Dumping my Xbox for a PS2 Big Boy

[spideripc]

OK, got meself a PS2 with a Matrix MX4 fitted, now what to do about the HDD?

Problem is the official Sony Network Adaptor is like the Holy Grail over here in the UK, and anyway my old Xbox HDD (20gig Maxtor IDE 3.5) might not work with it anyway so looking at getting an IDE to USB adaptor.

Now heres what I need to know (did a search for HDD and USB, far too much info LOL, too many options), I understand theirs quite a few games that won't work with a USB drive (will still have to play those the old fashioned way as DVD-R backups) but whats the best software?

I understand Winhiip is what you need to get the images onto the HDD, but is it better for a FAT32 or NTFS and USBAdvance (or Extreme) or HDLoader?

Most important - will NCAA Football 07 and FIFA 07 work either way? (after all thats the most important games.. )

Any help will be top hole old boy.

[dlanor]

OK, got meself a PS2 with a Matrix MX4 fitted, now what to do about the HDD?

Problem is the official Sony Network Adaptor is like the Holy Grail over here in the UK, and anyway my old Xbox HDD (20gig Maxtor IDE 3.5) might not work with it anyway so looking at getting an IDE to USB adaptor.

I have both, and have had them for a long time now. But in practice I never use the USB HDD for gameplay. It's great for copying large data files for use by other homebrew (eg: movies for the SMS player), but the game compatibility of USBAdvance/USBExtreme is not even comparable to that of HDLoader/HDAdvance (the software using the network adapter IDE). Without going into any details, let's just say that less than 20% of all games work over USB, while over 80% work with the network adaptor IDE. (The real contrast is even more extreme.)

Don't get me wrong now. I'm not here to bash the USB software, but just want to share the facts. I'm also not here to advise you against using USBAdvance, in favour of HDLoader, but rather to do what I did. Get them both!

There are even a few games that work only with USBAdvance, but not with HDL (eg: ".hack/INFECTION"), and if those are games you love, then the USB software may continue to be important for you even after you get HDLoader. Though the extremely long load delays (minutes sometimes) can drive you crazy at times...

Now heres what I need to know (did a search for HDD and USB, far too much info LOL, too many options), I understand theirs quite a few games that won't work with a USB drive (will still have to play those the old fashioned way as DVD-R backups) but whats the best software?

With the USB interface there is no choice of software. Since USBAdvance is a rip off USBExtreme, the software provided for it is all there is. Some additional homebrew stuff has also been made for similar purposes, but nothing comparable with the wide support for HDL.

I understand Winhiip is what you need to get the images onto the HDD,

No. That software is only for HDLoader games, not for USBAdvance.

but is it better for a FAT32 or NTFS and USBAdvance (or Extreme) or HDLoader?

All USB HDD software on the PS2 need FAT formats, and FAT32 is the preferable one (as it allows large disks).

HDLoader on the other hand can't use any FAT or NTFS format. It requires a PS2 specific format. This can be created either by WinHIIP on a PC, or by HDLoader itself (or other homebrew software) on a PS2.

Most important - will NCAA Football 07 and FIFA 07 work either way? (after all thats the most important games.. )

My own taste in games is quite different, so I'm not into football games at all (even so, it seems odd seeing '07 versions out already !?!). You'll have to check that with others.

Best regards: dlanor

[spideripc]

Cheers mate, I'll see if a HDD Network Adaptor shows up on eBAY then, would a US one work on a UK PS2 or are they different (PAL & NTSC).

[dlanor]

Cheers mate, I'll see if a HDD Network Adaptor shows up on eBAY then, would a US one work on a UK PS2 or are they different (PAL & NTSC).

I believe they are identical, though I've only tried some bought through normal retail (thus intended for my region). But other internal interfaces of the PS2 are independent of region, and so are the IDE and Ethernet interfaces, so there's no reason for any regional differencies in these adaptors.

Best regards: dlanor

[chippy56]

Problem is the official Sony Network Adaptor is like the Holy Grail over here in the UK, and anyway my old Xbox HDD (20gig Maxtor IDE 3.5) might not work with it anyway so looking at getting an IDE to USB adaptor.

Try PC World and Gamestation. I bought one in the last 3 months from PCW and a pal got one from GS recently too. Depends on stock of course, but you may be lucky. PCW price was £24.99 and GS was £19.99. Ebay is a good bet 'cos my son's friend got his for £7 in the packaging too!

[l_oliveira]

I believe they are identical, though I've only tried some bought through normal retail (thus intended for my region). But other internal interfaces of the PS2 are independent of region, and so are the IDE and Ethernet interfaces, so there's no reason for any regional differencies in these adaptors.

Best regards: dlanor

The network adapters are identical. Only diference being the fact that Euro network adapters are the same ones sold in Japan (broadband only) and US ones come with a analog conexant modem built in (hence they being fatter than Euro/JP network adapters)

Edit: The PCMCIA card on my 10k PS2 is based on the very same chip the expansion bay network adapters use. Still if the chip is the same I dunno why the interface on it is incompatible with homebrewn software ... Is it the chip on the console side of the interface that is incompatible ?

[unclejun]

Maybe some differences in the bios.
I'm thinking of buying a v0 as I have a new external hdd for it lying around, wich one should I go for, 10k, 15k or 18k?

[l_oliveira]

The 10k and 15k have no HDD support at all. HDD support is added with a updated OSD.SYS software and a few IRX modules in the memorycard (a huge 1.7mb save called System Driver)

18k has built in support in the bios.
If your PSBBN disk is original you can get any kind of PCMCIA based PS2 unit. A original disc will be able to install the system driver for a 10k PS2.

I have a copied japanese Utility Disc 1.00 and a original PSBBN 2.0 DVD which I used to create the system driver. I took the HDD out of the case and fitted in a 30000 unit, installed the browser 2.0 (overwrite the PSBBN RTE/boot) then deleted the linux partitions. I think 15 gig is a bit too much of a waste. I could install games on the HDD (games which run originally on the disc + HDD fashion, like FFX for example) hence why I did this.

The PSBBN as browser can be pretty lame because it make copying stuff from a memory card to another freaking painful ... That's why I got rid of it ...

[unclejun]

Thanks for the information.

The PSBBN as browser can be pretty lame because it make copying stuff from a memory card to another freaking painful ... That's why I got rid of it ...

It's easy to unclip the hdd to boot on the regular memory card browser, and faster than on the ps2 with internal hdd.

[l_oliveira]

But that would kill the memory folder function of the HDD, not ? lol
Also to play FFXI, waiting the PSBBN to boot, check for updates and so is like 3 to 5 mins even if you use the bookmark function to make a shortcut to start PlayOnline viewer (FFXI). In a 10k PS2 it also takes at least 15 seconds for it to dowload the HDD support files from the memory card. The PS2 screen remains black for that long ....