How to Check Your PS2 Model, Datecode, and ROM Version
Before installing FreeMCBoot, choosing between a standard install and Fortuna, or troubleshooting a card that will not boot, you need three facts about your console: its model number, its datecode, and its ROM version. In short, the model tells you whether you have a Fat or a Slim and which series it belongs to, the datecode narrows down when it was made, and the ROM version settles the cases where model and datecode alone are ambiguous, especially for late Slims. This guide shows where to find each one, and how to use them together.
The direct answer
Find the model number on the label on the console, find the datecode near the serial number on the same label area, and check the ROM version from a homebrew system-information screen if you already have homebrew running, or from the console’s own version information where available. Use all three together: model plus datecode gives you a strong indication, and ROM version is the tie-breaker for datecode 8C consoles, where production changed during that period. Do not rely on the console’s appearance alone, because Slim shells look similar across years that matter for compatibility.
Step 1: Find the model number
The model number starts with SCPH, followed by five digits, for example in the SCPH-30000, SCPH-50000, SCPH-70000, or SCPH-90000 series. It is printed on a label on the console, usually on the underside or the back, depending on whether you have a Fat or a Slim. Write it down exactly, including the full five digits, because the series alone is not enough: within the 90000 series, for example, early and late production runs differ in FreeMCBoot compatibility, and the datecode and ROM version are needed to tell them apart. If the label is worn or hard to read, use a bright light and, if needed, a phone camera zoom to read it, rather than guessing from the console’s shape or colour.
Model series in broad terms are: Fat consoles in the 10000 to 50000 range, Slim consoles in the 70000 range, and late Slim consoles in the 90000 range. That broad grouping is a starting point, not a compatibility verdict, because the 90000 range contains both compatible early runs and incompatible late runs, and the earliest 10000 and 15000 models have their own limitations for some alternative exploits. Always combine the model with the datecode and ROM version before deciding on a route.
Step 2: Find the datecode
The datecode is a short code near the serial number on the console label, indicating the production period, such as 8A, 8B, or 8C for consoles made in 2008. It matters most for SCPH-90000 Slims, because the compatibility change happened during 2008 production. In general terms, late Slims from the third quarter of 2008 onwards are affected, and datecode 8C onwards is the range to watch, but 8C itself is a transition period: some 8C consoles are affected and some are not, depending on exactly when the patch landed in their production run. That is why datecode alone cannot settle an 8C console, and why the ROM version check in the next step exists.
Record the datecode exactly as printed, alongside the model number. A note such as “SCPH-90000, datecode 8C” is far more useful for troubleshooting or for asking for help than “late Slim”, because it lets anyone else apply the same compatibility rules you are using. If you cannot find a datecode on the label, record the model and serial information you can find, and move to the ROM version check, which can settle compatibility on its own where it is available.
Step 3: Check the ROM version
The ROM version, often written as ROMVER, is the firmware version of the console’s boot ROM, and it is the decisive check for late Slims. Standard FreeMCBoot cannot auto-boot on consoles with boot ROM version 2.30 or newer, which corresponds to the late SCPH-90000 production change. If you already have homebrew running on the console, a system-information screen in homebrew software can show the ROM version; the exact location depends on the software you are using, so look for a system information or version screen rather than assuming a single menu path. If you do not yet have homebrew running, model plus datecode may already be enough to rule a console in or out, except in the 8C transition window, where you may need a homebrew entry point first to check ROM version definitively.
Do not confuse the ROM version with the DVD player version, the browser version, or the system software version shown in other menus. Those are different version numbers for different components, and they do not settle FreeMCBoot compatibility. The number that matters for the late Slim limit is the boot ROM version, and the threshold to remember is 2.30: at or above that version, on a late Slim, standard FreeMCBoot cannot auto-boot.
How to use the three facts together
| What you find | What it means for FreeMCBoot |
|---|---|
| Fat console, 10000 to 50000 series | Standard FreeMCBoot is the usual route; FHDB is also an option for internal drive use |
| Slim console, 70000 series | Standard FreeMCBoot is the usual route |
| Slim console, 90000 series, datecode 8A or 8B | Standard FreeMCBoot is the usual route, subject to ROM version confirmation |
| Slim console, 90000 series, datecode 8C | Transition period: check ROM version; do not guess from datecode alone |
| Slim console, 90000 series, datecode after 8C, or ROM 2.30 or newer | Standard FreeMCBoot cannot auto-boot; use Fortuna or FunTuna |
| PS2 TV | Standard FreeMCBoot cannot auto-boot; Fortuna covers this hardware in its supported range |
| Earliest 10000 or 15000 models | Standard FreeMCBoot route applies, but note that Fortuna has not been ported to these models, so do not plan a Fortuna route for them |
If your facts point to a late Slim, read FunTuna and Fortuna for Late PS2 Slim SCPH-9000x before installing anything. If they point to a standard compatible console, proceed with How to Install FreeMCBoot 1.966 on PS2: Complete Guide. If they point to a Fat console and you want drive booting, see Install FHDB on a Fat PS2 Internal Hard Drive. Using the table before installing saves the most common wasted effort in FreeMCBoot setup: a standard install attempted on hardware that cannot use it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Judging compatibility from the console’s appearance or from “Slim” alone, without model, datecode, and ROM version.
- Treating datecode 8C as automatically compatible or automatically incompatible. It is a transition period, and ROM version settles it.
- Confusing the DVD player version or browser version with the boot ROM version.
- Assuming a card that works on one console proves compatibility for another console, without checking the second console’s facts.
- Skipping this check entirely and troubleshooting a non-booting card for hours, when the console was never compatible with a standard install in the first place.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the PS2 model number?
On the label on the console, usually on the underside or back, in the form SCPH followed by five digits. Write down the full number, not just the series.
What is a datecode, and why does 8C matter?
The datecode near the serial number indicates the production period. For SCPH-90000 Slims, production changed during 2008, and 8C is the transition period where some consoles are affected and some are not, so ROM version is needed to settle it.
What ROM version blocks standard FreeMCBoot?
Boot ROM version 2.30 or newer, on late SCPH-90000 Slims, blocks standard auto-boot. Those consoles need Fortuna or FunTuna instead.