How to Softmod ANY Fat PS2! | FreeMCBoot & FreeHDBoot Install Tutorial

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of softmodding a fat PlayStation 2 using Free McBoot and Free Hard Drive Boot. By following these steps, you will be able to install Free McBoot on your PS2, allowing you to run games from a hard drive and enjoy enhanced functionalities without the need for physical discs.

Chapter 1: Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following items:

• Original fat PlayStation 2 (the slim model will not work with this method).
• A compatible hard drive (IDE or SATA).
• A PS2 memory card (at least 4MB free space).
• A USB flash drive.
• A PS2 network adapter (for connecting the hard drive).
• A computer to perform the installation.

Hard Drive Options

1. IDE Hard Drive: Use a compatible IDE drive. Check compatibility lists to ensure it will work.
2. SATA Hard Drive: Use an off-brand SATA adapter designed for PS2. Note that some adapters do not support network capabilities.
3. Network Adapter Modification: Modify your existing network adapter to use SATA drives.

Software and Downloads

• Free HDBoot Pack: Download Link
• Free McBoot Noobie Pack 1.95: Download Link
• ImgBurn: Download Link

Chapter 2: USB and HDD Setup

Prepare Your Flash Drive

1. Connect your USB flash drive to your computer.
2. Format the flash drive to FAT32:
   • Right-click on the drive and select Format.
   • Choose FAT32 as the file system and click Start.
3. Extract the contents of the Free McBoot pack to the root of the flash drive.

Set Up the Hard Drive

1. Connect your hard drive to your computer.
2. Extract the Free HDBoot pack.
3. Open the WinHIPS program as an administrator:
   • Select the correct drive for your PS2 hard drive.
   • Set options to "48-bit HD Loader" and format the drive.
4. Confirm that the HDL settings partition is created.

Install Free Hard Drive Boot

1. Open the Hard Drive Raw Copy tool as an administrator.
2. Load the Free Hard Drive Boot image.
3. Select the target drive (your PS2 hard drive).
4. Click Start to begin the copying process. Wait for it to finish.

Chapter 3: Installing FMCB from FHDB

Booting Your PS2

1. Connect the flash drive, memory card, and hard drive to your PlayStation 2.
2. Turn on the PS2, and it will boot to Free Hard Drive Boot.
3. Select uLaunchELF and press X to start it.

Install Free McBoot

1. In uLaunchELF, navigate to mass (your flash drive) and select FMCB Installer.
2. Choose to format your memory card if desired.
3. Select Multi Install for installing Free McBoot:
   • Confirm the selection when prompted.
4. Once installation is complete, exit and power cycle the PS2.

Confirm Free McBoot Installation

1. Restart the PS2; it should boot to Free McBoot.
2. Launch uLaunchELF again and copy the boot folder to your memory card.

Chapter 4: Installing Games to HDD

Preparing Games for Transfer

1. Pull the hard drive from the PS2 and connect it to your computer.
2. Use ImgBurn to create an ISO of your PS2 game:
   • Open ImgBurn and select "Create image file from disk."
   • Choose your DVD drive and set the destination folder.
   • Start the ripping process.

Adding Games to the Hard Drive

1. Open WinHIPS as an administrator and select your PS2 hard drive.
2. Optionally, format the drive to reclaim space.
3. Select Add Images, choose the ISO files you created, and start the transfer process.
4. Once completed, eject the hard drive and reconnect it to the PS2.

Chapter 5: Setting Up OPL

Configuring Open PS2 Loader

1. Boot your PS2 and select Open PS2 Loader.
2. Adjust settings:
   • Set the default menu to HDD games.
   • Change the display settings to your preference.
3. Save your changes and return to the game list.
4. Select a game to confirm that it loads correctly.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully softmodded your fat PlayStation 2 with Free McBoot and Free Hard Drive Boot. You can now enjoy your games directly from the hard drive, significantly enhancing your gaming experience. For next steps, consider exploring additional settings in OPL or experimenting with different game backups. Happy gaming!