PS2 I got a question I think my ps2 is magic

[Guillotine977]

My PS2 seems to not be region locked or maybe I just have no clue what Im talking about.
I have no mod chip or free mcboot my playstation is bone friggin stock.
I have a PS2 slim 70000 NTSC J but I'm able to play any game I slap in there it's worked with every region I've tried.
From what I've found it shouldn't be able to do that. Idk though just wondering if anyone knows anything about magic region free playstations?

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Did you buy it secondhand? Maybe the seller modded it without telling you.

 

[Guillotine977]

Did you buy it secondhand? Maybe the seller modded it without telling you.

Yeah I did. Imma check it out see if there's some ways I can find out. Thanks i didn't even think of that.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 7:34 AM

Okay so from what I've found out a modded ps2 would either need free mcboot or a mod chip and I know for sure I don't have one of those.
So I set out on my epic quest of sailing the deadly seas of the guts of a ps2 and there's nothing out of the ordinary I checked everywhere. I'm gonna keep looking into it. I'll update if I find anything

 

[cloudsets]

So I set out on my epic quest of sailing the deadly seas of the guts of a ps2 and there's nothing out of the ordinary I checked everywhere. I'm gonna keep looking into it. I'll update if I find anything

Post pics! I have to see.

 

[Guillotine977]

Post pics! I have to see.

I've already reassembled it but I'll get back to it and send pics and stuff I'll also send a video of it booting up games and stuff

 

[ThatOneLum]

It's possible that someone has flashed it with custom firmware, though honestly, I've not really heard of that on a PS2, even the ones with HDD upgrades usually have software sort of launched over the top of the stock stuff inside your PS2.

Is it possible that the region lockout is just as simple as breaking a pin on a specific chip. IIRC, the UK PAL NES has a region lockout that you can break by snapping a single contact, then you can play any region of games.

THe really complex thing, from what I understand,d is the fact that to be region free you usually have to modify the laser, or at least, you did on some models of PS2. Then again, It's been a long time since I looked into these things, so take all of this with a huuuuuge pinch of salt.

 

[Guillotine977]

I've already reassembled it but I'll get back to it and send pics and stuff I'll also send a video of it booting up games and stuff

okay so I'm taking it apart again and the first time I took it apart I didn't have the right size screwdriver for the back of the inside where that big silver piece is so i cant take it off so I just said frigg it and put my flashlight up to one side and looked through the other like really closely looked all through as much as I could and there's nothing there that I'm pretty sure I'd see if there was a modchip or something idk though but I'll still provide pictures of everything I can. Idk pretty cool though also this has no point to any of this but I though it was kind of interesting my PS2 will play PS2 and PS1 games but for PS1 it has to be Japan region for it to run but it does perfectly fine and read music cd's aswell but will not play movies or play burnt ps2 games that I patch with ESR but I also dont really know if you need free mcboot or something for that I'm like 2 billion % sure its cause of the laser but eh, idk it's 3am and I'm tired of messing with this thing I'm outta here.

 

[nobitakun]

You have a modded console, there is no magic in it. Well, only the magic from the modchip :)

It is easily identifiable becaue your console had no warranty seal, although if you were patient enough and had a hot air gun, you could peel it and stick it again without losing its warranty :D.

Enjoy it!

 

[ThatOneLum]

Based on your model number, you probably/might have one of these installed:

If you can remove the RF shield (that metal thing), then it should be relatively obviously modded underneath if that's what's happened here.

If you do discover the modchip, keep an eye out for your laser. There's a defect that can make it burn out after the chip has been installed, but there are a couple of different fixes that stop it from happening.

 

[qw90700]

okay so I'm taking it apart again and the first time I took it apart I didn't have the right size screwdriver for the back of the inside where that big silver piece is so i cant take it off so I just said frigg it and put my flashlight up to one side and looked through the other like really closely looked all through as much as I could and there's nothing there that I'm pretty sure I'd see if there was a modchip or something idk though but I'll still provide pictures of everything I can. Idk pretty cool though also this has no point to any of this but I though it was kind of interesting my PS2 will play PS2 and PS1 games but for PS1 it has to be Japan region for it to run but it does perfectly fine and read music cd's aswell but will not play movies or play burnt ps2 games that I patch with ESR but I also dont really know if you need free mcboot or something for that I'm like 2 billion % sure its cause of the laser but eh, idk it's 3am and I'm tired of messing with this thing I'm outta here.

