PS2 fat modding

[Slippyblade]

I just inherited a PS2 fat with a bunch of games.  The laser is a little flaky and I'd like to bypass it.  Anybody here well versed in PS2 modding?  I googled around a little bit and it looks like there are ways to rip the games to a hard drive and play them from there.  I'm looking for either instructions or a link on how to do this.  A lot of the links I found were to either dead pages, or to early experiments in modding.  I'm looking for up to date information to make this as easy as possible.

Any help folks?

[SlammedNiss]

I just inherited a PS2 fat with a bunch of games.  The laser is a little flaky and I'd like to bypass it.  Anybody here well versed in PS2 modding?  I googled around a little bit and it looks like there are ways to rip the games to a hard drive and play them from there.  I'm looking for either instructions or a link on how to do this.  A lot of the links I found were to either dead pages, or to early experiments in modding.  I'm looking for up to date information to make this as easy as possible.

Any help folks?

You need to look into FMCB. It will allow you to play games from a HDD.

[Generic Eric]

If you do Freeboot, you need the Network adapter for the Hard drive interface.  Periodically available, periodically hard to find.

I'm not well versed, but I can tell you finding the usb thumb drive to work was horrible pain in the ass.  For your sake, I hope you have better luck. 

[Slippyblade]

Looking for info on "FMCB" that Slammed mentioned I found a reddit that has a step-by-step how to on doing it.  Looks like I need to pick up a copy of Agent Under Fire.  Luckily, the local retro game store has one for $6.

Looks like I get to start my Adventures in Modding on Friday when I pick up the game.

Thanks guys!

[SlammedNiss]

Looking for info on "FMCB" that Slammed mentioned I found a reddit that has a step-by-step how to on doing it.  Looks like I need to pick up a copy of Agent Under Fire.  Luckily, the local retro game store has one for $6.

Looks like I get to start my Adventures in Modding on Friday when I pick up the game.

Thanks guys!

If you can't get that working, I might still have a spare Sony branded PS2 memory card preloaded with FMCB on it lying around I can sell ya.

[Yenome]

Looking for info on "FMCB" that Slammed mentioned I found a reddit that has a step-by-step how to on doing it.  Looks like I need to pick up a copy of Agent Under Fire.  Luckily, the local retro game store has one for $6.

Looks like I get to start my Adventures in Modding on Friday when I pick up the game.

Thanks guys!

your other options is to go to the freemcboot site they have people there that will do the soft mod to the memory card that you send them. it does cost shipping but that is only a couple bucks. If you have anymore questions. The only down side to using a USB HDD is the slow speed of the ps2 usb 1.0 if you can get the Network adapter and a IDE hard drive. it is also possible to put a laptop sata drive in it with an adapter. chances are the lazer just needs to be adjusted. I used to do it all the time, got one in on trade for a beer once and fixed it before the guy finished his beer.

[SavannahLion]

Dx.com used to sell SATA only clones on their site. I heard mixed results with it. Might get lucky and still find one of those floating around.

If you do Freeboot, you need the Network adapter for the Hard drive interface.  Periodically available, periodically hard to find.

I'm not well versed, but I can tell you finding the usb thumb drive to work was horrible pain in the ass.  For your sake, I hope you have better luck. 

I started soft modding mine and even had help getting the software on the memory card and bought the USB stick but I never followed through with it. Too busy I guess. What about the USB stick didn't work? I thought any of them worked?!

I have to reconfigure my game room this month, might as well reintegrate my PS2 and get it up and running again.

[Slippyblade]

Yeah...  Not doing the USB HD thing.  The USB in a PS2 is 1.1 which has a slower data transfer than the DVD drive.  From what I've stumbled on so far I should be able to use the spare 80gig IDE I've got rotting on the shelf.  We'll find out.

[SlammedNiss]

Yeah...  Not doing the USB HD thing.  The USB in a PS2 is 1.1 which has a slower data transfer than the DVD drive.  From what I've stumbled on so far I should be able to use the spare 80gig IDE I've got rotting on the shelf.  We'll find out.

Found the card. Also found a spare HDD adapter. $20 shipped for the pair.

[Slippyblade]

That card still has FMCB on it?  If so, done deal.  PM me paypal info, I'll pay on Friday (payday).

[SlammedNiss]

That card still has FMCB on it?  If so, done deal.  PM me paypal info, I'll pay on Friday (payday).

I'll check to make sure it's still on there before I send it.

[thomas_surles]

if you feel like it you can send me your memory card and I will put fmcb on it. Melenko did it for me and I will pay it forward.

[pbj]

Can't you just mod a PS3 and play the PS2 games on that instead?  Then you get wireless controllers and HDMI....

[thomas_surles]

Can't you just mod a PS3 and play the PS2 games on that instead?  Then you get wireless controllers and HDMI....

but... it's just.. idk

[Slippyblade]

Yes you can.  But I don't have a PS3.

[RandyT]

There are some arguments for using original hardware as well.  The games I play use a bunch of specialized controllers, so I'm not sure about compatibility with the newer machines.  My setup requires the RGB out and also a free composite output for the Guncons.  I am working on doing this so I can dump my original shooting/dance/music games onto my PS2 standup machine.  Changing discs gets old in a party situation, and I also don't want them to get damaged (especially when beer is involved ).  I think my laser is on it's last legs as well.

I was fortunate enough to have an old "SwapMagic" disc lying around (which never worked for some reason), but did manage to use it, after about an hour of futzing with it, to get FMCB onto a memory card.  Didn't have any problem with getting the USB drive to work.  One of those cheap SD to USB type devices worked perfectly.  There's no way to make one of the memory cards yourself, without some working disc swap method or a chip modded unit.

Still waiting for the rest of the parts.  Hopefully it gets easier from here out, but I'm not holding my breath.

[thomas_surles]

There are some arguments for using original hardware as well

I am with you there. I play my gamecube games on my gamecube, not my Wii, and my ps2 games on my ps2. I have 11 consoles hooked up to one Tv.

[pbj]

Mama always said there's a lot of crazy people in the world.

[RandyT]

Mama always said there's a lot of crazy people in the world.

I think you just implied that everyone at the KLOV forum is "crazy"