FreeMCBoot VS Modchips VS SwapMagic. Lets find out What is the SAfest Solution for our PS2 System.

[SkyNet]

Hello Everyone. Long time ago I wanted to start such thread---it deserves to exist.
Before FreeMCBoot was created----we all used in our PS2s---modchips.

Some people used SwapMagic---they just thought that it is better for PS2s EcoSystem.

But the thing is that still a lot from Us continue to use in our PS2s--modchips.

But the thing is that now we have three methods to run Homebrews, Backups--and some special PS2 software.

The Candidates are:

1.Modchips;

2.SwapMagic;

3.FreeMCBoot.

So we have to figure out---what we have to use--because none of those three methods do not give the most comfortable way to use our ps2 for running unsigned code.

The most important question about Modchips----We have to find the answer:
Do Modchips damage the Laser in PS2 ???
Why a lot of users with Fat PS2 have dead lasers???? BEcause of Modchips or the reason is quite different????

So, is it safe to use ModChips????

FreeMCBoot is a comfortable thing---it is like mini Operating System. But the thing is that ESR--does not have full 100% Game compatibility---so it means that ESR can not fully replace Modchips.
Of course we can play backups from OPL, but Sometimes we need to run Software from DVD-Disc and ESR not always has support for such apps.

For Example--ESR does not support Linux Kit Backups.

Swap Magic---looks like the most clean method---because system is not modified in any way---It just uses Swapping Method to Start Backups.
The question is:
If to use cheap DVDs with SwapMagic---Can it damage the laser?????

So lets vote for the right decision :

1.FreeMCBoot alone;

2.Modchip alone;

3.SwapMagic Alone;

4.Modchip and SwapMagic;

5.FreeMCBoot and Modchip;

6.FreeMCBoot and SwapMagic.

What would you personally choose to use in your PS2 System ??????

Another Question----What is the most Safest method for the Laser ?????? It very actual for the owners of Fat PS2s......

How old is your Fat PS2 ???? Does it have Modchip inside???? If so --for how long Years you have Modchip in Your Fat PS2????
Did you notice any changes in Laser Behavior since Modchip Was installed????
Does your System behave differently--like for example does it get hotter temperature of the frame since Modchip was installed???
If you have any experience---tell to the community your thoughts.
Share your information.

[RandQalan]

I personally go the FMCB and Swap Magic but mostly FMCB
Only downside for me with ESR no PS1 support like mod chips have

[atreyu187]

I use modchips only, I can install ulaunch on one dev bank and HDLoader on the other so no need for Free Mc Boot. I have noticed that most phat's except the v7 scph-750X models tend to have laser problems. The next model up was where Sony finally introduced DVD+R support officially and total changed the insides of the PS2. Up till then you could swap parts to and from any PS2 prior to that. But the 5000X models did add a neat feature, the ability to run PSXLauncher.elf to play PS1 backups easily for homebrew users. I think the laser problem really relates to Sony not doing enough homework about the latest tech they always stick into their devices. The v7 was the perfect PS2 and the only model I will ever rely on, mine has been chipped since day one and never got a DRE. And as for Free Mc Boot it doesn't always play nice with modchips. If used on my system I must keep the tray ejected in order for Free Mc boot to actually boot. If I just power it on with a FMCB card inserted I get a black screen every time.

[SP193]

Hello Everyone. Long time ago I wanted to start such thread---it deserves to exist.
Before FreeMCBoot was created----we all used in our PS2s---modchips.

Some people used SwapMagic---they just thought that it is better for PS2s EcoSystem.

I used Swapmagic because I didn't want to void my console's warranty, and modchipping is now illegal here (But I can't boot any of the games they sell here on a local console as the region codes don't match). We have NTSC-J consoles and NTSC-U/C or PAL games, and most of us cannot understand Japanese.

So we have to figure out---what we have to use--because none of those three methods do not give the most comfortable way to use our ps2 for running unsigned code.

FMCB is the best for running homebrew software (unsigned/unlicensed code), hands down. Unless you can't install/run FMCB on your console.

