*Sigh* More Swap Disc Questions

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:23 am

Ok, here's the deal:

have decided to get the swapdisc set so I can finally get some imports, but I am unclear about several things. I have the most recent PS2 slim version. I have read that their are tons of tools to use together with the swapdiscs to bypass the checks the system makes after you flip the cover. Which one is the easiest? Which ones will I not have to remove to play regular games? Which ones don't require ruining my warranty? It's not that big of a deal, but I'd like to avoid that if it won't be too much of an obstacle.

Lastly, where to buy it. Where is a reliable place? I was thinking here.

Thanks for the help.

ReKleSS · Post by **ReKleSS** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:10 am

I would use the official Magic Keys set. The latest version won't void your warranty (should be all slim ps2s, not sure...) and won't interfere with normal games. Not hard to install, but tool A is kind of crap. Installation instructions are here.

As for where to buy them, estarland have been reliable enough for me. divineo.cn is cheaper, and I've ordered stuff from there before without incident, but they don't feel as professional.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:32 am

Yeah. Thanks. I ended up getting the 'Coder' edition, which apparently has lots of cheats on it. I mainly got that set cause it had the switch come with it. I have a problem however.

I can't get Tool E to install properly.

If you don't know what it looks like, then hereis an installation guide and it has a picture of where Tool E is supposed to go.

Anybody have any possible tips to get it in there right? I can't even get it in there at all, let alone correctly.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:43 am

Whats up with D, i thought you do not have to open the case. If you have a new V15 then you will most likely put a hole in the security sticker, because Sony moved it to the bottom. You will void your warranty. If that the case then i would spend the money and have it modded by a professional like Davebere over at Team modders or DMS forums.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:27 am

I couldn't get tool E to work, so instead of fucking around with it until it worked or I broke something, I just removed the top cover of the PS2 and taped a piece of paper over the little lever the Tool was supposed to keep down. Ha, a piece of paper.

I had to break the sticker and void my warranty, but like I said in my first post, it wasn't something I was unwilling to do, just something I wanted to avoid if easily possible.

The materials I used to install the pieces (part E/paper, really):

2 Screwdrivers (A phillips to unscrew the case and a flathead one to fiddle with things I couldn't reach with my fingers)

2 pairs of tweezers (A really small set from my Dad's pocketknife and a a pair of eyebrow tweezers)

1 Flashlight

1 pair of Scissors

About 1 square inch of paper (I used much less, but that is including ripped/messed up/lost/shaved off pieces)

About a half inch of regular office tape (probably used less, but same as above)

I actually tried using little bits of straws also, but to no avail. I heard it was possible here on the last post.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:55 am

http://www.mod-chip.com/en/magic_key2_set.php

Warranty problem? What warranty problem?

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 6:22 pm

I think EVERY console I own gets the screwdriver sooner or later. Just for fun.

I have a Magic Switch coming but it's probably the one I need to open my system to use. Oh well.

ReKleSS · Post by **ReKleSS** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:19 pm

Erm, tool D is there so you can just stick it over the switch, without having to tape anything down.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:53 am

ReKleSS wrote:Erm, tool D is there so you can just stick it over the switch, without having to tape anything down.

The set I got came with Tools A,B, and E. No D.

No problem though. It works fine. I've played my PS2 with regular domestic games and flipped the lid to make sure the disc still spins. Short of the paper catching flame, I think it'll last.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:33 am

I got mine too, came with 2 pieces of A, 2 pieces of B, 1 piece of C, and 1 piece of E.

Tools A and B were a snap to install.
My PSTwo has some metal bit blocking the installation of tool C, so I went with E. And I have enough pieces left over to install in another PSTwo that is compatible with tool C.

Took a few tries to get the placement right but it seems to work fine now, I tried opening and closing the lid while playing and the disc keeps spinning.

Played some Ibara and IIDX Happy Sky. IIDX HS is so excellent! The songs are great!

