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Mod your PS2 without having to buy anything (potentially)

C

chrono6456

New Member
I've always looked for a way to softmod a PS2, but all methods usually required buying some kind of action replay, or codebreakers game to get software onto a ps2 memory card. Then, I friend showed me a miraculous link....which is not allowed....


Basically, as long as you have 007 Agent under fire, or any of the other games listed further down in the thread, this mod will work. I'm still learning, but this does work.

This only requires you to burn a copy of a modified PS2 game you already have, and it also requires you to make a slide card out of a old credit card to swap disks. You will only have to do this once since you can install MCboot. (diagram for tool here http://members.cox.net/awoolcott/Swipe-Card.gif)

I used Metal Gear solid 3 and replaced the file they said with a ulaunchboot elf, loaded up the original in my PS3, swapped at the main menu, went to special, camouflage, and bam, ulaunchelf loaded up! I haven't done anything from then on since it's too late today, but thats enough already. I can now install mcboot off a usb stick onto a memory card and play DVD backups with something called ESR.

I'll be using this guide for the rest of the stuff for installing mcboot and esr to boot backups.
ESR - PS2 Project

EDIT- It's just a rom site (a good one at bat too), but whatever, here is the guide copy and pasted. All credit goes to "JESUSoCHRIST" I may rewrite it tomorrow to make it easier to follow if people would like so.

Here is a good site to get some of the apps like ulaunchelf and mcboot when needed, also has apache v1.1
SKS Apps - Exploit Systems - Wii Ps3 Ps2 Apps - Homebrew Game Downloads - Forums


FIRST
YOU NEED 007 Agent under Fire for ps2, you need the original ps2 game, your going to make the backup you have to swap it with. (works on every ps2 model, tested both models), so far only works with 007 agent under fire not NIGHT FIRE. my suggestion is to try games older then 2001. and use this guide as a template to do that. (more recent games have a file size check done at the same time the toc check is done at startup)

1. Make a .iso image of 007 Agent Under Fire using dvd decrypter or imgburn.


SECOND

1. using "Apache v1.1" open the .iso image u made.

2. highlight "DRIVING.ELF" in apache on your right side

3. select "ISO Tools" from the tab uptop, now select "Change TOC for Selected File", change the "Size (dec)" to 915196, don't change the LBA. (FOR UR INFO, thats the file size of the "uncompressed BOOT.ELF" ulaunchelf file from v4.30 pack you will rename to DRIVING.ELF, aka, "uncompressed BOOT" rename to "DRIVING")

4. (for ur info, right click any file on your pc and select properties, the first "Size" is the size in bytes)

5. with "DRIVING.ELF" still highlighted, select "ISO Tools" again, now select "Update Selected File", select the DRIVING.ELF file that was ulaunchelf's "uncompressed BOOT.ELF" you renamed. (also attached below) it will say "selected file replaced"

6. WOW YOU JUST MADE A SWAPMAGIC disk out of this backup you made from your store bought original.

7. JUST BURN THE DVD NOW, and get READY TO SWAP THE BACKUP IN PLACE OF THE ORIGINAL.


THIRD

1. Put the orignal ps2 game in your ps2 now.

2. play the game until you make it to the 2nd level which is the DRIVING level, then save your game

4. Return to the main menu, now swap your original for your backup, now when you select the 2nd level, it'll boot to ulanuchelf

5. TADA!!!!! YOU ARE NOW IN ULAUNCHELF and you can install FMCB 1.7 OR 1.5 FROM A USB STICK TO YOUR MEMORY CARD NOW.


BOND BONUS TIP

if using a modchip, just run the back up you just made now as soon as you get into the 2nd level ulaunchelf will start.


