[XCSSA] Free McBoot and HDLoader

[X-otic Computer Systems of San Antonio]

"I think it will too. It's a pretty common format if I'm not mistaken.  
I may have to take you up on that, too, but my friend is currently  
using my PS2 at the moment, I think including my memory card. But I'll  
try to hunt for it before Monday."

I highly recommend acquiring another memory card specifically for FMCB. This way you 
don't risk ruining your game saves if something goes wrong and you have the full 8MB to 
use for additional programs to install with FMCB. GameStop carries used Sony Memory Cards 
for as little as $13 now (third party cards are NOT recommended).

"For some reason I have always been intrigued at running Linux on the
PS2.  Are you going to make your write up available online?"

Frederik and John Baker may have answers on Linux on the PS2. Frederik just mentioned he 
had the Linux PS2 Development Kit at one time but got rid of it. John Baker is the only 
other person in the group who played with one and may still have it. I remember he 
brought it to one of the meetings a long time ago.

"Maybe Robert could chime in with some reasons the Fat one is better than the 
slim-) How bout it Robert?"

There are advantages and disadvantages to each model.

The advantages for the Fatty is that it is easier to modify (and repair - if you know 
how), you can use the hard drives, more USB flash drives will work on it, and that the 
laser is safely inside the unit (and not exposed).

The main disadvantage of the Fatty is that the drives, and lasers, tend to be more 
unreliable and finicky (especially with the blue CD-ROMS).

The advantages of the Slim is that it is very small and portable, the drives are more 
reliable, it is easier to play imports (because of the flip top design and the use of  
the swap magic disc method), and the network plugs are built in.

The disadvantages of the Slim is that, because of the flip top design, the laser is 
exposed (not good when exposed to curious young hands), fewer USB flash drives will work 
on it, and it is harder to do physical mods with.

I should point out that early model PS2 Slims had the IDE stuff on the motherboard. You 
could, if you had the soldering skills and patience to hook up all of the necessary 
wiring, hook up a hard drive to a PS2 Slim. When that was discovered, modders made a 
special case for the PS2 Slim to house a hard drive. Sony took the IDE stuff out of later 
motherboard revisions.

I should also point out that any SCPH-90000 PS2 Slim unit made in March of 2008 and later 
will not work with FMCB. According to the mod community, Sony shut down the procedure 
call in the revised BIOS that FMCB relied upon to work.

--Robert Allen Rusk (RARusk)

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