FreeMCBoot Compatibility List: Every PS2 Model, Datecode, and ROM Version
FreeMCBoot (FMCB) v1.966 runs on almost every PlayStation 2, but not on every one in the same way. The short answer is this: most Fat consoles and most Slim consoles boot FMCB directly from a memory card, while late SCPH-90000 Slims with boot ROM 2.30 or newer, and the PS2 TV, do not boot FMCB on their own and need a different trigger, such as Fortuna or FunTuna. If you are unsure about your console, check its model number, its datecode, and its ROM version before you install anything, because those three details decide which route applies to you.
FMCB is a memory card softmod. It was created by Neme and jimmikaelkael and has been maintained by SP193 through the 1.9 series, with v1.966, released on 2019-04-13, as the latest stable release. It replaces the standard on-screen browser behaviour with a custom menu that can launch homebrew from the card. It does not replace the console BIOS, and removing the card returns the console to its standard behaviour. That design is why model details matter so much: FMCB depends on the console’s built-in update and browser behaviour, and Sony changed that behaviour in late production runs.
How to identify your console
Start with the label on the bottom or back of the console. You need three pieces of information, and each one answers a different question.
- Model number (SCPH-xxxxx): This tells you the hardware family, Fat or Slim, and roughly where the console sits in the production run.
- Datecode: This is a small code on the label, such as 8C, that tells you roughly when the console was made. For the SCPH-90000 series, the datecode is the first warning sign, because the change that blocks FMCB arrived during 2008 production.
- ROM version (ROMVER): This is the decisive check. You can read it with a homebrew file manager such as uLaunchELF once you have a way to run homebrew, or from information shown by other entry-point tools. If the model and datecode disagree, trust the ROM version.
A common mistake is to stop at the model number. Two consoles with the same SCPH-90000 model number can need completely different approaches, one booting FMCB directly and the other needing a manual trigger. The datecode narrows it down, and the ROM version settles it.
The compatibility matrix
| Console group | FMCB direct boot | What to use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Fat SCPH-10000 to SCPH-500xx | Yes, in general | FMCB on a memory card; FHDB on an internal hard drive is also an option for Fat consoles with a network adapter |
| Slim SCPH-70000 to SCPH-790xx | Yes, in general | FMCB on a memory card |
| Slim SCPH-90000, boot ROM below 2.30 | Yes, in general | FMCB on a memory card |
| Slim SCPH-90000, boot ROM 2.30 or newer (datecode 8C and later) | No, not on its own | Fortuna or FunTuna, triggered manually from the on-screen browser |
| PS2 TV | No, not on its own | Fortuna-family trigger, where supported for that unit |
Read the table with two qualifications. First, “in general” means the route is the expected one for that group, not a promise about every individual unit, because region, prior modifications, and card quality can still affect the result. Second, datecode 8C is a transition period rather than a sharp dividing line: the change was introduced during that production window, so some 8C units may behave one way and others the other way. That is exactly why the ROM version check matters more than the datecode alone.
Why late Slims are different
Sony removed the update behaviour that FMCB relies on from late Slim consoles, starting with boot ROM 2.30. Because the console BIOS is read-only memory, that behaviour cannot be added back by software on the card alone. The practical consequence is simple: a standard FMCB install on a late Slim will not appear at power-on, even if the install itself completed without an error message.
Fortuna and FunTuna work around this with a different trigger: open the on-screen browser, select the memory card, and back out to the main menu, which launches the homebrew menu. That is usable, but it is not auto-boot, and a card prepared for a late Slim should be tested on your own console rather than assumed to behave like a standard FMCB card.
There is one more boundary worth knowing. The Fortuna family was not ported to the earliest SCPH-10000 and SCPH-15000 models. Those early Fat consoles are in the FMCB direct-boot group, so this limitation mainly matters if you are comparing trigger options rather than choosing FMCB itself. See FMCB vs Fortuna, FunTuna, and OpenTuna for the full comparison.
Fat versus Slim: what changes in practice
For FMCB itself, the Fat versus Slim distinction matters less than the ROM version. Both families boot FMCB directly in the groups above. The difference is what you can attach afterwards: Fat consoles can take an internal hard drive through a network adapter (the FHDB route in FMCB vs FHDB), while Slim consoles load from USB, a network share, or MX4SIO, compared in OPL Loading Compared: USB vs SMB vs HDD vs MX4SIO.
If you are choosing between a Fat and a Slim you already own, do not choose on FMCB compatibility alone. Choose on the loading route you actually want, the condition of the disc drive if you still need one for an entry point, and the accessories you already have.
Region and card notes
FMCB installs are tied to the target console’s region and model family, and the installer offers cross-model and multi-install options. Choosing the wrong type is a common reason a card boots on one console and not another, detailed in FreeMCBoot Cross-Region Installs Explained. Keep a second card for saves, and treat the FMCB card as a system card.
Card quality matters as well. A Sony 8MB card is the reference choice, because FMCB depends on the card’s authentication behaviour and some high-capacity clone cards do not reproduce it reliably. A blank Sony 8MB PS2 memory card is the straightforward starting point; the full trade-offs are in PS2 Memory Card Compatibility for FreeMCBoot.
Checklist before you install
- Read the model number and datecode from the console label.
- Confirm the ROM version where possible, and treat ROM 2.30 or newer on a 90000-series Slim as the Fortuna/FunTuna case.
- Decide the loading route first (USB, network share, hard drive, or MX4SIO), because it affects which accessories you need.
- Use a dedicated card for FMCB and keep your saves on a second card.
- Get the v1.966 package from /download/ and follow the installer for your entry point, rather than copying files to the card with a PC file manager, which does not produce a working FMCB install.
FAQ
Does FreeMCBoot work on all PS2 Slims? No. Most Slims work, but late SCPH-90000 Slims with boot ROM 2.30 or newer do not boot FMCB on their own. Those consoles need a Fortuna or FunTuna trigger instead.
How do I know if my 90000 Slim is affected? Check the datecode first: 8C and later is the affected production window. Then confirm the ROM version, because 8C was a transition period and the ROM version is the decisive check.
Does the PS2 TV work with FreeMCBoot? Not with standard FMCB auto-boot. The PS2 TV is in the same late-model group as the affected 90000 Slims, so a Fortuna-family trigger is the relevant route where supported.
Can I just try a standard install and see what happens? You can, but a failed boot tells you less than a ROM check tells you in advance. If the console is in the late group, plan for the manual trigger from the start instead of repeating a standard install.
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