[PS2] USB Flash Drive for Save Backups

If your PS2 is modded, or has the exploit installed so that you can run uLaunchELF, you can transfer saves to any USB flash drive.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by BlueBomber

I noticed there was a 'PlayStation2 Max Drive Save (North America)' section, as well as a 'PlayStation2 CodeBreaker Save (Japan)' section. I have a mod chip installed, so maybe I'll take a look into this CodeBreaker and/or uLaunchELF thing - but does that mean they will only work on the Japanese version of the game ?

Saves from the Japanese version will only work with the Japanese version, if that's what you're asking. There's a utility available to convert max drive saves into raw saves that you can use with uLaunchELF, or into CodeBreaker saves. Essentially it can convert most major save formats.

It's called PS2 Save Builder, and in case that direct link won't work, it is available from PS2 Save Tools. Look in Downloads->Misc Tools, and it's on the second page. There's tons of useful crap on that site.

If you need any help getting uLaunchELF up and running, please feel free to drop me a PM. I'll do my best.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Kostaki

Been a while since I've done any research on it, the last time I tried it I was able to get it running but couldn't do much else with it.

I set my exploit up using Swap Magic, bought a Network adapter for 20 quid, and a HDD for 30. Now I play my imports direct from the HDD. It's great. No loading times, less strain on the laser... I don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Kostaki

Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooold It!

You found a contradiction in my testimony? Damn it!

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You mean as long as you execute the exploit, and have an HD + Network Adapter, you can play imports?

Yes. This is precisely what I meant. I use a regular generic 80GB HDD as well, not the official sony one. I think you could probably use the official Sony one, but it's way too small to be much use.

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Please tell me how.

Of course. You just need to download the HDLoader, and use uLaunchELF to install it on your memory card. If you already have the exploit set up, you can just copy it to your exploit folder and then add it to the KeyLauncher menu.

In order to play imports you first need to rip your games on your PC using DVD Decrypter or any other program that will let you make an ISO image from your games. Once you've done that, you can either connect your HDD directly to the PC and use WinHiip to install your games, or you can send them over the network using HDL_Dump. Sending them over the network is slow, but it doesn't involve opening your PC.

Get HDL_Dump and WinHiip here!

If you wanted to play domestic titles from the HDLoader, to save wear and tear on your laser, you can rip them by putting them in the PS2. That won't work for imports, though, because the PS2 won't recognise the disc.

When you come to the HDLoader menu, all the games you've installed will be bootable no matter what region they are from.

I'm having difficulty finding the URL for the actual HDLoader program, but as soon as I do, I will post it.

EDIT: OK So I got it. You can download version 0.7c (fully patched) from that same site, but on a different page. There's actually a version 0.8b out now, but I'm still using 0.7c and there aren't many games it won't run.

Since HDLoader requires you to rip your games to ISO format, it is often accused of being a tool for piracy. It can be used as such, of course. It can also be used to play legitimate imports. If anyone is going to criticise me for enabling software piracy, all I can say is that I've heard the arguments before. I enjoy this level of convenience.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Kostaki

Can you use any particular HD or is there an established list of what you can and cannot use? I have a Western Digital 100GB ATA/IDE HD that I'm not using at the moment.

Here's the thing: While most IDE hard drives will work, there are some that won't physically fit the connectors on the network adapter. Some Western Digital models are problematic like that, but not all. Seagate drives are reputed to be incompatible with certain models of the network adapter, but other than that... you can use anything else. I just grabbed the first HDD that I saw that wasn't a WD or a Seagate drive. It happened to be Hitachi.

There's a non-exhaustive list of compatible drives here. On the off chance that you're interested, that site sell discs that will boot HDAdvance in an unmodded, unexploited PS2. HDAdvance is essentially HDLoader minus some of the newer patches, and of course you can't skin HDAdvance. I wouldn't go for it, but I know people who have.