VIOLA!!!!!


if your like me and everyone else, just swap the backup u made for the original at the main menu. make sure u have sensors blocked if using a slimline in order to swap at the main menu, if using fat ps2 you need the tool to open the drive in order to swap.



link to utube video YouTube - PS2 exploit

THE ONLY THING WE NEED NOW IS A SMALL LIST OF GAMES THIS EXPLOIT WORKS ON...
FORMAT = GAME NAME which is separated by the file to replace with ulaunchelf
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO SWAP THE ORIGINAL WITH YOUR BACKUP AT THE MAIN MENU
REGION DOESN'T MATTER FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, SO IF YOUR USA, PAL OR JAP THESE SAME GAMES WILL WORK FOR U PROVIDED THEY MATCH YOUR CONSOLE REGION, ALTHOUGH THESE WERE ORIGINALLY DONE WITH USA GAMES

WORKING BELOW...

007 Agent under fire, DRIVING.ELF (go to 2nd level)(check first post)

007 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, NFS.ELF (YES TESTED THIS TODAY WORKS, go to the need for speed DEMO from the main menu, and it will boot ulaunchelf i used v4.30 again)

SOCOM COMBINED ASSAULT, SCUSNGUI.ELF (swap at main menu, select "MULTIPLAYER", now select "LAN", you will go to another screen where you exit, upon exiting that screen ulaunchelf v4.30 will start. (just done today)

Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, NETDOWN.ELF (used the compressed file from ulaunchelf 4.12, only exception so far) press start, your now at the main menu, swap disks, select "SPECIAL", now select "CAMOUFLAGE DOWNLOAD", ulaunchelf 4.12 will now run

Socom 3, SCUSNGUI.ELF (from main menu, select your save, now select "ONLINE", now select "LAN", now select "EDIT CONFIGURATION", now ulaunch v4.30 will start (used uncompressed boot from ulaunchelf 4.30 pack as usual)

Socom 2, SCUSNGUI.ELF (from the main menu, just swap in your backup, this one is super easy, now select "LAN", now select "EDIT NETWORK CONFIGURATIONS", now ulaunchelf v4.30 will run.)

Syphon Filter The Omega Strain, NTGUI2CN.ELF (in netgui folder)(first create a save game, then select "PLAY ON-LINE", it will now ask you to "Launch NetGui application now?" select yes, ulaunchelf 4.30will now run.)

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, SC3_ON.ELF (super easy, swap at main menu, press start, then select "MULTIPLAYER ONLINE", ulaunchelf v4.30 will now run)

Battlefield 2 Modern Combat, GUI.ELF (in the NETGUI folder)(at main menu swap, should be routine for u by now, "press start" now select "PLAY ONLINE", a series of loading screens will happen, select "create/edit", select "create/edit" again, another screen will ask you the same question. now ulaunch v4.30 will run.

King of Fighters Neowave, NTGUI2.ELF (press start, now select "NETWORK MATCH", highlight the first option and enter that, now select the second option, now ulaunch v4.30 will run

star wars battlefront 2 NTGUI.ELF (in the NETGUI folder)(go to the main menu, swap and select "multiplayer", now select "LAN", select "Add/Edit", now select "EXIT WITHOUT SAVING", ulaunch 4.30
will run.

Jak X Combat Racing, NTGUI_UC.ELF (in the NETGUI folder)(first create a save, from the main menu, select "Exhibition", now select "LAN", now select "ACCEPT", ulaunchelf v4.30 will now run

Ratchet Deadlocked, (aka Ratched Gladiator in europe) NTGUI.ELF (in NETGUI folder)(select "MULTIPLAYER", now select "ONLINE PLAY", select "NETWORK SETUP", ulaunch 4.30 will now run.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2006, NTGUI2.ELF (in the NTGUI2 folder)(select "ONLINE", now "ACCEPT", now select "Edit/Create Network Configuration", ulaunchelf v4.30 will now run, best thing this game is for lol.

YOUR ORIGINAL SPORTS GAME HERE, if it has support for online gaming it should have a usable .elf file (i just don't consider "sports" games, worthy of any money, maybe thats why their always for sale used dirt cheap, just like the movie industry never gives out any awards for pron.)(well sports games of all kinds serve a useful purpose now right?)


