The workflow will be

• Prepare a new or recycled hard drive for insertion into the PS2 phat
• Prepare and install the FMC boot loader
• Backing up your original games
• Copy these backed up games to the hard drive
• Insert the new hard drive into the PS2
• Boot the PS2 and run the loader
• Run you games from the hard drive

Shown here is the unit we will attack.

Phat or Slim?

One of the steps requires the FMC files to be copied to a Sony PS Memory Card. This cannot be done without a custom boot loader which in turn the custom boot loader needs to be read by the console. So in order to get the Playstation to read a custom program, it needs to be either on the MemoryCard or a DVD. Since the MemoryCard option is not covered here, you will need a DVD. However, a new problem arises in regard to the possible exploits depending on which DVD version you have. The PS2 Phat console has many variations and therefore the exploit is narrow depending on your DVD version. The developers who create these amazing programs cannot cover all possible combinations so there are only a small number of possible DVD versions covered.

To summarise, it is easier and more likely to work if you have access to a slimline PS2 for creation of the MemoryCard boot. This is because the developers have found the exploit on the slimline appears wider spread and therefore more likely to work

I will cover an optional PS2 Phat version but I have not tested this.

Pre-Requisites

Make sure your a PS2 Phat console for conversion. Slimline is not covered.

Access to a slimline PS2 for creation of the memory card boot

Have a PS2 hard drive extender plate. Eg Gamestar - Get these off eBay etc

Have a 3.5 inch hard drive less than 2TB

Blank USB formatted for FAT32

Blank Sony PS Memory Card. Third party memory cards have not worked well in my experience

Blank DVD-R for creation of boot disk

Flathead screwdriver

Have a method to connect this hard drive to your PC. Ideally a USB to IDE adapter

Get the program tools ready. These will be WinHIIP, a DVD ISO reader