basic questions + help me get started

[skaterickets]

hi guys, i'm new to ps2 modding although i am very experienced with PSP modding+homebrew etc.
first of some basic questions and i would really appreciate any help i can get. i'm not trying to get anyone to explain every step of the process, just point me out in the right direction.

first i suppose what people do is burn isos to a blank dvd and then play it on the modded ps2, i assume this is the most practical way correct? if so could you still play a legitimate ps2 game, or does every game you play have to be burned?
having said that, in your experience can you find pretty much any game online/torrented?

also, what would be the basic steps to being able to successfully play a burned cd on your ps2?
for example do you always need to have a mechanical mod(doing something on the inside of your ps2)? do you actually install a custom firmware inside your ps2? or is it in your memory card?(in which case i assume you would have to do it for every new memory card you get, correct?)

lastly what is the most convenient method to mod? i have a ps2 slim, and really don't mind spending some extra cash on anything needed to mod or even paying a TRUSTED person do it for me.

links would be very appreciated. and again, a million thanks for any replies!

[yoshi314]

ps2 cannot be flashed with CFW. the bios is in ROM.

only way to get it to work like CFW is to use the memory card update feature, which is available to models lower than SCPH-90000. this is how FMCB works, in short - the ps2 at boot will run program off memory card if it's signed properly.this was used mainly to update the ps2's dvd player software on older units.

no need for mechanical mod, except for inital hack maybe. no mod method will require swap magic, armax or some hackable game with swap tool.

games can be launched from burned disks, original disks and through usb/lan (from shared folder on a PC/NAS/other kind of server).

Free McBoot Home has guides on ways to install FMCB. once you have that, you can either read up on ESR to run burned discs, or

Official OPLv0.8 User Guides to run games off USB/LAN (and in case of old ps2's, from internal HDD).

[diegsmoran]

Okay an easier reply. For the ps2, the way it is modded is with a memory card exploit. Basically, you run programs off your memory card which allows you to do different miscellaneous things and YES, play backups. Do all ps2 games have to be backups, nope, only if you launch the program. The easiest ways to get it, would be to

A) Buy Swap Magic 3.8 (coder) or 3.6

or

B) Buy AR Max Evo (the latest one, not just normal AR MAx)

After that, you can come ask me personally and I'll guide you through everything if you want. With guides, TuTs, Videos and personal replies