Mod a ps2

[Atown]

Hey guys i was wondering whats the best route to be able to run linux and still play ps1/2 games with a ps2? mine is like the first christmas they were out model >.> so its kinda old and i wouldt mind tweaking stuff. i might go down to a game shop that does console repairs and i think they still do modding but i could be wrong. thanks in advance

 

[Tek7]

Hey guys i was wondering whats the best route to be able to run linux and still play ps1/2 games with a ps2? mine is like the first christmas they were out model >.> so its kinda old and i wouldt mind tweaking stuff. i might go down to a game shop that does console repairs and i think they still do modding but i could be wrong. thanks in advance

According to this Wikipedia article, you don't need to mod your PS2 to run Linux.

You just have to find an incredibly rare Linux PS2 kit, like this eBay auction.

The only other option is to install a modchip in your PS2 and find a copy of the DVD by itself. You'll also need the Network Adapter, a PS2-compatible hard drive, and a USB keyboard and mouse.

 

[vibrokatana]

IMO it isn't really worth it because the PS2 only has something like 32 or 64MB of ram.

 

[Atown]

if 256mb of ram is all you ever need to run FC, then 64mb of ram is more than enough to run yellow dog or something . and yeah those kits are freaking rare

 

[Atown]

ok its 32mb of ram, and i have a version 4 ps2 so yeah i was kinda right. the local store i know doesnt do that stuff but they do have a network adapter for $15 so thats overall pretty cheap. but the hard drive is a tuffy. i know a guy who got the churches x-boxes modded so he didt have to have the dvd's out, so i might ask him

 

[Tek7]

but the hard drive is a tuffy.

I have a 160GB Seagate HDD in my PS2. I forget the exact model number, but I did have to use felt pads to slide the drive into the slot and not have it bounce around.

By the way, I installed a HDD for two reasons:

1. Play Japanese games (like Samurai Shodown VI) I could never play otherwise.
2. Preserve the life of the DVD drive laser.

 

[Atown]

just teh hard drive did that or did u get a mod chip? im confused if i just need an HD , or the mod chip and HD? plus im not finding the ps2 linux for download either which is lamerz

 

[Tek7]

just teh hard drive did that or did u get a mod chip? im confused if i just need an HD , or the mod chip and HD?

You don't need to have a modchip installed to play games from the hard drive, but you do need an exploit loaded onto a memory card. Exploits on memory cards don't void the warranty, but they fall into a legal gray area, so I won't say more on these forums.

If hardware developers wouldn't region-lock games, you'd see half (okay, maybe a third) of the modchip market disappear overnight. There's a common misperception that modchips are only about piracy. Ask any European gamer how much longer they have to wait for Super Smash Bros. Brawl next year and they'll tell you that piracy isn't the whole story.

Plus there's also homebrew applications and games. The only hardware developer that actively encourages homebrew development is the GP2X.

Nintendo has a long track record of treating its third-party developers poorly (Why are there so few third-party Wii titles with no WiFi support?), so you can imagine how they look at homebrew developers.

plus im not finding the ps2 linux for download either which is lamerz

And you likely won't. Most people who are skilled enough to package and upload Linux PS2 probably also know how to dual-boot or have a second PC they can use for an alternate OS.

On a related note, I don't know if Linux PS2 falls under the standard free distribution rules of most other Linux distros, so downloading it without a copy of the original disc would be illegal.