Ultimate PlayStation 2 modchip installation guide
Since I sell PS2 modchips on eBay I often get asked for installation diagrams showing how to install a chip into a specific motherboard. This post aims to be the ultimate source of information on PS2 modchips, including how to install them into every version of the PlayStation 2. I may have sent you here if you were looking for installation diagrams, or had questions a bout how to install the modchip. Continue reading and I’ll answer those questions and more.
As of right now this guide is still a work in progress. For the most part the Modbo 5.0 modchip guide section is complete, but the rest isn’t.
Guide structure
This guide is structured into several pages. It’s organized like this primarily so that comments can be more organized and useful for readers.
This page is the starting point of the guide. It includes some frequently asked questions about PlayStation 2 modchips in general, and then links off to more information about each type of chip, and those pages link off to installation guides for each console model.
Guide disclaimer
I’m not a PlayStation 2 modchip expert. This guide has been put together from a combination of my experience, and what I have found online. Many of the sources for PlayStation 2 modding information have gone offline, or are spread out across many forum threads.
My goal is to have a single guide that covers as much information as possible, making it easier for everyone to get solid information about PlayStation 2 modchips. If you have any suggestions, corrections, or additional information, please leave a comment and I’ll be happy to update this guide.
Modchip specific guides
Here’s a list of modchip specific guides, which include links to installation diagrams for each board, and source code to make your own chips.
- Modbo modchip (primarily for 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 750 chips)
What is a modchip, and what is it used for?
The idea of a modchip is pretty straightforward. It is typically a small chip or board that is soldered to various parts of a video game console. The chip is programmed with special software that is used to circumvent DRM protection on the console.
In the case of the PlayStation 2 a modchip allows the console to do many new things. Here’s a list of common PS2 modchip features.
- Play video game backups discs from any region (PS1 and PS2).
- Play genuine game discs from any region (PS1 and PS2).
- Boot PlayStation 2 games from a hard drive or flash drive.
A common use of a modchip is to play games from other regions, like Japan, that weren’t released in the United States. With a modchip there is no need to import a console from each region.
PlayStation 2 modchip history
I’ll update this section with more detail in the future.
The very first PlayStation 2 modchips took advantage of disc swapping and boot discs like the GameShark or Action Replay.
Later modchips were able to boot games directly.
More recently memory card based exploits were developed. One of those is called Free McBoot, which was first released in 2008 and continues to be updated today. These memory cards boot homebrew directly from the memory card. They aren’t as useful as full modchips, but don’t require any console modifications. They work with all consoles except the later SCPH-9000x systems which patched the exploit.
Can anyone tell me how to get the modbo chip to play burnt games on my ps2? I think o used to have to hold down a certain button for so many seconds to boot them up?
If it’s properly installed you should be able to just boot them up without pressing any buttons.
Thank you Author there is just text around that saying modbo with usb modbo with hdd I was just cant be sure until now!
Is there a modchip out there that preserves the original look of the PS2 bios? By which I mean, no boot logos or alterations to startup screens, etc. I want a vanilla look PS2 that just happens to run imports/backups.
Modbo 5.0 seems great, but in YT videos I see “Infinity” branding tacked onto the PS2 logo after a game reads. Is it possible to keep the logo with its original look?
Not that I know of. All of the common modchips that are available for sale today don’t allow you to turn off all of the modchip branding.
Just need to press and hold triangle and circle until you see a menu and from there just deactivate logo then press start. And restart the system
sorry but matrix always do that you should install Duo
Hi I have a PS2 slim with infinity 1.38FM boot mode set to auto but it’s not playing PS1 games I seem to recall I had to do something like double tab the power button to go into PS1 mode can anyone advise the process? Thanks
Could you post the hex code for the 12c508a PS2 v12 laser fix?
Hi, I cannot find the Ps2 PIC Fix files anywhere online, and this seems to be the only place with solid information that I can find. Would it be possible for you to send the files perhaps? Hopefully it isn’t a lot to ask, I just have everything I need but cannot find the files to flash to the chip. Thanks!
Do you know which modchip I can use in my ps2 10000 series?
I don’t believe any of the Matrix Infinity or Modbo chips that you can currently buy today officially support the SCPH-10000. There is a chance that they would work if you find all of the matching points on the board though.