FAILED BELOW DO NOT TRY UNLESS U WANT A COASTER LIKE ME LOL

007 Nightfire
Golden Eye Rogue Agent (game doesn't rip)
Yugioh Beginning of Destiny
megamanxcollection
splinter cell (THE VERY FIRST SPLINTER CELL GAME)
Call of Duty 2
James Bond Quantom of Solice (this definitely failed)
Xmen Legends 2 (maybe a way for a .irx exploit, don't see the point in making another coaster)
Call of Duty 3

EDIT*cough* gona try to get at least 15 tested, the general theory is that the file must has the .ELF extension and the game must have a network funtion (NETGUI), like online gaming or downloads, thats just about a guarantee, i've seen the same file renamed a bunch of times already. i have tried other file extensions/renaming, no results yet there. MY GUESS, seems like developers had a choice to save some work load, or were forced to use script or code that they didn't have the option of editing at all for their network gaming needs

*These games still work fine, just about all of them work on hdloader, there is no reason to throw them away once you have FMCB installed *cough* u can even esr patch these in the process if you wanted to play your dvd backup directly after installing FMCB, although i didn't test this.

15 of 15
 
Link removed. Please don't link to sites that host roms.

If you want to share the guide then please copy and paste it fully. Make sure credit is given to the author. Or alternatively rewrite it yourself.
 
Stuck at swap

Hi, Btw I love your guide. Just one problem for me. I used Metal Gear Solid 3 for my disk and I believe i replaced files and burned properly. I go to the main menu and swap disks then go to the camo download to trigger my exploit but it goes to a screen that says please insert ps2 disk. I followed the guide as instructed but maybe I'm missing something important. Please let me know what anyone thinks. Thnks!
 
So has anyone else been successful with this yet? I'm considering doing it. :p
 
I did it years ago and found it pretty pointless. If you've got a way of loading a backup to install it then why not use that same method to just play backups. I didn't find much homebrew that was of any use either.

In the end I just bought HDAdvance/USB xtreme for playing backups. It makes playing downloaded games much easier as you don't even need to burn them to disk.
 
Bite the bullet and buy 007 Agent under fire. It seems to be the only one on the list that works.

I have done this successfully so if you have any questions just pm me.
 
The thread starter sayed, that he used MGS 3: Snake Eater.
So i tryed it with that game.

Created the ISO
Changed the size of the NETDOWN.ELF to the size of the BOOT.ELF from ulaunchelf 4.12
Renamed BOOT.ELF to NETDOWN.ELF
Replaced the NETDOWN.ELF

Burned the Image by using Alcohol 120% (Settings are set to Playstation 2)

Playing the game with the backup disc instead the original disk (after swapping the discs) works very well.
But everytime i want to start the "ulaunchelf 4.12" i get the error, that i should insert an Playstation or Playstation 2 Formatet Disk.

@chrono6456
what did you exactly do to make it work with MGS 3 ?

EDIT:
OK, now everthing works well. But that is not the result of of this guide.
I got the ulaunchelf to work by using an exploit in my stand-alone version of the "Max MediaPlayer" (which comes normaly with the Action Replay).

So, thanks to chrono6456. Without your thread, i would not know, that things like Homebrew, Backups and Emulators are so easy to realise on a PS2 without ModChip. REP+1
 
Hi, I have a question. By Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake eater, do you mean the original snake eater or will Subsistence also do the trick?
 
Hello can i know if ratchet and clank up your arsenal , thrilleville or stitch experiment will works with the exploit?


Thanks
 
@ Chrono

I have tried this on my slim PS3 using MGS3 and it doesn't work. I can actually play the backup disc of MGS3 fine, but when I try and boot into the camoflauge download section it has a black screen and a few seconds later it shows the splash screen saying it isn't a Playstation format disc. I copied the compressed boot elf from 4.12 as it says in the guide and renamed it, changing the size values and everything perfectly I am certain.

You have a fat PS2 right? Maybe the MGS3 exploit only works on that? Or maybe only on the NTSC version of it? I have a PAL version, but it is from the release date March 2005, so it shouldn't be patched or anything.

Thanks for posting the guide.
 
Sweet

I wipe the dust off my ps2 games and found out I have Star Wars Battlefront 2...Now if my PS2 can load this game, I would love to run games off my USB.


Edit: Whats this fmcb? is it like a custom firmware that can run slot 2 memory card exploit?
 
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