PS2 HDD & DAT edits

Mishaela

Too French to Care
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This is probably stating the obvious to a few people, but...I know the PS2 HDD is, well, pretty much an HDD, but would it be possible to view the data saved on it if hooked up to a computer? If so, are the files saved onto the HDD the same as the ones that'd be saved on the computer version? Wondering, because I'd liketo test and see if I can put DAT edits on my PS2 HDD this way...sorryif this is stating the obvious, and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
Mishaela said:
This is probably stating the obvious to a few people, but...I know the PS2 HDD is, well, pretty much an HDD, but would it be possible to view the data saved on it if hooked up to a computer? If so, are the files saved onto the HDD the same as the ones that'd be saved on the computer version? Wondering, because I'd liketo test and see if I can put DAT edits on my PS2 HDD this way...sorryif this is stating the obvious, and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
no idea on Ps2 but if the idea is the same yes, as got halo2 software where you make maps but need to take xbox apart to get to hardrive and then upload it (a 5mg card dont work lol wonder why :3)
but in theory yes
 
its possible to view the files on the HDD yes, its possibly to put files and ISO on the HDD due to a recent soft mod hack that was discovered using any ps1 game.
file tree set up for ffxi is pretty much the same, Just one problem. Change any file and u cant even boot ffxi im told. something with a file size check problem.
I have yet to try it myself, because the kid i know that can do this little softmod trick wants me to give him my other ps2 just to do it...when i wanna trade it in for x360 stuff at ebgames lol, im debating...soft modded ps2....or trading in an old ps2....hmmm
 
Chasym said:
its possible to view the files on the HDD yes, its possibly to put files and ISO on the HDD due to a recent soft mod hack that was discovered using any ps1 game.
file tree set up for ffxi is pretty much the same, Just one problem. Change any file and u cant even boot ffxi im told. something with a file size check problem.
I have yet to try it myself, because the kid i know that can do this little softmod trick wants me to give him my other ps2 just to do it...when i wanna trade it in for x360 stuff at ebgames lol, im debating...soft modded ps2....or trading in an old ps2....hmmm
just buy a toy ps2 for $50?
 
PS2 only nets you $45 bucks at EB or GameStop. Sell it to him for that and call it a deal lol
 
It is possible, and it isn't particularly new. Think really carefully though because it's apparently really easy to break the connector on the harddrive (which seems to be the end of it...)
 
Courtney said:
It is possible, and it isn't particularly new. Think really carefully though because it's apparently really easy to break the connector on the harddrive (which seems to be the end of it...)
for online games u need the file size to be the same and in right place and with the right date :3
 
Courtney said:
It is possible, and it isn't particularly new. Think really carefully though because it's apparently really easy to break the connector on the harddrive (which seems to be the end of it...)
i know how to do it, You dont even have to touch the HDD at all, its all done on the disk drive using a ps1 game , a memory card and a slide tool.
id do it myself...but i dont have a slide tool and dont wanna buy one.
yeh that shit price at EB, the kid only wants my ps2 for the eject cable to replace in his.
i think ill do it!
 
If i remember correctly the PS2 HDD dosn't have an outlet for a Bus Cable and a power source.

Being as it is, the HDD is designed only for the PS2. Finding a peice of hardware that would adapt the HDD to be compatible with you're PC would be the 1st challenge. The 2nd challenge "might be" the operating system not reading the directory within the PS2 HDD.

I think a Windows PC would be able to do all kinds of things within a PS2 HDD if it were able to access it. Any ulterations for the PS2 version might rely on it's own dat files, Although the raw data is made the same, i'm under the impression that they use different compression methods on that dat files for the different versions of the game.

In the end you would need the hardware (which is pretty damn rare and probably not sold to the public) and some kind of software to compress you're finished dat files to run for the PS2.
 
Well, the are programs for the PS2HD to read it on a PC. Currently I use HDloader for playing import games, and a program called WinHIIP to basically upload ISO's into it and such, maybe using those tools you can edit stuff? I don't know though, the program on the PC simply lets you move images to/from the hard drives and rename some files, don't think it can be used to truly edit files, but people do release patchs to HDloader to get certain things to work, so maybe it's not entirely impossible.

BTW: The PS2 Hard Drive from what I know is just a simple 40gig Western Digital Drive, anything should techinally work there, I use a 80 Gig drive in my PS2, and I know people who use 120 gigs.
 
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No, you need the PS2 and the Network Adaptor to have it all set up, but you need the old model PS2, if your playing FFXI on it then you got no choice but to use the old one, so I assume that's what is being used. I know there are programs to hook it up USB with the new slim models, but I never done it. I use to do the slide tool/swap trick before for imports, but I got worried I would break my PS2 with excessive usage.
 
well i got my ps2 soft modded, Very easy process, and very fun. Ive been playing FF12 for days now!! i suck at japanese but i got a guide that fully translates it, and i must say it feels like an offline ffxi in some aspects.
Also, FFXI files are changeable. just not playable cause u cant boot pol unless its an officially formatted HDD
 
It's been a while since I read the article but if I remember correctly the PS2 HDD uses a different file system from that of Windows/IBM clone type machines (ie not NTFS or FAT32). Given the different file system I would doubt even if you could read the information on the PS2 HDD none of the existing PC DAT files would work in the PS2. I can't remember where I found it but I will dig arround on the web today and see if I can get the article for you.

Edit:

Ok I found the original information regarding the PS2 specific file system but I can't post it as the information in it would violate the Copyright material clause of the boards rules. Basically here is the jist of it: The PS2 uses a specific file system for the HDD that is different from that of regular PCs. Using a widely available hack it would be possible to read the files on your PS2 HDD and even move them arround and change them. However, being that the file system is different you would not be able to simply swap in a DAT file intended for use on the PC version. The PS2 wouldn't understand the file and would think it was garbage, likely causing it to crash or just lock up.

What you would need to do is hack the PS2 Hard Drive, pull off the files you want to modify and then modify them in the PS2 File System. You would likely require a PS2 developer kit and compiler program of some kind. They are out there, but it would likely be very hard to get your hands on one and the software needed to make it really work the way it is supposed to. Then you would need to hack the original Development tools to allow you to rewrite the game files.
 
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