Swap Magic - differences between versions? Please Help

[okonomiyaki]

Edit, to answer my own question - I ended up purchasing the new Swap Magic version - effectively upgrading from DVD ver 2.0 to DVD ver. 3.6 w/ associated CD versions each - the compatibility on the new discs of course is MUCH better than the old version. Plenty of games that required special boot (TOC Refresh) with the old SM discs no longer require it and some games which didn't work now work great. Just FYIing!


I've got a question regarding Swap Magic discs for use with PS2.

I forget what versions I have, but I have Swap Magic CD & DVD discs that I've been using with my original (large) PS2. I picked up the discs in 2004, so they're older than the current version of the Swap Magic discs.

I recently purchased the PS2 slim SCPH-90001, installed the Magic Key and it's working great - what ease! When I purchased the magic key (V4) I did NOT get the new versions of the swap magic discs b/c I figured that the older ones would work fine.

The old ones work okay for the most part, but I'd say a good handful of games don't work on the slim ps2 with the older swap magic discs (where they worked fine on my old large ps2) For example, the CD disc doesn't work at all, and a few DVD games don't work with the DVD disc, such as FF Dirge of Cerebus and God of War II. Many games work, playing The Warriors and Shadow of the Colossus w/out a problem.

So I am wondering will this problem likely be resolved if I just upgrade to the latest swap magic discs? What's the difference between the new versions of the swap magic discs and the old ones, higher compatibility?

Thanks!

[fumanchu]

i use swap magic 3.0 and i noticed that it dosent let you play emulators for whatever reason but version3.6 works just fine.
check your pm box.

[Mozgus]

I dont have a complete list but many sources have said that 3.8 is actually less compatible than 3.6 with the entire library, although 3.8 added the usb homebrew loading ability, I believe.

[ryanstein]

I vote that, in order to have the best compatibility, you should use your Swap Magic to install FreeMCBoot on your memory card. This way, no more swapping, and your games will play great!

[weasels]

I vote that, in order to have the best compatibility, you should use your Swap Magic to install FreeMCBoot on your memory card. This way, no more swapping, and your games will play great!

this will work with the new one right? if so Im getting a magic swap lol.

[okonomiyaki]

I vote that, in order to have the best compatibility, you should use your Swap Magic to install FreeMCBoot on your memory card. This way, no more swapping, and your games will play great!

Okay, then I have some questions:

Can FMCB be used from ps2 mem card with the newest ps2 model SCPH-9000x? I read that Sony modified the PS2 firmware for the 9000x series which means that FMCB can not be installed. I thought that this was in reference to installing FMCB onto the PS2 itself - I didn't know that you could run FMCB from a PS2 memory card... you can? On a 9000x?

In order for the PS2 to play burned games, don't those game ISOs (before they're burned) need to be patched so that the FMCB .ESR file (or whatever the file is that helps FMCB to play a burned ps2 game) can launch the game? Patching my games is not an option since they're all already burned to disc.

It's worth mentioning that I have Swap Magic DVD v 2.00. I don't know what version of the Swap Magic CD I have, but it's equally as old. I tried burning an ISO of Swap Magic DVD v 3.6 last night and using my 2.00 disc first, then swapping in the burned 3.6 disc - but it would not load the 3.6 disc.

Should I mess around with FMCB on my mem card, or just purchase the latest edition of the swap magic discs? Maybe that would solve the compatibility issues I am experiencing such as some DVD games not working and the Swap Magic CD loader not working at all (the ps2 recognizes it, but once swapped, the games don't load).

Thanks!

[dlmvii]

I vote that, in order to have the best compatibility, you should use your Swap Magic to install FreeMCBoot on your memory card. This way, no more swapping, and your games will play great!

Okay, then I have some questions:

Can FMCB be used from ps2 mem card with the newest ps2 model SCPH-9000x? I read that Sony modified the PS2 firmware for the 9000x series which means that FMCB can not be installed. I thought that this was in reference to installing FMCB onto the PS2 itself - I didn't know that you could run FMCB from a PS2 memory card... you can? On a 9000x?

In order for the PS2 to play burned games, don't those game ISOs (before they're burned) need to be patched so that the FMCB .ESR file (or whatever the file is that helps FMCB to play a burned ps2 game) can launch the game? Patching my games is not an option since they're all already burned to disc.

It's worth mentioning that I have Swap Magic DVD v 2.00. I don't know what version of the Swap Magic CD I have, but it's equally as old. I tried burning an ISO of Swap Magic DVD v 3.6 last night and using my 2.00 disc first, then swapping in the burned 3.6 disc - but it would not load the 3.6 disc.

Should I mess around with FMCB on my mem card, or just purchase the latest edition of the swap magic discs? Maybe that would solve the compatibility issues I am experiencing such as some DVD games not working and the Swap Magic CD loader not working at all (the ps2 recognizes it, but once swapped, the games don't load).

Thanks!

1. I think it can still be installed on the latest model, but I could be wrong. It all runs from the memory card.
2.Yes, the iso's need to be patched with the appropriate program, so they look like dvd-video to the ps2.
3.FMCB is infinitely more useful, and I would say the only reason to use swap magic would be to install it. That being said, if you can't install it on your ps2, the newest swap magic lets you directly run an elf from a usb drive, so you could run hdloader, esr (not sure if this would work), etc right from swap magic.

[okonomiyaki]

1. I think it can still be installed on the latest model, but I could be wrong. It all runs from the memory card.
2.Yes, the iso's need to be patched with the appropriate program, so they look like dvd-video to the ps2.
3.FMCB is infinitely more useful, and I would say the only reason to use swap magic would be to install it. That being said, if you can't install it on your ps2, the newest swap magic lets you directly run an elf from a usb drive, so you could run hdloader, esr (not sure if this would work), etc right from swap magic.

I can't patch my games, they're all already burned as I was using Swap Magic with my older PS2. So upgrading to the newest version of Swap Magic looks to be the best idea for me.

One last question - if I were to use Swap Magic 3.6 to launch HDLoader from a mem card - what advantage would that provide me with as compared to just using swap magic to boot the burned discs?

Thanks again, this is great information.

[skate323k137]

I'm almost positve after extensive reading that FMB will not work on a 9000x. A few of the earliest systems with this model number supposedly work, but they [sony] did in fact change the bios making the memory card exploit useless. I hope swap magic works for you.

[Mozgus]

I can't patch my games, they're all already burned as I was using Swap Magic with my older PS2. So upgrading to the newest version of Swap Magic looks to be the best idea for me.

So burn them again. DVD-Rs cost nothing nowadays. Stop using swap methods.

Edit: Oh wow, I guess FMCB doesnt work on 9000. Didn't even hear about that one. Sucks man.

Beware! Sony has created a new BIOS in the SCPH-9000x series PS2 models that negate any OSDSYS update using the DVD player hack. This means that after BIOS revision 230, Playstation 2 units will not work with FMCB!

http://bootleg.sksapps.com/tutorials/fmcb/