Official Free MC Boot Releases

[jimmikaelkael]

Free MC Boot is a program that allows a user to boot homebrews without modchip or swap once installed on the Memory Card. It runs on official 8MB Sony MC's as well as 3rd party cards. (with the exception of those needing a boot disc to be recognized or cloned Chinese cards)

If you want to compensate our efforts on FMCB dev we accept donations, it will be shared beetween the 2 FMCB authors.

1.8b

Usage :
Please read "Noobie Installation Guide" and "Advanced User Guide" (MHTML format, made by JNABK) in archive.
Check for updated tutorial at http://freemcboot.info/

You can also watch this video install tutorial made by Guacatechs :

Special Thanks to all involved in many tests :
Bootlegninja, JNABK, TnA, dlanor, g.t.o, psychomantis, tar, krika69,
AdvanS3B, katananja, Janaboy (all the tester team and everyone I forget).

See the file CREDITS.txt for full credits list in archive.

Please note that FMCB is now under license (see archive for details).

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Technical Details :

Installer side :

- Fixed broken installation from CD

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Older releases :

1.8

Installer side :

- New GUI, graphics & sounds by Berion.
- Installation now possible on mc slot 1 & 2.
- Fixed problem with chinese clone card (was generating wrong mcid).
- Changed "PowerOff PS2" option into "Launch Free McBoot".
- Better compatibility with early jap models.

Loader side :

- New elf load method which make it launch faster.
- New cnf vars to control "X Enter" and "/\ Version" position at osdsys
main menu screen.
- Fixed bug about loading elfs from OSDSYS turing into simple FMCB reboot
on some ps2 models (due to new elf-loader mentionned above).
- Fixed problem with chinese clone card not booting due to bug fixed in
mcid generation above.
- Fixed freezing bug while loading COGSWAP.
- Fixed bug about loading osd settings correctly.
- Fixed bug about Ps1 game color bug (due to bug fixed above).
- "FASTBOOT" can be used in button-launch and OSDSYS items paths.
- added "OSDMENU" support in the cnf while defined on LK_?_E? path
entries: It enforces OSDSYS to skip disc boot even with Skip Disc boot OFF.
- SkipMC now control DVD Player update check from MC.
- Changed method of loading CNF from MC, now first check one the one that
booted FMCB.
- added new BREXEc-SYTEM folder icon that match new FMCB design by JNABK.
- Better compatibility with early jap models.


1.7

Installer side :

- Installer now correct SwapMagic boot path for usb_mass.
- Added libcdvd modules to install from cd.
- Added a prompt for asking config overwrite.
- Added a prompt for warning no BOOT.ELF is present in INSTALL folder.
- Fixed bug for detecting video mode as PAL on Slims 77004.

Loader side :

- Fixed bug in loading of usb drivers when mc was in slot 2.
- Fixed bug in loading OSDSYS on some CC modchipped ps2.
- Fixed bug for detecting video mode as PAL on Slims 77004.
- Fixed install bug on x0006 PS2.
- Fixed bug in elf launching from OSDSYS.
- Fixed bug in using OSDSYS as path for OSDSYS menu item.
- Splash screen in interlaced mode to fix messing up on some tv.
- Direct ESR launch on esr disc insert (path defined in cnf).
- Added scrolling menu for OSDSYS.
- Up to 100 OSDSYS items configureable with the new scroll menu.
- FastBoot for Ps1, PS2, ESR, dvd video discs.
- Added configureable OSDSYS video mode (AUTO, PAL or NTSC).
- Added hardcoded priority loading of "mass:/FREEMCB.CNF"
- Skip disc boot option working : Skip disc boot under OSDSYS main menu.
- "AutoBoot_Disc" option renamed into "FastBoot".
- Added options to set the new scroll menu.


1.6

Installer side :

- Added Splash screen
- FMCB-CNF folder back to SYS-CONF folder.
- BOOT, SYS-CONF, B?EXEC-SYSTEM folder icons are no longer overwritten.
- Added Suloku's FMCB configurator in package

Loader side :

- Added Splash screen
- Added configurable Elf launch from osdsys
- Externalized loading of usb modules from SYS-CONF folder (USBD.IRX and
USBHDFSD.IRX)
- 10 configurable items for hacked osdsys.


1.5

Now there's a Free McBoot Configurator (made by suloku), see links.

