So does anyone remember FreeVast? PS2 plug-n-play modchip on a memory card basically?

[Xizer]

IT'S ALIVE

Here is the original thread about it here at Digital Press

Yeah well, it's now come to fruition, and for some reason there is no thread about it here!

Here is the link. It is basically the Independence Exploit but without the need for a PS1 'master' disc, and it also works on the slim PS2. It is called... Free McBoot:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/freevast...-releases.html

I have tested this out and it works great on both of my PS2s - my fat one and my slim.

Once you've got this installed on your memory card, you can run homebrew programs on a slim and fat PS2, and in the case of a fat PS2, games off the hard drive as well via HDLoader. It can do everything the Independence Exploit can do.

But that's not all! The next exciting new development is below:

Here is a program called ESR, which you can also run on any PS2 thanks to these memory card exploits. It is brand new, just released a few days ago. What does it do, you ask? It lets you run burned games without a modchip, on a fat or slim PS2. All you must do is run a program on your PC to allow you to patch the .ISO image, burn the ISO to a DVD, then pop the disc in your PS2 and run this program to boot the disc. The full details are here:
http://psx-scene.com/forums/freevast...blic-beta.html





Thanks to these developments I am now in possession of a simple 8 MB Sony memory card that can be used to boot up homebrew or play burned DVDs on any PS2 that I may come across, old or new. I can also easily give other memory cards this functionality and cause it to multiply! Muhahaha!

[Leo_A]

I thought a major feature was supposedly going to be making the PS2 region free. Did this not happen? The only reason I'd be interested is if I could import games from the UK and play on a American PS2.

[Xizer]

I thought a major feature was supposedly going to be making the PS2 region free. Did this not happen? The only reason I'd be interested is if I could import games from the UK and play on a American PS2.

I'm pretty sure there are already numerous ways to do this on a PS2.

[Leo_A]

Not without swapping disc or installing a internal chip, as far as I know.

[Xizer]

Not without swapping disc or installing a internal chip, as far as I know.

Hmm, well, I am reading the ESR thread and it can play burned PAL games.

[Leo_A]

Thats cool, the reason many of us were excited in that thread you linked to was the hope this would provide a solderless, convenient way to play imports through a plug and play method like this.

[Parodius]

At least you call them burned games and not backups or some other ridiculous euphemism.

No interest on my part unless I can play imports.

[exit]

Well if someone can confirm that it can play Siren 2 without a problem, I'm down.

[EX-Soldier]

im not to crazy about playing imports outside of my saturn but this definitely has me interested, anyone know if this'll allow u to watch dvds from other regions?

[Oobgarm]

No interest on my part unless I can play imports.

Judging by a few posts in the ESR thread, that's possible.

I'll actually tip the hat to Xizer on this one.

[erehwon]

If it can allow me to play imports, I'll have a reason to pull my slim ps2 back out. I'm kind of wanting to try Namco X Capcom.

[Chuplayer]

So... how do you get this on your memory card? If somebody releases something that can be copied to a card via the PS3, I'll be all over it. Downloading PS2 save games and copying them to the PS3 virtual card or using the PS3 as a middleman to copy them to a physical card rules.

[Xizer]

Doesn't the PS3 have USB ports? Can you put a file on a flash drive and then copy it over to a PS2 memory card on the PS3 that way?

I don't have a PS3 so I know nothing about the intricate details of what you can and can't copy on it and what not.

[Kitsune Sniper]

The PS2 is really finicky about USB flash drives. You can probably use a cheat device to transfer the files from a flash drive to the memory card, but good luck finding one that's compatible with the program and the PS2 itself...

[EX-Soldier]

so like ummmm....anyone know if this'll allow u to watch dvds from other regions?

[Xizer]

The PS2 is really finicky about USB flash drives. You can probably use a cheat device to transfer the files from a flash drive to the memory card, but good luck finding one that's compatible with the program and the PS2 itself...

A standard Action Replay MAX for the PS2 can be used to transfer files from a flash drive using the PS2's USB ports. A Code Breaker can also be used. Code Breakers can be obtained for $15 at GameStop and Action Replays for $30.

Any flash drive should work, and the Action Replay even comes with its own.

[Icarus Moonsight]

I'll actually tip the hat to Xizer on this one.

Indeed. Wow.

Gonna have to try this out. I just need to borrow a PAL and Jp game to test before I start seeking imports to nab. Didn't Vib Ribbon get a PS2 sequal? Mojib Ribbon or something or other? That would be suspect zero then Sega Ages here I come.

I wonder. Will this work with PS1 format burns? Would be nice to get a back-up system to play existing dupes in case the PSX crashes and burns down the road.

[Wraith Storm]

I thought a major feature was supposedly going to be making the PS2 region free. Did this not happen? The only reason I'd be interested is if I could import games from the UK and play on a American PS2.

Exactly! All I want is a simple way to play the import PS2 Berzerk game on my US PS2! Then I could die a happy man!

[Xizer]

I have a development. ESR v0.8 seems to work properly with Free McBoot's "assign to a boot number" function. I have renamed it to BOOT4.ELF, and now I can boot up burned games without even having to use an ELF Launcher first.

It is now as easy as popping the disc in your PS2, then holding a button on your controller to automatically boot up the burned game. In my case I only need to hold down L2 before I turn on my PS2 and it will load the game.

Also, still haven't found an ELF out there that will allow you to play DVDs from any region, but it must exist somewhere...

Exactly! All I want is a simple way to play the import PS2 Berzerk game on my US PS2! Then I could die a happy man!

ESR is designed for burned games. To play your PS2 Berserk game, I recommend ripping it to your PC, applying the patch to your ISO file, and then burning it to a DVD. It should be playable then.

I don't have any retail foreign games to test import functionality out without a burned copy but I don't think it would work with a retail import game because it does not have the DVDV patch applied that allows ESR to exploit the PS2 and load it.

[Icarus Moonsight]

You must rip and burn for this to work? That's odd.

[dao2]

You must rip and burn for this to work? That's odd.

cause itll only play games with whatever junk this loader needs installed, so the import won't have it already on it.... no playing imports ;p

[poloplayr]

i just want a way to play my JAP import PS2 games on my PAL PS3....pretty please?

[Xizer]

You must rip and burn for this to work? That's odd.

ESR utilizes an exploit in the PS2's DVD-Video functionality to load burned games. In order for this exploit to be used it requires a small hack to the ISO of the game to identify it as a DVD-Video file to the PS2. That is what it was designed for; backups. As a consequence of this, however, it can play backups from any region.

I am sure there is a program out there to let you disable the PS2's region encoding for non-burned games but I don't know where. I will look into this.

[Kitsune Sniper]

A standard Action Replay MAX for the PS2 can be used to transfer files from a flash drive using the PS2's USB ports. A Code Breaker can also be used. Code Breakers can be obtained for $15 at GameStop and Action Replays for $30.

Any flash drive should work, and the Action Replay even comes with its own.

Tell that to my Codebreaker disc. It doesn't like any of the flash drives I used.

[jcalder8]

Man that is awesome. I'm going to have to try this out.