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.
You can find out more about the PSBBN software on Wikipedia.
If you appreciate my work and want to support the continued development of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0 and other PS2-related projects, you can now do so via Ko-fi
- 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 regardless of region**
- DNAS authorization checks bypassed to enable online connectivity
- English translations of the online game channels from Sony, Hudson, EA, Konami, Capcom, Namco, and KOEI. 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
- Large HDD support. No longer limited to 128 GB, now with support for drives up to 128 PB
- Supports over 700 games, all launchable from the Game Channel
- 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 40 GB for around 60 albums
- exFAT partition for easy install of PS2 games
- wLaunchELF is pre-installed
- PS2 Linux is pre-installed. Just hold any button on the controller at startup to boot into Linux
- Bandai and SCEI online channels have been added to the Game Channel
- Some minor fixes to the English translation
- Added Game ID support for the Pixel FX Retro GEM. 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
- OPL software now automatically updates 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 Linux distributions
- 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
- Set USB keyboard layout to US English. Press
- Added Open PS2 Loader and Launch Disc to the Game Channel
- The Game Installer script has been updated to dynamically create and delete
OPL Launcherpartitions as needed. Say goodbye to those annoying "Coming soon..." placeholders! - Files placed in the
CFG,CHT,LNG,THM, andAPPSfolders on your PC will now be copied to the PS2 drive during game sync
These scripts are essential for unlocking all the new features exclusive to version 2.0. They require a Linux environment to run. If Linux is not installed on your PC, you can use a live Linux environment on a bootable USB drive or a virtual machine. Debian-based distributions using apt and Arch-based distributions using pacman 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.
01-Setup.sh installs all the necessary dependencies for the other scripts and must be run first.
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
- Prompts for the desired size of the Music Partition
- Prompts for the desired size of the POPS Partition
- Installs the latest build of Open PS2 Loader (OPL) with exFAT and Auto Launch support for BDM devices
- Installs POPStarter
- Runs APA-Jail, creating an exFAT partition using all remaining disk space beyond the first 128 GB
03-Game-Installer.sh fully automates the installation of PS1 and PS2 games. In the games folder on your computer, simply put your PS2 ISO or ZSO files in the CD/DVD folders, and your PS1 VCD files in the POPS folder.
The script will:
- Synchronise the games on your PC with your PS2's drive
- Create all game assets
- Download artwork
- Install OPL Launcher BDM into every game partition, making games bootable from the Game Channel
To add or delete games, simply add or remove them from the games folder on your computer, then run the script again to synchronise. All games are kept in alphabetical order and grouped by series in the Game Channel on PSBBN.
By default the games folder is located in the same directory you installed the scrips to. If you need to change the location of the games folder, edit 03-Game-Installer.sh and modify the GAMES_PATH variable.
- PSBBN requires a Fat PS2 console** with expansion bay and an official Sony Network Adapter
- I would highly recommend using a Kaico IDE to SATA Upgrade Kit and a SATA SSD. 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
- PSBBN startup time increases when no active internet connection is available
- To quit PS1 games, press
L1 + SELECT + START - To quit PS2 games, press
L1 + L2 + R1 + R2 + SELECT + START - The
rootpassword for Linux ispassword. There is also aps2user account with the password set aspassword
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 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
- Press
SELECTto open the Navigator Menu - Insert a game disc
- Select Launch Disc from the menu
- If OPL freezes at startup and games fail to launch from the PSBBN Game Channel, delete any existing OPL configuration files from your PS2 Memory Cards or connected USB devices.
- To display the games list in OPL, adjust the following settings:
- Settings > HDD (APA) Start Mode: Off
- Settings > BDM Start Mode: Auto
- Settings > BDM Devices > HDD (GPT/MBR): On
- Make sure a PS2 memory card is inserted, then select
Save Changesfrom the main menu.
If, after trying the above steps, games still do not appear in the OPL games list and fail to launch from the PSBBN Game Channel, your drive may not be currently compatible with the exFAT version of OPL.
Possible solutions:
- Wait for the OPL bug fix. You can learn more and report your issue here
- Connect the PS2 HDD/SSD directly to your PC using an internal SATA connection or a different USB adapter, then rerun the PSBBN installer
- Try using a different HDD/SSD and rerun the PSBBN installer
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. The remaining space on the drive is formatted as an exFAT partition, which can be accessed directly on a PC and on the PS2 by the latest build of Open PS2 Loader. PS2 games in the ISO or ZSO format are stored on the exFAT partition.
An application called OPL Launcher BDM resides on the APA partitions, along with the latest build of Open PS2 Loader.
OPL Launcher BDM directs Open PS2 Loader to launch specific PS2 games.