The console is indeed a Japanese model yet its DVD Player being 3.10U gives the answer because "U" here means American version of DVD Player when your model's default DVD Player version is "3.10". For example mine is the PAL version of your model therefore my DVD Player version is "3.10E".

It means the console was softmodded via probably MechaPwn that can just be done via DVD disc that we call "FreeDVDBoot" but there are many ways to do it that effected which region of DVD the player can play. So from this alone can't be sure if it was switched to only play American games or it was actually region unlocked, it depends on what the person who did it wanted to do or what they believed they did. They may wanted to region unlock it but ended up just make it play American games or something, or it is indeed region unlocked.

 

[nobitakun]

The console is indeed a Japanese model yet its DVD Player being 3.10U gives the answer because "U" here means American version of DVD Player when your model's default DVD Player version is "3.10". For example mine is the PAL version of your model therefore my DVD Player version is "3.10E".

View attachment 97853

It means the console was softmodded via probably MechaPwn that can just be done via DVD disc that we call "FreeDVDBoot" but there are many ways to do it that effected which region of DVD the player can play. So from this alone can't be sure if it was switched to only play American games or it was actually region unlocked, it depends on what the person who did it wanted to do or what they believed they did. They may wanted to region unlock it but ended up just make it play American games or something, or it is indeed region unlocked.

But MechaPwn does not allow region free unless you convert the eeprom to DEV, which the OP didn't do. If he changed the eeprom to USA, only USA games would play.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

the UK PAL NES has a region lockout that you can break by snapping a single contact, then you can play any region of games.

That's correct.

I modded my own (American) NES by crippling the aptly-named "Nin10" chip.

 

[qw90700]

But MechaPwn does not allow region free unless you convert the eeprom to DEV, which the OP didn't do. If he changed the eeprom to USA, only USA games would play.

OP mentioned they got the PS2 in 2nd-hand market so it's not about what OP did but what the previous owner did.

Historically making PS2 change region and unlock its region had many changes until now. What you know is the initial way for region unlocking so the trick is making the PS2 behave like debugger version because debugger PS2s had no regional lock. This way would make PS2 shown as the debugger version instead of its model information. But things improved since then so despite the console behaves like debugger one it doesn't have to state it turned into debugger version in the system "Version Information" screen anymore.

In that context another thing is it may get "region unlocked" but also the person did this softmod stuff may also changed its region. We cannot be sure how and which way they used to do the softmod but it may be that when they aimed for region unlock they may also unnecessarily changed Dvd Player's region too. By looking at that screen and considering it had no hardmod, this situation is the most likely outcome. It also may be the person just wanted region change but later they also unlocked the region lol.

Relatively recent development is not dealing with debug stuff but directly changing the DVD Player driver which there are custom ones around.

 

[nobitakun]

OP mentioned they got the PS2 in 2nd-hand market so it's not about what OP did but what the previous owner did.

Historically making PS2 change region and unlock its region had many changes until now. What you know is the initial way for region unlocking so the trick is making the PS2 behave like debugger version because debugger PS2s had no regional lock. This way would make PS2 shown as the debugger version instead of its model information. But things improved since then so despite the console behaves like debugger one it doesn't have to state it turned into debugger version in the system "Version Information" screen anymore.

In that context another thing is it may get "region unlocked" but also the person did this softmod stuff may also changed its region. We cannot be sure how and which way they used to do the softmod but it may be that when they aimed for region unlock they may also unnecessarily changed Dvd Player's region too. By looking at that screen and considering it had no hardmod, this situation is the most likely outcome. It also may be the person just wanted region change but later they also unlocked the region lol.

Relatively recent development is not dealing with debug stuff but directly changing the DVD Player driver which there are custom ones around.