The most important question about Modchips----We have to find the answer:
Do Modchips damage the Laser in PS2 ???
Why a lot of users with Fat PS2 have dead lasers???? BEcause of Modchips or the reason is quite different????

So, is it safe to use ModChips????

There was a brillant post by l_Oliveira here about this issue, and from what I remember: Modchips not well installed may worsen the problems that Sony had deliberately introduced to curb modchipping.

Some consoles (SCPH-70000 series) will deliberately try to kill themselves when they detect modifications to the MECHACON bus by slowing down their cooling fans, and some others like the SCPH-50000 series consoles have flaky resistors installed on their IOP buses to make the console malfunction ("Golden disc" syndrome) when modchips are installed.

Badly-designed modchips can worsen the problems that the console has, by making the MECHACON freeze up when they don't assert/de-assert TTL levels properly.

If to use cheap DVDs with SwapMagic---Can it damage the laser?????

Yes, it can.

So lets vote for the right decision :

1.FreeMCBoot alone;

2.Modchip alone;

3.SwapMagic Alone;

4.Modchip and SwapMagic;

5.FreeMCBoot and Modchip;

6.FreeMCBoot and SwapMagic.

#6 if discs have to be used for whatever reason. Best if it's only #1.

#4 makes no sense: If you already have a modchip, why do you need Swapmagic? Unless you want to launch homebrew from a USB device. But even so, you can just burn uLaunchELF onto a disc and boot the burned disc in place of the Swapmagic disc.

Another Question----What is the most Safest method for the Laser ?????? It very actual for the owners of Fat PS2s......

Anything that does not involve tampering with the MECHACON and the internal electronics. This is true for all console models.

Even if you have a slimline model that is free of all sabotage by Sony (SCPH-75000 onwards), modchipping it may introduce instability to it's MECHACON.

How old is your Fat PS2 ???? Does it have Modchip inside???? If so --for how long Years you have Modchip in Your Fat PS2????
Did you notice any changes in Laser Behavior since Modchip Was installed????

SCPH-10000 (v1.00, v0) -> ~12 years old
SCPH-10000 (v1.01, v0) -> ~12 years old
SCPH-39006 (v8) -> ~9 years old

Only my SCPH-39006 has a modchip installed, presumably installed when the console was initially purchased by it's original owner as that was probably common back in 2003.

Swapmagic was used on my slimline console (SCPH-77006), which was the first console I ever owned.

Does your System behave differently--like for example does it get hotter temperature of the frame since Modchip was installed???
If you have any experience---tell to the community your thoughts.
Share your information.

I can tell you that my SCPH-39006's CD/DVD drive's functions are occasionally unstable. When sceCdDecSet() and sceCdRead() are used outside of the OSD and PS2LOGO, it seems like the MECHACON starts behaving strangely.

Data reads will complete really quickly, but obviously no data is being read properly.

sceCdDecSet() doesn't seem to work right either (Encrypted data like the PS2 logo cannot be decrypted properly), until the modchip is disabled.

[SkyNet]

I personally go the FMCB and Swap Magic but mostly FMCB
Only downside for me with ESR no PS1 support like mod chips have

Well I think that FMCB is the best thing to use, but if ESR could have higher compatibility with Discs---then probably I would go FMCB way only---but looks that SwapMagic comes in really handy here.

If fgriever could make ESR 100% compatible with Linux Kit-----I would use FMCB only.

I use modchips only, I can install ulaunch on one dev bank and HDLoader on the other so no need for Free Mc Boot. I have noticed that most phat's except the v7 scph-750X models tend to have laser problems. The next model up was where Sony finally introduced DVD+R support officially and total changed the insides of the PS2. Up till then you could swap parts to and from any PS2 prior to that. But the 5000X models did add a neat feature, the ability to run PSXLauncher.elf to play PS1 backups easily for homebrew users. I think the laser problem really relates to Sony not doing enough homework about the latest tech they always stick into their devices. The v7 was the perfect PS2 and the only model I will ever rely on, mine has been chipped since day one and never got a DRE. And as for Free Mc Boot it doesn't always play nice with modchips. If used on my system I must keep the tray ejected in order for Free Mc boot to actually boot. If I just power it on with a FMCB card inserted I get a black screen every time.