Loader side :
- OSDSYS Hack, by Neme (You can reload FMCB from OSDSYS, great work Neme ).
- Added Rescue loading (tries before all things to boot "mass0:/RESCUE.ELF", "mc?:/RESCUE.ELF", passing to another if the previous is not found)
- Added third entry (LK_???_E3) for each key in cnf file.
- Added entry for Skip-HDD in cnf file.
- Fixed 1st controller problem with slims ps2.

Installer side :
- Compatility with scph-10000 by loading X-modules (XSIO2MAN, XMCMAN, XMCSERV, XPADMAN) from the same folder where installer is running, by Coolaan.
- Config folder renamed ("SYS-CONF/FREEMCB.CNF" --> "FMCB-CNF/FREEMCB.CNF"), and icons added, by JNABK.
- The file to embed must now be "EMBED.ELF", and placed in same folder where installer is running (This option is only useful for developpers as ffgriever's cdvd init and multilanguage fixes are not applied to the embedded elf).
- You can modify your FREEMCB.CNF before install and put it in same folder where installer is running, If the file is not existing on MC, it will be copied as config.
- You can put a BOOT.ELF in same folder where installer is running, it will be copied as mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF (if the file is not already existing on MC).
- Modified default config, more noob-friendly.
- Install with Cross-Linking available.
- You can exit installer by loading "mass:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF", "mc?:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF", "mc?:/B?DATA-SYSTEM/BOOT.ELF" (passing to another if the previous is not existing)
- Fixed bug in custom embedding process.

Thanks to TnA for all useful ideas.


1.4b
- Added CNF-Support (thanx to beerboy for the idea)
- Added support to launch OSDSYS (auto and manual) by Neme
- Added FastBoot-Support
- Fixed Bug on PS2-Slim-Consoles, that were freezing on "decrypting dvdelf"

1.4
- Updated DVDELF Inject to 1.3R1 by Neme
- Custom elf file inject has been disabled (but now you can use the 75kb DVDELF)
- Added light loader to support 75kb dvdelf.
- Boot elfs can be differents if you press a button.

1.3d
- Fixed bug that prevented 1.3c to install correctly.

1.3c
- Fixed bug again about mg region, it may still some regions having problems (problem of the folder).

1.3b
- Fixed bug in installer for Jap units (the folder created was BJEXEC-SYSTEM, it must be BIEXEC-SYSTEM)
- Free McBoot Skin for HDL by JNABK (see links)

1.3a
- Fixed issue with "failed to load rom1:EROMDRV" error on newer ps2.
- Free McBoot Skins for uLE and SMS by JNABK (see links)

1.3 beta
- CD/DVD + language Fix 1.1a by ffgriever
- DVDELF Inject 1.2R1 by Neme (Compatibility with many regions)
- New design by JNABK
- New mcID generator by jimmikaelkael

1.2c
As soon as v1.2c is properly installed (see usage.txt for 1.2c upgrade) :
- Uninstall is possible.
- Upgrade without need to format for future version (It preserves saves).

1.2b BETA
- Small bug fixed that prevented NTSC U users from installing.

1.2 BETA
-Process done entirely on the PS2 console rather than patching of MC images done on the computer.
-C/DVD fix added by ffgriever
-Changed boot file name and locations:

Originally Posted by jimmikaelkael
By default it install Ule 4.12 plus with hdloader included as mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF
It can be replaced.

The issues are fixed by the RUNME.ELF, so if it is changed, nore more fixes.

This release now boot like that, passing to another if the previous is not found(where ? is replaced by U or E depending of ps2).

mass0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF
mc0:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF
mc1:/BOOT/BOOT.ELF
mc0:/B?DATA-SYSTEM/BOOT.ELF
mc1:/B?DATA-SYSTEM/BOOT.ELF

-more USB thumb drives are compatible
-added folder icons (provided by JNABK)

1.1 BETA
Same as previous release with the exception that uLE is loaded from the memory card itself rather than the USB Mass storage device.

(I've repacked it in to a 2 part archive since it's size is over the forum limit)

1.0 BETA - Initial release
Applications included to retrieve memory card ID and tools to patch a customized image to flash the card with. So that the user can boot homebrew on any PS2 console without the need of a mod chip or exploit. With this, it will load uLaunchELF from a USB Mass storage device.