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Also, the last thing I'm gonna do is criticize your methods, especially something like this lol. The mere thought of Suikoden V Japanese is more than enough for me haha.

It wasn't you that I was thinking of. In the last thread on GFF in which I discussed HDLoader, it was criticised as being for downloaders, not importers. I don't really care about that, but I wanted to forestall the argument, in case anyone was feeling pugnacious.

I'll PM you about the new patched version.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Kostaki

Well, this WD1000 IDE/ATA barely misses the mark and doesn't fit.

Damn... I heard that it's possible to mod the adapter in some way, but it doesn't seem worth it to me. Considering how cheap hard drives are.

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That sucks. I suppose I could try to find a cheap HD somewhere at like Best Buy to put in, 80GB-100GB IDE/ATAs can't be too expensive anymore.

You shouldn't have to pay much more than 40 bucks. Based on my recent experiences, I recommend Hitachi. I have two in my computer, one in my xbox, and one in my PS2. They are great drives.

Oh, and check your PMs.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Kostaki

I saw the PM. I'll reply to it momentarily.

Ahh, sorry. Since I found out today there was a new version, I've been in slightly hyper-mode, installing and testing and whatever. I didn't mean to be impatient... The new version is much nicer for us PAL users, since it now actually fills the whole screen, so I've been quite excited.

I'm so easily excited like a kid when it comes to stuff like this.

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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145091 would that one work?

It's actually specifically mentioned on the compatibility list, and it's the same range as the one I use, just a higher capacity. You'll be fine with that. It's pretty large, considering that PS2 games take up an average of 2GB. You'll be able to install your whole colection.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Kostaki

I don't know about my whole collection, considering I have 100+ PS2 games. A great deal though I imagine. I have a couple of imports (my LE copy of Suikoden V Japanese) and some other things I'd like to try out and as long as it stops the wear and tear on my laser it's all good.

The DVD drive stops spinning as soon as the HDLoader is booted, so it's pretty kind to your laser. It cuts down wear to just a few minutes per playing session, instead of hours. It also means that there's no chance for you to scratch up your originals.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by BlueBomber

Oh christ. I have no idea what kind of modchip I have, or if it has that exploit. TIME TO DO SOME RESEARCH.

Unless it is ancient, it can probably do one or the other Dev mode. Even if it cannot, it will be possible for you to make an exploit installer CD that will allow you to put it on the memory card. No matter what you have, there's a really good chance this will work out in your favour.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by leaf

So are you telling me that PC type HD does work with PS2? That would be cool. Do all PS2 PAL games can be run from the hard drive? And do I have to have a modchip to run games on HD or to use that HDloader and LaunchELF? I admit I am a newbie to that thing :/

If you have the fat PS2, you can run the memory card exploit. Setting it up is a fairly involved process, and it will go a lot easier on you if you have something like the Action Replay that allows you to transfer saves to your memory card. Swap magic will work too.

Once you have the files transferred across, you need a PS1 game (any game) to act as the trigger disc. With regards to compatibility, the official list claims that (with the latest patch) HDLoader is compatible with 86% of all games. I've been very lucky. There are only a tiny handful of games I've tried that didn't work.

http://list.ps2hd.com/

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by leaf

Thanks for bothering. Anyway could you tell me few things about HD and PS2? Let's say we have a clean, fat PS2 without modchip. What do we need to store all games on HD (HD Loader, Network Adapter just everything)?

You need a network adapter, an appropriate hard drive, and some method of transferring files to your memory card. Any of the various cheat devices that allow you to do this will work. For example, the Action Replay Max Drive, the SharkPort, and things like that. If you have a Swap Magic, you can use that too. If you don't have any of these things, you need to purchase one. Finally you will need an original PS1 game. Any will do.

The next step is to prepare the memoryexploit on your PC. If you're ready to do this then you should consult the thread and tuturial here. You may need to register. Preparing and transferring the exploit is covered in that tutorial, and it's only a slight ball-ache.

