Questions about PS2 softmodding

[Manhattan Sports Club]

OK, so sometime back I bought a fat PS2 (already had a slim) with intent to softmod it. I want to know where to begin. I hear Free McBoot is the best way to go. But there are also some questions I have:

-Does this allow me to play PS1 games as well as PS2?
-I understand that you must use a third party software to change the region on an import before loading it. Is this correct?
-Is it true games load faster from the disc than the HDD?
-Is there a specific hard drive I need when installing a generic HDD into the PS2 expansion port? Or can I only use first party PS2-specific HDD addons?

I want to be able to keep and play the games--domestic and import--that I own, without relying on a seperate japanese-region PS2. I'm not interested in swapdiscs.

[Guust]

Hi,

I can only answer questions 2, 3 and 4.

-Does this allow me to play PS1 games as well as PS2?
Haven't tried PS1 games yet.

-I understand that you must use a third party software to change the region on an import before loading it. Is this correct?
I believe I can boot NTSC images from HDD on my PAL console without problems, using ToxicOS.

-Is it true games load faster from the disc than the HDD?
I recently installed a HDD in my brother's PS2, and he claims games load much faster from HDD than from CD/DVD.
However, some games don't work from HDD or need a specific OS (such as ToxicOS) to boot from.
You can load these OSes from a USB flash drive with Free MCBoot.
See the following link for OS compatibility:
http://list.sksapps.com/

You can copy games from CD/DVD to the HDD using ToxicOS itself, install images with a PC program called WinHIIP (you have to connect the HD to your PC to do so) which you can download from SKSapps, or by network (~350kB/s) using FAPLink: http://sksapps.com/index.php?page=FapLink_Tutorial.html.

-Is there a specific hard drive I need when installing a generic HDD into the PS2 expansion port? Or can I only use first party PS2-specific HDD addons?
A PS2 network adapter with a generic drive will do. I used an old 40GB Maxtor which I had lying around.
See here for a list of tested drives:
http://ps2drives.x-pec.com/?p=list

[fluid_matrix]

FMCB will not allow you to play PS1 games.

[theclaw]

You don't need to region patch games. But for peak compatibility use a TV that accepts NTSC and PAL, less dealing with the video.

[Rickstilwell1]

If you want PS1 compatibility it is best to have a modchip installed. Whatever I have also allows Japanese games to work if you hold square and circle on boot up. Or maybe it was x and triangle. It's been a long time since I've used it.

[theclaw]

If you want PS1 compatibility it is best to have a modchip installed. Whatever I have also allows Japanese games to work if you hold square and circle on boot up. Or maybe it was x and triangle. It's been a long time since I've used it.

True that's something of a quirk of certain modchips.

[Niku-Sama]

The hard drive question.
Yes it loads faster when the game is comparable

[GNJMSTR]

I've waited years to actually try putting FreeMcBoot on my PS2. Then it took me almost a month to get it on a Memory Card.
By the time I actually got it installed I was no longer interested.
Now a days with a PS3/4 you've already got the added audio/video 'apps'. So that kind of stuff wasn't too interesting.
FMCB won't play backups without some other sort of swap or whatever... So it's not a mod chip.
I don't quite understand how to get PS2 backups to play off HDD, but I have got a PC HDD formatted to the PS2.
Mostly I use FMCB for emulators (SNES, GEN, NES), but those don't really run too great. (Dreamcast emus are nice)

[fluid_matrix]

FMCB won't play backups without some other sort of swap or whatever... So it's not a mod chip.

FMCB does not require a swap. Insert game and play.

[theclaw]

FMCB does not require a swap. Insert game and play.

Huh? I thought only ESR gets around the protection. No original imports or unpatched backups, without at least a slide card.

[APE992]

Huh? I thought only ESR gets around the protection. No original imports or unpatched backups, without at least a slide card.

ESR is included in some FMCB packages. FMCB itself is more of a menu system to run 3rd party code more than anything afaik.