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Non-NEC Console Related Discussion => Console Chat => Topic started by: MissaFX on June 29, 2008, 07:27:25 AM

Title: I need help with a custom PS2 HD job
Post by: MissaFX on June 29, 2008, 07:27:25 AM
So the other day I was helping ceti get some ram for his musical keyboard when I had an idea like being struck by a bolt of lightning.  My American release PS2 usually does the disc read error unless I put it on its side, pray to several gods and maybe bribe a few too so I have more or less stopped using it :(  My Japanese release PS2 on the other hand plays flawlessly to this day dispite having many more hours of use under its belt.  The problem with the Japanese PS2 is that it uses a PCMCIA HD because at the time, there wasn't enough free space inside the PS2 to fit a HD bay #-o .  As you may know they didn't make a lot of PCMCIA HDs to sell to the public so I had the crazy idea of using a PCMCIA to CF adapter to simulate a HD in the PS2.  However, I have looked into formatting the CF card and it seems I will have to buy some kind of HD loader program to format a non Sony drive.

There doesn't happen to be anyone on here who owns this software and who modified the bios of their PS2 so that it is no longer needed and might want to sell it is there?

The cool thing about setting up a "HD" this way is that the HD will be fully internal!  Everything will just tuck neatly into that PCMCIA port \o/  A Sandisk Ultra III card is probably faster than the HD Sony sold anyway.
Title: Re: I need help with a custom PS2 HD job
Post by: guyjin on June 29, 2008, 12:29:51 PM
As far as I know, Compact Flash is just a miniaturized PCMCIA card. if you can get a dumb adaptor, it should work.
But sony may be doing some screwy stuff with the hard drive, so don't take my word for it.
Title: Re: I need help with a custom PS2 HD job
Post by: WoodyXP on June 29, 2008, 03:29:12 PM
How old is your PS2?  I didn't know they had PCMCIA.  I used the network adapter to hook up
my hard drive.
Title: Re: I need help with a custom PS2 HD job
Post by: MissaFX on June 29, 2008, 04:24:47 PM
How old is your PS2?  I didn't know they had PCMCIA.  I used the network adapter to hook up
my hard drive.

The one in question is the Japanese release model.  It cannot use the network adapter your is using.  There is no internal bay, only the PCMCIA card slot in the back.