I have Swap Magic 3.6 , and my DVD boot disc doesn't always work 90% of the time, I have to turn the PS2 on/off up 30 times (maximum, usually about 10-15) and keep putting it in (can take up to 25 minutes), until it finally takes me to the Swap magic screen. I have cleaned my laser before as well.
It does one of these three things
10% of the Time: The DVD disc successfully loads and boots a game.
15% of the time: The DVD disc will load past the PlayStation 2 logo, then stop spinning, and go to the browser screen.
75% of the time: The DVD disc will just go straight to the browser screen.
It is really frustrating, and I have kicked my PS2 across the room because of it, :P. Is there a solution to this? Is there a certain way you have to set the Swap Magic disc in the CD tray? Like a certain direction?
If it stops working again, the CD version of Swap magic seems to be alot more reliable, it can play DVD's if you follow these steps:
Put in the Swap magic CD and wait for it to get the load program screen, eject it (not swap) and put in a game with a high TOC (I use FFXII), then wait for the TOC to refresh and when it says you can swap, you swap it in for a backup dvd and it will work.
I don't really want to play back-ups, but imports. And the method you showed me did not work to play PS2 imports, and my DVD disc is back to what it was doing.
The CD method you listed isn't working. It just says "Please insert a PS2/PS1 Disc".
So, I'm pretty much screwed on this aspect, unless you all have another trick up your sleeve.