Is there an easy way to do this that doesn’t involve making changes to the hardware? A boot disc is ideally what I’m looking for.
Which version ps2 do you have?
The slim is easier to manage, I think. The older ones use modchips, case replacements, and slide tricks. pia.
This is for a gift suggestion for a co-worker, so I don’t actually know what version PS2, and am unlikely to be able to find out before I leave work today.
Am I correct in thinking that there’s no “just pop in the disc” solution like there was on the Dreamcast? Cause anything more complicated than that probably isn’t gonna fly.
There’s two easy methods.
- Buy the SwapMagic discs - they’ll run you about $20 for both the CD-booter and the DVD-booter.
2a. (for fatass PS2s) Get a slide card, which will let you boot using the above disc and then pull the disc tray back out without hitting the eject button.
2b. (for slim PS2s) Get the Magic Switches, which really are just a set of oddly shaped pieces of plastic designed to cover up the disc sensors inside the fliptop. This also can be done with toilet paper and duct tape (as can most things of course), but I’d save yourself the trouble and spend 5 bucks for the properly shaped widgets and instruction manual. You can’t really get around having to buy the boot discs anyways, and any place selling those sells the slide cards and magic switches too.
I’d say installation takes about 2 minutes and requires no tools. Using the swap discs adds maybe 20 seconds to starting a game. The slide card I’ve heard is very easy to use. The Magic Switches literally are an install-and-forget solution - once they’re in place you just pop in the disc and go.
The only thing I’ve ever used this for was to play GG:Slash, but it was very easy to do.
Hmm. The slide card solution might work. I’ll suggest that.
I’ve heard that the slide card thing can damage your innards, but that might be propaganda.
Instead of a slide card, you can get a replacement shell for your fat PS2 that adds a flip open top. Then you just start Swap Magic, flip open the top, and put your game in.