Historically, PS2 region free was called Swap Magic, there was virtually zero ways to accomplish that (beside modchips) other than having a DVD region free for playing movies, not games. After that, FCMB came into play and everything changed. After that, a vulnerability for the DVD player was found and used ESR to load backups of all regions directly on unmodified PS2 without any other stuff plugged in it. And finally, we have MechaPwn, which does not allow you to have a region free console without showing the developer model.

Some people say there was a rare asian PS2 that was region free but I never believed it as I have yet to see one. The console from the OP is japanese, which is region locked. The DVD Player shows U, which means the eeprom was changed to USA and that console should not be able to play JAP games at all unless the eeprom is changed into DEX.

 

[qw90700]

Historically, PS2 region free was called Swap Magic, there was virtually zero ways to accomplish that (beside modchips) other than having a DVD region free for playing movies, not games. After that, FCMB came into play and everything changed. After that, a vulnerability for the DVD player was found and used ESR to load backups of all regions directly on unmodified PS2 without any other stuff plugged in it. And finally, we have MechaPwn, which does not allow you to have a region free console without showing the developer model.

Well after this message add my previous message to your message and you would be filled up with the PS2 mod scene history lesson 101 but let's add FreeDVDBoot and FreeHDDBoot and then also SD card stuff and then finally we can give you a diploma for it lolol.

Some people say there was a rare asian PS2 that was region free but I never believed it as I have yet to see one.

Naturally it must be a DEX one because there is no other way lol.

Actually long time ago, which is how I learned about DEX ones, a person claimed this "some rare asian PS2" BS and it turned out it was the DEX one. People may know about these PS2s without they actually know they were about developer versions for debugging and stuff.

The console from the OP is japanese, which is region locked. The DVD Player shows U, which means the eeprom was changed to USA and that console should not be able to play JAP games at all unless the eeprom is changed into DEX.

Well you just rephrased what I wrote before. But you having a contradiction because you think if it's changed to DEX it would have to be shown so in the Version Information screen. That's why me, PS2 Professor lol, gave you the history all the way down and said what you said can be valid without it shown as a DEX model because stuff is updated yo. PS2 scene always improves and always will be active no matter what!!! PS2 scene is forever!!!!!! lolol

 

[nobitakun]

Well after this message add my previous message to your message and you would be filled up with the PS2 mod scene history lesson 101 but let's add FreeDVDBoot and FreeHDDBoot and then also SD card stuff and then finally we can give you a diploma for it lolol.

Naturally it must be a DEX one because there is no other way lol.

View attachment 97911

Actually long time ago, which is how I learned about DEX ones, a person claimed this "some rare asian PS2" BS and it turned out it was the DEX one. People may know about these PS2s without they actually know they were about developer versions for debugging and stuff.


Well you just rephrased what I wrote before. But you having a contradiction because you think if it's changed to DEX it would have to be shown so in the Version Information screen. That's why me, PS2 Professor lol, gave you the history all the way down and said what you said can be valid without it shown as a DEX model because stuff is updated yo. PS2 scene always improves and always will be active no matter what!!! PS2 scene is forever!!!!!! lolol

I saw PS1 and PS2 developer kits but those consoles do not look like retail ones. Well, the net yaroze kind of did but the PS2 didn't. And even so, it's very strange they would release a developer kit looking like a PS2 Slim, as that's not the initial shape of the console :O

Well, then I would want to learn from you, professor :D. Which version of MechaPwn didn't show the DEX version when converted to DEX? I am very curious :)

 

[thecrow2313]

The console is indeed a Japanese model yet its DVD Player being 3.10U gives the answer because "U" here means American version of DVD Player when your model's default DVD Player version is "3.10". For example mine is the PAL version of your model therefore my DVD Player version is "3.10E".

View attachment 97853

It means the console was softmodded via probably MechaPwn that can just be done via DVD disc that we call "FreeDVDBoot" but there are many ways to do it that effected which region of DVD the player can play. So from this alone can't be sure if it was switched to only play American games or it was actually region unlocked, it depends on what the person who did it wanted to do or what they believed they did. They may wanted to region unlock it but ended up just make it play American games or something, or it is indeed region unlocked.

