so in the end, I just learnt basic soldering and bought a modchip and installed it myself.

I know you seem quite against the idea of spending money on a HDD and Network Adapter but I went that route when someone gave me a PS2 fat and the fact that over 40 PS2 games in one place without having to worry about laser wearing out and the loading times being shorter meant that it paid itself off.

 

[clonesniper666]

Yeah BoxSHot that is it. Thanks for adding the link I could not remember it when I replied.