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A full English translation of the stock Japanese PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) software with large drive support

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PSBBN Definitive English Patch

This is the Definitive English Patch for Sony's "PlayStation Broadband Navigator" software (also known as BB Navigator or PSBBN) for the "PlayStation 2" (PS2) video game console.

PSBBN is official Sony software for the PlayStation 2, released exclusively in Japan. Introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the PS2’s OSD, it required both a hard drive and a network adapter to function. It added many new features:

  • Launching games from the hard drive in the Game Channel
  • Accessing online channels
  • Downloading full games, demos, videos, and pictures
  • Ripping audio CDs and transferring music to MiniDisc recorders in the Music Channel
  • Watching videos in the Movie Channel
  • Transferring photos from a digital camera and viewing them in the Photo Channel

This project aims to translate PSBBN from Japanese to English, introduce modern features, and make it a viable daily driver in 2025 and beyond.

You can find out more about the PSBBN software on Wikipedia and on my YouTube channel.

Donations

If you appreciate my work and want to support the ongoing development of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch and other PS2-related projects, you can donate to my Ko-Fi here.

This project uses webhook.site to automatically contribute game artwork and report missing artwork to the PSBBN Art Database. As the project has grow in popularity, we're exceeding the limit offered by a free account. A paid subscription costs $9/month or $90/year, donations help fund this.

Video demonstration of PSBBN

PSBBN in 2024

Patch Features

  • A full English translation of the stock Japanese BB Navigator version 0.32
  • All binaries, XML files, textures, and pictures have been translated*
  • Compatible with any fat model PS2 console as well as PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx models with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod, regardless of region
  • DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable online connectivity
  • Online game channels from Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco, and KOEI have been translated into English. Hosted courtesy of vitas155 at psbbn.ru
  • "Audio Player" feature re-added to the Music Channel from an earlier release of PSBBN, allowing compatibility with NetMD MiniDisc Recorders
  • Associated manual pages and troubleshooting regarding the "Audio Player" feature translated and re-added to the user guide
  • Japanese QWERTY on-screen keyboard replaced with US English on-screen keyboard**

Exclusive to version 2

  • Direct link to the Game Collection in the Top Menu
  • Launch up to 800 PS1/PS2 games and apps directly from the PSBBN Game Collection
  • Large HDD support: no longer limited to 128 GB. It now supports larger drives, with 128 GB allocated to the PlayStation File System (PFS) and up to 2 TB allocated to exFAT for PS2 games and homebrew apps.
  • Set a custom size for your music partition. Original limit of 5 GB allowed the storage of around 7 albums. Now the partition can be up to 104 GB for around 160 albums
  • POPS partition up to 104 GB for PS1 games
  • The apps wLaunchELF and Retro GEM Disc Launcher, with a choice of either OPL or NHDDL pre-installed
  • PS2 Linux is pre-installed. See General Notes for details
  • Bandai and SCEI online channels have been added to the Game Channel
  • Full Game ID support for the Pixel FX Retro GEM and MemCard Pro/SD2PSX
  • PSBBN installer script make setup easy
  • Game Installer script fully automates the installation of PS1/PS2 games as well as ELF and SAS-compliant homebrew apps
  • A choice of OPL or Neutrino for you game launcher
  • Install optional extras such as HDD-OSD and PS2BBL

Changelog

PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0 (Dec 11, 2024) – Click to Watch

  • Initial release of patch version 2.0
  • Bandai and SCEI online channels have been added to the Game Channel
  • PS2 Linux dual-boot
  • wLaunchELF pre-installed
  • Large HDD support: no longer limited to 128 GB
  • Introducing APA-Jail, allowing the PlayStation's PFS partitions to co-exist with an exFAT partition
  • Introducing OPL-Launcher-BDM, allowing PS2 games stored on the exFAT partition to be launched from within PSBBN
  • Introducing the PSBBN Installer script:
    • Installs PSBBN, POPS binaries and POPStarter
    • Partition the first 128 GB of the drive as PFS:
      • Create up to 700 OPL launcher partitions
      • Custom size music partition from 10 GB to max 97 GB
      • Remaining space allocated to POPS partition for PS1 games
    • Creates an exFAT partition with drive space beyond the first 128 GB for storage of PS2 games
  • Introducing the Game Installer script:
    • Fully automates the installation of PS1 and PS2 games
    • Creates all assets and meta-data
    • Downloads game artwork from IGN

PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0 Update (Jan 22, 2025) – Click to Watch

  • Added Game ID support for the Pixel FX Retro GEM, as well as MemCard Pro 2 and SD2PSX. Works for both PS1 and PS2 games
  • PS2 games now launch up to 5 seconds faster
  • Resolved conflict with mass storage devices (USB, iLink, MX4SIO). Games now launch without issues if these devices are connected
  • Apps now automatically update when you sync your games
  • The art downloader has been improved to grab significantly more artwork
  • Improved error handling in the PSBBN installer script
  • The setup script has been modified to work on live Linux environments without issues
  • Added support for Arch-based and Fedora-based Linux distributions in addition to Debian
  • Added confirmation prompts to the PSBBN installer script when creating partitions
  • PSBBN image updated to version 2.01:
    • Set USB keyboard layout to US English. Press ALT+~ to toggle between kana and direct input
    • Minor corrections to the English translation
  • Added Open PS2 Loader and Launch Disc to the Game Collection
  • The Game Installer script has been updated to create and delete game partitions as needed. Say goodbye to those annoying "Coming soon..." placeholders!
  • Files placed in the CFG, CHT, LNG, THM, and APPS folders on your PC will now be copied to the PS2 drive during game sync
  • The scripts now auto-update when an update is available
  • Optimised art work
  • Introducing the PSBBN art database
  • If artwork is not found in the PSBBN art database, an attempt is made to download from IGN. Art downloads from IGN are now automatically contributed to the PSBBN art database, and missing artwork is also automatically reported. Manual submissions are welcome, see the PSBBN art database GitHub page for details

PSBBN Neutrino Update (Feb 19, 2025) - Click to Watch

Homebrew Launcher & More! (Mar 28, 2025) - Click to Watch

  • Open PS2 Loader updated to version 1.2.0-Beta-2201-4b6cc21:
    • Limited max BDM UDMA mode to UDMA4 to avoid compatibility issues with various SATA/IDE2SD adapters
  • Added a manual for PS1 games. It can be accessed in the Game Collection by selecting a game, pressing Triangle, and then selecting Manual
  • Transitioned to BBN Launcher (BBNL) version 2.0:
    • Dropped APA support in favor of loading OPL, POPStarter, Neutrino, and configuration files from the exFAT partition to speed up initialization.
    • Moved BBNL to the APA header to further improve loading times.
    • Removed dependency on renamed POPStarter ELF files to launch PS1 VCDs; POPStarter is now launched directly with a boot argument.
    • NHDDL now launches in ATA mode, improving startup time and avoiding potential error messages.
  • Updated Neutrino to version 1.6.1
  • Updated NHDDL to version MMCE + HDL Beta 4.17
  • Added cover art from the OPL Manager Art DB backups. Artwork for PS2 games is now displayed in OPL/NHDDL
  • Added homebrew support to the 03-Game-Installer.sh script. ELF files placed in the local games/APPS folder on your PC will be installed and appear in the Game Collection in PSBBN and the Apps tab in OPL
  • Apps now support Game ID for both the the Pixel FX Retro GEM and MemCard Pro/SD2PSX

SAS, HDD-OSD, PS2BBL & More! (May 01, 2025) - Click to Watch

PSBBN Update: Definitive Patch v2.10 – Big Game Installer Changes & More! (June 05, 2025) - Click to Watch

PFS Shell.elf & HDL Dump.elf:

  • PFS Shell updated to support creating 8 MB PFS partitions
  • HDL Dump updated to properly modify their headers

PSBBN Disk Image Updated to Version 2.10:

  • Disk created with a new version of PFS Shell for full compatibility with 8 MB PFS partitions
  • Added a direct link to the Game Collection in the Top Menu
  • Improved boot time for users without a connected Ethernet cable
  • Modified the startup script to format and initialize the Music partition, allowing it to be smaller or larger than before.
  • Reduced delay before button presses are registered when booting into Linux
  • PS2 Linux partition now uses ext2 instead of reiserfs
  • Removed ISP Settings from the Top Menu
  • Removed Open PS2 Loader shortcut from the Navigator Menu (user can add a shortcut to their choice of game launcher manually)
  • Modified shortcuts to LaunchELF and Launch Disc
  • Updated the About PlayStation BB Navigator page
  • Enabled telnet access to PSBBN for development purposes
  • Corrections to the English translation

02-PSBBN-Installer.sh:

  • Prevents the script from installing the PSBBN Definitive Patch if the version is below 2.10
  • Partitions the remaing space of the first 128 GB of the drive:
    • Music partition can now range between 1 GB and 104 GB
    • POPS partition can now range between 1 GB and 104 GB
    • Space reserved for 800 BBNL partitions
  • Removed POPS installer (now handled by the Game Installer script)
  • Code has been significantly cleaned up and optimized

03-Game-Installer.sh:

  • Added a warning for users running PSBBN Definitive Patch below version 2.10
  • The PS2 drive is now auto-detected
  • Added an option to set a custom path to the games folder on your PC
  • Allows new games and apps to be added without requiring a full sync
  • BBNL partition size reduced from 128 MB to 8 MB, enabling up to 800 games/apps to be displayed in the Game Collection
  • Fixed a bug preventing games with superscript numbers in their titles from launching
  • General improvements to error checking and messaging
  • Fixed issues detecting success/failure of some rsync commands
  • rsync now runs only when needed
  • Improved update process for POPStarter, OPL, NHDDL, and Neutrino
  • Game Installer now installs POPS binaries if missing
  • Reduced number of commands executed with sudo
  • ELF files are now installed in folders and include a title.cfg
  • Code has been significantly cleaned up and optimized

list-builder.py:

  • Merged list-builder-ps1.py and list-builder-ps2.py into a single script
  • Now extracts game IDs for both PS1 and PS2 games

list-sorter.py:

  • Game sorting logic has been moved here from the previous list builder scripts
  • Sorting has been significantly improved

General

  • PSBBN Installer and Game Installer scripts now prevent the PC from sleeping during execution
  • Added a check in each script to ensure it is run using Bash
  • Updated README.md

Installation scripts

These scripts are essential for unlocking all the new features exclusive to version 2.0 and above. The scripts require an x86-64 Linux environment. If Linux is not installed on your PC, you can use a live Linux environment on a bootable USB drive, Windows users can also use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Debian-based distributions using apt, Arch-based distributions using pacman, and Fedora-based distributions using dnf are supported. You will require a HDD/SSD for your PS2 that is larger than 200 GB, ideally 500 GB or larger. I highly recommend a SSD for better performance. You can connect the HDD/SSD to your PC either directly via SATA or using a USB adapter.

When run, the scripts automatically update to the latest version if an update is available.

Video Tutorial

PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0

Installing the scripts

It is highly recommended to install the scripts using the following command to enable automatic updates:

git clone https://github.com/CosmicScale/PSBBN-Definitive-English-Patch.git

If you have not used Git before, you might need to install it first. On Debian-based distributions, it can be installed with the following command:

sudo apt install git

Setup script

01-Setup.sh installs all the necessary dependencies for the other scripts and must be run first.