Actually I think probably you have no other choice if you got the latest slim.

I have at home SCPH-75001 Slim (NTSC). In 2007 I installed to it Myth modchip and it stays there till this moment. In parallel I installed FMCB to my Slim ps2. So it got modchip and fmcb. If I start my ps2-- FMCB can be started, when I just turn on my ps2---sometimes it requires me turn on once console and put to stand by mode and then press second time button to turn it on---probably modchip needs it.

Anyway i installed this modchip myself---I did it carefully---so I am sure 100 procent that it is installed correctly.
The only I can notice---that my slim is getting after half an hour kind of hot. And also i have noticed that Fan is not spinnig like it was before when my console was not chipped with mod-chip---maybe i am wrong about it, but at least i have feeling about it.
Probably in future i will remove mod-chip---I just afraid to do it now---because I need to buy additional memorycard and install to it FMCB and put it in the drawer---in case I will delete FMCB from my original MemoryCard. Because I do not want second time to install ModChip in order to install FMCB.
I want to do it in future---and check if my ps2 slim will work differently, but I have feeling that modchips are dangerous for ps2.

[SkyNet]

I used Swapmagic because I didn't want to void my console's warranty, and modchipping is now illegal here (But I can't boot any of the games they sell here on a local console as the region codes don't match). We have NTSC-J consoles and NTSC-U/C or PAL games, and most of us cannot understand Japanese.

Can you explain me more details about it? modchipping is illegal in Japan? Do I understand correctly that in China consoles which are sold are of NTSC-J region?
But why they do sell games of different regions? I think every country has games which match consoles region...

FMCB is the best for running homebrew software (unsigned/unlicensed code), hands down. Unless you can't install/run FMCB on your console.

SP193 you know I would use FMCB only---but if ESR could have 100% compatibility---but it can not run properly linux Kit and some other software---like it boots linux kit but then after you
start installation it shows pink screen as reporting some users on this very forum.

Thats why I think that additional possibility to launch Discs is required. I do not want to use modchip for such purpose because i think that it damages lens in ps2.

When I did install Myth modchip---it had such feature in depiction where I bought it from:

Switches itself off after game booted---safe Lens---protecting lens in ps2 by not sending unnecessary signal to ps2s controller

So here they answer that before lens always received unnecessary signal all the time---in previous models of modchips....

So i think that if modchip is installed it all the time is dangerous for the lens. Thats why I think that Swap Magic is much more safer because it does not do any modifications to ps2---it just swaps discs. Ps2 is unmodified in anyway.

There was a brillant post by l_Oliveira here about this issue, and from what I remember: Modchips not well installed may worsen the problems that Sony had deliberately introduced to curb modchipping.

Some consoles (SCPH-70000 series) will deliberately try to kill themselves when they detect modifications to the MECHACON bus by slowing down their cooling fans, and some others like the SCPH-50000 series consoles have flaky resistors installed on their IOP buses to make the console malfunction ("Golden disc" syndrome) when modchips are installed.

Badly-designed modchips can worsen the problems that the console has, by making the MECHACON freeze up when they don't assert/de-assert TTL levels properly.

I have to agree that modchips---are not safe because they are cheap and you do not know who made them. Now I also have seen on some web-site Matrix Infinity which costs 5 bucks.
So like i am sure that modchips made in China and not controlled or tested like if it really safe to be used on ps2.

SP193 I want to ask you:
MECHACON --it is the name of internal bus in PS2??? Also what it is "Golden disc" syndrome? Like how ps2 behaves when experiencing it?

Yes, it can.

