Alex

FreePSXBoot Exploit

The FreePSXBoot Exploit enables you to boot the Tonyhax International loader by selecting the Memory Card Manager option in the stock Sony BIOS while a special memory card is present in the console. This memory card once loaded with the exploit can not be used for normal game saves, and can not be formatted correctly by some software. As of v1.4.8 Tonyhax International can successfully format FreePSXBoot memory cards so that they work for normal game saves. This can be done by starting the Tonyhax International loader and pressing the TRIANGLE button when prompted.

Requirements

Usage

You need to copy the FreePSXBoot memory card file for you console (found in the freepsxboot directory in each Tonyhax International release). The memory card file then must be written to a PSX memory card.

There are 2 methods that I personally use to copy a FreePSXBoot exploit file to a PS1 memory card, they are the Modded PS2 Method, and the PS3 Memory Card USB Adaptor Method. There are other methods that I haven’t tried though they would also work. You just need to get the correct file on the PS1 memory card.

Once you write the correct file to the PSX memory card, insert it into slot 1 or slot 2 of the console (depending on which file you wrote to it). Turn on your PSX console with the CD drive lid open, and then select the Memory Card option in the PSX BIOS. This will start the Tonyhax international loader after a brief delay. Before starting any backup or import disc in the loader YOU MUST REMOVE THE FREEPSXBOOT MEMORY CARD to ensure successful booting of your backup or import disc. THIS APPLIES TO BOTH SLOT 1 AND SLOT 2 FREEPSXBOOT CARDS.

scph-101 memory card manager selected

scph-101 freepsxboot exploit exploiting

scph-101 freepsxboot loader

If you want to remove the FreePSXBoot exploit from your memory card, you can format it successfully using MCTool or MemcardRex. Be aware that most other programs are unable to format or read a PSX memory card with the FreePSXBoot exploit on it.

memcardrex format freepsboot memory card

Finding The Correct FreePSXBoot Exploit File

Console models and the BIOS versions they contain are listed below:

If you have a PSX console that can have multiple different BIOS versions, you have to try each different memory card file one by one until you figure out what BIOS version you need for your PSX console.

Modded PS2 Method

This installation method requires:

Copy the correct FreePSXBoot exploit file for your console to the USB flash drive.

Download Memory Card Annihilator and extract it. Copy both the mca_v20a-2022-06-16/MCA/mca_v20a.elf and the mca_v20a-2022-06-16/MCA/lang.lng files to the USB flash drive.

copy freepsxboot files to usb drive

eject freepsxboot usb drive

Eject the USB drive and insert it and the target PSX memory card into the PS2 console. Start the wLaunchElf program.

SCPH 30001 wlaunchelf main menu

wlaunchelf

Navigate to the “mass” device and launch the Memory Card Annihilator.elf file you previously copied to the USB flash drive by pressing O.

wlaunchelf select mass

wlaunchelf select mca elf

Select the PS1 memory card in the menu and then select restore. In the file picker navigate to the memory card file you copied to the USB flash drive previously. Wait for the restore to complete and press X. Remove your memory card and put it into either Slot 1 or Slot 2 of your PS1 console depending on what memory card image you use.

mca select mc

mca select restore mc

mca select mass

mca select freepsxboot file

mca confirm restore

mca restoring mc

mca restored mc

Keep in mind that after you restore the memory card it will crash Memory Card Annihilator due to the FreePSXBoot exploit being present on the memory card. You should remove the PSX memory card you just restored, turn off your PS2, and then turn it back on if you want to use your PS2 console for something else. Don’t keep the restored card in your PS2 console or it will cause problems with the console booting and maybe others, you must format that card before you can use it in any other capacity with your PS2 console.

PS3 Memory Card USB Adapter Method

This installation method requires:

You can use a PS3 Memory Card adapter in combination with the MemcardRex and a Windows PC to copy the freepsxboot exploit memory card image to a PS1 memory card.

Get the latest version of MemcardRex and follow the instructions to install the driver for the PS3 Memory card adapter. Those instructions are found in the previous link, as well as copied verbatim below:

PS3 Memory Card Adaptor The PS3 Memory Card Adaptor is an official Sony USB adapter that allows reading and writing PS1 Memory Cards on a PlayStation 3. To use it on a Windows PC, a custom USB driver needs to be installed.

This USB driver can be easily created and installed using [Zadig](https://zadig.akeo.ie/) by following these steps:

Plug the PS3 Memory Card Adaptor into a free USB port and start Zadig. Zadig should display the PS3 MCA as an "Unknown Device". Verify that the USB ID matches: 054C 02EA

Click the Edit checkbox and name the device "PS3 Memory Card Adaptor" Ensure that "WinUSB" is selected from the list of Driver options and click the Install Driver button.

After about 30 seconds Zadig should show a message that the driver was installed successfully.

With the USB driver installed and the PS3 Memory Card Adaptor plugged in, you should now be able to read, write and format PS1 Memory Cards.

With everything ready, start up memcardrex. Before you access the memory card in MemcardRex, you need to disable one setting enabled by default. This setting is named Try to fix corrupted Memory Cards. Uncheck it, click Apply, then click OK.

memcardrex preferences

memcard uncheck corrupted fix

Drag and Drop the correct FreePSXBoot exploit file for your console into the MemcardRex window.

memcard import fpsxboot file

Write the FreePSXBoot file to the memory card.

memcard write fpsxboot file