Then you can boot your exploit by triggering it with your PS1 game, and transfer additional files onto your PS2 via FTP. You will want to install HDLoader of course, and possibly install uLaunchELF as your front end.

When you get to that stage, you can either transfer games via the network, or copy original discs by placing them in the PS2 drive. It's a learning process. You'll have mastered it in a few weeks, so don't worry if it sounds complex now.

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If I understood right, PS2 works with PC type hard drives, right? But then is it ATA100, ATA133, Serial ATA, 2,5'' (notebook type) or 3,5'' (standard)? Do you think for example, that Samsung Spinpoint series work with the PS2?

It has to be Paralel ATA, since the network adapter only works with this particular type of drive. It also has to be a 3.5" drive, and a very small number of models will not physically fit the hard-wired connectors. I use Hitachi, but I don't hear any bad things about Samsung drives when used with PS2.

Your imports will thank you.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by leaf

1. It may sound dumb, but what does the Action Replay have to do with transfering files to memory card. How does it work?

The PS2 Action Replay Max comes with the Max Drive, a USB pendrive that you can plug into the USB port on the PS2. You can then use the AR software to transfer saves to and from the memory card in .max format. I've not used the SharkPort, but I believe it's the Game Shark equivalent. If you have Swap Magic, or intend to buy it, you can boot a CD with uLaunchELF, and use any USB pendrive. Swap Magic involves using a slide card though, which I'm not keen on.

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2. I don't get it. How to transfer something to PS2 via FTP? O_O Do you mean File Transfer Protocol?

I do. Once the exploit is installed, you can transfer files to your PS2 by using uLaunchELF's built in FTP server. There is also a stand-alone FTP server application, but uLaunchELF is superior.

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3. Do I have to put a PS1 game each time I want to play a PS2 game from HD?

Yes. The PS1 game is what triggers the exploit. Once the exploit has been configured to recognise the PS1 game you intend to use, instead of loading the game in question, you will be able to boot homebrew applications from your memory card. If you want to play that PS1 game again, just don't have the exploit memory card in your PS2.

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4. On the PS2HD compatibility list I saw something like "works with mode 3". What does it mean?

There are different compatibility modes which can be enabled on a per-game basis. Some games won't work without a specific mode being enabled. Mode 3 is one of these.

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5. Can I save all PS2 games on HD by just placing them in drive? What with PS2 CDs and these dvd9 like Gran Turismo 4?

It is true that not as many games on CD (blue discs) are compatible as games on single-layer DVD, but many of them do work. They can be copied just by placing them in the drive tray. Even games which aren't compatible can be copied to the hard drive, but there's not much point in that. Dual-Layer games also suffer from a lower compatibility rate, but some do work. They must be ripped on the PC, and manually transferred using an application called WinHIIP though.

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6. Are you sure I don't need a modchip to run PAL games from HD?

Let me put it in practical terms for you. I use a PAL PS2, and I don't have a modchip. I am able to run both NTSC-U and NTSC-J titles direct from the hard drive without a problem.

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7. Are there any pros besides size while using non-Sony HDs? And if I am using non-Sony one: is there a difference if I use ATA 100 or ATA 133? Or can it be even old ATA 66?

You won't be able to fit many games on your Sony HD, but it will work. It doesn't matter what transfer rate your drive supports, but HDLoader is compatible with UDMA transfer modes up to 133 MB/s and will take advantage of higher transfer rates for reduced loading times.

Sometimes you need to manually force a lower transfer rate for the sake of compatibility though. This is easily done. Overall, you can use almost any old drive you happen to have laying around. Here is a non-exhaustive compatibility list. Don't pay any attention to the games compatibility notes on that page, since it refers to HDAdvance which is a retail product that you can buy. It uses the same HDLoader you can download from SKSApps.com, but without the benefit of the latest community patches.

