Moding the PS2

[refraction]

I hate Swap Magic, it's just too much of a hassle to use frequently. Modding or HDLoader FTW. And I don't even pirate if I can avoid it.

however swap magic gets you a clean bios dump, mod chips load the modified data in to memory (which is what we dump) so you never get the true image.

not sure the hastle you're talking about, with the magic keys or flip lid, its no different from changing the disc when you change game.

[JTD]

I'd recommend getting either Swap Magic, or a Memor 32 Memory Card (it has a USB Port that you can use to swap data & Game Saves between it an a PC) but I don't think the Memor 32 is sold anymore.

That Free Mc Boot thing is another option, of course.
I've been seeing it recommended a lot on various forums, but I haven't tried it out myself.

Can you use a Code Breaker or Gameshark or Action Replay + USB Mem Stick to transfer the Free Mc Boot app onto your memory card, like you can with the old Mem Card Exploit, that relies on using a PS1 game to boot stuff off a mem card?

[iviv]

not sure the hastle you're talking about, with the magic keys or flip lid, its no different from changing the disc when you change game.

Which is a little hastle, I prefer being able to just being able to put my games into the ps2 and play without needing to boot up the swap magic game first. So I still use all my original CDs for playing games, apart from a couple where the discs managed to get too damaged to play normally.

[rama]

These days FreeMCBoot is really the perfect mod, imo.
It doesn't need a disc in the drive to exploit the console.
You simply press the power button, it loads a bit and you're into uLE or whatever.
Can't get easier to do some nice PS2 dev than that

[Br4nd0n-VII]

I agree with Free MC Boot being the best choice nowadays. You can have a friend with a modded system put it on your memory card for you or you can do it yourself for $5 or less if you follow the tutorial on www.gaming-overhaul.webs.com under the projects page. Its a great tutorial some ppl call it the 007 agent under fire hotswap mod method. once you have FMCB on your memory card dumping your bios is no prob! PCSX2 is awesome

[orchlon]

however swap magic gets you a clean bios dump, mod chips load the modified data in to memory (which is what we dump) so you never get the true image.

not sure the hastle you're talking about, with the magic keys or flip lid, its no different from changing the disc when you change game.

modified data? is that why when i dumped my ps2 it got me a japanese bios.