Need some help...kind'a odd questions

[CrisR82]

Last summer while on vacation I bought a memory card with Free McBoot 1.8 on it.
The card worked just fine on my cousin's console (slim PS2) but now that I'm back in Spain, it doesn't seem to work on my side (or at least most of the time). All the burnt games I had (that worked on the other console) don't work on mine except for 2.

So my questions are:

1. My console is bios version SCPH-39004, does that cause any issues with Free McBoot? (if so, is there any way to fix it)
2. Is there any way to safely update it (game saves don't matter to me) to 1.8b from 1.8?
3. Is there a way to create a new Free McBoot card using my current one? (instead of a modded console or boot disks)

My exact console specs:
PlayStation 2 (fat)
Bios: SCPH-39004
Browser: 1.20
CD Player: 1.20
PlayStation Driver: 1.10
DVD Player: 2.13E

All information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[ShadeTail]

I'm hoping your friend has the same region PS2 as you do. If your friend lives in, for example, North America, and you own a European-version PS2 that you got in Spain, then your PS2 won't work with that memory card.

If the region is the same, then does FMCB actually load up when you start your PS2? Can you access the apps and all that? If yes, then it's possible the problem is with the discs themselves. The fact is, just because a burned disc works on one PS2 doesn't mean it will work on all of them. That may sound counter-intuitive, but PS2s can be pretty fickle when it comes to back-up discs. You might want to try burning new discs and trying them out.

If you want to update to the latest version of FMCB, and the FMCB memory card you have does work for you, than load the newbie installer package onto a *small* (no larger than 256 megabytes) USB flash drive, insert the drive into the PS2's USB slot, and use the uLaunchELF app to run the installer directly from the flash drive.

By the way, you say you "bought" a FMCB memory card. I hope you don't mean you actually paid someone money for that, because FMCB is available for free. Unless you were just reimbursing them for the cost of the memory card or paying shipping costs, I'd say you got ripped off.

[CrisR82]

I'm hoping your friend has the same region PS2 as you do. If your friend lives in, for example, North America, and you own a European-version PS2 that you got in Spain, then your PS2 won't work with that memory card.

If the region is the same, then does FMCB actually load up when you start your PS2? Can you access the apps and all that? If yes, then it's possible the problem is with the discs themselves. The fact is, just because a burned disc works on one PS2 doesn't mean it will work on all of them. That may sound counter-intuitive, but PS2s can be pretty fickle when it comes to back-up discs. You might want to try burning new discs and trying them out.

If you want to update to the latest version of FMCB, and the FMCB memory card you have does work for you, than load the newbie installer package onto a *small* (no larger than 256 megabytes) USB flash drive, insert the drive into the PS2's USB slot, and use the uLaunchELF app to run the installer directly from the flash drive.

By the way, you say you "bought" a FMCB memory card. I hope you don't mean you actually paid someone money for that, because FMCB is available for free. Unless you were just reimbursing them for the cost of the memory card or paying shipping costs, I'd say you got ripped off.

Yeah we're both from Europe (Spain and Bulgaria) with PAL region consoles.

The FMCB loads just fine and the additional things that come bundled (I assume they're bundled) seem to work fine...with that one specific game at least. With other games they show up but the game either freezes on loading (as if the disk cant be read). Could it be due to some games being NTSC while others are PAL?

I'll try the update thing...it's always nice to have the latest version I believe ^_^

Well, I didn't really buy the FMCB...one of my cousin's neighbors was selling his PS2 console along with backup games and a 64MB memory card with FMCB on it, so I just convinced him to sell me the memory card only for $10 (while a 64MB memory card in Spain costs well over $25). And yeah, I knew already that it was free to make at home, but since I didn't have access to a modded PS2 or a loader disk, I couldn't do it myself ^_^;

[ShadeTail]

A 64mb memory card, huh? That could be the problem right there. Third-party memory cards are notoriously unreliable in general, and memory cards with high storage space like that are particularly fickle. It has to do with how the PS2 accesses and reads memory cards, and also how fast a PS2 can read them. The more storage space they have, the longer it takes the PS2 to read them, which can mess with FMCB quite badly.

