Questions Before I Try To OPL

[qwerty12]

Hello ^.^ My little brother just gave me an older PS2 as a Christmas gift and I just found out about OPL so I'm wanting to try it out. I'm lost as to everything though so I was hoping someone could help me out.

1.) If I just take a PS2 game, put it in my disc drive, and use "create ISO" with PowerISO, will the game be properly playable once I place it on the HDD in the PS2?
2.) I have an older FAT PS2, a memory card and a controller, I'm under the impression I also need a HDD, and a Network Adapter (preferably SATA yes?), is that all the physical items I need to get OPL started?
3.) best HDD to purchase, and limitations on size?
4.) I've read through the user guide for 0.8, but I'm kinda slow on the uptake. I was wondering if there was a really simple newbie guide for exactly how to take a completely unmodified PS2, all the way to running OPL. I believe I need to do something with "Free McBoot" or "uLaunchELF" but I don't get that stuff either. Am I going to have to purchase a disk online?

Thanks ^.^

[dlanor]

Hello ^.^ My little brother just gave me an older PS2 as a Christmas gift and I just found out about OPL so I'm wanting to try it out. I'm lost as to everything though so I was hoping someone could help me out.

1.) If I just take a PS2 game, put it in my disc drive, and use "create ISO" with PowerISO, will the game be properly playable once I place it on the HDD in the PS2?

Probably not, though I'm not familiar with "PowerISO". But many PC tools are unable to deal correctly with PS2 discs, assuming standard filesystem usage as used by PC applications, which does not work. The best tools for making ISO files from PS2 DVD games are "DVD Decrypter" and its descendant "ImgBurn" (by the same programmer).

The ISO file so made can be used directly by "Open PS2 Loader" for running games over LAN, or from a USB drive (if ISO < 2GB), but for use on internal HDD a special installation method is used (compatible to an older 'HDLoader'), and for large games on USB another special installation method is used, to get around the FAT32 filesize limitation. (USB drives for PS2 always need FAT32 format.)

2.) I have an older FAT PS2, a memory card and a controller, I'm under the impression I also need a HDD, and a Network Adapter (preferably SATA yes?), is that all the physical items I need to get OPL started?

The Network Adapter is needed both for LAN usage and for internal HDD, so it is strongly recommended. But you can use both homebrews and games with external USB drives too. As for HDD type, the original Network Adapter only takes PATA drives, so for SATA you'll either need a non-Sony adapter or an extra PATA-SATA adaption connector between the SATA drive and your Network Adapter.

3.) best HDD to purchase, and limitations on size?

I would not go above 1TB, but with PATA that's probably no option anyway (given the current market).

4.) I've read through the user guide for 0.8, but I'm kinda slow on the uptake. I was wondering if there was a really simple newbie guide for exactly how to take a completely unmodified PS2, all the way to running OPL.

I doubt it, because the initial parts of such a guide would be heavily influenced by what kind of PS2 the user has and what stuff he can buy or borrow to aid in the installation of the primary MC boot system. So it makes best sense to have a multitude of guides for that primary install, and with that hurdle over with all users can use the same guides for the various homebrew applications, such as OPL.

I believe I need to do something with "Free McBoot" or "uLaunchELF" but I don't get that stuff either.

Free MC Boot == FMCB is the stuff that makes a PS2 without any hardware modification boot homebrew software, just because the bios finds some very special files in a system folder on a memory card. That feature was intended for system expansions by Sony, but we use it for homebrew booting.

Getting FMCB installed should be your first priority, since it is this that will allow you to use the console almost as if it had a modchip.
The accessory program ESR (included with most FMCB installs) even allows your unmodded console to boot burned DVD-R games.
(Requires special patching of the ISO before burning such discs.)

uLaunchELF == uLE is sort of a console system maintenance manager for your PS2. It's often used as the main boot elf started by FMCB at power-on.
It shows a launch menu where you can configure shortcuts for your favorite homebrews, and it also contains a FileManager subprogram which allows you to copy files between all PS2 storage devices (MC, USB, HDD, CDVD, LAN), or to launch homebrew program files from those devices. Other uLE subprograms include JpgViewer, TextEditor, and even an FTP server, for those who prefer a PC gui in browsing the PS2 devices.

Am I going to have to purchase a disk online?

