PS2 Questions & Answers

HDD Questions:
What does HDD stand for?
How do you connect a HDD to a PS2?
How do you play games with a Hard Disk Drive?
What HDD's are compatable with a PS2?
What program formats a HDD for use with a PS2?
I cant see the PS2 formatted HDD in my PC, why?
How do you install games on the HDD?
What programs play the games on a PS2 HDD?
What games are compatable with the HDD?
How do i put non-game files on my PD2 HDD while connected to PC?

PS2 Program Questions:
What are ELF's?
If i want to use a different program, do i have to make another exploit?
What is a .IRX file for?
What is an ISO?
How do you make an ISO?
How can i change a file in the ISO?
What program do i use to extract a file from an ISO?
What is Mode 1,2 & 3 on my HDL v.07c, there are no numbers listed?

CD/DVD Questions:
How can i play a back-up burned CD?
What is a Retail Cheat Disc?
What are some of the Retail Cheat Disc's available?
If the retail cheat disc looks for a retail ps2 game, how can it load a burned disc?
What is the Knife-Swap?
 

Memory Card (MC) Questions:
How do i get files on the MC?
What is the MC Exploit?
I have corrupt files on my MC & i cant delete them, what can i do?
How do i format my MC?
How can i save files from my MC to my PS2 HDD?
The PS2 browser says corrupt data, but i know they are folders i made for some apps, how can i fix this?

FTP Questions:
How do i connect my PS2 to my PC?
What do i need to connect?
Whats the difference in the cables ?
How do i send files to the ps2 hdd?
How do i find my IP adress?
How do i configure for my router?
I have a firewall & it wont let me connect, how do i fix this?

Q: How do i connect a HDD to my PC?
A: There are several methods:
Direct IDE (internal): Shut down the PC, open the case. Inside you will see your PC's hdd connected with an IDE ribbon to the PCI card or directly to motherboard. You DONT want to disconnect this! There are 3 other connections to choose:

• Primary IDE set as Master -The PC's HDD with your OS
• Primary IDE set as Slave - A storage HDD may be installed or it may be empty
• Secondary IDE set as Master - CD/DVD drive is usually connected
• Secondary IDE set as Slave - Another CD/DVD drive may be installed or it may be empty

Q:How do you play games with a Hard Disk Drive?
A: With a program capable of reading a HDD formatted for use with the PS2, then loading the game installed in a special partition..

Q:What HDD's are compatable with a PS2?
A: HDD Compatability Chart

Q:What program formats a HDD for use with a PS2?
A:

• HDLoader [PS2]
• HDAdvance [PS2]
• USB Extreme/USB Advance [PC]
• WinHiip [PC]
• HD Handiness [PC]
• DMS Format Tool [PS2]

Q: I cant see the PS2 formatted HDD in my PC, why?
A: Because the PS2 is formatted for an environment Windows cant see.( Linux)

Q:How do you install games on the HDD?
A: By PS2:
           HDLoader
           HDAdvance
    By USB:
           USB Extreme
           USB Advance
    By PC:
           WinHiip 1.7.5
           HD Handiness
    By FTP:
           HDL Dumb
           FapLink

Q:What programs play the games on a PS2 HDD?
A:

• HDLoader - Free downloadable versions or Retail Purchase
• HDAdvance - Free downloadable versions or Retail Purchase
• USB Extreme - Retail Purchase
• USB Advance - Free downloadable version [Ripped copy of usb extreme]

Q: What games are compatable with the HDD?
A: Game Compatability List

Q:How do i put non-game files on my PD2 HDD while connected to PC?
A: PS2 PFS Explorer - this is like winhiip, but for files. Connect your PS2 HDD to the PC (unstable beta, reports of some HDD getting corrupted)

Q: I have corrupt files on my MC & i cant delete them, what can i do?
A: You can copy all the files you dont want to lose & format it

Q: How do i get files on the MC?
A: Create an Exploit Installer CD with Independence Compiler, boot the cd, install to MC
     Create a Exploit game save using Savebuilder, use a pen drive or exploitsender with a cheat disc that supports getting saves.
     If you have an exploit already or a modchip:
     Pen Drive with a file managing app
     FTP with a server app on the PS2 & a client app on the PC
     CD/DVD using a file managing app
     HDD with HDLoader by creating an ISO, installed via Winhiip / HD Handiness on PC

Q: How do i format my MC?
A: MC Format (MC Killer).
    AR Max - it has a format function. In Memory Manager/Device Manager, select the MC to format & press square

Q: How can i save files from my MC to my PS2 HDD?
A: Sony Official HDD allows you to copy or move a save from the MC to the HDD. Use the browser as you would a MC to MC copy. The HDD will show up as another selection in the move, copy, delete screen for the MC, if you created a folder on the HDD with the sony browser.
To create a folder, select the HDD as you would a MC & press X
In the top left corner you can select the HDD icon & press triangle.
Modchips that have the ATAD Patch can enable it & use a non-Sony HDD to install the HDD Browser from the Sony HDD Utility Disc.
A file managing APP on your MC: (look for a file with a slus number, as this is the gamesave. Example BASLUS-20587PDRIV3R, is for driver3)

Q: What is the MC Exploit?
A: When the PS2 boots PS1 games, it will check the memory card for a file called TITLE.DB. So by adding a ps1 SLUS number to the title.db & a program in an .ELF format, we can "hijack" the ps1 emulation. The file it will boot is named BOOT.ELF in the BADATA folder (system configuration) on the MC. It is called the Independence Exploit by Mr.Brown. He created the first installer. It has since been modified by many others with different methods of installing to your MC.

Q: What are ELF's?
A: Elfs are the executable file for a program that the PS2 can execute.

