The awesome PS2 SD-Card mod you probably shouldn't do...

Replacing the internal HDD of a "PHAT" PlayStation-2 with an SD-Card-to-IDE adapter lets you play games with both the stability of an internal drive and the convenience of plug&play storage, but how does it stack up against alternative solutions?
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GitHub: github.com/sideprojectslab

[@denniskakao4878]

Nice and short video. I was thinking about something like this too but lacked the knowledge to pull it off. Great work!

[@mandibiedermann2246]

good method 👌 just to know, latest OPL support exFAT so just format the micro SD in exFAT and no need of using programs to install games, no 4gb + limit, just copy ISOs and paste to DVD folder

[@Munin666]

0:50 i just have seen the Video till this point for now where i type this text... but this is the point where i love my way! After this comment i watch this video and maybe you have a similar way. My way to go was the original IDE Network Adapter, where i swapped the IDE Port to an SATA Port! Now my PS2 have Ethernet and a modern SSD inside! This method allows me to use the HD Loader Server on the PS2 (integrated in Open Games Loader) and the HDL Dump GUI by vtecorona to copy a whole DVD or just the images from my Computer to the PS2 over the local network! :) And yes it takes a while cause of the Slow Speed of the PS2 Network but this programm allows me to shutdown the PS2 and the PC after finishing the Copy Job.

[@user-dd8ux9rx5x]

😮

[@DioBrando-qr6ye]

If you use the original adapter and a IDE to SATA adapter you can dump your isos on your SSD trough the network. A way easier process.

[@sideprojectslab7352]

In my book transferring files to an SD-Card is a far easier process than: (1) connecting a network cable from my laptop to the ps2, (2) starting the OPL server on the PS2, (3) setting up the laptop's ethernet interface to the correct static IP needed to connect to the PS2, (4) then using HDL-Dumb to transfer the files, and then (5) undo all that. But as usual these are matters of personal preference, so I wanted to share this method in case others are interested

[@Munin666]

@@sideprojectslab7352 Step 1 is not needed. My PS2 has an permanently attached Network cable and is connected to my home Network over Lan. So the 3. Point is not needed to. Because i entered a static ip in my PS2 which can be reached from my Home Network. Sure, i still need to Start the OPL Server, but i do this in Open Games Loader and need to use HDL Dump on my Computer. But i dont have to swap cables or static IP Adresses...

[@luke9511]

awesome video!, is the the 24inch dell monitor with every connection possible? if so i have two of them and that controller as well, also you should upgrade that og network adapter to sata so you can use the network port and sata drives

[@sideprojectslab7352]

Hey! Thanks for your comment. In order: 1) yes it's the super-duper-dell monitor, I also have three, however analog input is a little so-so in terms of color, but really useful for the work I am doing with all sorts of old consoles. 2) I couldn't get my hands on an original SATA adapter so far, but still, using the network interface to load games through OPL is much more hassle than popping an SD-Card in and out :D

[@EvgenMakein]

Woah, good idea!

[@Larry]

Is there a maximum size SD card that will work with this?

[@sideprojectslab7352]

The biggest I have is 256GB and it works like a charm.

[@matt4193]

The weakest link in terms of hardware is the IDE adapter so I'll guess maybe up to 500gb?

[@umran89]

how are you connecting your ps2 with a monitor and also getting audio?

[@sideprojectslab7352]

I don't get audio :)

[@bitemykrank1970]

I do like this as a mod, but I think the HDD is still a better solution. I have a fat ps2 and I fitted a 2TB drive in it.....I ran out of games to add before I ran out of space to put them. Still haven't played all of them as yet, something like 500 games on the drive.....many are games I had never heard of before, just random ISO's found on the web, free though, so why not... I still use my mod chipped PS1 more though....can't get enough of the pixelated hero in Medal of Honour

[@jogopoulos1831]

good job

[@natr0n]

nice and clean mod and alternative. I like using 2.5 inch sata drives on knockoff sata method.

[@Ike12]

Theres a way to use one of those adapters that come with micro sd cards and wire it to second memory card slot. Its called an internal mx4sio and i only seen it done 3 times. Wesk mainstreamed it for his ps2 ultra slim mod and theres diagrams for the process on the project documents. Can you check it out please?

[@sideprojectslab7352]

yes I've seen something like that, but don't you still lose the memory card slot for that to work?

[@Ike12]

@@sideprojectslab7352 actualy in the diagram and in macho nacho's video theres a switch that switches between memory card or sd card

[@interceptor_gear6]

PS2 slim satin silver, scph-70xxx. SD-card/IDE mod. Card: Samsung 256 Gb. Flight is normal. Apart from the cooling system, can’t hear anything during operation.