Does it help us?
https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/app.php/modchips-dms3-and-dms3-plus-ps2-modchips-installation-diagrams
If you can find a DMS3 chip. The problem is that they haven’t been manufactured in a very long time so they can be very hard to find. A lot of the points from the DMS3 chip are the same as Matrix Infinity or Modbo chips. So if you look at a diagram for a model that both chips officially support you can see which DMS3 pins map to which Matrix Infinity/Modbo pins, and then use the V0 DMS3 diagram along with that mapping. You won’t get every point this way, but you’ll be able to find a good number… Read more »
How can I make my own PlayStation 2 modchip?
I don’t know of any current open source PS2 modchip designs, or any information on how to make clones of any of the existing modchips. If it was possible it would likely end up costing a lot more than it would just to buy one of the Chinese Modbo clone chips.
Hi there!
First I want to say thank you for creating all these guides, they are really well made.
I have one question though: here in Brazil I can’t find the Modbo chips for sale, so I will have to use a regular Matrix Infinity Clone. Is the pinout the same for both chips?
Thank you!
Yes, the pin labeling is the same.
Hi, I would like to install modchip 5.0 on my ps2 90004. I just wanted to know how i will be able to load games on my ps2. The modchip 5.0 supports hdd or pendrive, but can I load games on it and run them with no problems or I need something else? I know that I can run burnt games but I believe that it’s more convenient to load them on a usbdrive. I can’t understand if I need FMCB or modchip 5.0 is already good to do this work. My ps2 datacode is 8C or 9C, i can’t… Read more »
Yes. With a Modbo 5.0 you can load games off of a flash drive. Keep in mind that the USB performance is very slow on the PS2 (USB 1.1) so some games may not work very well.
You can very easily load the Free McBoot software onto a USB flash drive and load that up on boot with a system that has a Modbo 5.0 chip.
Thank You!
Can you please explain step by step procedure…to be followed after the installation of MODBO 5.0 to ps2..
Don’t leave duplicate comments. I deleted the other one. Do exactly as I said. Enter the config menu by pressing and holding circle and triangle at boot. Then set the boot mode option in the config menu to auto and save changes.
Hello WIlliam, I am sorry to disturb you, I have done what you told to hold triangle and circle at boot and set the boot mode option in the config menu to auto, but the unable to load config file error still occurs, is it because of the content inside my external harddisk? may i know what file do i need to put inside the external harddisk?because i am changing into a new harddisk, the previous one was broken. thank you sir!
This video shows how to set up USB booting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpsGM5qGgDQ
can you explain to us what does it mean the letters of the modbo and what is the function each letters to the ps2 mother boards?
SX – For PS1 backups.
CX – Clock line for timing.
3.3V, GND – For power.
Y – For DVD playback.
A, G, H, I, B – For PS2 backups.
M, N, O, P, Q, T, U, V, R, W – For BIOS patching (what causes the Matrix boot screen and configuration menu to work).
RST – To detect reset button presses.
What chip is best for the SCPH- 5000x systems?
Pretty much any of the chips that are on sale today work with the SCPH-5000x systems.
I installed a Modbo 5.0 in my NTSC J SCPH-77006 PS2 slim. It’s not reading my NTSC UC or PAL games and just shows the red screen error message. Any idea what could be the issue with the install? I’m able to load the Matrix settings just fine
Does it read backup NTSC-J games? The A, G, H, I, B pins are used for PS2 imports and backups.
Unfortunately I don’t have any NTSC J games on me to test with. Right now I’m getting a new issue entirely. I tried disabling the modchip and enabling it again and now, the system won’t even read any discs
If you disabled it through holding the start button at boot then all you need to do is completely turn it off and then turn it back on again to enable it again. If you don’t have any NTSC-J discs to verify the laser is any good it could just be a bad laser not reading anything.
Hii
I have installed MODBO 5.0 to my ps 2..after I on my console it shows Matrix logo next to that it was showing “loading boot menu version 1.0..” next to that it was showing ” unable to load config files” what should I do …
Press and hold circle and triangle at boot to enter config menu. Set boot mode to auto.
Done the same now booting screen is changed…THANK YOU for your support …
I want to play games from flash drive and also self burned iso ps2 games..what is the procedure please guide me
Done the same now booting screen is changed…THANK YOU for your support …
I want to play games from flash drive and also self burned iso ps2 games..what is the procedure please guide me…I mean the next process..my dvd uint is not working
For the burned PS2 games just burn them and play. You’d have to look somewhere else for running games from flash drives since I don’t really have much experience with that, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work very well since USB 1.x is really slow.