PSBBN installer script

02-PSBBN-Installer.sh fully automates the installation of PSBBN:

  • Downloads and installs the latest version of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch from archive.org
  • Creates partitions for the Music Channel and POPS (to store PS1 games), with user-defined sizes on the first 128 GB of the drive.
  • Reserves space for 800 BBN Launcher partitions, used to launch games and apps.
  • Runs APA-Jail, creating an exFAT partition using all remaining disk space beyond the first 128 GB (up to 2 TB) for the storage of PS2 games and apps

Game installer script

03-Game-Installer.sh fully automates the installation of PS1 and PS2 games, as well as homebrew apps:

  • Auto-detects your PS2 drive
  • Let you set a custom path to the games folder on your PC
  • Gives you a choice of Open PS2 Loader (OPL) or Neutrino for the game launcher
  • Installs any available updates for Open PS2 Loader (OPL), Neutrino, NHDDL, Retro GEM Disc Launcher, and wLaunchELF
  • Downloads and installs the POPS binaries and installs POPStarter
  • Offers the option to synchronise the games and apps on your PC with your PS2's drive, or to add additional games and apps
  • Creates all assets including meta-data, artwork and icons for all your games/apps
  • Downloads artwork for the PSBBN Game Collection from the PSBBN Art Database or IGN if not found in the database
  • Automatically contributes game artwork downloaded from IGN and reports missing artwork to the PSBBN Art Database
  • Downloads cover art for PS2 games from the OPL Manager art database for display in OPL/NHDDL
  • Downloads icons for use with HDD-OSD/Browser 2.0 from the HDD-OSD Icon Database
  • Creates BBN Launcher partitions, making games and apps launchable from the PSBBN Game Collection and HDD-OSD

Synchronize All Games and Apps

Simply place your files in the games folder on your PC: PS2 ISO or ZSO files in the CD/DVD folders, PS1 VCD files in the POPS folder, and ELF or SAS-compliant PSU files in the APPS folder. By default, the games folder is located in the same directory where you installed the scripts, but the script lets you change this. To add or delete games and apps, just modify the contents of the games folder on your PC, then run the script and select Synchronize All Games and Apps.

Add Additional Games and Apps

Alternatively, you can add PS2 games directly to the exFAT partition of your PS2 drive by placing ISO or ZSO files in the CD or DVD folders, and ELF or SAS-compliant PSU files in the APPS folder. Then run the script and select Add Additional Games and Apps. This will add the new content to the PSBBN Game Collection and HDD-OSD. Additionally, any new PS1 and PS2 games and apps found in the games folder on your PC will also be installed.

Note: PS1 games can only be installed by placing the VCD files in the games/POPS folder on your PC.

Additionally, PS2 games and homebrew apps can be manually deleted from the exFAT partition on the PS2 drive, and PS1 games can be deleted from the PFS __.POPS partition. Running the script and selecting Add Additional Games and Apps will remove any deleted games from the PSBBN Game Channel and HDD-OSD.

Sorting

In the PSBBN Game Collection, items are grouped into PS1 games, PS2 games, and homebrew apps. PS1 and PS2 games are sorted alphabetically and organized by game series, with games in a series ordered by release date. Homebrew apps are sorted alphabetically, while SAS apps are further divided into sub-groups based on app type (system, game, emulator, etc.).

Extras script

04-Extras.sh installs optional extras:

  1. Install HDD-OSD/Browser 2.0 - an updated version of the stock OSD shipped with every PS2 console, but with added HDD support.
  2. Install PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL) - a simple PS2 bootloader that handles system initialisation and ELF programs execution. With this bootloader, holding a button on the controller during startup determines which application is launched.
  3. Uninstall PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