- PSBBN Definitive English Patch by CosmicScale
- Online channels resurrected, translated, maintained and hosted by vitas155 at psbbn.ru
- PlayStation Now! and Konami online channels re-translated by CosmicScale
01-Setup.sh,02-PSBBN-Installer.sh,03-Game-Installer.sh,art_downloader.jswritten by CosmicScale- Contains code from
list_builder.pyfrom XEB+ neutrino Launcher Plugin by sync-on-luma, modified by CosmicScale - Contains data from
TitlesDB_PS1_English.txtandTitlesDB_PS2_English.txtfrom the Title Database Scrapper, modified by CosmicScale - OPL Launcher BDM written by CosmicScale
- Open PS2 Loader with BDM contributions from KrahJohlito and Auto Launch modifications by CosmicScale
- Retro GEM Disc Launcher written by CosmicScale
- Uses APA-Jail code from the PS2 HDD Decryption Helper by Berion
APA Partition Header Checksumerby Pinky from the PS2 HDD Decryption Helper project. Linux port by Bucaneroziso.pyfrom Open PS2 Loader written by Virtuous Flame- This project also uses PFS Shell, HDL Dump, wLaunchELF and PS1VModeNeg
Legacy versions of the PSBBN Definitive English Patch
- 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.
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.
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.
- Initial release.
There are two ways to install this English patch:
-
- Use this method if you have access to a PC and a way to connect your PS2 HDD/SSD to your computer. This is the most straightforward option. All data on the HDD will be lost.
-
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.
- 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
- Download PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_Image.7z and uncompress it.
PSBBN_English_Patched_v1.x.x_HDD_RAW.imgis 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. - 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Download PSBBN_English_Patch_Installer_v1.x.x.zip and unzip it on your PC.
- Copy the files
kloader3.0.elf,config.txt,xrvmlinux,xrinitfs_install.gz, andPSBBN_English.tar.gzto the root of a FAT32 formatted USB flash drive. - Connect the USB flash drive and a USB keyboard to the USB ports on the front of your PS2 console.
- Turn the PS2 console on with your Free McBoot Memory Card inserted and load wLaunchELF.
- Load
kloader3.0.elffrom the USB flash drive. - Eventually, you will be presented with a login prompt:
Typerootand press enter.
Typeinstalland press enter. - 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!
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.
Preparations
- Download the Sony Utility Discs Compilation 3 ISO from the Internet Archive here.
- SCPH-500xx consoles only: Patch the ISO with the Master Disc Patcher.
- Burn this ISO to a writable DVD. I recommend using ImgBurn.
- 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.
- Format the PS2 HDD. In wLaunchELF press the
circlebutton for FileBrowser, then select MISC > HddManager. PressR1to open the menu and select Format. When done, presstriangleto exit. - 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
circlebutton 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). - 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:
- Press the
circlebutton on the first screen. - On the next screen, select the bottom option, "Do not use PPPoE" and press
circle. - On the next screen, select the top option, “Auto" for you IP address and press
circle. - On the next screen, select the top option, “Auto” for DNS settings and press
circle. - Press
righton the d-pad to proceed to the next screen. - Select the bottom option, "Do not change router settings" and press
circle. - Finally, press
circleagain 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
- Turn off the console and put your Free McBoot Memory Card back into a memory card slot.
- Turn the console on and load wLaunchELF.
- Go to FileBrowser. Navigate to
hdd0:/__contents/bn.conf/and delete the filedefault_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.
- I would highly recommend using a "Kaico IDE to SATA Upgrade Kit" and a SATA SSD such as the Kingston A400. The improved random access speed over a HDD really makes a big difference to the responsiveness of the PSBBN interface.
- Use OPL-Launcher to launch PS2 games from the Game Channel. More details can be found here.
- Lacks support for large HDDs so 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. In that space, I've managed to install 40 PS2 games in the ZSO format, 9 PS1 games, all bootable from the Game Channel, plus 3 homebrew apps, and Linux. 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.
- Only supports dates up to the end of 2030.
- Bug with Game Manuals randomly crashing when loading pages. Manuals only work reliably on the first 5 games installed.
- Default on-screen keyboard is Japanese. US English on-screen keyboard has been added, but you have to press SELECT a number of times to access it. I've noticed a bug where the spacebar key does not function on the US English on-screen keyboard. A space can be entered by pressing the triangle button on the controller instead. I could revert back to the Japanese qwerty keyboard in the future, but I think the benefits of the US keyboard outweigh this negative.
* Instances in feega where some Japanese text could not be translated because it is hard coded in an encrypted file. Atok software has not been translated. You might need to manually change the title of your "Favorite" folders if they were created before you Patched an existing PSBBN install.
** Should also be compatible with the PS2 Slim SCPH-70xxx models with an IDE Resurrector mod. PSBBN Definitive English Patch 2.0 and older versions of the PS2 HDD RAW Image Install are not compatible with early model Japanese PS2 consoles that have an external HDD due to space limitations. Patch an existing PSBBN install - Kloader might have compatibility issues with early model Japanese PS2 consoles.