Hi! Thank you for your awesome guide!
I have bought an Ntsc-J phat Ps2 that seems to be modchipped. (Has a sticker on the bottom of some old 2000s modding company). When booting up it’s all in english and looks like a Pal system. Runs japanese games but not Pal or Us games. No mod chip branding though on screen and seller is clueless. Any button combinations that I can try to see if it can run Pal games?
Look up the model in the system information on the main menu if you want to know which model it is. There are some exceptions but generally most super old PS2 modchips kind of suck. You’d have to open it up to find what’s inside.
This mod is going to make me blow my brains out. I can’t solder these small traces at all and after doing my best and finishing the light doesn’t change from red to green. Where did i go wrong?
A lot can go wrong when installing one of these chips so it’s hard to provide any advice. Make sure you didn’t blow any of the many onboard fuses.
I have a playstation 2Crystal chips it was chipped some years ago and I can’t remember how to boot it up
I’m not too familiar with Crystal Chips. This website seems to have more information: https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2791
Hi sir its me again
I want my ps2 phat ( gh-015) to modify using modbo 5.0. For hdd porpose. My question is what letter is not connected to the board? It is B, G, H, I, A? or the P, O, N, M, Q, T, U, R, V? PLS help thanks
Pls teach us what is guide connection using modbo 5.0 to hdd what letters is not belong for hdd
Please don’t leave duplicate comments. You can actually just use FreeHDBoot and not have to deal with soldering a modchip at all.
freehdboot? Can you teach us here how to make FREEHDBOOT? THANKS!
I am Pretty sure i soldered this correctly..
However when Reading Burned Disks or an NTSC Game. It will give me the RSOD.
But if i put an Original PAL Game it will work just fine and still give me the Matrix Infinity logo alongside the Playstation 2 logo.
did i do something wrong? or the chip i got could of been a scam?
Make sure you connected pin H, some diagrams say it isn’t needed on PAL systems, but it really seems to be necessary.
I’ll be Sure to try out Tomorrow and let you Know if it works!
Thanks!
It worked! I can play different regions and burned copies. Thank you!
Can I use a mod chip on a Japanese Ps2 to play U.S games.
Yes.
i have a problem with the ship probably my fault. it loads inn the matrix then it comes up (unable to load config files!) what did i do wrong?
Set boot mode to auto in the config menu (by pressing and holding triangle, circle, and start at boot).
My ps2 will not turn on now. There are no power indicator showing. Any idea what could’ve caused it?
Check for blown fuses and shorts.
i managed to get it working for a hour then suddenly it shut down, now it wont turn on an the green indicator goes on just breafly then it goes back to standby.
i waited a half hour and it turned on briefly before it turned off again
This all still sounds like some issue with your installation, or a blown fuse, or a short somewhere.
its seems to be working now! thank you so mutch for you’re help.
and have a great easter
i just installed modbo 4.0 following the guide for v12 70002, however my chip isnt working ive checked all joints and all wires to make sure there connected to the right pads. my board number is gh-035-41 does the guide i followed not work? please help
The guide is fine, you messed something up somewhere. A lot can go wrong so it can be hard to know exactly what’s wrong.
I got it I relaised I had a loose joint, as you said a lot can go wrong. Cheers mate
Actually I am having a problem now. When I put to metal Shields back on my console i get a black screen on boot, I assume this is one of the wires touching? As soon as I take the plates off it is, what can I do to fix this? And I also an not getting the splash screen on boot. It could be my TV not connecting fast enough but I dont see the matrix logo which im also worried about but if I hold the triangle and cicle buttons I get the settings for the chip. Does this… Read more »
If you can get to the config menu then that means the chip is mostly working (at a minimum the BIOS, power, and clock pins are working). As for the metal shield causing issues you’ll want to see if anything is getting squished. On the slims some spots just don’t work for placing the chip.
When you say the chip is mostly working does that mean I should be able to run burnt media etc?. I can’t test as I’m waiting on a part for it (the spindle motor). Should I re check connection or is it good enough? Thanks for all the help by the way, really appreciate it
Mostly working as in more than half of the connections are good. It still may not read backups.
I just ordered the modbo 5.0 for my 77001 model. My question is do I need the PIC fix? Far as I can tell this would be a V15 which doesn’t need the fix? Btw the ps1 mod chip I bought from you a few months ago is working fantastic still!
PIC fix is only needed for the V12.
Ty for confirmation!