HD Advance, recommended?

[Franco]

Im thinking of getting HD Advance for my PS2 to backup my games as they either seem to go missing or get scratched by my housemates. The alledged faster loading times is appealing too.

I was just wondering if anyone has HD Advance who could recommend it?

Thanks

[TalkingOctopus]

I have hdloader with a 120 gb maxtor and I love it.

[Franco]

Thanks for the reply TalkingOctopus.

How much better is HD Loader than HD Advance? I only ask because HD Advance does not seem to take any setting up whereas there seems to be a fair bit to get HD Loader up and running. I don't mind doing the extra work, I would just like to know the benefits of HD Loader. If I do choose to go the HD Loader route I will have to get a PS1 disc from somewhere which shouldn't be too difficult. The only problem I can forsee is that I don't know anyone with a modded PS2 to put the files on the memory card for me.

[TalkingOctopus]

Thanks for the reply TalkingOctopus.

How much better is HD Loader than HD Advance? I only ask because HD Advance does not seem to take any setting up whereas there seems to be a fair bit to get HD Loader up and running. I don't mind doing the extra work, I would just like to know the benefits of HD Loader. If I do choose to go the HD Loader route I will have to get a PS1 disc from somewhere which shouldn't be too difficult. The only problem I can forsee is that I don't know anyone with a modded PS2 to put the files on the memory card for me.

The patched hdloader has slightly increased compatibility and various fixes.  You'd be fine with hdadvance. hdadvance is just a skinned older version of hdloader.  If you ever need the new patched hdloader, you can actually use hdadvance to put hdloader on a memory card for the exploit -- that's what I did.

[Franco]

Brilliant. Thanks alot for your advice. 

[Dave_K.]

Should point out that if you don't have a modchip, fliptop, or hdloader/hdadvance already (from what TalkingOctopus is saying), you can't install the independance exploit w/hdloader onto your memory card.

[sixcoin]

OK so i have hdloader and it is great. But are you saying that I can have it on a memory card instead of having the disk in at all times?

[spiffyshoes]

If you don't have a mod chip that supports Dev. mode you would still have to keep a disc in the PS2 in order to use HDLoader off of a Memory Card.

[clanggedin]

I have HDadvance, but if somoene could point me to a tutorial or a site that shows how to put HDloader on a memory card I would be most happy. Thanks

[TalkingOctopus]

I have HDadvance, but if somoene could point me to a tutorial or a site that shows how to put HDloader on a memory card I would be most happy. Thanks

Read this tutorial: http://www.ps2hd.com/forums/faq.php?faq=hdlfaq

Here's a basic overview.  You have to attach your ps2 hard drive to a computer and install a exploit executable on the hd.  Then you launch your version of hdloader, select the exploit.  The exploit brings up a utility to transfer files to a memory card.  Afterwards, you can use a ps1 disc to trigger the hdloader on the memory card at boot time.

[spiffyshoes]

Here is another link to a similar tutorial.

http://www.ps2hd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1758