Notes

General Notes

  • PSBBN requires a Fat PS2 console (SCPH-3000x to SCPH-500xx) with an expansion bay and an official Sony Network Adapter, or a PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx model with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod. It is also compatible with the SCPH-10000 to SCPH-18000 models with an official external HDD, as long as the drive in the enclosure has been replaced with one that is 200 GB or larger.
  • For expansion bay type consoles, I would highly recommend using a Kaico or BitFunx IDE to SATA Upgrade Kit
  • A SATA SSD is also highly recommended. The Kingston A400 SSDs have been tried and tested with PSBBN and work very well. The improved random access speed over a HDD really makes a big difference to the responsiveness of the PSBBN interface.
  • PS2 games must be in ISO or ZSO format. PS1 games must be in VCD format. Apps must be in the ELF or SAS-compliant PSU format
  • PS2 Linux is pre-installed. Wait until the PlayStation 2 icon is displayed, then hold any button on the controller and keep holding it until the spinning orbs stop. PS2 Linux will then boot.
  • PS2 Linux requires a USB keyboard; a mouse is optional but recommended
  • The root password for Linux is password. There is also a ps2 user account with the password set as password
  • To quit PS1 games, press L1 + SELECT + START
  • If you are using OPL as your game launcher, to quit PS2 games, press L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 + SELECT + START and to power off the console press L1 + L2 + L3 + R1 + R2 + R3

Open PS2 Loader (OPL)

Open PS2 Loader (OPL) is a 100% open source game and application loader for the PS2.

  • If you selected OPL as your game launcher, per-game settings assigned in OPL are reflected when launching games from the PSBBN Game Collection
  • If OPL freezes at startup, delete any existing OPL configuration files from your PS2 Memory Cards or connected USB devices.
  • To display the games list in OPL, make sure a PS2 memory card is inserted into your console, launch OPL and adjust the following settings:
  1. Settings > HDD (APA) Start Mode: Off
  2. Settings > BDM Start Mode: Auto
  3. Settings > BDM Devices > HDD (GPT/MBR): On
  4. Settings > Save Changes

Neutrino and NHDDL

Neutrino is a lightweight device emulator for PS2. NHDDL is a frontend for Neutrino.

  • If you selected Neutrino as your game launcher, per-game settings assigned in NHDDL are reflected when launching games from the PSBBN Game Collection
  • Neutrino does not support compressed ZSO files. If ZSO files are found in your games folder, they will be automatically decompressed to ISO files by the 03-Game-Installer.sh script

Save Application System (SAS)

Save Application System (SAS) is a new standard for distributing homebrew applications for the PS2. Currently in beta, but already has over 20 apps available for download on the Save Application System Apps Archive with many more coming soon. All SAS-compliant apps come packed in a PSU file and include icons and metadata, making it the recommended way to install homebrew on PSBBN.

PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL)

If you choose to install the PlayStation 2 Basic Boot Loader (PS2BBL), the console will auto-boot into PSBBN unless the cross button is held during startup, in which case HDD-OSD will be launched instead (if installed). Launch keys and other settings for PS2BBL can be modified by editing the CONFIG.INI file stored on the internal drive at __sysconf/PS2BBL, more info can be found here.

Game ID

Game ID for both the Retro GEM, MemCard Pro 2, and SD2PSX is fully supported when launching PS1 games, PS2 games, and homebrew apps from the Game Collection.

If you have a Retro GEM, I would highly recommend that you install the Retro GEM Game ID Resetter on your PS2 Memory Card. With this app, when you quit a game, the Game ID is reset, and the Retro GEM settings are returned to global.

Launch Disc

Launch Disc loads the Retro GEM Disc Launcher application.

For physical PlayStation game discs:

  • Sets the Retro GEM Game ID
  • Adjusts the PlayStation driver's video mode, if needed, to ensure imports play in the correct mode

For physical PlayStation 2 game discs:

  • Sets the Retro GEM Game ID
  • Skips the PlayStation 2 logo check, allowing MechaPwn users to launch imports and master discs

Recommended usage:

  • Add a shortcut for Launch Disc to the Navigator Menu if it is not there already
  • Press SELECT to open the Navigator Menu
  • Insert a game disc
  • Select Launch Disc from the menu

APA-Jail

APA-Jail Type-A2

APA-Jail, created and developed by Berion, enables the PS2's APA partitions to coexist with an exFAT partition. This setup allows PSBBN to access the first 128 GB of the HDD/SSD directly. All remaining space on the drive (up to 2 TB) is formatted as exFAT.

An application called BBN Launcher resides on the APA partitions, a pre-release build of Open PS2 Loader and Neutrino reside on the exFAT partition, along with the PS2 games in the ISO or ZSO format.

