PS2 advice (DREs, HDLoader, etc.)

bigbadboaz · Post by **bigbadboaz** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:55 am

I have an old-school fat PS2 which is starting to be a real bitch with the DRE's. It's modded with a Magic 3.1 chip and had done very well for me with both PS1 and PS2 imports. As games have become harder and harder to boot, I was thinking of just unloading it for whatever I could get and replacing it with a new modded slimline system. I've gotten the feeling, though, that giving up the option to use HDAdvance/HDLoader may be something I'll regret.

I'd welcome any advice on what you all would do with this slowly-dying machine. I haven't seen the HD programs firsthand and I'm not up on the modchip/PS2 hacking scene, so I'm sure there are some good alternatives I'm not aware of. Would it be worth installing a new laser unit and going with an HD setup? Are there newer modchips with features I would want to take advantage of? I have heard rumblings of the ability to direct-boot into HDLoader without having to access the disc at all...?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:13 am

Get a refurbed chubby one from gamestop.com. 3 month warranty. Use the code "FREESHIPALL" and get free shipping. (May or not be good anymore. It worked for me. R0x0rz.

) HDLoader fully patched is a true wonder. The only two games I haven't been able to load are Capcom Classics and Xenosaga Episode 2. So the HDD option is highly recommended. That way, your PS2 laser doesn't work more than just a few seconds a day in order to load the PS1 trigger disc.

Not sure about booting from the chip. My systems aren't modded.

Ultimateconsoleguides.com might be able to fix your console. They quoted me 60 dollars for a new laser. With warranty.

If you don't want to mod your slim PS2, in case you get one, just try the swapmagic 3 plus MagicSwitch. You won't be regret.

antron · Post by **antron** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:40 pm

you can get "Fully Patched HDL ISO v7c" from ps2hd.com or eurasia.nu
burn it to a cd
your ps2 is modded so it will boot right up.

use winhiip to transfer your games to the HD from your discs (in a PC)

also:
with your modded ps2 you can load memory cards with the HDL program. then people with unmodded ps2s can run it by inserting a PS1 disc (trigger disc)

deskill · Post by **deskill** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:43 pm

I would definately recommend getting a HD but it isn't perfect. Although most games work, there have been many released recently that don't. There are people who work on patches but only for the most popular games. I got a HD specifically so I could play imports without modding but some games I'd waited ages for ended up not working. for example neo geo battle colliseum, shadow of collosus and FF12. However I think most, if not all 2d shmups work. I have ibara, raiden 3, mushimesama (don't know how to spell that), gigawing generations ect and they all work perfectly.

also as someone else said, if you do go for HD, ps2hd.com is your friend

antron · Post by **antron** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:49 am

note: gradius V requires the patched version of HDL.

TalkingOctopus · Post by **TalkingOctopus** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:07 am

antron wrote:note: gradius V requires the patched version of HDL.

I didn't realize it worked at all. This is good news because my ps2 sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it plays blue backed CDs. I will have to give it a try.

I too have the patched hdloader on an umodded machine. I really like it. The compatibility is generally pretty good and it plays all the imports I've purchased. The only negative is the cost of the hard drive, but these days you can find a 120 GB for pretty cheap after rebate.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:19 am

Shadow of the Colossus works with HDL. So does MGS3, Xenosaga Ep 1, FFX2, Sw Battlefront 1 and 2 after some fiddling.

antron · Post by **antron** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:04 am

TalkingOctopus wrote:
antron wrote:note: gradius V requires the patched version of HDL.
I didn't realize it worked at all. This is good news because my ps2 sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it plays blue backed CDs. I will have to give it a try.

I too have the patched hdloader on an umodded machine..

unfortunately no one ever came up with a patch for the game itself.

how did you get the hdloader elf on your memory card?

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:11 am

antron wrote:
TalkingOctopus wrote:
antron wrote:note: gradius V requires the patched version of HDL.
I didn't realize it worked at all. This is good news because my ps2 sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it plays blue backed CDs. I will have to give it a try.

I too have the patched hdloader on an umodded machine..
unfortunately no one ever came up with a patch for the game itself.

how did you get the hdloader elf on your memory card?

Mine's actually on the hard drive. The only thing on my memory card is LaunchELF, which I use to launch a few versions of hdloader, and hdl_srvr.
To get this to work you have to create a small partition on the hard drive just to hold the utilities, as LaunchELF doesn't understand HDLoader partitions/filesystems.

TalkingOctopus · Post by **TalkingOctopus** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:18 am

antron wrote:
TalkingOctopus wrote:
antron wrote:note: gradius V requires the patched version of HDL.
I didn't realize it worked at all. This is good news because my ps2 sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it plays blue backed CDs. I will have to give it a try.

I too have the patched hdloader on an umodded machine..
unfortunately no one ever came up with a patch for the game itself.

how did you get the hdloader elf on your memory card?

I used the retail version of hdloader to get the patched hdloader onto my memory card. I followed a tutorial. I did it a while ago, so I'm afraid I cannot provide a link because I don't remember.

antron · Post by **antron** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:39 am

TalkingOctopus wrote:
antron wrote: I used the retail version of hdloader to get the patched hdloader onto my memory card. I followed a tutorial. I did it a while ago, so I'm afraid I cannot provide a link because I don't remember.

ok, i always wondered if it were possible that way. that's all i needed to know.