SP193 can you tell me How many has cost DVD-disc in order it could be safe to use in ps2 with Swap Magic? Also which Brand Names are better to use in fat ps2? What is better DVD- or DVD+ for fat ps2 v9 or 10 ?
At which speed is better to burn DVD-Disc ?
I know that my Slim SCPH-75001 does not like when i burn backup at 2 or 4 -x speed---like not all games work properly, but when i do burn at 8-x or on Max speed--then it read properly.
So what is your suggestion which speed is better for FAT PS2?

#6 if discs have to be used for whatever reason. Best if it's only #1.

#4 makes no sense: If you already have a modchip, why do you need Swapmagic? Unless you want to launch homebrew from a USB device. But even so, you can just burn uLaunchELF onto a disc and boot the burned disc in place of the Swapmagic disc.

Here I agree with you in every aspect.

Anything that does not involve tampering with the MECHACON and the internal electronics. This is true for all console models.

Even if you have a slimline model that is free of all sabotage by Sony (SCPH-75000 onwards), modchipping it may introduce instability to it's MECHACON.

Ok, from this comment I understand that Swap Magic is much more better because it does not do any modifications to the system.

Can you tell me what kind of sabotage do you mean?

Also do you know like Swap Magic---does it have 100 % compatibility with Backups? Or there are some disks which are not possible to be launched with Swap Magic? I just want to have the perfect solution.

Also i do not like to use with Swap Magic---slide tool. It damages front of disc tray---and it looks not nice.

I think that flip top cover in fat ps2 is much more better: PS2 Flip Top | PS2 Flip Top Cover | PS2 Flip Top Mod | Buy Ps2 Flip Top | Black Cover

Can such Flip top cover to be used in fat ps2 version 9 or 10 (SCPH-50000) ???? On web-site it says that model is compatible with versions 4-8 . Does anyone has experience with installation of flip top cover in fat ps2 version 9 or 10 ??????

SCPH-10000 (v1.00, v0) -> ~12 years old
SCPH-10000 (v1.01, v0) -> ~12 years old
SCPH-39006 (v8) -> ~9 years old

Only my SCPH-39006 has a modchip installed, presumably installed when the console was initially purchased by it's original owner as that was probably common back in 2003.

Swapmagic was used on my slimline console (SCPH-77006), which was the first console I ever owned.

This is very interesting to hear. So all those consoles can still read discs? amazing.
How often your consoles were used to read recorded discs? Like most of time your consoles read original discs---that why laser is still working???

Did you try to remove modchip from SCPH-39006 in order to make its laser serve longer? Maybe it is better to install to it FMCB and also use SwapMagic with Flip Top Cover with it?

I know that at the beginning of 2002-3 ---modchips were very common. THanks to FMCB---modchips only used now only on SCPH-90000 models....

Did you install flip top to your slim ps2??? Do i understand correctly that Slim is your first console, and that all your fat consoles you bought on Ebay???

I can tell you that my SCPH-39006's CD/DVD drive's functions are occasionally unstable. When sceCdDecSet() and sceCdRead() are used outside of the OSD and PS2LOGO, it seems like the MECHACON starts behaving strangely.

Data reads will complete really quickly, but obviously no data is being read properly.

sceCdDecSet() doesn't seem to work right either (Encrypted data like the PS2 logo cannot be decrypted properly), until the modchip is disabled.

I think you have to remove Modchip until your laser is still alive --otherwise it can die. Just install FMCB and SwapMagic and everything will be okey with your fatty.

You know SP193--i want to buy PS2 FAt and Network Adapter on Ebay---the main purpose is LInux. Because slim ps2 is not really created for anything but games.
And i want temper with linux and some other stuff.
Thats why I am asking for your opinion what is better to use in Fat ps2---because I want its laser to live as long as possible.

Also please help me to figure out if Flip Top Cover from HERE: PS2 Flip Top | PS2 Flip Top Cover | PS2 Flip Top Mod | Buy Ps2 Flip Top | Black Cover can be used in fat ps2 model ver 9 or 10 ????

Because there is said that it is compatible with versions 4--8.

And tell me about Swap Magic compatibility---can it launch everything???