FMCB/FHDB

Changelog

Update 2019/04/13: v0.987 (FMCB v1.966) released.

Update 2019/01/11: v0.986 (FMCB v1.966) released.

Update 2019/01/07: v0.985 (FMCB v1.966) released.

Update 2018/12/08: v0.985 (FMCB v1.965) released.

Update 2018/11/03: v0.984 (FMCB v1.965) re-released.

Update 2018/10/27: v0.984 (FMCB v1.965) re-released.

Update 2018/10/21: v0.984 (FMCB v1.965) released.

Update 2018/07/22: v0.983 (FMCB v1.964) released.

Update 2018/07/04: v0.983 (FMCB v1.963) re-released.

Update 2018/06/28: v0.983 (FMCB v1.962) re-released.

Update 2018/06/20: v0.983 (FMCB v1.962) released.

Update 2018/06/19: v0.983 (FMCB v1.961) released.

Update 2018/06/14: v0.982 (FMCB v1.96) released (minor update to installer).

Update 2018/06/12: v0.981 (FMCB v1.96) released.

Update 2016/12/16: v0.973 (FMCB v1.953) re-released.

Update 2016/12/15: v0.973 (FMCB v1.953) released.

Update 2016/06/18: v0.972 (FMCB v1.952) released.

Update 2016/06/09: v0.972 (FMCB v1.951) released.

Update 2016/05/21: v0.971 (FMCB v1.951) released.

Update 2016/01/04: v0.97 (FMCB v1.95) released.

Update 2013/10/13: v0.96 (FMCB v1.94) released.

Update 2013/10/13: v0.95 (FMCB v1.93) released.

Update 2013/08/22: v0.94H (FMCB v1.92) released.

Update 2013/08/19: v0.94H (FMCB v1.91) released.

Update 2013/08/17: Beta v0.94D & H released.

Update 2013/07/20: Beta v0.94C released, minor bugfix and translation update.

Update 2013/07/16: Beta v0.94B1 released, minor bugfix.

Update 2013/07/14: Beta v0.94B released, minor bugfix.

Update 2013/07/12: Beta v0.94A released, minor bugfix and features update.

Update 2013/07/11 03:21: Added a translation template.

Update 2013/07/10: Beta v0.94 released!

Update 2012/11/04: Beta v0.93B1 released!

Update 2012/04/07: Beta v0.93B released!

Update 2011/11/14: Beta v0.93A released! (Late update)

Update 2011/10/03: Beta v0.93 released!

Update 2011/09/20: Beta v0.92 released!

Update 2011/09/16: Beta v0.91 released!

Update 2011/09/14: Beta v0.90 released!

Introduction

This is an Free Memory Card Boot (FMCB) installer. It was previously known as the "Unofficial FMCB v1.8C" installer.

No part of it was directly re-used from FMCB v1.7 itself, but parts of it were based or referenced from the code of FMCB v1.7.

The files in the fmcb-install folder are from Jimmikaelkael's PS3MCA project. Of course, I didn't include the questionable files which Sony claimed as a breach of their copyright.

Since FMCB v1.9 was born, the FMCB installer has been used for installing FMCB.

How to use this

1. Download the archive linked to in the downloads section
2. Extract the contents into a USB Mass Storage device (e.g. USB thumb drive, HDD).
3. Launch the installer with your Playstation 2 console

Menu Options

• Install - Performs a normal installation of FMCB. Offers three modes:
  • Normal - install FMCB for the PS2.
  • Cross-model - Install FMCB for all models within the region of the PS2.
  • Cross-region - Install FMCB for all PS2s, across all regions.
• Multi-Install - Performs a traditional "multi" installation of FMCB. A multi-installation can boot on all consoles of any region, and not only on the console it was installed with. However, this method is not recommended because it involves corrupting the memory card.
• Uninstall FMCB - Removes a normal installation of FMCB from a memory card.
• Uninstall MI - Uninstalls a multi-installation, turning it back into a normal FMCB installation.
• Format MC - Formats a Memory Card.
• Dump MC - Dumps a Memory Card to an image installer's directory.
• Restore MC - Restores a Memory Card from an image located in the installer's directory.
• Shutdown - Switches off the Playstation 2 console.
• Exit - Exits the installer and returns back to the OSDSYS menu.

As of 2014/06/29, FMCB v1.8C will no longer be circulated from here as the FMCB v1.9 appears to have achieved proven stability.