In light of that, I **STRONGLY** recommend that you do a re-installation, and that you install the latest version on an official Sony 8mb memory card. Those cards are very reliable with FMCB, much more so than a third-party 64mb memory card.

[CrisR82]

A 64mb memory card, huh? That could be the problem right there. Third-party memory cards are notoriously unreliable in general, and memory cards with high storage space like that are particularly fickle. It has to do with how the PS2 accesses and reads memory cards, and also how fast a PS2 can read them. The more storage space they have, the longer it takes the PS2 to read them, which can mess with FMCB quite badly.

In light of that, I **STRONGLY** recommend that you do a re-installation, and that you install the latest version on an official Sony 8mb memory card. Those cards are very reliable with FMCB, much more so than a third-party 64mb memory card.

Oh? I didn't know that...I have a 8MB Sony Memory Card available and I can use it for that...however, I don't have any "loader disks" or a modded PS2 to use, is it possible to do it using my current FMCB card to make the installation on the other card?

Thanks for all the help so far! ^_^

[ShadeTail]

As long as FMCB loads up properly from your current memory card, then you can definitely use it to reinstall onto another memory card. To do that, you need to put the installer package onto a small USB flash drive, insert the drive into the PS2's USB port while the PS2 is off, and make sure both the FMCB memory card and the memory card you'll be installing to are inserted in the memory card slots.

Then turn on the PS2 and run the app called uLaunchELF. Choose the option called "FileBrowser", then choose "mass:/". This shows you the contents of the USB drive. Then just choose the FMCB installer program to open it. The rest should be pretty easy. You can install to either memory card slot, so don't worry about where you put the card you want to install to.

Just make sure the memory card has the space for this. This shouldn't be a problem, as it doesn't take much. My personal rule of thumb is at least 4mb free space, which should be more than enough. If your card doesn't have that much free space, then just copy your game saves over to the 64mb memory card first.

Also, just in case this needs to be said, I recommend you use the Newbie installer package, which can be found here:
Noobie Guide
This will install FMCB and all the basic apps.

[CrisR82]

As long as FMCB loads up properly from your current memory card, then you can definitely use it to reinstall onto another memory card. To do that, you need to put the installer package onto a small USB flash drive, insert the drive into the PS2's USB port while the PS2 is off, and make sure both the FMCB memory card and the memory card you'll be installing to are inserted in the memory card slots.

Then turn on the PS2 and run the app called uLaunchELF. Choose the option called "FileBrowser", then choose "mass:/". This shows you the contents of the USB drive. Then just choose the FMCB installer program to open it. The rest should be pretty easy. You can install to either memory card slot, so don't worry about where you put the card you want to install to.

Just make sure the memory card has the space for this. This shouldn't be a problem, as it doesn't take much. My personal rule of thumb is at least 4mb free space, which should be more than enough. If your card doesn't have that much free space, then just copy your game saves over to the 64mb memory card first.

Also, just in case this needs to be said, I recommend you use the Newbie installer package, which can be found here:
-link-
This will install FMCB and all the basic apps.

Thanks! Wow that's a lot easier than I thought o_o

Well, after creating a new card and trying it out, the issue seems to still be there (though my 64MB card definitely used an older version or a "non newbie package" judging by the apps).
Guess I should add mode details...

The disks I used so far are Sony disks and EMTEC disks.
So far I only have 2 backup games that are playable: Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly (NTSC, EMTEC disk) and The Sims 2: Castaway (PAL, Sony disk).
Other games I've tried but don't work: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (NTSC, Sony disk), Rumble Roses (PAL, Sony disk), The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (NTSC, EMTEC disk)

The game formats I download are .ISO and I burn them using PowerISO (simple ISO creator/editor/burner, doesn't use protection profiles like Alcohol 120% for example) on the lowest speed possible.