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8. Do I need something special to run fan-made emus from HD? And how to put them on that HD? By coping it from PC's HD or by inserting some CD-R?

Once you've installed the exploit that we've been discussing, the easiest way would be for you to run them on your PS2 hard drive. You can launch them using the excellent uLaunchELF, also available from SKSApps.com.

uLaunchELF is pretty much the best front-end for PS2 Homebrew. When you install the exploit, if you use the files from that tutorial, it will use KeyLauncher as the front-end, but you can replace that (and should) with uLaunchELF, which is fully skinnable, and has a built-in FTP server, file manager, and everything else you will ever need.

If you PM me when you're ready to get to work, I'll provide you with a custom exploit using uLaunchELF that you can just download and install. Let me know what installation method you're using so I know whether to prepare it for the AR Max Drive, or the Sharkport, or whatever else.

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I know it's much and it's newbie like but it's better to ask an expert than to google for faqs. Thanks again, man!

If I didn't want to provide help with this I would have not spoken about it in the first place. I don't mind.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by leaf

1. Is this Action Replay max always containing that flash drive, or not? I saw some boxed sets with 8MB memory card.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Playstati...281167-8934841

That's the one you need. You can clearly see the 'Max Drive' on the front of the pack. It's called the "Evo Edition".

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2. To be honest I don't know how can you just transfer something to PS2 via FTP? Could you tell something more?

Dead simple. First connect your PS2 network adapter to your LAN. Then go into the config menu in uLaunchELF and select network configuration. Configure the IP address settings to suit your network, and save the settings. Then go to the "Misc" menu and start the FTP server. Then just connect to your PS2 using the IP address you selected earlier. You can browse the contents of the hard drive and the memory cards over the network. Obviously in order to do this you need uLaunchELF, which means you already need to have the exploit working. Which is why you need the Max Drive to get it set up.

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3. Weren't PS2 CDs purple? Or purple and blue? I hope most of them work.

Whatever color they were exactly isn't important. It's something in the blue spectrum, but they are slightly more problematic than DVD games. I've managed to get a lot of them working, but what works is what's on that list. If a title is not on the list, it may or may not work...

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4. Does the HD which I would insert in PS2 need to be formatted in some "special" way?

Either the HDLoader itself or WinHIIP (the PC application) can handle this, so no worries. It is a different filesystem than normal, but you don't need to know anything about it. When you first boot HDLoader from your memory card, it will ask you if you want to format your drive.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by leaf

Ah. So I have to have a PCI Ethernet Lan Card, right?

Or a built-in lan adapter on your motherboard. Most motherboards from the last five years or so seem to have them.

And about that pendrive. So I would have to buy Action Replay Max Evo Edition - that's clear. But does this set contain a real Action Replay, which can be seen here:
There's another page here that might explain a bit more clearly. It does contain the bootable AR Max disc in addition to the pendrive. It can be used as a standard AR Max, or in conjunction with the pendrive.

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Heck, do I need that thing for something? Or just the pendrive will do?

Without the bootable CD, your PS2 will not access the pendrive. You do need this to set up the exploit, but the Evo Edition contains the disc and the pendrive.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by ^-^

About the code converter software, ARMaxEVO will not read the saves after converting, for some odd reason. I've also had issues converting back to codebreaker format too.. >_>

Judging from you comment below, I can't figure out why you'd be using the AR Max EVO or the Codebreaker to transfer saves. If you have uLaunchELF, and a working Independance Exploit, you don't need either of those things to backup and restore your save files. You don't need them for anything that I can think of, once you have uLaunchELF running.

If you need any help transferring saves with uLaunchELF, please let me know. I'll be glad to answer any questions you might have either here in this thread or by PM. If there's another reason you need to use these devices, then I'd be intrigued to hear it. Perhaps there is a creative solution.

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Also, once you start using uLaunchELF, you can start using other ps2 "client/server" programs to stream stuff to the ps2, like anime, for example, eliminating the use for burning it on CDR/DVDR..