Didn't have to poke or peel my warranty sticker either.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:58 am

Yeah, A and B were easy to install once I recognized them. All of the tutorials online picture them differently then how mine looked. They must have redesigned them to be sturdier or something. I had already blocked up the place Part A goes with paper and begun trying to get the disc stop (where Part B goes) to stay back before I realized the parts just looked different.

Really, if you aren't worried about ruining your warranty, you can just buy the discs and do all of the modifications with paper and tape. I felt kind of ripped off after I found this out.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:06 am

If I knew I'd be opening up my system, I'd hook up a 3-pole toggle switch to it.

But if you can get Tool E to work, there's no need to void your warranty.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:48 pm

I'll bet it got bent during shipping or something. I swear I just could not get Tool E to work properly. I spent at least an hour trying to get it in there.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:17 pm

I got Swap Magic 3 and Magic Keys 2 in the mail yesterday....tool 3, the one that seems to give everyone problems, did indeed prove to be a trick...until I learned the trick. The trick is to leave your PS2 plugged in and turned on while you're screwing with it. Basically, once you get the tool into the slot and laying flush, sliding the tool toward the left will allow it to slide up the trigger and depress it. It helps if you find the sweet spot first, then take off the sticky backing. BTW, Espgaluda and DOJ are friggin awesome. Anyway, the annoying part is that, while you can close the lid, it will be slightly bowed from where it's hitting tool C. ...and hey, my warranty is still valid.

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:35 pm

Hmmm, I just got a slim PS2. Need to follow up with this thread as I am purchasing ESPgaluda and Homura.

Why does it have to be so complicated to play imports? There's no way that the risk/reward of region locking is worthwhile for Sony. Not like it stunts piracy or anything.

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 2:49 am

I went ahead and just ordered these as well. $30 shipped and I can split it with a friend, no too shabby. I'm too old these days to mess with a mod chip, lol. I'll let you know how it goes, thanks for the tips/links in this thread.

Pirate1019 · Post by **Pirate1019** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:27 am

@Damocles: Yeah, I turned my PS2 on while I fiddled with it. Fat load of good it did me. An hour later I'm nowhere. I couldn't even get it to go flush with the console. I still don't even know where its supposed to go exactly. Only that it's to the right of the hinge near the spring.

@ktownhero: You'll probably have a better time with this then me. Supposedly it works great, but I could not for the life of me get Tool E in right. Good news is that if it doesn't work, then a piece of paper and some tape works nicely.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:31 am

please save the money and read my thread, you wont be dissapointed, im playing galuda and ibara right now

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:34 am

Pirate: yes, I should have also mentioned. Like Damocles, I fiddled with Tool E while the PSTwo was turned on, and also before I peeled the sticky backing, so that I'd know approximately where it needed to be to depress the switch.

Too late now for you, but might be helpful for anyone else planning to get. This is a really convenient thing for PSTwo owners, and completely reversible too.

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:55 pm

Is there a reason that you guys don't just want to use a replacement cover which is easy to install and works great. Yeah, you void the warranty, but it's a POS slim PS2; it's not going to last anyway and is cheap to replace.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:06 pm

if you have to void your warranty with a no solder solution then what is the point? sorry for changing the subject, but i hate to see you guys struggling with that BS. also unless you have the knowledge to work with images of backups you own, you might not be able to get some of your games working without the required patch to work with SM

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:06 pm

This might be a stupid question, but I gotta ask.

Is it safe that we are blocking the disc brake? Will this cause any wear and tear issues for the PS2 in the long run, or is the disc brake only used when you open the cover, i.e., can the cd drive itself stop the disc from spinning? (is that what happens when you make the swap?)

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:24 pm

It's fine. When you shut off the console, a voltage brake is applied to the drive motor itself, so you don't have to worry about it.

I think the brake that tool B blocks might wear out the edge of your game discs very slowly, since it's actually a friction brake that rubs against the disc.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:56 am

Bar81 wrote:Is there a reason that you guys don't just want to use a replacement cover which is easy to install and works great. Yeah, you void the warranty, but it's a POS slim PS2; it's not going to last anyway and is cheap to replace.