The exFAT partition can be accessed on a PC and on the PS2 by BBN Launcher, a pre-release build of Open PS2 Loader and Neutrino.

BBN Launcher directs Open PS2 Loader or Neutrino to launch specific PS2 games.

Warning: Creating new partitions manually on your PS2 drive and exceeding the 128 GB limit will cause drive corruption.

Legacy versions of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch

Click to expand

Version History

v1.2 - 4th September 2024

  • Fixed a bug on the Photo Channel that could potentially prevent the Digital Camera feature from being launched.
  • Fixed formatting issues with a number of error messages where text was too long to fit on the screen.
  • Various small adjustments and corrections to the translation throughout.

v1.1.1 - 8th March 2024 NEW

  • X11 has been set to run in English. The restore, move, resize, minimize, and close buttons now show in English while using the NetFront web browser. When saving files, time stamps now also display in English formatting.

v1.1 - 5th March 2024 NEW

  • The NetFront web browser is now in English. The browser can be accessed by going through the "Confirm/Change" network setting dialogs, then selecting "Change router settings".
  • Atok user manual has been translated.

BUG FIXES

  • General: When a game disc was inserted while on the Top Menu, it would cause the console to freeze.
  • Music Channel: The number of times a track had been checked-out to a MiniDisc recorder was not displayed correctly.
  • A number of typos have been fixed.

v1.0 - 21st September 2023

  • Initial release.

Installation Instructions

There are two ways to install this English patch:

  1. PS2 HDD RAW Image Install: Use this method if you have access to a PC and a way to connect your PS2 HDD/SSD to your PC. This is the most straightforward option. All data on the HDD will be lost.

  2. Patch an existing PSBBN install: Use this method if you already have an existing PSBBN install on your PlayStation 2 console. Also, follow these instructions to install future patch updates. No data will be lost.

PS2 HDD RAW Image Install

What You Will Need:

  • Any fat model PS2 console*
  • An official Sony Network Adapter
  • A compatible HDD or SSD (IDE or SATA with an adapter). The drive must be 120 GB or larger
  • A way to connect the PS2 HDD to a PC
  • 120 GB of free space on your PC to extract the files
  • Disk imaging software

Installation Procedure:

  1. Download PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_Image.7z and uncompress it. PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_HDD_RAW.img is a raw PS2 disk image of the Japanese PlayStation BB Navigator Version 0.32 with the PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch pre-installed.
  2. To write this image to your PS2 HDD, you need disk imaging software. For Windows, I recommend using HDD Raw Copy ver. 1.10 portable. You can download it here.

Patch an existing PSBBN install

What You Will Need:

  • Any fat model PS2 console*
  • An official Sony Network Adapter
  • A compatible HDD or SSD (IDE or SATA with an adapter)
  • An existing install of PSBBN software 0.32 on your PS2 console
  • A Free McBoot Memory Card
  • A USB flash drive formatted as FAT32
  • A USB keyboard

Installing the English Patch:

  1. Install the PSBBN software on your PS2 console if you haven't done so already. Either via a disk image or manually, see the section Installing the Japanese PSBBN software below for details on a manual install.
  2. Download PSBBN_English_Patch_Installer_v1.x.x.zip and unzip it on your PC.
  3. Copy the files kloader3.0.elf, config.txt, xrvmlinux, xrinitfs_install.gz, and PSBBN_English.tar.gz to the root of a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive.
  4. Connect the USB flash drive and a USB keyboard to the USB ports on the front of your PS2 console.
  5. Turn the PS2 console on with your Free McBoot Memory Card inserted and load wLaunchELF.
  6. Load kloader3.0.elf from the USB flash drive.
  7. Eventually, you will be presented with a login prompt:
    Type root and press enter.
    Type install and press enter.
  8. When you see the text INIT: no more processes left in this runlevel, hold the standby button down until the console powers off.

Remove your Free McBoot Memory Card. Power the console on and enjoy PSBBN in full English!