No. For USB usage any USB drive will do, as long as you format it to FAT32.
And for internal HDD any PATA drive will work with original network adapter, and any SATA drive should work with the alternate adapters.

But either way I think you have to limit yourself to 1TB for any drive, as functionality above that is very doubtful.
And for the internal HDD you can't use any standard PC format, though there is a PC utility which can format the drive correctly.

But try to avoid drives with 'auto-sleep' functionality, as they often rely on characteristics of PC device drivers to wake them up as needed.
When used with other stuff they have a tendency to just keep sleeping... (Not just with a PS2 but also with other units, like stand-alone media player boxes.)

Hopefully what I wrote here can also serve as a help in clarifying some of the other guides you read.

Best regards: dlanor

[kadorna2]

The Network Adapter is needed both for LAN usage and for internal HDD, so it is strongly recommended. But you can use both homebrews and games with external USB drives too. As for HDD type, the original Network Adapter only takes PATA drives, so for SATA you'll either need a non-Sony adapter or an extra PATA-SATA adaption connector between the SATA drive and your Network Adapter.

If you are NOT going to use the network with your PS2, i suggest you to buy this one, SATA HDDs are much cheaper and reliable than IDE drives.

[reprep]

There are two kinds of those SATA adapters. One with ethernet port (but no telephone line and no 56k modem) and one without. Buy the one with the ethernet port or else you will have to unplug and plug the hard drive everytime you want to install a game. The connectors sure will get loose by time and you will lose your hard drive and/or network adaptor.

I have the one with ethernet port, and i install games via network. It is about 5 mb/s, so the installing time is bearable for me.

[LocalH]

And for internal HDD any PATA drive will work with original network adapter, and any SATA drive should work with the alternate adapters.

Just want to clarify here - the majority of drives work fine (and all PATA drives work from an electrical perspective) but a percentage of drives have their 40pin and Molex connectors spaced such that the drive will not physically fit on the adapter. I've heard that Western Digital drives have a tendency not to fit. I have both a Maxtor 80GB and a Samsung 250GB that fit perfectly and work fine. If you happen to need to use a drive that won't fit, you can modify the network adapter and move the connectors slightly.

[kadorna2]

There are two kinds of those SATA adapters. One with ethernet port (but no telephone line and no 56k modem) and one without. Buy the one with the ethernet port or else you will have to unplug and plug the hard drive everytime you want to install a game. The connectors sure will get loose by time and you will lose your hard drive and/or network adaptor.

I have the one with ethernet port, and i install games via network. It is about 5 mb/s, so the installing time is bearable for me.

well shit, didn't know there was fake adapters supporting network. guess you learn something new every day...

[l_oliveira]

There's even fake network adapters made with legit SONY chips (probably NOS parts that got thrown out at Foxconn and some crafty Chinese guy decided to use them ... lol)

[qwerty12]

does opl have an option to rip the game to an internal hard drive from the ps2's disc drive?

[kadorna2]

No.

[Bat Rastard]

For me, the biggest hurdles were ...

(1) Finding an HDD that would fit the NA without modification and had decent amount of space. Got lucky when a 200GB Seagate Barracuda floated across my desk, but Maxtor and Samsung fit and I pretty sure IBM/Hitachi drives do as well. Western Digitals are hit or miss -- mostly miss ...

(2) Getting FreeMCBoot installed: out of the many tutorials, the only one feasible for me was the Codebreaker method, but it was written with the Codebreaker 9 in mind. I had a Codebreaker 8 and I floundered for months -- kept getting "Uncompress Error" when trying to copy ULaunch.ELF over to the memory card. By pure accident, I discovered CB8 has a bug where if you change the background color and/or if the codelist gets too big, the "Uncompress Error" would always happen. Not just on copying ULaunch over but even *.CBS save files from GameFAQS. How I discovered the bug was I backed up my codelist on a different Memory Card and unplugged it from the PS2. That way, CB8 would boot to a factory clean environment with the codelist shipped on the disc just like the first day I bought it. Less than 30 seconds later, "ULaunch.ELF" copied over without any damned "Uncompress Errors" ... and I had a "Last Boy Scout" moment. Did the Shemp shuffle, the Mexican hat dance, the Lakota rain dance. Got a lot of strange looks dancing jigs that day ...