Because I had mine for two weeks before I sent a surge of electricity through the system, frying it. If I had cracked the case I would have been screwed. I refuse to void the warranty on this piece of electronics. Cheap...$130 isn't exactly money that I want to spend every few weeks.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:25 am

iatneH wrote:It's fine. When you shut off the console, a voltage brake is applied to the drive motor itself, so you don't have to worry about it.

I think the brake that tool B blocks might wear out the edge of your game discs very slowly, since it's actually a friction brake that rubs against the disc.

I hated that brake from day one. Such a pain in the ass. Who thought it would be a good idea to stick a piece of plastic right where the disk is supposed to go, basically requiring you to fiddle with the damn thing before the disk lays flat?

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:21 am

If I had cracked the case I would have been screwed.

do you have to crack the case to open a slim ps2?

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:26 am

Strider77 wrote:
If I had cracked the case I would have been screwed.
do you have to crack the case to open a slim ps2?

Nope, I just meant opening it, tearing the warranty seal, and thus voiding my warranty. There was the chance that Target, where the system was purchased, wouldn't have checked. I wasn't going to take that chance, however.

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:36 am

I got my Magic Keys today, and have them fully installed and working properly. Thanks to everyone in this thread for the links and tips, it really helped. Here are a few tips of my own:

I was scared as hell that key B would touch my disks spinning and scratch them. It doesn't, it actually does seem to have a safe amount of clearance. EDIT: WARNING!!! -- By my second play with this mod the sticky portion of the B key loosened up - this caused it to raise up and touch my ESPGaluda disc as it was spinning and scratch a ring around the disc!!! Luckily I heard it rubbing immediately and got the disc out before any real damage occured. I have removed the B key, and instead just wedged a small ball of paper in the gap to hold the brake open. I would not recommend trusting this key, as it is easily replaced by a small ball of paper. The sticky tape on these keys is not trustworthy enough to be this close to the spinning disc.

For tool E (3), I have some additional tips to the ones offered a few posts up (which were extremely helpful). First, what is not clear in some of the instructions is that tool E gets placed BETWEEN the two metal tabs back near the spring. Secondly, once you have the tip inside, it helps to lightly rock the lid up and down as you wiggle it in. Thirdly, once it is in place, do exactly what Damocles said: plug the ps2 in, turn it on (with a disc inserted), and slide the key to the left until the disc starts spinning. Once you get a feel for it, remove the backing with some tweezers and stick it into place.

All in all, this is a mod that just about any joe can do (Tool E might give you a run for your money, but you'll get it if you're patient), and it doesn't void your warranty. And so far, it works 100%. No complaints here.

And damn, ESPGaluda DOES rule.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:54 am

ktownhero wrote:I got my Magic Keys today, and have them fully installed and working properly. Thanks to everyone in this thread for the links and tips, it really helped. Here are a few tips of my own:

I was scared as hell that key B would touch my disks spinning and scratch them. It doesn't, it actually does seem to have a safe amount of clearance.

For tool E (3), I have some additional tips to the ones offered a few posts up (which were extremely helpful). First, what is not clear in some of the instructions is that tool E gets placed BETWEEN the two metal tabs back near the spring. Secondly, once you have the tip inside, it helps to lightly rock the lid up and down as you wiggle it in. Thirdly, once it is in place, do exactly what Damocles said: plug the ps2 in, turn it on (with a disc inserted), and slide the key to the left until the disc starts spinning. Once you get a feel for it, remove the backing with some tweezers and stick it into place.

All in all, this is a mod that just about any joe can do (Tool E might give you a run for your money, but you'll get it if you're patient), and it doesn't void your warranty. And so far, it works 100%. No complaints here.

And damn, ESPGaluda DOES rule.

Thats good to hear, i was losing faith in those soldeless solutions, its good to know they work right when installed properly. Have fun

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:44 am

Please see the edit in my post above. I had issues with key B scratching my game discs.

shmups.system11.org

Sigh More Swap Disc Questions

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