PlayStation 2

Bootstrapping with FreeDVDBoot

FreeDVDBoot relies on a flaw in the console's built-in DVD player, so it only works on specific boot ROM versions. Confirm your console reports ROM 2.30 or 2.50 before burning anything. Use a fresh, good-quality DVD-R; cheap or rewritable media is a common cause of read failures.

Bootstrapping from a disc

If you have no memory card exploit and no second console to copy files from, FreeDVDBoot gives you a way in using only a burned disc. It hijacks the DVD player software the moment a specially crafted video disc loads, then hands control to uLaunchELF, the file manager you will use to install a permanent launcher.

Checking your boot ROM

Open the system configuration screen and read the version line, or use a homebrew identifier on a friend's setup. Only ROM 2.30 and 2.50 are reliably exploitable through this method.

Prepare the image

Obtain the FreeDVDBoot disc image that matches your console's region and ROM, and place it on your computer.
Burn the DVD-R

Write the image to a blank DVD-R at a slow speed (4x or lower) to maximise read reliability on aging drives.
Boot the disc

Insert the disc and power on. The exploit triggers automatically and loads uLaunchELF. file manager up
Stage your files

Use uLaunchELF to copy the installer for your chosen permanent launcher onto a memory card or USB drive.

FreeDVDBoot itself is not permanent; it runs only while the disc is present. The point of this phase is to reach uLaunchELF so you can install PS2BBL or OpenTuna next, giving you a launcher that loads every time you power on.