Installing the Japanese PSBBN software

There are a number of ways this can be achieved. On a Japanese PlayStation 2 console with an official PSBBN installation disc, or with Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3.

To install via Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 you will need a way to boot backup discs on your console, be that a mod chip or a swap disc. If you are lucky enough to have a SCPH-500xx series console you can use the MechaPwn softmod.

Installing with Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3:

Preparations:

  1. Download the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 ISO from the Internet Archive here.
  2. SCPH-500xx consoles only: Patch the ISO with the Master Disc Patcher.
  3. Burn this ISO to a writable DVD. I recommend using ImgBurn.
  4. SCPH-500xx consoles only: MechaPwn your PS2 console with the latest release candidate, currently MechaPwn 3.0 Release Candidate 4 (RC4). It is important that you use a version of MechaPwn that does not change the Model Name of your console or it will break compatibility with the Kloader app, we use later in this guide. Currently the latest stable version is not compatible. More details about exactly what MechaPwn does and how to use it can be found here.
  5. Format the PS2 HDD. In wLaunchELF press the circle button for FileBrowser, then select MISC > HddManager. Press R1 to open the menu and select Format. When done, press triangle to exit.
  6. Launch the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD on your console. SCPH-500xx consoles only: Insert your newly burnt Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD into the DVD drive on your PS2 console. On the first screen of wLaunchELF, press the circle button for FileBrowser, then select MISC > PS2Disc. The DVD will launch. On all other model consoles, launch the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 DVD any way you can (e.g. Mod chip/Swap disc).
  7. After the disc loads, select HDD Utility Discs > PlayStation BB Navigator Version 0.32 from the menu to begin the installation.

Installation:
There's an excellent guide here that talks you through the Japanese install. Because we have already formatted the hard drive, during the install you will be presented with a different screen. It's important that you select the 3rd install option. This will install PSBBN without re-formatting the HDD. When the install is complete you will be instructed to remove the DVD, do so but also remove your Free McBoot Memory Card, before pressing the circle button.

Network Settings:
You will be asked to enter your network settings. Make sure your Ethernet cable is connected. Everything is still in Japanese, but it's relatively straightforward:

  1. Press the circle button on the first screen.
  2. On the next screen, select the bottom option, "Do not use PPPoE" and press circle.
  3. On the next screen, select the top option, "Auto" for you IP address and press circle.
  4. On the next screen, select the top option, "Auto" for DNS settings and press circle.
  5. Press right on the d-pad to proceed to the next screen.
  6. Select the bottom option, "Do not change router settings" and press circle.
  7. Finally, press circle again to confirm your settings.

For your efforts you will be given a DNAS error. This is to be expected. We'll fix that next. Press X and feel free to explore your fresh install of the Japanese PSBBN.

Disable DNAS Authentication:

  1. Turn off the console and put your Free McBoot Memory Card back into a memory card slot.
  2. Turn the console on and load wLaunchELF.
  3. Go to FileBrowser. Navigate to hdd0:/__contents/bn.conf/ and delete the file default_isp.dat. This will disable the DNAS checks.

Please Note Before installing the English patch, you must power off your console to standby mode by holding the reset button. Failure to do so will cause issues with Kloader.

Notes

* Also compatible with the PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx models with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod. PS2 HDD RAW Image Install is not compatible with early model Japanese PS2 consoles (SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000 and SCPH-18000) that have an external HDD due to space limitations (unless the stock drive is replaced with a 120+ GB drive). When patching an existing PSBBN install, Kloader might have compatibility issues with early model Japanese PS2 consoles (SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000 and SCPH-18000).

  • Use OPL-Launcher to launch PS2 games from the Game Channel. More details can be found here.
  • Lacks support for large HDDs, drives larger than 130 GB cannot be taken full advantage of. PSBBN can only see the first 130,999 MB of data on your HDD/SSD (as reported by wLaunchELF). If there is 131,000 MB or more on your HDD/SSD, PSBBN will fail to launch. Delete data so there is less than 131,000 MB used, and PSBBN will launch again. Be extra careful if you have installed via the PS2 HDD RAW Image on a drive larger than 120 GB, going over 130,999 MB will corrupt the drive.
  • You may need to manually change the title of your "Favorite" folders if they were created before you Patched an existing PSBBN install.

