Playing PS2 games from HDD

I would like to play my PS2 games directly from HDD on a fat PS2 system. I have plenty of original games, some of which are still sealed (and I plan to leave them that way so I will have to get my isos elsewhere). Anyway, without resorting to installing a modchip, what are my options?

I have did a bit of research on the topic and I've read about things such as Memor32, Free McBoot and HD Advance 3 and I am not sure about the differences and which is the best.

Thanks!

 

No matter what you do, you need an exploit. If you want a Free McBoot card, I'm sure someone can make you one up for a small fee. I might be able to make one if I can find mine.

Piracy is beyond the scope of this forum so I won't go into playing backups.

 

Workarounds like slide tool, flip top, modchip, or PC are needed for backups and imports.

Lockout is in effect when using an unmodded PS2 alone.

 

You can use the 007: Agent Under Fire exploit to load on a memory card free mcboot and from there any iso that you put in a usb drive.

 

FreeMcBoot is the best way to soft mod your PS2. You can use lots of methods to get the required files on your Memory card, some of which are mentioned above. Once you have a FreeMcBoot installation on your memory card your best bet is to probably OPL for running your backed up games, it gives great compatibility and the option to run games from a USB source or HDD. I use a combination of hdl_dump, winhiip, and kermit to install game images depending on what i'm doing. Do you have access to a PS3 USB memory card adapter? If so there is a small program that will perform an install using one, I think it needs to be an official $ony one though? correct me if i'm wrong.

 

If you check the FMCB website and for your location there may be someone willing to hack you up a card for free.

If not, I can do one as I've got a couple extra memory cards kicking about. PM me.

But yeah, HDloader and FMCB is just about the best way to do it. Works best for me, anyway.

 

*facepalm
Guys - no need for freemcboot if you have HDD - just connect ps2hdd directly to pc, and write some kind of image. For example this. Then just place hdd into ps2 and after boot it automatically will boot for example ule. GL

 

Except that link says you need to do the swap trick and mod your CD/DVD tray to do so.

 

NOOO you dont need so - you need to connect HDD directly to pc - thats all. Read post more carefully - there is said that it is for them who don't have ability to launch DVD

 

FCMB and open ps2 loader is enough for getting started on domestic retail games. You'll simply have to put up with slow installation time (assuming laser wear isn't a concern).
Batch installs should be done on PC. So much quicker.

 

1) Backup your entire __mbr partition (for safety).
2) Use HDD Raw Copy Tool (or similar) to write XXX.IMG to your PS2HDD <- this is the PC step
3) Restore your existing partitions (if any) using WinHIIP (Utilities / Scan/Repair PS2 Drive)
4) Put your PS2HDD in your PS2, turn your console on, insert a pressed disc
5) Go to uLe's Configuration menu, turn Disc control on and validate changes
6) Do teh swap trick, execute the main ELF and voilà <- ??!?

 

ok here is my simple instruction for blank new hdd

1) Use HDD Raw Copy Tool (or similar) to write XXX.IMG with ule to your PS2HDD <- this is the PC step
2) Put your PS2HDD in your PS2, turn your console on, and voila - ule is launched

With ule you can launch opl or smth similiar

 

Well that would make more sense, but that's obviously not what's in the post you linked.

 

That post was about swapping and booting SUDC3 (DVD-R based, hence the disc swap) in an unmodded console, with uLaunchELF run from the __mbr.
Of course you can run any ELF without having to mod the CDVD tray. The FMCB installer should run from a USB drive.

 

No mod chip or exploit is needed to play installed PS2 games.

PS2 Hard Drive Guide - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&p=322333#p322333

 

Well, the FMCB is basically an exploit.

 

I suppose a swap disk could do that. Flip top isn't exactly an exploit, per se.

 

PS3 Memory Card Adapters can turn normal PS2 memory cards into Free MCBoot cards.

From there, find an old IDE hard drive and a network adapter. FTP the appropriate software via uLaunch.

 

FMCB stopped being an exploit at the version which were released with PS3MCA (the PC side software for CECHZM1 PS3 to PS1&PS2 memory card adapter)
The "KELF" file on that FMCB (I believe it's version 1.8C) was built from scratch, instead of being something from SONY.

And "imaging a HDD to boot uLE" on a un-modded console was discovered as possible (without a modchip) due to the same research which made FMCB 1.8C possible. Thank you generous anonymous developer. You know who you are.

 

What you brought up was about how the FMCB binary is built: The "traditional" installers exploited a flaw in the Magicgate mechanism, allowing the unencrypted parts of Magicgate containers to be overwritten.

To be precise, it depends on how you view it: FMCB exploits the OSD update mechanism of all consoles, so it can be viewed as an exploit that way. It's an exploit because we're using the update mechanism in another way than it was intended for by its creators.