Need some help understanding things like HD Loader

[ace_012]

I read the pinned tutorial for most part but I didn't see anywhere in it, explain what exactly HD Loader is? I am compeltely new to this and also completely confused. I have come to realization that I have a v5/v6 ps2 and also I have the HD that I bought with final fantasy XI and the online adapter. Can someone explain to me more clearly what HD Loader is and just a simple list of things I need to softmod my ps2?

O and if it helps any I have softmodded a few xbox's.

[william_magal]

Well... How can I easily say this... HDLoader is a program you can putin a cd-r (or MC, or HDD, or flashdrive...) and use it to put games in a HDD, and launch installed games too. Why do this? 'Cause you will have very fast loads and, in other hand, You will save your PS2 lens, since you'll not use the game discs to play anymore. With HDLoader you can run almost all PS2 games.

I don't know anything about softmod...

Hope it helps...

[ace_012]

Ok yea that helps Also i heard HDLoader cost about 10 bucks? I guess I cant get it for free huh? Also I read somewhere I can hook up my HDD to my computer and put stuff on there that way? So Let me get this strait, I hook up my HDD to my comptuer and put HDLoader on it then put it back in my ps2 and I can launch say, my copy of Kingdom eharts and isntall it on the HDD and it will run faster? Ooooo....any really good and in depth tutorials on this?

[chippy56]

Ok yea that helps Also i heard HDLoader cost about 10 bucks? I guess I cant get it for free huh? Also I read somewhere I can hook up my HDD to my computer and put stuff on there that way? So Let me get this strait, I hook up my HDD to my comptuer and put HDLoader on it then put it back in my ps2 and I can launch say, my copy of Kingdom eharts and isntall it on the HDD and it will run faster? Ooooo....any really good and in depth tutorials on this?

You can get HDL for free and use it as part of the "Independence Exploit" (softmod). It's not as straightforward as the xbox and you need to read up and understand what you're doing otherwise confusion and frustration will be inevitable. You can install HDL on your hdd or mc (you can run it from cd and usb device too) but you'll need a launcher app (uLaunchELF is best) to run it. Load times are faster, your lens will be saved and you won't need to use your game discs once they're on the hdd. Try here for tutorials and apps. I think there are some issues with KH but don't have the game so can't comment further.

[Rotosound_rb666]

Ok yea that helps Also i heard HDLoader cost about 10 bucks? I guess I cant get it for free huh? Also I read somewhere I can hook up my HDD to my computer and put stuff on there that way? So Let me get this strait, I hook up my HDD to my comptuer and put HDLoader on it then put it back in my ps2 and I can launch say, my copy of Kingdom eharts and isntall it on the HDD and it will run faster? Ooooo....any really good and in depth tutorials on this?

Actually, that's exactly what HD Loader does. Copies games to, and plays them from most third party HDD's, any that fit in the exp bay, at least, and there is the advantage that HDD's read data 200 times faster than optical drives, far beyond what the EE can choke in a chunk, so the PS2 loads as fast as is possibly can process, dramatically speeding up loadup time.
HD Loader is illeagl software, though, sure you can download it free, but not from this forum, nor will we post a link to where, that will get you promptly BANNED.
But the problem there is launching it. The way that's done is complicated, and will require some kind of way to get your PS2 to boot a MASTERDISC in the first place, at least once, as well as mastering yourself a PS2 original masterdisc that works, that or some kind of memory card to pc tranfer method, and the software to hack together and replant in your ps2 mc, a special system config file that plays illegal or otherwise homemade programs from your memory card "accidently" if you try to boot certain ps1 games with that ps2 mc inserted. called an EXPLOIT.
What you need to do is read as much as you can, for a month or two, THEN ask specfics of these when you understand the entire prrocess enogh to need specfic help for getting each of these going, if all else fails, when you get stuck. You can learn do do ALL of these things without aksing anyone here anything, we ALL learned ALL of EVERYTHING about this, here, in the pages of THIS forum, and EVERY question anyone ever had has been answered, and they are mostly the same qestions. It'll be a lot faster for you. Use that as an outline, read at least untill you understand all that, and know what were talking about, first, it helps.

[ace_012]

Ok thanks. I think I understand though, I need a launcher such as uLaunchElf which can be loaded using a exploit on a mc(memory card?) and ps1 game then I can use uLaunchElf to launch HDL which then in turn will be able to load games off the hdd? It doesn't seem that confusing once I comapre it to xbox softmoding and the exploit used in xbox games but I still don't understand how I will only need to use a ps1 game once then it will be a permanant process. Ill read more though. That and I need to read weither or not I can still play Final Fantasy XI online if I do this thing unlike playing xbox live on my softmodded xbox . O well thanks for your help. The only thing I usualy don't like about searching it sooo many results come up that aren't specific to my maybe version of ps2 and thigns like that, but this seems like a fairly small forum so that shouldnt be much of a problem Thanks!

[braschlosan]

If you plan to use the PS1 memory card exploit then you still need a method to get the files onto the memory card.

My suggestion if you dont want to install a modchip is to buy a copy of swap magic with a slide card pro. I got both for 26.95 shipped.

[chippy56]

If you plan to use the PS1 memory card exploit then you still need a method to get the files onto the memory card.

My suggestion if you dont want to install a modchip is to buy a copy of swap magic with a slide card pro. I got both for 26.95 shipped.

By all means get Swap Magic. But make your own slide tool from any old credit card or phone card. Also ARMAX gives you the option for loading files from usb memory device.

[braschlosan]

Making your own slide tool means you have to remove the front from the PS2 drive to use it. The slide card pro comes with a new cover with a small slot in it. Makes the PS2 look somewhat stock and keeps more dust out.

[ace_012]

Well my neighbor has a swapmagic and the slide tool so I can use that He also has a ARMAX so yea. I can use either one.