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Recommend a retailer for HD Loader/HD Advance.

D

Drek

Member
Yeah, my PS2's lense is really crapping out right now on some games, most notably GTA:SA, so it looks like its time for me to move on to HD Loader. Does anyone have a reputable retailer that the recommend to purchase it from? Also, what's the best one to get? I know there's HD Loader and HD Advance, which is better and are there any others? Thanks in advance.
 
I thought about getting HD Loader too, but then I realized it wasn't worth the money.
Do you need a modchip? I hope not. I don't want one.
 
I just need something that will keep my games from constantly having to access my dvd drive. It works pretty well on most games (one or two restarts and it's going, but loading can be slow), but a few, namely GTA and anything by EA, it throws a hissy over more than half the time. Basically, I'm trying to find a way to get reliable loading. Its not like I want to pirate with it or some shit, I just want something that'll by and large cut the dvd lense out of the equation.

I've found some retailers, I was just hoping someone on here could recommend a known reputable retailer and also tell me the difference between HD Advance and HD Loader, other than HD Advance supporting larger HDs.

As for MC exploit, everything I've found requires some type of booter disc, I'm pretty much opposed to gamesharks and action replay, and the other boot discs cost as much as HD Loader itself, so I don't see any advantage over going with the retail version.
 
johnjohnson said:
Why don't you just get your PS2 fixed? Should be a lot cheaper than buying a HDD and that pirates best friend software.
Click to expand...

Hey watch your tone with the Beloved HDLoader
 
shit yeah... i remember looking into it when I first started playing MGS3, cuz my ps2 sounded like it was going to blow up everytime a codec convo came through. but I opted not to buy it for the same reasons you're posting: uncertainty in quality, which loader to get, etc.

Plus, I think my ps2 is gonna die anyways, and if it does die, then i may as well just go buy a new ps2 and be done with it. it'll be at least 2 years again before the ps3 comes out, anyways, right?
 
Why don't you just get your PS2 fixed? Should be a lot cheaper than buying a HDD and that pirates best friend software.
Click to expand...
Fixed Ps2 = $90 about (its a launch unit, there's no way Sony will honor any form of warranty after what, over 4 yeras now?). HDLoader = $30. I already have the HDD.

shit yeah... i remember looking into it when I first started playing MGS3, cuz my ps2 sounded like it was going to blow up everytime a codec convo came through. but I opted not to buy it for the same reasons you're posting: uncertainty in quality, which loader to get, etc.

Plus, I think my ps2 is gonna die anyways, and if it does die, then i may as well just go buy a new ps2 and be done with it. it'll be at least 2 years again before the ps3 comes out, anyways, right?
Click to expand...
Hell yeah, codec convos take for freaking ever to load. ;P

I'm kinda thinking about just getting a slim model PS2 but thats $120 more for no extra performance (HDLoader = shorter load times as well). $120 that I'd rather put towards a PSP.
 
Drek said:
Yeah, my PS2's lense is really crapping out right now on some games, most notably GTA:SA, so it looks like its time for me to move on to HD Loader. Does anyone have a reputable retailer that the recommend to purchase it from? Also, what's the best one to get? I know there's HD Loader and HD Advance, which is better and are there any others? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

bah....gta: san andreas doesn`t run really good with the hd loader. sometimes the game will run really worse and sometimes it will run smooth.
 
So you don't know anyone with a modded PS2?
Click to expand...
Nope. No one I know imports and pirates are very nice...
Triumph.jpg

For me to poop on.

consolesource.com sells em...


That's where me, and several of my friends got em..
Click to expand...
Thanks a bunch man.
 
We should not rely on HDLoader/HD ADvance because many games don't run on it (such as Suikoden IV and Shadow Hearts II)
 
Miburou said:
We should not rely on HDLoader/HD ADvance because many games don't run on it (such as Suikoden IV and Shadow Hearts II)
Click to expand...


I haven't tried Suikoden IV yet, but I know for sure Shadow Hearts II works with HDLoader.
 
ram said:
bah....gta: san andreas doesn`t run really good with the hd loader. sometimes the game will run really worse and sometimes it will run smooth.
Click to expand...

BS....


You must have a bad HD or your pulling this out of your arsenal..The game run indeffinatly better... Same with mercenaries, and seval other games..

It's been my best gaming purchase in years.
 
tenchir said:
I haven't tried Suikoden IV yet, but I know for sure Shadow Hearts II works with HDLoader.
Click to expand...

Are you sure of this? Have you played the game to completion? It started out fine, but 20 minutes in the game, it's just decided to hang. I did some search and found other people complaining about the same thing. Oh well, the loading wasn't that bad.

As for Suikoden IV, it also works fine, until you load from a save file.
 
ram said:
bah....gta: san andreas doesn`t run really good with the hd loader. sometimes the game will run really worse and sometimes it will run smooth.
Click to expand...

Wha? I've never noticed that. My GTA runs smooth as butter constantly. Shadow Hearts II has been reported as suffering from freeze issues... google ps2hd to get a good reference site.
 