Also, when I bought the 64MB card, it came with a CD that has a "ISO patcher" that I have to use everytime on the ISO before burning the game..."Memento Disc Patcher".

Maybe I'm doing something from the above mentioned stuff wrong?

Also, wanted to ask 2 additional questions:
- Can I run/test the games from a USB-stick? (got an 8GB one)
- Can I play PS1 games with the FMCB? (I tried one of my left-over games from my PS1 back in the days but I only got a "Not a PS1/2 game" error...though the disk is not patched or anything)

Thanks again! ^_^

[LopoTRI]

Other games I've tried but don't work: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (NTSC, Sony disk), Rumble Roses (PAL, Sony disk), The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (NTSC, EMTEC disk)

The game formats I download are .ISO and I burn them using PowerISO (simple ISO creator/editor/burner, doesn't use protection profiles like Alcohol 120% for example) on the lowest speed possible.

I hope you have the retail of the games, cause here are not warez supported.....
Maybe you have damaged .iso´s so you better rerip it....

- Can I run/test the games from a USB-stick? (got an 8GB one)

Of course, you can use *.iso´s....
your USB must be formated to FAT32.
You have to make some folders on your root of USB.
ART -> for covers
CD -> for cd-iso till 700MB
DVD -> for iso till 4,3 GB

Then put the *.iso in the depent folder (CD/DVD) and rename it and look for defragmentation like here in tut....

Official OPLv0.8 User Guides

Other games (more than 4,3GB) you have to install it with USBUtil/USBExtreme like in the link above....

- Can I play PS1 games with the FMCB? (I tried one of my left-over games from my PS1 back in the days but I only got a "Not a PS1/2 game" error...though the disk is not patched or anything)

On your phat PS2 only with "swap" or ffgriever´s "PS2PSXe" (PSX-emu for PS2, beta-status)....

[CrisR82]

I hope you have the retail of the games, cause here are not warez supported.....
Maybe you have damaged .iso´s so you better rerip it....



Of course, you can use *.iso´s....
your USB must be formated to FAT32.
You have to make some folders on your root of USB.
ART -> for covers
CD -> for cd-iso till 700MB
DVD -> for iso till 4,3 GB

Then put the *.iso in the depent folder (CD/DVD) and rename it and look for defragmentation like here in tut....

-link-

Other games (more than 4,3GB) you have to install it with USBUtil/USBExtreme like in the link above....




On your phat PS2 only with "swap" or ffgriever´s "PS2PSXe" (PSX-emu for PS2, beta-status)....

Actually, I'm a game collector ^_^ ...that's why I got the FMCB card, wanted to make sure my purchased games can remain safely on my shelf while I scratch the backup disks.
(Fatal Frame 2 (Project Zero 2 in Europe) is actually the one that made me look into this stuff...my game disk is severely damaged now and I have to purchase a new one from eBay...if I ever find it)

Oh didn't know about the folder structure thing...thanks, I'll give it a shot later (that'll show if I made a bad game copy or the DVDs I used were not suitable for this I guess). ^_^

As for PS1, well, swap trick it is I guess.

Thanks again, I'll edit this post later if I have any trouble/additional questions I guess. ^_^

EDIT: Actually, am I supposed to install an additional program on the memory card to be able to do this? (Simple Media System said my ISO image is unsupported)

[LopoTRI]

EDIT: Actually, am I supposed to install an additional program on the memory card to be able to do this? (Simple Media System said my ISO image is unsupported)

SMS is a media player (mp3, avi....) and not for iso....

You don´t need to install progs on MC, you have just copy it wherever you want with uLE (File-browser, you can boot to it if you press and hold "R1" after you turn PS on and see the FMCB-logo).
Then you have just to configure an button in uLE, or in the main, or you start it always manually.....