Using HDD to transfer exploit to MCD... possible?

[Kodin]

I have a PS2 slim, however I have a few friends with "fat" ps2's, and another friend that has a PS2 hard drive I can use. My question is this: Is it possible to load the independence exploit files onto the hard drive using a computer, then transfer those to my memory card without running any enabler such as swap magic? I do not know if the system configuration files are transferrable between the card and the hard drive... Has anyone tried this? (I'm too broke to want to buy swap magic or a modchip if I can help it...) If this is impossible, then obviously I'll have to get someone to install FCMB on my memory card for me.

Oh... Here's another option I just thought of... Has anyone just hooked up a microcontroller directly to the chip in a memory card to re-write the data on it? (Sort of the same idea as a Memor32 card, but DIY'ed?) I doubt I'd be using USB, more likely serial, but still... If I'm just thinking up fantasies please ground me in reality. IE: the card info is stored encrypted, signed, checksummed, etc...

...further searching for interesting alternatives reveals:

PS2 Memory Card Adapter:
http://www.hkgtoys.com/search.php?page=ps2028
Apparently you can buy this and a 5 dollar serial(? it looks like a DB25, so could be parallel?) cable and transfer information between your card and computer...

Memory Card Station (PS2 Card Reader)
http://www.hkgtoys.com/search.php?page=psx40
This one looks more promising, but is also more expensive. Appears to be USB though...

Would either of these devices work without the need for Swap Magic?

Thanks in advance!
-Kodin-

[Bootlegninja]

you have completely over complicated a simple process. just use your freind's ps2. just use the 75KB DVDELF (mentioned in the tutorial)

if they already have the exploit installed it's as simple as running uLE on thier system.

or if you really want to get complicated, install free MC boot on thier memory card, then run that memory card on your ps2. use that to boot up the FMCB installer so that you can install FMCB on your mc.

and for god sakes, why do people not read the FAQ? I've said it too many times. the old ps1 exploit does not work on the slim ps2's. has not ever, and will not ever. I'm so sick of repeating myself on this.

[Kodin]

You misunderstand; The GOAL is to use FMCB on my slim. What I am lacking is access to a PS2 THAT IS MODDED. Hence why I am looking for an alternative route. I have access to several fat, unmodded, not-able-to-run-homebrew PS2's. I am aware that the exploit only runs on the fat ones. What I am looking for, is an alternative route to get the files for FMCB on my card.

[Bootlegninja]

genius. read my post again. I said use your friends ps2 to put fmcb on your memory card so you can use it on your slim ps2. you don't read too much do you?

also, if you would have read the FAQ, I've stated in it that you can't use the damn memory card adapter to install fmcb.

what kind of exploit are your firends fat ps2's running? you provide crypic information that no one can understand.

and read the damn faq. I'm really sick of repeating.

[dlanor]

You misunderstand; The GOAL is to use FMCB on my slim. What I am lacking is access to a PS2 THAT IS MODDED. Hence why I am looking for an alternative route. I have access to several fat, unmodded, not-able-to-run-homebrew PS2's. I am aware that the exploit only runs on the fat ones. What I am looking for, is an alternative route to get the files for FMCB on my card.

In your earlier post you mentioned using a PC to install stuff on a PS2 HDD that your friend has. Now the big question is if that HDD is used with HDLoader/HDAdvance, or if he only has it running with standard Sony utilities.

If he does have HDLoader/HDAdvance, then that PS2 is homebrew-capable.

The simplest way to use such a setup to perform an FMCB installation is as follows:

1: Prepare a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive to hold the FMCB install package
2: Download a bootable ISO of uLaunchELF (aka "uLE") found in a subforum of the Homebrew/Dev forum on this site.
3: Install that uLE ISO for use by HDLoader on the PS2 HDD (using WinHiip on a PC)
4: With the HDD back in the fat PS2, boot HDLoader and launch the uLE ISO
5: Insert the USB flashdrive mentioned in step 1 into the PS2
6: Use the uLE FileBrowser to launch the FMCB installer elf on mass: (the USB drive)
7: Before using any of the installer commands, insert your own memory card in slot 1 ("mc0:") of the PS2
8: Perform a complete FMCB installation
9: Move that MC to your own console which can then boot FMCB

This description assumes that the fat PS2 and your slim PStwo are of the same region, since that is required for FMCB compatibility between the consoles.

Btw:
Naturally it makes best sense to perform this installation for each of your friends too, so that all of you can gain the benefits of FMCB (and ESR etc). In doing so it is not necessary to repeat all of the steps above, but only steps 7-9. (You can install on several memory cards successively, in a single installer boot session.)

Best regards: dlanor

[Kodin]

The only reason I ask is that I seem to remember at one point you could transfer saves between memory cards and the PS2 fat hard drive... On stock sony firmware. Not all of the save files were copyable, but I assume the copy-protect ability was a flag in the file that could be set... That's the reason I asked. I thought, "hey, if you can transfer save files back and forth, maybe you can transfer the files needed for FMCB from a PC to the hard drive, and from the hard drive to the memory card!" Obviously I don't know that much about these things yet and have yet to try anything really, so forgive my ignorance.

Thanks, Dlanor. From what it looks like, I need to go out and buy a copy of HDLoader/Advance... Or swap magic or AR Max or something.

[ps2dragon]

From what it looks like, I need to go out and buy a copy of HDLoader/Advance... Or swap magic or AR Max or something.

Or you can just get someone from these forums who already has FMCB installed to do it for you, you just have to send in your memory card. See this thread.