Changelog for FMCB/FHDB

Changelog for v1.966 (as of 2019/04/13):

• Added system shutdown function. The corresponding special menu item is "POWEROFF".
• Renamed "Reload Configuration" to "Restart System".
• Updated USBHDFSD & HDD modules to reduce wear on some 2.5" HDDs (USB and the PS2 HDD) when the PS2 is shut down. The User should use the shutdown function to shut down these devices properly.
• Updated USBHDFSD to fix the performance problem from 2014.
• (FHDB) Recompiled FSCK with new HDD modules.
• Recovery mode will now once again be entered as long as mass:/RESCUE.ELF is found. The START+R1 combo can still be used to force it (FMCB/FHDB will make an infinite number of attempts to boot it).
• NEW 2019/01/14 - (FHDB) Added Japanese translation for FSCK. Special thanks to Oga.
• NEW 2019/01/14 - Updated USBHDFSD to fix the bug causing files to be unable to be replaced properly.
• NEW 2019/04/13 - (FSCK) Replaced Japanese font with NotoSansJP-Bold, to reduce space wastage.

Changelog for the installer

Changelog for v0.987 (as of 2019/04/13):

• Replaced Japanese font with NotoSansJP-Bold, to reduce space wastage.
• Cleaned up source code in SECRMAN to be more readable and better representations of the original.
• FMCB installation folders are now marked as non-transferrable in the browser.

Known issues (installer)

Known bugs:

1. None

Known limitations:

1. Some USB devices (i.e. Kingston) are known to be incompatible with PlayStation 2 homebrew software. To avoid a loss of data, please do not use them to store dumps from your memory cards.

Please refer to README.txt for the limitations for FMCB/FHDB.

Additional notes

I've spent slightly over a hundred hours working on this, and I hope that it works well.... but of course, anything could go wrong - so I have provided a memory card dumping and restoration facility within the installer.

A dump of a memory card in slot 1 will get saved as mc0.bin, and a dump of a card in slot 1 will get saved as mc1.bin.

The file will be saved to the directory where the main executable of this installer resides in.

Caution! You can only make one dump of a card from each port. Making additional dumps will overwrite the previous dump.

Supported installation media:

• USB devices only

Warnings against potential pitfalls

!!! WARNING !!! If you make a multi-install, do not delete any of the B*EXEC-SYSTEM folders or any of the OSD*.elf files inside them!

Doing so might result in data loss. Do not delete uninstall.dat from the SYS-CONF folder either, or you will probably be stuck with the multi-install files forever.

Notes regarding the sources

The sources have been released. :) Check out the downloads section below.

Within the sources, I have created:

1. SECRMAN, a clone of the Sony Security Manager (SECRMAN) module that has card-binding functions (SecrDownload*).
2. SECRSIF, a clone of the Sony Security Manager SIF RPC server.
3. MCTOOLS, a RPC server module that provided misceallenous functions for the memory cards like dumping and restoration, and filesystem manipulation.
4. UDNL, the Updater module. Used for updating the IOP with newer modules (Which is only SECRMAN for this installer).

Hopefully, they will be useful for the homebrew community after their release.

Supported languages

For more information on supported languages and how support for languages can be completed, click here. A template for translating this software is provided in the downloads section of this page.

Supported languages and their translation status

• Japanese - Oga
• English - Completed and built-in.
• French - Translated by ShaolinAssassin.
• Spanish - Translated by ElPatas.
• German - Translated by Delta_force.
• Italian - Translated by Davidreamer.
• Dutch - Translated by port187.
• Portuguese - Translated by gledson999.

Downloads/links

FMCB v1.966 (2019/04/13): https://www.mediafire.com/file/5c93karba29sjf8/%5B190413%5DFMCB-1966-bin.7z/file

FMCB Installer v0.987 (Source code): https://www.mediafire.com/file/flbw4q2ds9cdreo/%5B190413%5DFMCBInstaller.7z/file

Translation template for installer v0.983 (2018/06/18) and beyond: http://www.mediafire.com/file/0wei5ereat623p5/%5B180618%5DFMCBInstaller%20-%20translation%20template.7z

FMCB v1.9 series release and discussion thread: http://psx-scene.com/forums/f153/fmcb-v1-9-series-release-thread-116247/

Note: The source code for the FMCB installer gets updated with the FMCB releases as well, as it contains the FMCB binaries. The installer itself might not receive updates in every release.

FSCK is a variation of HDDChecker, hence the source code for FSCK is HDDChecker's.

If anyone wishes to link to the file(s), please just link to the home page as the links may change with every release.

Further help

Need further help? Please refer to this FAQ first, before asking for help.