[@ReggaeRootsoficial]

Eu tenho esse modelo de Playstation 2. ,30001R aqui no Brasil é difícil achar?

[@xbclassicx8361]

O cara é de outro país man 😂

[@ReggaeRootsoficial]

@@xbclassicx8361 isso eu sei mano kkk tem tradutor

[@user-dd8ux9rx5x]

😢😢😢😢🎉🎉😂😂❤❤❤❤❤😂🎉🎉🎉😢😢😢😮😮😅😅😅😅😊😊

[@JamieMacgregor-9390]

Nice soundtrack

[@sideprojectslab7352]

Thanks :D I made it myself years ago

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

The main issue with requiring the PS2 itself to run games is file systems. The PS2 uses a FAT32 file system and that becomes a problem with titles at the tail end of the PS2 era because the largest file size you can have with FAT32 is 4GB. That makes loading later games which came in dual layer discs require an external tool which will split the game into 2GB chunks.

[@sideprojectslab7352]

With an internal HDD (or my SD mod) loading dual layer games larger than 4GB, such as champions of norrath, is no problem at all through HDL-Dumb, as the internal HDD uses its own special file system

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

@@sideprojectslab7352 It still uses FAT32. The PS2 cannot read any other file system. What HDL-Dump does with files which are larger than 4 GB is split the file into multiple 2GB chunks. The only system which allows you to preserve the iso files as they are is using the network share setup. Even with the new OPL update which allows drives larger than 2TB to be used, you still have the file limitations and must rely on those weird programs that change the iso files in such a way that makes maintenance harder.

[@mimimimeow]

​​​@@BrunodeSouzaLino The PS2 does not use FAT32 for the HDD, it has a special way of handling data by making different partitions and APA headers for each of them. The 2.2TB limit comes from APA limitations. Each partition then can have their own file system, for example Sony's official programs will make partitions in PFS, Linux PS2 installs will be in EXT2/RFS partitions. What HDLoader actually does is making individual APA headers with ISO9660 partitions (essentially the raw iso/disc data) for each game. This method is pretty much adopted by the homebrew community for storing games without I/O overhead. There is no 4GB limitation, however you would need special software to just work with the disk, and games cannot be in fragments, so special care is needed when deleting and writing games. There is a fork of OPL by Grimdoomer that adds internal HDD exFAT FS support thru BDM. It works but the fork is currently unmaintained.

[@37Kilo2]

OPL Manager

[@user-dd8ux9rx5x]

😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@leonardorg2]

also, popstarter don't work with mx4sio

[@TuhnraCelinks]

Is it working for 10000-18000 Model?

[@sideprojectslab7352]

I don't think those models have an expansion bay, do they? Without expansion bay this specific mod is not possible

[@puyopuyofan2424]

Is that a 2000 PS2 SCPH-30004 model? Thanks

[@sideprojectslab7352]

not sure, the serial number sticker is long gone, so is there another way to find out the model number?

[@madmax2069]

​@@sideprojectslab7352 yes, you boot the system into it's main menu ( the menu that shows the browser and system configuration) press triangle to go into version which shows you what model PS2 it is and it's firmware.

[@sideprojectslab7352]

@@madmax2069 Ok I checked, yes it's a 30004 model :)

[@vibri_]

This honestly would make more sense on a slim PS2 that still had the HDD sockets

[@mjcox242]

Honestly that sounds like a great idea, most reconstruction are esata iirc, but just haveing a micro sd card slot would be great.

[@bruwyvn]

Some SCPH-7xxxx series still have the HDD solder points and you can use it to connect a hard drive or a IDE to SD Card Adapter, search for PS2 IDE Resurrector on KZbin.

[@rashira9610]

It would be good if you want a more direct connection between the storage and console. However, Using a Raspberry Pi and the PSX Pi SMB Share image to do network loading does the trick just fine on slims though to be honest. All you need at that point is a USB Hard Drive and a a short Ethernet Cable.

[@jjohnson71958]

try a cf card reader mod

[@butcher_bay]

NO !!! poor console :(

[@samfadel4997]

Use exfat opl fast and easy use

[@Mr_I_Eat_Your_Doritos]

i don t know why anyone would use any other version of opl besides the exfat version. all those antiquated programs just to get games on a hard drive is so bothersome

[@romeroi7930]

Дурная голова рукам покоя не даёт 😅

[@amunve]

Is a fashon bullshit. Pick a ide hdd from dumpster and play

[@rashira9610]

Something tells me you didn;t listen or watch. He specifically said he was doing this mod so he can just pop the SD card in and out from the front any time, instead of having to fiddle with the entire adapter to load new games.