Q:If i want to use a different program, do i have to make another exploit?
A: No, you can use an ELF launcher as a BOOT.ELF in your exploit, then include the elfs you want to use.

Q: What is a .IRX file for?
A: It is the equivilant to a PC's .DLL (Device Driver) file

Q:What is an ISO?
A: An ISO is the contents of a CD/DVD, as an image,  packed into a single file.

Q: How do you make an ISO?
A: There are several programs that can create an ISO, directly from the CD/DVD, or from the PS2 HDD.

• UltraISO (creates ISO directly from Disc)
• DVD Decrypter (creates ISO directly from Disc)
• ISOBuster (creates ISO directly from Disc)
• WinHiip (extracts ISO from HDD after an install)
• HD Handiness (extracts ISO from HDD after an install)

Q: How can i change a file in the ISO?
A: By extracting the file from the ISO, editing it, then inserting it back into the ISO.

Q: What program do i use to extract a file from an ISO?
A: Heres a few:

• UltraISO
• ISOBuster
• DVD Decrypter

Q: How can i play a back-up burned CD?
A:
 1) A Mod Chip installed in your PS2 is the best way.
 2) For the un-modded, a Retail Cheat Disc & a method of swapping the disc.
 3) With an exploited MC:

• Cogswap Loader
• Swap Magic
• ZoneLoader

Q: What is a Retail Cheat Disc?
A: A manufactured, pressed disc that allows you to select a game, choose the cheats associated with that game, then swap for the Retail PS2 Game.

Q: What are some of the Retail Cheat Disc's available?
A:

• Action Replay (different versions available)
• Game Shark (different versions available)
• Code Breaker (different versions available)
• Swap Magic (it's not a cheat loader, only made to swap discs)

Q: If the retail cheat disc looks for a retail ps2 game, how can it load a burned disc?
A: In the process of the swap, instead of hitting the eject tray button, you perform a "knife-swap" or use a flip-top ps2 case. This way the PS2 dont know its a different disc & will run it.

Q:What is the Knife-Swap?
A: Its a method to swap a ps2 game disc for a burned disc by sliding a small white pin under the CD tray. [Mini-Tutorial]
This allows you to trick the ps2 into loading it without the ps2 re-reading the disc for the PS2 Logo.

Q:What is Mode 1,2 & 3 on my HDLoader, there are no numbers listed?
A:
The original HD Loader referenced the Modes when Select is pressed on a hightlighted game:

• Mode 1
• Mode 2
• Mode 3

• No Mode
• Mode 1
• Mode 2
• Mode 3
• Modes 1+2
• Modes 1+3
• Modes 2+3
• Modes 1+2+3

Q: How do i connect my PS2 to my PC?
A: By connecting a cable from PS2 to PC direct or thru a Router, Switch or Hub.

Q:What do i need to connect?
A: There are 2 ways available.
    Direct PS2 to PC:

• A Network Adapter & HDD (PS2)
• A cross-over cable, long enough to reach both
• Network Card (PC) The Ethernet Port
• FTP Server [PS2] & FTP Client [PC]

• A Network Adapter & HDD (PS2)
• A Patch Cable or wireless card connected to NA
• Router/Switch/Hub
• Network Card (PC) The Ethernet Port
• FTP Server [PS2] & FTP Client [PC]

Q:What's the difference in the cables?
A:  Look at the ends of the cable.
A Patch/Ethernet cable has both ends color coded exactly the same.
A Cross-over cable has different wire placements on its ends. Look closely, the left side color is the same as the right side at the other end. It may be same color, but with a stripe.

Q:How do i send files to the ps2 hdd?
A: To send files you need a Server app running on PS2 & a Client app running on PC.
   File transferring for other than PS2 games
There are a number of PS2 apps that have ftp support. You can use most FTP programs from the PC.
FlashFXP( shareware) is most compatable with the PS2 FTP apps. UltraFXP (Freeware) is similar.

• ExecFTP
• LaunchELF
• MyPS2
• PS2 Media Player
• PukkLink
• PS2Link

• FapLink
• HDL Dump
• LordBoGaMi HDLD GUI 2.0

Q: How do i find my IP address?
A: Windows - [Start]>[Run]> type CMD or COMMAND.COM>[OK]> type ipconfig at prompt> hit [enter] {all your network info is displayed} To Exit: type exit and hit [enter]

Q:How do i configure for my router?
A: Use the Gateway IP instead of the PC's IP Address. If you still cannot connect, it may be a firewall blocking .

Q: I have a firewall & it wont let me connect, how do i fix this?
A: Windows Firewall:
Open your firewall and look for the exception tab (WinXP) or the Internet Applications (McAfee). You can allow the program access from one of these.
Or just turn it off while you are using the FTP Program. Dont forget to turn it back on when your done.
     Router firewall:
If your router's firewall blocks your connection, you can use Port Forwarding. You will need access to your router's settings page.
The default is http://192.168.0.1/ / http://192.168.1.1 / http://192.168.2.1 this will open a pop-up user/password.
The default for Linksys is User: user Password: admin or User: admin Password: admin
Once you have accessed it, go to 'Advanced', then to 'Forwarding'.
Put in the name of the [app]-[port 21 to 21]-[TCP]-[IP address of ps2]-[enable]
Put name again of the [app]-[port 21 to 21]-[UDP]-[IP address of ps2]-[enable]

Q:The PS2 browser says corrupt data, but i know they are folders i made for some apps, how can i fix this?\
A: You can put 2 files (icon.sys & xxx.ico) in the folder so the ps2 will see them as a save file.
    I made some icons with a icon.sys for each. Check out Icon Tutorial or you can create your own. Check out Creating Icons Tutorial