Great topic! I've also got the urge to buy an HDLoader and a HardDrive for my PS2, I haven't had problems with my disk drive but it seems like many of my favorite games (MGS3 and the GTA's) would really benefit from being installed.

I wanted to ask, do most of you guys use the standard PS2 HDD or another brand like Maxtor?
 
KilledByBill said:
Great topic! I've also got the urge to buy an HDLoader and a HardDrive for my PS2, I haven't had problems with my disk drive but it seems like many of my favorite games (MGS3 and the GTA's) would really benefit from being installed.

I wanted to ask, do most of you guys use the standard PS2 HDD or another brand like Maxtor?
Click to expand...

I have a Maxtors 160gb and a Seagate 160gb. No problems from either. Considering my game room is in the basement and the PS2 is currently in the living room, not having to go downstairs to get the game I'm currently interested in playing has become REALLY convenient.
 
Did a version of HD-Loader or similar every appear for the slimline? I remember it was supposedly in the works, but don't remember hearing anything.
 
Drek said:
Fixed Ps2 = $90 about (its a launch unit, there's no way Sony will honor any form of warranty after what, over 4 yeras now?).
Click to expand...

Actually, go ahead and call Sony's support line. As far as I know they still do free repairs of older PSX2s that are out of warranty. And if they've stopped, there's still no harm in asking. :P
 
After some careful research I'm on the vurge of making the plunge. It seems that most of the games in my PS2 collection are compatible with HD Loader in one form or another (16 of 24). But I do have some "Noobish" questions that I'd like to understand though;

1. Do I need to buy the PS2 network adapter to properly install a HardDrive?

2. I'm planning on buying a Maxtor 120GB HD but I've heard that some HD's don't fit into the system properly? Anyone here have to deal with something like that?

3. To use the retail version of HD Loader do I need to have a save file on one of my memory cards (like the PS2 DVD update files from Sony)? If so what size?

Thanks for the help guys.
 
KilledByBill said:
After some careful research I'm on the vurge of making the plunge. It seems that most of the games in my PS2 collection are compatible with HD Loader in one form or another (16 of 24). But I do have some "Noobish" questions that I'd like to understand though;

1. Do I need to buy the PS2 network adapter to properly install a HardDrive?

2. I'm planning on buying a Maxtor 120GB HD but I've heard that some HD's don't fit into the system properly? Anyone here have to deal with something like that?

3. To use the retail version of HD Loader do I need to have a save file on one of my memory cards (like the PS2 DVD update files from Sony)? If so what size?

Thanks for the help guys.
Click to expand...

1. Yes, without the NA you won't be able to connect the HD to your PS2.

2. Yeah, I have a WD harddisk, and I had to remove the inside cover of the NA (the HD connectors are loose now) to be able to connect it. But I think Maxtor HDs should work fine.

3. No, you don't need any memory card saves. Now, if you have access to a modded PS2, you can get a version of HDL on your memory card, saving you the trouble of getting the CD-based one.
 
You don't even need a modded PS2 to put it on memory card. A sharkport or one of those Action Replay USB drive thingys or whatever works. I dont think we can really discuss this here though so research it yourself
 
Wario64 said:
You don't even need a modded PS2 to put it on memory card. A sharkport or one of those Action Replay USB drive thingys or whatever works. I dont think we can really discuss this here though so research it yourself
Click to expand...

Wario check your PM.
 
Wario64 said:
You don't even need a modded PS2 to put it on memory card. A sharkport or one of those Action Replay USB drive thingys or whatever works. I dont think we can really discuss this here though so research it yourself
Click to expand...

Action Replay Max Evo.

I just recently finished doing all the research on "pimping out an unmodded PS2" with homebrew stuff, emulators, HDL, media players, and other utilities... I've had the subject in the back of my head for ages but was too lazy to read up on the material, especially since you have to go through a lot of crap reading to find the stuff that works, but I'm glad that I finally got it... It's amazing what kind of stuff you can do with an unmodded PS2, you only need one "backdoor" so to speak, and then you're set. This has nothing to do with piracy.

My boyfriend was impressed with what I've done with my PS2 and he wanted a similar setup, problem is, we can't find a single new non-slim PS2 anywhere! It's all either factory refurbished or PSTwo, which doesn't allow HDDs... such a big bummer.
 
I'm having a problem running CD based games on my PS2. I sent in my PS2 to Sony twice for their "free repairs" and all they do is "clean" it, return it, and after 2 days, it stops running CD games again.

Can't get ANYWHERE in Growlanser thanks to this.

So, my question. Does the HD Loader come on DVD or CD? I can run DVD games and movies without a problem, but CD (blue backed) games are becoming impossible to run.

Thanks in advance.
 
The bitter, "what the hell happened to the codec dialogue?" part of me says MGS3 should just come stock with HDLoader - it's that much better. Now realistically, that's not a good idea, but damn, the game plays with it as if originally coded for HDD install.

HDLoader (at least through consolesource.com) comes on DVD.
 
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