With MechaPwn you can "force unlock" or in this case region free console
I'm sure FreeMCBoot would be used
This YT video is in French but check it out

 

[qw90700]

Well, then I would want to learn from you, professor :D. Which version of MechaPwn didn't show the DEX version when converted to DEX? I am very curious :)

Considering OP's PS2 model its MECHACON chip known as "Dragon" so it can be MechaPwned so we can be sure that the console is probably MechaPwned since it's the most likely possibility lol. But naturally MechaPwn improved so what you said that making console flashed as DEX but it also shown as DEX would happen when you used MechaPwn 1-2. MechaPwn 3 changed stuff about these so it doesn't necessarily change the model name anymore which some people who got used to old ways or used old tutorials panic like "it didn't work!!1" lol.

You may ask why it had to be updated so this update doesn't necessarily change model name anymore? The answer is not specifically about "names" but it's basically about MechaPwn 3 stopped brutally change the core but only changing what it need to change for this goal here: Region free gaming. In the old ways you could have problems like some region PS1 games wouldn't work, even how PS2 output video and all could change. Naturally this was a bad side effect which in general overall as a chef kiss the RC4 version eliminated many issues.

Releases · MechaResearch/MechaPwn

Contribute to MechaResearch/MechaPwn development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[thecrow2313]

Considering OP's PS2 model its MECHACON chip known as "Dragon" so it can be MechaPwned so we can be sure that the console is probably MechaPwned since it's the most likely possibility lol. But naturally MechaPwn improved so what you said that making console flashed as DEX but it also shown as DEX would happen when you used MechaPwn 1-2. MechaPwn 3 changed stuff about these so it doesn't necessarily change the model name anymore.

You may ask why it had to be updated so this update doesn't necessarily change model name anymore? The answer is not specifically about "names" but it's basically about MechaPwn 3 stopped brutally change the core but only changing what it need to change for this goal here: Region free gaming. In the old ways you could have problems like some region PS1 games wouldn't work, even how PS2 output video and all could change. Naturally this was a bad side effect which in general overall as a chef kiss the RC4 version eliminated many issues.

Releases · MechaResearch/MechaPwn

Contribute to MechaResearch/MechaPwn development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

I remember the early ps1 model with the parallel I/O port in the back, you can use pro action replay to boot cd-rs. Now use unirom burned cd-r to install freepsxboot on mem card to boot discs.

 

[qw90700]

I remember the early ps1 model with the parallel I/O port in the back, you can use pro action replay to boot cd-rs. Now use unirom burned cd-r to install freepsxboot on mem card to boot discs.

Now on my PS2 I can run my PS2 games that are in my Windows PC's storage device via LAN cable connecting the PS2 to the PC thanks to SMB!!!

And a few months ago I connected an SSD to my PS2's motherboard directly!!!!

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". -- Arthur C. Clarke lolol

 

[nobitakun]

Considering OP's PS2 model its MECHACON chip known as "Dragon" so it can be MechaPwned so we can be sure that the console is probably MechaPwned since it's the most likely possibility lol. But naturally MechaPwn improved so what you said that making console flashed as DEX but it also shown as DEX would happen when you used MechaPwn 1-2. MechaPwn 3 changed stuff about these so it doesn't necessarily change the model name anymore which some people who got used to old ways or used old tutorials panic like "it didn't work!!1" lol.

You may ask why it had to be updated so this update doesn't necessarily change model name anymore? The answer is not specifically about "names" but it's basically about MechaPwn 3 stopped brutally change the core but only changing what it need to change for this goal here: Region free gaming. In the old ways you could have problems like some region PS1 games wouldn't work, even how PS2 output video and all could change. Naturally this was a bad side effect which in general overall as a chef kiss the RC4 version eliminated many issues.

Releases · MechaResearch/MechaPwn

Contribute to MechaResearch/MechaPwn development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

You are right, the latest builds of MechaPwn do not change the console name anymore, but early builds of MechaPwn 3 do change it, that's why I assumed they kept it that way. How could you know the console has been modified if there is no easy evidence? but it seems they went that way. Got me :)

 

[qw90700]

but early builds of MechaPwn 3 do change it,

Oh it's the black sheep of the family!!! We don't talk about you-know-what anymore lol.