Troubleshooting

Problems Launching PSBBN

When you connect the drive to your PS2 console and power it on, PSBBN should automatically launch.

Fat PS2 console models SCPH-3000x-500xx:

If your console boots to the regular OSD or freezes, it means that your drive has not been recognised or you are experiencing a hardware issue. You should check the following:

  1. Make sure you are using an official Sony Network Adapter; 3rd-party adapters are not supported
  2. Ensure the network adapter and drive are securely connected to the console
  3. Check that the connectors on the console and network adapter are clean and free of dust/debris
  4. If using a SATA mod, make sure it has been installed correctly
  5. Try using a different HDD/SSD
  6. Try using a different IDE converter/SATA mod
  7. Try a different official Sony Network Adapter

Slim PS2 console model SCPH-700xx:

If you are using a PS2 Slim SCPH-700xx model with an IDE Resurrector or similar mod, download the External HDD Drivers. Extract the files and place hddload.irx, dev9.irx, and atad.irx in the appropriate system folder for your region on an official Sony PS2 Memory Card:

Region Folder Name
Japanese BIEXEC-SYSTEM
American BAEXEC-SYSTEM
Asian BAEXEC-SYSTEM
European BEEXEC-SYSTEM
Chinese BCEXEC-SYSTEM

If, after doing so, the console freezes at the PlayStation 2 logo, the most likely cause is an incompatible IDE to SD card adapter.

Problems Launching Games

If games do not appear in the games list in NHDDL or OPL after modifying the OPL settings as described above, and fail to launch from the PSBBN Game Collection, try the following:

  1. If you have a mod chip, disable it
  2. Re-run 03-Game-Installer.sh and select a different game launcher
  3. Connect the PS2 HDD/SSD directly to your PC using an internal SATA connection or a different USB adapter, then re-run 02-PSBBN-Installer.sh
  4. Try using a different HDD/SSD and re-run 02-PSBBN-Installer.sh
  5. Try using a different IDE converter/SATA mod on your console

Known Issues

  • PSBBN only supports dates up to the end of 2030. When setting the time and date, the year must be set to 2030 or below.
  • PSBBN will freeze when launching apps if a mod chip is detected. To use PSBBN, mod chips must be disabled.
  • PSBBN will freeze at the "PlayStation 2" logo when booting, if a 3rd party, unofficial HDD adapter is used. An official Sony Network Adapter is required.
  • When using a drive larger than 2 TB, the first 128 GB will be allocated to the PlayStation File System (PFS), and the next 2 TB will be formatted as an exFAT partition. Any remaining space beyond that will be unusable.
  • OPL cannot read settings saved on the exFAT partition of the internal drive. Settings should be saved to a PS2 memory card. If you have a MemCard Pro 2 or SD2PSX, it is recommended that you save your OPL settings to a standard PS2 memory card inserted in slot 2.
  • wLaunchELF and other native PS2 apps cannot create PFS partitions on the PS2 drive. New partitions should only be created using the version of PFS Shell included with this project. When creating additional partitions, care must be taken to ensure PFS partitions do not exceed the first 128 GB of drive space, or the drive will become corrupted.
  • HDD-OSD may report drives larger than 960 GB as broken.

* Instances in feega where some Japanese text couldn't be translated due to it being hard-coded in an encrypted file. Atok software has not been translated.
** The default on-screen keyboard is set to Japanese. However, a US English on-screen keyboard has been added, though you’ll need to press the SELECT button multiple times to switch to it. There's a bug where spacebar doesn't work on the US English on-screen keyboard, but you can enter a space by pressing the triangle button on the controller instead.

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A full English translation of the stock Japanese PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) software with large drive support

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