This of course is true, but with the limitations of the various media players on PS2, the XBox is a more natural platform for this kind of thing anyway. They are now so cheap (even new) that I'd recommend anyone to get one just for use as a media centre. Even if you have no interest in XBox games, the homebrew scene (primarily XMBC) is first-rate.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by ^-^

Well, let me explain. I didn't have both at certain points while doing this stuff, so I had to use converting software to convert the saves to the appropriate cheating device. Also, I tried backing up through FTP and the save files went corrupt, so I'd just rather use the cheating devices.

The problem you had when backing up saves by FTP is easy to solve. I'm guessing you took the files directly off the memory card via FTP. That would probably have been your mistake. If you copy them to the PS2 HDD first, using uLaunchELF's 'MCPaste' function, that will preserve the special file attributes that PS2 memory cards expect. Then you need to use MCPaste to put them back on the memory card too. It creates a special file containing information about the extended attributes that it can use to properly set them when you restore the files to your memory card.

Once the saves are on the hard drive, complete with their special attribute file, you can freely FTP them, copy them, do what you want with them. You just need to make sure to retain the attribute file. If that's lost, the saves will show as corrupt, every time.

I probably didn't do the best job of explaining that, but I hope it helps you. If you continue using your cheat devices to transfer files, I am sure that will work for you, but it's not as convenient as FTPing.

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The only program that is recommended to use for a media player on the ps2 is SMS, and it can play every format out there (except dual audio files, and mpg). The program has also been written with XMB's gui!

It doesn't bother you not being able to play MKV and OGM files? That's the only limitation I was referring to, and it would bug the crap out of me. I guess I'm just waaaaay too spoiled by XBMC.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by ^-^

Thanks for the heads up about the save function. I didn't know about that. However, do you have to use a PS2HDD for the mcpaste function to work?

Off the top of my head, a USB flash drive would work. I don't know if the slimline can use those, but I'm assuming it would. You can MCPaste files either from a memory card to any medium other than a memory card, or vice-versa. Since it's essentially performing a conversion of sorts, you can't MCPaste files from a memory card to a memory card... because there would normally be no need.

Since I've got limited experience of the slimlines, the safest thing for me to say is that you can copy 'em to any filesystem you can connect to your PS2, as long as you are using uLaunchELF to do so.

There's even a way to do it across the network to your PC... but that's complicated, and I haven't done much with it yet. Essentially it involves running software on your PC to permit incoming connections from uLaunchELF. If that's your preferred option, I can probably advise you... but I'll need to try it out more thoroughly for myself first.

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Also, those guides that say it's impossible for the hack to be put on the slimline, I guess I just broke that rule >_>

They do indeed. I've never tried it, but it's a generally accepted scene rule as far as I know... I'm distinctly curious. Any idea what version your slimline is?

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Trust me, if the xbox does it, I'd buy an xbox if I could. But for right now, my projector and myself are going to have to put up with my ps2.

The xbox does indeed do it. It has limited support for styled softsubs, but there's hope for that in the future. XBMC development moves at a glacial pace though...

I guess if the SMS devs are working on MKV/OGM support, they could easily surpass XBMC soon. If they can implement styled ASS/SSA subtitles, I'm going to have to eat my words. I'll be thoroughly delighted to, of course.

Most amazing jew boots

I see. You've found a fairly creative way to sidestep the part of the process that won't work with slimline consoles. I'm assuming you have the version of Swap Magic that allows you to execute ELF files direct from the memory card. Mine can do that, but I never tried it, because I was able to install a modified TITLE.DB file and set up autobooting throught the Independance Exploit.

Your way is pretty decent for a slimline though. I'll remember that.

Did you try using USBAdvance yet? If you've got an external USB hard drive, you would be able to play imports or copied games that way, assuming that's your thing. The compatibility isn't as good as with HDLoader, but it doesn't suck.

There's nowhere I can't reach.